The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-08-12

the Tar end OF me cave.
With a dreadful hollow sucking
sound the surge retreated / stag
gered toward the archway that was
NV only door to life. The water was
deeper now, and swiftly came anoth-
er fierce thrush OF the sea that drove
me back
fed to the far end Of the cave, but
the sea pursued me- Swiftly the wa
ter climbed-it flung me against the
wall, then dragged me back. /
clutched at the naked rock with bleed
ing fingers.
Again. after a paroxysm during
which had seemed TO stand q great
way OF and listen to my own shrieks.
| knew that my one tenuous thread
Of hope lay In launching myself into
that Wild food that was tearing
through the cove I was not a strong
swimmer, but a buoyant one might
find refuge on some half-submerged
rock on the shores Of the cove-at
least / should perish In the open. in
the sunlight. not trapped like des-
perate rat. And | began TO fight my
way toward the opening.
And then a dreadful vision flashed
across my mind, weighted down my
feet like lead, choked back even the
cry from my frozen lips. Sharks !.
The black cutting fin, the livid belly,
the dreadful jaws opening-no. no.
better to die here, better the clean
embrace Of the waters-h indeed the
sharks did not come into the cave.
And then / think / went quite mad
I remember trying to climb UP TO the
Z ledge which hung beetlfng fifteen feet
above. Afterward my poor hands
showed how desperately. And / re-
member that once l slipped and went
clear under, and how | cfoked and
strangled in the salt water. For my
mouth was always open. screaming,
screaming continually.
And when | saw the boat fighting its
way inch by inch into the cave | was
sure that ii was vision, and that
only my own wild beseeching OF him
to save me had made the face of Du-
gald Shaw arise before my dying eyes.
Dugald Shaw was still mending the
boat on the shore of the cove, and
this was mocking phantom.
Only the warm human clasp Of the
arms that drew me into the boat
made me believe in him.
The boat bobbed quietly in the eddy
at the far eod of the cave, while wet.
sobbing. choking heap chung to Du-
gald Shaw. | clasped him about the
neck and would not let him GO for
fear that | should find myself alone
again, perishing in the dark water My
head was on his breast, and he was
pressing back my wet hair with strong
and tender hands,
What was this he was saying? My
lassie, my little, little lassiel 70
And no less incredible than this It
was to feel his cheek pressed, very
gently, against my hair
After a little my self-control came
back to me. stopped my senseless
| childish crying, lifted my head and
tried to speak. / could only whisper,
you came, you came ]"
"Of course | camel" he said husk-
lily. "There don't tremble s0-you are
safe-safe In my armsl"
After while he lifted me into the
stern and began to maneuver the boat
+, out of the cave | suppose at another
time / should have realized the peril
| of 1t. The fierce flow through the
! archway all but swamped us, the or
| rent threatened to hurI us against the
| rocks, but | felt no fear. He had
come to save me. and he would. All
i at once the dreadful shadow of the
cavern was left behind, and the sun
shine immersed my chilled body like
| a draught Of wine. / lay huddled In
/ the stern, my cheek upon my hand,
/ as he rowed swiftly across the cove and
drove the boat upon the beach.
/ Everybody but Captain Magnus was
| assembled there, including Crusoe.
! Crusoe 1t was who had given warning
| of my danger Like a wise little dog,
| when ignored his admonitions he had
run home. At first his uneasiness and
| troubled barking had got no notice.
/ Once or twice the Scotchman, worried
/ by his fretfulness, had ordered him
away. Then across his preoccupied
mind there flashed doubt. He laid
| down his tools and spoke to the ami
NAL Instantly Crusoe dashed for the
rocks, barking and crying with eager
! ness.
Then Mr. Shaw understood He
snatched the painter of the boat and
dragged It down the beach. He was
showing OF as Cookie. reused by
Crusoe's barking, appeared from the