Evening star., 1928-08-23
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
HlCH.WATER MARK
RY BRET HARTE

rooted tree, which had lain near the
road at the upper end Of the pasture
had noated down to the house,
Luckily. the trees roots dragged in
the soil, which kept Il from moving as
rapidly as the current: for had 1t struck
! tn, house in its full career 1t could not
| have withstood the shock. The hound
had leaped upon its knotty surface and
crouched near the roots, shivcring and
whining.
A ray of hope flashed across her
mind. She drew heavy blanket from
| the bed. and wrapping 1t about the
| babe waded In the deepienng waters
| to the door. AS the tree swung again,
! broadside on, making the little cabin
creak and tremble, she leaped onto its
trunk. She succeeded In obtaining a
! footing on its slippery surface. and,
| twining an arm about Its roots, she held
| in the other her moaning child, Then
something cracked near the front porch
and the whole front of the house size
had lust left fell forward--iust as cat
tie fall on their knees before they lie
down~-and at the same moment the
great tree swung around and drifted
away with It's living cargo into the
| black night.
She had something else to do besides
v,
her ark struck An obstacle the whole
trunk made half revolution. and twice
dipped her in the black water. The
hound. who kept distracting her by
running up and down the tree and
bowling, at last fell off at one Of these
collisions He swan for some time
beside her. and she tried to get the
poor beast upon the tree but he acted
silly" and wild. and at last she lost
sight OF him forever.
Then she and her baby were left
alone The light that had burned for
few minutes in the deserted cabin was
quenched suddenly. She found at about
this time that she was so chilled and
stiffened In her cramped position that
she could scarcely move. and the baby
cried so when she put 1t to her breast
that she noticed the milk refused to
flow, and she was so frightened at that
that she put her head under her shawl
and for the first time cried bitterly,
Suddenly, away to the southwark a
great light lifted itself out Of the gloom
and flashed and fiickered, and fiickered
and flashed again Her heart flut-
tered quickly against the babys cheek.
| II was the lighthouse at the entrance
Of the bay. AS she was yet wondering
| what would become OF her the tree
| suddenly rolled little. dragged little,
and then seemed to lie quiet and still.
She put out her hand and the current
gurgled against 1t. The tree was
aground. and by the position of the
| light and the noise of the surf, aground
upon Dedlow Marsh
Had IT not been for the baby. who
was ail!ng and croupy: had 1t not been
for the sudden drying up OF the sensi-
tive fountain, she would have felt safe
and relieved. She looked at the child.
who was so chilled and cold and 1t had
such q blue look under the little lashes.
which 1t didn't raise at all, that she
screamed aloud and tainted.
Well. that was the worst Of IT, and
perhaps II was not so much. after ALL
to any but herself. For when she re-
| covered her senses 1t !, as bright sun
| light and dead low water. Some wan
dering Indians had rescued her. and
the baby was safe And her husband
came at last. being informed of her.
and rushed up to her. looking about 10
years Older In his anxiety.
At the next high tide he towcd the
tree away back home. although It
wasn't worth the trouble and built an
other house, using the old tree for the
foundation and props. and called 1t.
after her. 'Mary's Ark" But you may
guess the next house was built above
high water mark. And that's all