Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-28
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
Trust a Yankee
BY MYRA A. WINGATE
Dan had been resolute.

Dan had been resolute.
I'm country boy, CATH he hat
said. THE city has men enough. Don
urge me to go. I've a plan for build
ing up a canning business here. Ever!
fellow ought TO put something into his
own town. The building site is min'
already, and by next year l can begir
in small way. Let's do it together y
Here the quarrel had begun. Gather
ine could not bear that people should
say her Dan was lacking in ambition
1t had ended by her saying:
Il will never marry you so long a.
you stay in this town.
Dan had caught her hand when she
would have removed the ring.
Take time to think 1t over, Cath.
shall take the assistant keepers place
at the light during his vacation. You
won't see me for a month"
The girl moved restlessly, as If to
shake of troublesome memories, and
stepped from the shelter Of the rocks
out upon the headlapd, from which was
visible the great, brilliant eye in the
lighthouse tower, mile beyond the
hsrbor entrance. Braced against the
storm wind, she gazed seaward.
The light-a stationary one-was
winking and flashing in a manner to
attract notice. After bewildered mo-
ment it came to her that the winks and
flashes were q clumsy adaptation OF the
Morse code, as familiar to her as the
printed word, through her daily work
sos" she spelled, sos" "SoS."
The wireless distress signal
She sped down the rocky path to the
house, where her uncle. Captain Bar
rett, retired, sat before the fireplace
blissfully anticipating supper.
There's trouble at the light, she
gasped. Possessed Of the facts the cup
tain agreed.
Trouble, sure enough. Guess I'll
have to go"
Pm going, too. j can run the en-
gine," announced Catherine.
Its a terribly rough night. II 1t
wasn't for that I'd as lief have you
along az a man." he hesitated.
You're going to take me, anyway
she said, calmly.
well, perhaps I sm,' he returned,
with 4 quizsical look.
Sure that the trouble was illness or
accident they stopped on the way to en-
list the young Doctors aid. At the
shore, men who were discussing the un-
usual behavior Of the light offered help.
The captain chose shrewdly. 90"
Doctors an able seaman, and CATH
a good engineer. I'll take Jack, He's
tough as the toenails O. Moses
He has need to be, tonight said
one, glancing at the tossing waters.
Look, they're burning flares out
there"
Above the tower itself, a fainter light
streamed toward the skies, then died
away.
Captain Barrett's glance searched
GATHERINGS face as he bent for a mo-
nent beside her, to protect the engine
with a tarpaulin.
Trust in Providence, girl" " he said.
You'll probably, bring up in Rhode
Island, all right.
The doctor smothered a chuekle,
The boat buried her nose In the foam
ng sea, then gallsntly climbed the wave.
The spray constantly broke over the bow
md Captain Barrett's oilskins dripped
water. Water swisbed and swhled In !
he boat. Jack and the doctor pumped
md bailed furiously. The engine
,oughed and sputtered threateningly,
,ut did not cease chugging. |
Drenched and weary, they reached the
lighthouse at last.
Captain Hatch, head keeper, lay
ashed to his bed, his eyes bright with
ever. his mutterings ineoherent. Ieay-
ng the doctor with him, Catherine ran
lp the winding stairs, Captain Barrett
oiling after.
On the first landing, beneath the
light, lay Dana white and exhausted
Jan, only partly dressed, his head
lumsily tied up, and one leg broken and
,elpless, though he had tied that up,
90, with a makeshift splint.
The head keeper quieted, the doctor
made swift examination and decided not
o set the broken limb until morning,
While he deftly bandaged the injured
,ead, Dan told his story.
Captain Hatch was taken sick this
loon, with chills," he said. "He
couldn't get warm. He lay down and
put hot things-Aatirons and stove
him.
This afternoon he grew feverish and
ater went completely out of his head
and thought ! was trying to get up into
The tower to harm the light. He struck
ne on the head with a fatiron. Then
we fought and ] tied him down, 80 /
could leave him, to light the lamp.
Coming down the ladder from the Ian.
Tern to the top stair landing got dizzy
and fell breaking my leg. tied It up
as hest / could. Didn't dare risk going
downstairs. but managed to crawl back
up the ladder with a spare tin of oil"
How'd you make signals!' asked
Barrett,
"ThrOwing my coat over the lantern
and jerking II of again. Thought Cath
might see It,"
"And the fiares?"
"Cut off my trouser legs, soaked them
md my shirt aud sweater In oil, lighted
hem and threw them UP on the roof"
Explained Dan.
Iarrett Trust a va Zee n.
'You stOpi 70 crie& Cathia indt~