The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-08-19
CHAPTER XII.
The Double Salvation.

| When, an hour or more after
dawn the next morning, the girl
slowly drew open her door and
came out of the cave, Blake was
nowhere in sight. She sighed,
vastly relieved, and fastened
across to battle her flushed face
in the spring. Stopping every few
moments to listen for his STEP
down the cleft, she gathered up a
hamper of food and fled to the
tree-ladder.
AS she drew herself up on the
cliff, she noticed a thin column OF
smoke rising from the last smol-
dering brands of beacon fire
that had been built on the ex-
treme outer edge of the headland.
She did not, however, observe
that, while the smoke column
streamed up from the fire direct
ly skyward, beyond it there was a
much larger volume of smoke
rolling up into view from out
over the sea.
She gave no heed to this, for
the sight of the beacon had in
stantly alarmed her with the pos
sibility that Blake was still on
the headland, and would imagine
that she was seeking him.
She paused, her cheeks aflame
But the only sign of Blake that
she could see was the fire ITSELF
She was close upon the borde1 OF
the bird colony, when Blake lsat
up from behind ledge, and Bhe
found herself staring into his
blinking eyes.
"Hello!" he mumbled, drow-
silly. He sprang up, wide awake,
and flushing with the guilty con-
seriousness of what he had done.
Look at the subway up!
Didn't mean to oversleep, Miss
Leslie. You see, was up pretty
late, tending. the beacon. But, OF
course, that's no excuse"
He was stepping past her,
when over the seward edge OF
the cliff there came a sound like
the yell of a raging sea-monster.
"Siren!" shouted Blake, whirl-
ing about.
The cloud of smoke beyond
the cliff end was now rolling up
more to the left. He dashed
away toward the north edge OF
the cliff. The girl ran after him
as fast as she could over the
loose stones. Before she had COW
cred half the distance she saw
him halt on the very brink OF
the cliff, and begin to wave and
shout like a mad man. A few
steps farther on she caught sight
of the steamer. 1t was lying close
in.
Even as she saw the vessel, Its
siren responded to Blake's wild
gestures with a series of joyous
creams. Already there was lit
tie crowd OF men gathering about
one of the boats. Blake turned
and started on a run for the cliff
But Miss Leslie darted before
him, compelling him to halt.
Watt" she cried. her eyes
sparkling with happy tears.
TON, it's come now. You
needn't"
LET me by. I'm going to meet
them. | want to"
But she put her hands upon
his shoulders.
Toni" she whispered, "let it
l be now, before anyone-anything
can possibly come between us!
Let 1t be a part of our life here
here, where I've learned how
brave and true a real man can
be-"
"And then have him prove him
self a sneak" he cried. "No; |
won't, Jenny! I've got you to
think of. Wait till I've seen your
father. Ten to, one, he'll not bear
of it-he'll cut you off without a
cent. Not but what I'd be glad
myself; but you're used to lux
uries, grille, and I'm q poor han.
I can't give them to you'll
She laid a hand on his mouth,
and smiled up at him In tender
mockery. 81
Come, now, Mr.. Blake; you're
not very complimentary. After
Surviving my cooking all these
weeks, don't you think I might
do, at a pinch, for q poor mans
wife?"
"No. JENNY" he protested try.
ing to draw back. You oughtn't
Ito decide now. When you gel
back among your friends, things
may look different. Wait It'll you
see me with other men-gentle.
men! I'm just rough, uncul.
tured, ordinary" 2
"Hush!" she cried, and she
again placed her hand on his
mouth. you sha'n't say such
cruel things about Tommy Tom
the man I trust--that---I---"
Her arms slipped about his
lneck, and her eyes shone up into
his with tender radiance.
DON'T" he begged 'hoarssly.
'Tain't fart I'll can't stand
iti"