Year: 1874

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man, else I should not have this story


to write, but the terrible wildness O


the night, the furious lashing of the


rain, the roar of the angry sea, made


her falter for a moment upon the


threshold before going out. The vino


in that one moment whirled past her


and blew open the half shut library
door, bringing her father from the
room to see what had happened.


katharine, you are not going out?'
in amaZement.


eyes"


There was certainly no hesitation in
her voice, and something in her eyes
made her father careful of his next
words.


Let me go if it is a necessary er-
rand"


cit is necessary errand, but one
which my father would not wish to
attend to-" she said, with her eyes look
ing straight into his. ga messenger
brought me word five minutes since
that Courtney Alcott's vessel was upon
the rocks at Bay Stone Point"


''You will do nothing unwomanly, I
trust" Mr.. Forsyth said, in real alarm
now, as he took his rubber coat from
the rack, and hastily slipped it on.


'You had better not go, father, if yol,
are afraid of me-" she said quietly
as before. though he saw we'll enough
that it was a forced quiet, "for I am
afraid of myself tonight. One thing
is certain, if Captain Alcott lives.to see
me again, he willknow that I love him,
and that it was no fault of mine that he
thought differently six months ago."


Mr.. Forsyth fairly groaned. He had
been so sure of her, and so certain ouly
this very evening that she would ac-
cept his plans for uniting the houses
and the lands of the Forsyths and the
Holworths, but now this piebiau, that
he hated as he hated poison, must
come again between him and his most
cherished hopes.


There are times when such a thing as
authority in parent is not, and can
not be thought of This was his time.
He must go with her, and while her
face held that awful look, if he was a.
wise man, there would be little said.


1t was full mile to the Point, and
they started out, silent and anxious
He hoped in his heart that the vessel
would go to atoms, though he dared
not think that he hoped so, though as
he strobe on beside his quiet daughter.
he had some doubts whether that event
would mend the matter i'll the end.
Katharine had, from her young girl
hOOd-she was now twenty-three-
been q most incomprehensible person
to those who knew her best, and 4
year back she had reached the climax
of incomprehensibili by accepting,
tacitly, the almost reckless alteration
of Captain Alcott, who cared as little
for her aristocratic blood as any man
living, but who would almost, if not
quite, have laid down his life, if need
be, for the love of this woman.


katharine's father had managed to
see him alone when he came to make
his last call before sailing, and in
rerly to the Captains question if he
would entrust his daughter to his
keeping, Mr.. Forsyth answered him
that he could not, because other plans
we're matured for her-that katharine
was engaged to-day-would he excuse
her? and had bowed him out with all
the politeness of an earl, and the Cap
tain had gone off to sea, cursing the
proud father who had stood between
him and the dearest hope he had ever
had, and almost cursing the proud
laughter too.


Mr.. Forsyth had told his daughter
of the interview, told every particu-
lar, without comment, because he was
4 little afraid not to let her know it,
and she had received the intelligence
with equal reticence, " hich the father
hoped augured well, though for the
;fe of him he could not tell whether it
II RI nr ~ Ii1


Tonight he knew for q certainty
where his daughters heart was, and
1e knew as well that he had little to
nope for unless Providence should
avor him by opening the door into the
lext world for this suitor Of his
laughter.


AS they emerged from the grove OF
pines which skirted the beach, the
'pray began to cut their faces sharply
md the whole fury of the storm seem
ID to strike them as it had not done
before.


cit is a dreadful night. Katharine.
fou had best return"


'Hushi" Her voice was sharp and
strained. 'I had rather by far drown
n this hungry ocean here, than live
20 know that he had gone down.


She did not usually go to her father
Or any one else with her heart-secrets,
but tonight she would have spoken to
my one who had been near her, with
little heed as to who that person was


The wreckers were gathered upon
he sand with boats, ropes. life -preser-
7ers, everything needful, but nothing
vas being done, nothing could he
lone, they told Mr.. Forsyth, and all
;he while came boom boom boom
rom the guns of the ill-fated vessel
1pon the rocks, around which the sea
vas tugging, and drawing and surging
Is if eager to swallow it up and be
lone with at once.


Katharine left her fathers side ana
vent up to one of the bravest of the
men.


"How can You stand here Is no
one ready to go with you?' she asked.


eyes, we be all ready enough, Miss,
put the good Lord help the man WHO
goes out tonight.


Katharine SAID not anothe. word,
out thanking the ''good Lord That
she knew how to handle both a boat
md pair of oars, she slipped through
hem, and before any one knew il, she
lad unfastcned boat, was in il, and
going ont swiftly Oh a receding wave
5oward the rocks and-him.


The light fared upon white faces
enough when they found that woman
aad gone out alone, and Ar. FORSYTH
yasped for breath, and nearly tainted
when he really believed that it was
true.


The rest of that long night,-and it
seemed as if morning would never
paced up and down the
beach, while the storm ragged on, for
not man would follow the mad
though Mr.. Forsyth offered
them more money than most Of them
had ever seen at onee III all their lives,
if they would make the attempt. lie
could not row himself, and so, half
,razed, knowing now how we'll he loved
his child, he had to endure as best he
might the horrors of that time, which
MS heart told him would end in certain
death. One such hour will teach us
more of ourselves than a common life
;ime Oh, if he had his treasure for
one poor half hour now, how he would
,ake her to his heart. They had dis
trusted each other for many days, but
here was love, boundless stores of it,
in the deDths of their heart for each