Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-04-14

clouds were indeed coming down from
the shore. INC they were ugly. men
acing ones at that.
Her remark had caused the enrap-
tured boy to cast a casual glance
shoreward. He had seen then. for the
first time, the rim OF black that cap
ped the green hills, and, without
alarming her. he quickly altered h
course of the boat. He knew that the
storm was close at hand-on of those
swift. violent summer storms that
swoop out of nowhere. it would seem.
and sail down to the sea, to be lost or
dlSSipated in the vast air currents that
scorn so small a thing as a land breeze.
no matter how fierce il may appear on
its native heath.
You must hurry. Eric" cried the
girl. dread in her eyes. Tell me-. what
can l do to help" ! am not afraid"
Its funny / never noticed it COM
ing" he muttered i~rrelevantly. There
vas much tackins to do, for the wind
had shifted and they We're still three
miles or more from the piers. She sat.
stu and tense. looking straight ahead
into the black banks after this. realiz-
ms in some subtle way that it was no
time To talk.
They did not reach the piers. Long
before they were half way in.- the gale
broke over the frail craft. whip
ping 1T about as if ii We're Il cork.
They did not reach the piers and for
a good reason.
Instead, they We're going out to sea.
clinsing to the bottom of the over
turned boat. dashed and buffeted by
binding waves, and stung by the cut
ting rain. The sea roared n churned
beneath them. the skies Numbered and
crashed above. and there was no one
near to help them, no one near enouyh
even to sec them in their plight.
When the boat Went over loan WAS
hurled far out from its side. Eric was
AFTER her in a flash, claSping her in his
arms as she came to the surface,
gasping n choking. He was a strong,
courageous swimmer. Crying out to
her to be brave and calm, he struck
out to overtake the black, slim bottom
OF the boat. which was dancing away
from them on the waves. 1t was a
hard, almost hopeless task. but he
struggled manfully. finally coming
near enough to grasp the rudder with
his free hand. After a while he was
able to draw her up to the center
board. There she chung with desperate
strength, while ne set about the haz-
ardous undertaking of retrieving the
long spare end of a rope which
whipped about in the sea. He re-
leased 1t from it's fastening with his
p~ocketknife, and hen then proceeded
to lash it across the keel of the boat.
looping 1t first over one oar lock and
then the other. all the while climbing
back and forth over the slippery sur
face with the agility and sureness of d
monkey.
The girl was in this manner dashed
quite firmly to the boat, and there was
little or no likelihood of her slipping
Off into the water if a %faintness seized
her. After making her secure, he
stayed himself in a somewhat similar
fashion just opposite her, close enough
10 nnnnr har i'm a so S1,n cy.nx, vr,@D1
with despair and fear.
All his time they had been crying
out words of cheer to each other.
Neither was of faint heart. for they
We're young and full of the right to live,
but they We're full OF fear and dread.
They were going u to sea.
Someone will see u.s. he cried, when
he could get his breath. Its only a
little blow. These storms don't last
long. The u will be out in a few
minutes. Don't worry, Joan. Mary
knows we're out here. and so do lots
of people. They'll have boats out in
less than no time"
But the storm ragged with great
herceness for an hour before breaking,
and they were driven swiftly, resist
lessly out to sea, where the waves were
running high. Time and again they
were almost completely submerged.
The water-tight compartments in the
bow and stern of the boat kept it
afioat. They were in no danger of GO
DING to the bottom as long as they
were not torn bodily from their fasten-
ings. Each time they were swept UNI
der by a great wave. his hand clasped
her arm in a grip of iron; each time
that they came through. half choked,
they looked wildly at each other to he
sure that n had not been swept
away. and each time a dismal smile
fitted across Their faces.
80
Eric turned his anxious gaze toward
the distant town whenever they rode
high on a wave, and each time he
searched in vain for u rescuing craft.
The town was now SO far away the it
was impossible to make out the build
lngs along the shore. The hills were
dim n indistinct. even in the bright
sunlight that was following the storm.
His a grew haggard with worry, his
eyes wid with despair.
VIVA can be h matter with every
body??" he groaned. Mary must have
given the alarm
TREMENDOUSLY. They will come soon.
won't they?"
Yes" he answered. touching her
cheek with his hand. They're sure
to come"
1T would be awful to go away u to
sea like this" h whimpered.
It's my fault-its all my fault.
JOAN" he cried. in anguish. III any
thing should happen. it's my fault. I
am a murderer-that's all I am"
You must not say that"
They said I'd be q murderer
"Sh! Eric! You couldn't help this.
| don't care what they say. You are
brave and good and true"
Have they said 1t to you?" he de-
manded. turning his red. water-stung
eyes upon her white face.
NO n but Chetwynd. I hate him."
Il say" he shouted, suddenly Gran