Year: 1870

So she and Tom and basket made theil


way upward, and deposit of sandwiche.
and port-wine was left in a convenient
crevice within reach.


"Good-by, dear I hope the sketch viii
be lovely" and they were gone-up thJ
cliff side-Mrs. Gray last, leaning upor
her husbands arm.


"Poor child" she said, lit makes my
| heart ache to see her look so sad. Didn't
you notice how she was longing to have
us go, and to be alone?''


"Apd the very worst thing for her She
needs rOHsing, and all this morbid think
ing does her harm"


The voices died away. Esther caught
the words, and she smiled at them-a bit.
ter little smile. That was what all OF
| them had said since her trouble came. She
must be reused -amused-and they had
| crowded business and pleasure upon her
| until she had sometimes felt that she
could bear it no longer This was the
first time in many weeks that she had felt
really free-free TO be silent, to look sad,
to cry if she wished What a luxury it
wasi No anxious-eyed mother to watch
her-these comparative strangers with
drawn-this cool darkling silence it was
deliciousi There was something in the
very nature of her trial which made it
necessary to veil her grief with reserve
y black dress she might wear-Pahl was
cousin, and some show of mourning is
allowed for second cOusinhood even, and
for intimate friendship such as theirs had
been. But no one knew Of the
unavowed engagement which bound them
since that buried farewell letter in which
his love found utteraIce, and which only
reached her after he had salled-the sail
ing from which there was to be no return.
No one knew az they talked compassion
ately of her having had a Dreadful
shock, poor eirl-her own cousin, you
know, ami Stlch a line young fellow" that
her heart was wearing widows weeds,
and mourning its dead as the great loss of
life II wouldn't bear talking about. She
had kept silence and tried to wear a brave
face.


at first there had been little hope as
rlmOrs came Of one hOatlo load escaping
from the midnight collision; but that was
over now, and the terrible suspense of
hope was over, and every thing had
faded into a sort of gray accept
ance of sorrow. The light had gone out


Left alone, she found with some sur
PRISE that she didn't want to cry. All the
morning she had felt that to creep away
sonew here and weep, and weep her
heart Ouf, would be 50 good; but tears are
contrary things She sat there dOgged,
with calm that was almost like content.
She was thinking OF the time when Paul
had visited the island and climbed about
that very cave On the very rock-shelf
where She sat he might perhaps have
rested. She liked to think 50. IL brought
him nearer.


Sne put her sketch away a little later,
and crept down to broad lejge, where,
through the arch, the exquisite skyline
was visible. The surf tumbled, and
chimed like distant bells. She lay as if
fascinated, her eyes fixed upon the shin
ing horizon. Somewhere far beyond it
was the spot where the good ship which
held her all went down. Down where?
Her imagination ran riot. Cleaying the
liquid depths to the inmost sanctuary of
ocean, she saw the golden sands, the
shadowy green light percolatiDg through
miles of water-the everlasting repose
which reigned there beyond the reach of
storm, Win1, or hurricane. She tried to
fix the wandering images, and to think of
it as a haven no less tranquil than the
quiet mounds under which are pillowed
beloved heads on earth. But it would
not stay. Thoughts Of tempest and fury,
of chill piping winds whipping the foam
from the waves, OF roar and Iumult, and
a heaving wilderness Of dark waters, came
over her, and through ell the refrain of
Jean Ingelow's pathetic strain mingled
and blended:


And shall see thee no more. no more,


FL the sea gives up its dead.


Great drops forced themselves beneath
the closed eyelids, and she sobbed: "Oh
Paul, Paul how can j bear il ,"


And then she thought, as she had
thought before, how glad she would be TO
Giel Life didn't seem desirable any longer,
and it would be blessed to be with Paul,
even at the bottom of the ocean. And
thinking thus, the long eye-lashes drop
ped more and more heavily peace fell
upon the brow and lips: she was asleep
asleep and dreaming a sweet, joyful dream.


How long she slept she never knew.
She awoke with sensation OF intense
cold. The spell of slumber was so strong
upon her that for a moment she did not
realize what had taken place. The cave
was half full of water. Her feet and the
hem OF her dress were already wet, and
the roar of the waves beneath the hardly
dis inguishable archway told that the tide
had surprised another victim, and already
the avenue of escape was barred.


Was this the answer to some unspoken
prayer?


The thought flashed over her. Had she
really prayed for deathg Here it was,
close al hand, and she was conscious OF
no gladness-Oniy an intense instructive
desire for life. 1t was too dreadful 10 be
drowned IN that hole, and washed away
like weed. Life aoas worth living, after
all


Had somebody said, or was she dream
ing that "A portion of the cave was lett
uncovered by the water? She couid not
remember, but now she searched about
for some indication. Ahi surely this was
Oue-a cork, a scrap Of paper, lodged Ou
the highest shelf-tragile things which a
tide must inevitably nave washed away.
With that instinct of property which sur
wives shipwreck and fire, she collected
her drawing materials and other little be-
lOngings, aud retreating with them to this
possible place of refuge, wrapped her
cloak about her, and with folded hands
sat down to await her fate.


The re was full of pale green light.
1t was auiful 20 see, as the advancing
flow rose ledge over ledge ana f1ooSed the
larry poOts, now edch stdi-HoWei anu Se't-
urchin, each crimson and golden weed
trembled ard quivered az with delight al
its refreshing touch. Each anemOne threw
wide its petals ard expanded into full
blossom TO meet the spray baptism. Nc
mortal eye ever looked upon sight more
charming; but IFS beauty was lost to the
shivering and terrified girl


The doorway had quite disappeared
Sharp spray dashed against her dress
The drops struck her face. She shrank
and oluIg more tightly to the rock. A
prayer lose to her lips; and through the
tremulous light of the submerged arch


way strange shadow began to go and
come, to move and pause, and move again
Was it fish, or weed, or some mysteriou:
presencey Did it come accompanied by
life or death?


Meantime upon the rocks above dis
/ coIlpctat bo ~