Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-08-25

well, he got him out Of it soon
enough. didn't hep demanded her
brother. hard put for explanations.
She waited a moment. There u
something o are holding back, Eric,
she said, closing here eyes. How would
you feel, dear. If I were to mir that
Joan Bright isn't what she ought to
be %
"Joan!" he cried out. a new despair
rising in his voice. He covered his eyes
with his hand. What will she think!
when she hears what 1 have come to?'
let anything come between" said
Mary. slowly, significantly. The
true appeal in her words was
lost on him. He walked over
to the window and stood there. star
ing blankly out into the little garden.
For a long time she Kept her eyes on
his straight, tense figure. Then she
moved up closer to the fire, resting q
hand on the mantelpiece as she looked
down into the writing flames. Final
ly her shoulders relaxed and dropped.
and her whipped gaze went once more
to the back Of him who was so racked
and harassed.
She crossed slowly to his side.
Eric" she said, her voice very low
and unwavering. II will give Jack up
IL it will a you happy. IL shan't
see him again."
Good heaven. Mary you-you would
do that?" he cried, hoarsely. "Why.
you do not make me happy. You make
efe "es' 80 s''a4'' 80 p0"s 30 aS'A'''e'
Don't Eric, I beg Of you!" She
spoke rapidly. jerkily. Il mean it.
will try to make them a little bit hap
pier than they are. will do This for
-" She stopped In the middle of the
sentence. the soft. warm glow in her
eyes fading like a flash. In its stead
came an almost venomous glitter, COM
pletely Transforming her lovely face.
But. wait! What am 1 saying? Why
should 1 do this for them? They nay
try to hang you. Eric"
can't stay in the house any longer.
Mary. I've got to get out where I can
breathe" He started toward the door,
catching up his hat as he passed by
the table.
Where are you going?" she cried.
+an d @an know ~. anywhere; Lis,
mile and a half to Stone Wall. There's
q big sea running. Mary. I haven't
been on Stone Wall in six years. I'm
going out there now. I'm going to face
the thing I've dreaded all these years,
He's out there somewhere. He hasn't
moved. It's horrible to think of. But,
I'm going to smash this contemplate
fear. once n for all. I'll be back by
dinner time. Out there I can think II
over. as Adam says Don't worry, dear,
1 will not"
Il am going with you. Erie.' she
said quietly.
mol" he cried. but she was rush
Ing off for her hat and macintosh.
Hall an hour later they crossed the
bleak. wind-blown stretch Of meadow
land n came out upon the rocks.
They had not spoken in all this time.
The stiff gale that blew in from the
Atlantic drove the words back into
their Threats. A fine drizzle smote
them in the face. They had not no
ticed that 1t was misting when they
left the cottage.
This way" he managed to say when
they came to the forlorn coast road
which wound through the rocks. We'll
cross the bridge. If you care to look.
of vines, too"
She kept pace with him, uttering no
word.
They stopped in the middle of the
bridge. leaning side by side on the
stout. new rail to look down into the
ravine. He pointed to h Jagged
rocks n then to he mass OF vines
been secreted on that memorable day.
Then they passed on. skirting Buds
Rock, and bent their bodies against
the gale that shrieked across the rocky
waste. 1t was a chill. raw wind that
beat In their faces and u through
the clothes they wore, an insistent
wind that seemed bent on keeping
them back from the brow Of the cliffs.
At last they stood at the edge of the
great Stone Wall. with the ocean snarl-
ing madly at the rag 200 feet below.
Never had they seen the sea so wild.
so furious. so ugly. It came in. black
and devilish. with none OF the roll
we're so used to seeing; nothing but
great black things with hoary crests
and foaming maws. crashing against
the huge rocks that stood guard IN
front Of the palisade. swirling in be-
tween and bounding back again as II
surprised to find resistance so strong.
A drab sky seemed to flatten itself
like the low top Of a circus tent over
the whole world. s%loughing off into q
thick. impenetrable bank of fog which
brought the bleak horizon close to
hand. inc out of which slipped shad-
owy pillows that took vivid shape az
they raced into the arena. On they
velocity. only to shatter themselves
against the mammoth barrier that a
defied them for ages and ages. They
struck with splintering force. roaring
like q thousand cannons, swishing with
the mighty hiss of a hundred catar-
acts. and then ground their way back
for another Inc mightier assault.
The puny spectators at the top Of
the cliff braced themselves against
the wind and stared out over the ma
jestic foe of all mankind. Mary. pointed
to a vast cleft in the wall far to the
left: the fury there was greater than
anywhere else. the struggle more sub
lime.