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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 1906)
rffiiiffyn1tSW!',v'r ( . , r. sw.ii iiiiMiiMSiuiiviMNWKfiVir 4 t PMlllMMMill-,lM 111 , ZTlll THE PILLAR of LIGHT ... By ... Louis Tracy, Author of "The Wings of (he Morning" Copyright, 1004. by Edward J. Clodc CONTINUED. J ICUNTiaUJMJ.J I "Not much lliere,"" lie commented. "I will talc no more!" was the ilerco cry. "You ought to." "I refuse. I tell you! Don't torture me further." "Any chance of a row lu the morn ing? The purser and Mr. Ennnott mount gunrd when the storeroom Is opened." "I acted my role well. I built up the vacancies with empty tins." "My sakes," cried Pyno pityingly, "yon deserve to win through!" "I think my heart will break," mut tered Brand. "Hut look! The lamp! It needs adjusting." Indeed, a fresh gale seemed to bo springing up. The wind vane having gone, the Index was useless. It was not until a burst of spray drenched the lantern that Brand knew of a change taking place. The wind was backing round toward the north. The barometer fell slightly. It por tended either more wind and dry weather or less wind, accompanied by rain. Who could tell what would hap pen? Fair or foul, hurricane or calm, all things seemed to be the ungovern able blundering of blind chance. When the rock was left lu peace aft er the fall of the tide Pyne promised to keep the light in order If Brand would eudeavor to sleep until day break. Rest was essential to him. lie "would assuredly break down under the strain If the tension were too long maintained, and a time was coming when he would need all his strength, mental and physical. "Here have I been snoozing In odd corners ever since I came aboard," urged the American, "and I have noth ing to do but starve quietly. It's ri diculous. My funeral Is dated; yours Isn't. You can't be on deck all the time, you know. Now, just curl up .-and count sheep jumping over a wall, or any old game of the sort, until your oyos close of their own accord." Brand yielded. He lay on the hard "hoards, with a chair cushion for a pil low. All the rugs rescued by Con stance were now needed In the hospi tal. In less than a minute he was sound asleep. "That was a close call," mused Fyne. "In another hour he would have crack ed up. He's n wonder anyhow." The lighthouse keeper slept until long after daybreak. Pyne refused to nl Jow any one to disturb him. Soon after 7 o'clock the watch re 3)orted that two vessels were approach ing from the bay. One was the Fnl con, and the sailors soon made out that the other was the Trinity tender from Plymouth. When they were both ncarlng the Imoy Brand was aroused. It was evident that the brief rest had cleared his brain and restored his self confidence. Instantly he took up the thread of events, and his first words showed how pleased he was that some -one of authority In the lighthouse serv ice should be In active communication with him. Through his glasses ho distinguished Stanhope on board the Trinity steam er, standing by the side of the Inspect ing officer of the south coast lights. Other officials were there, but near Stanhope was n toll elderly man, un known and certainly if stranger In Pon znnee. The Falcon was now chartered by press men, so the civilian on the official lioat was evidently a person of con sequence. Indeed, Brand Imagined, long before Pyno was able to verify the Impression, that the newcomer was Mr. Cyrus J. Traill, whom ho had failed to notice In the poor light of the pre vious evening. Ho knew quite well that the experi enced chief of the lighthouse sorvlco would appreciate fully the disabilities wider which ho labored, with elghty ouo mouths to feed from a stock al ready far below tho three months' maximum. The first telegraphed question be trayed tho prevalent nnxlety. "Hope all Is well?" What was ho to say? Was It not best to speak boldly and let men know the truth, not alone as to their present desperate plight, but revealing tho mensurcs he had devised for the pro tection of tho light? Ho could not make up his mind to launch out luto a full explanation that Instant. So he signaled: "Kvery ono alive, but many cases of wavo collapse." Stanhope was again tho signaler evidently ho had arranged matters with tho admiral at Portsmouth so Brand expected tho prompt reply: "How nro Constance and Enid?" "Quite well and duerful." The tall man near mnuuope item closer. "Arc Mrs. Vanslttnrt and Pyne nil right?" Brand assumed that the lady was In no worse condition than others. Con Htnncc, telling him the state of the sick during a hasty visit, had not mentioned hor name. So he sent tho needed assurance and went on forlornly: "Suppose no effort can bo made to open communication?" To his great surprise the answer came: "We are constructing a raft. When the tide falls this afternoon we will try wluit can be done." Ah, how glad he was that he had not obeyed his earlier Impulse and horri fied the anxious rescuers by a prophe cy of lingering death for many, with the prelude, perchnnce, of murderous excesses committed by men on the verge of madness. If that story had to be told he would not flinch, but It was it grateful thing that tho hour of Its telling might at least be deferred. A long message followed, a string of loving words from relatives asliore to "Had I a son J nlmuld wish him to be Itlic you." those known to bo Imprisoned on the rock. During the merely perfunctory rending off of the signals his active mind was canvassing the probabilities of success or failure for the venture of tho afternoon. It was high water about 3 o'clock, and, lu his judgment, with the wind In Its present quarter, about northwest by west, the cross seas which would sweep the reef and engulf the lighthouse at half tide would ren der It wildly Impossible for any raft ever built by man's hands to live In tho immediate vicinity of the rock. However, the Issue lay with others now. He knew that they would do all thnt bravo men would dnre. He was tempted to make known tho Inspiring news to all hands, but refrained, be cause he feared ultimate failure. Be neath his feet was a human volcano. Stirred too deeply, It might become ac tive and dangerous. So the apathetic multitude In his charge, hungrily awaiting a scanty morsel of food which only provoked what It failed to gratify, must rest content with the long statement writ ton out by the purser and read by him ut the door of each room. Pyno took to Mrs. Vanslttnrt tho news of his uncle's presence on tho steamer. "If you would like to see him," ho said, "I have no doubt Mr. Brand will lot you stand on the gnllery for n lit tle while." She declined, excusing herself on the ground of weakness. "In this high Avlnd," sho said, "It will bo very cold out there, and any further exposure would make mo very 111." "That's true enough," ho agreed, though ho wondered why sho rniscd no question concerning tho message she wished him to convey to Mr. Traill. Had she forgotten tho urgency of her words overnight? Ho had carried her Instructions quite faithfully to Brand and the latter smiled at the fantasy. "Time enough to think of such things when wo are assured of tho lady's de parture," ho said, and they left it at that. Thinking to Interest her, Pyno told her of the crowd on the Falcon. "Mostly reporters, Braud thinks," ho said. "What a story they will build up in tbo Now York papers! It will bo inoro fun than a box of monkeys to get hold of this week's nows and read all tho flapdoodle they aro printing." But Mrs. Vanslttnrt was not to bo roused from her melancholy. Sho (.failed fuo le.nu i..y..eai mm 'im. Mm it ion iii a new thing lu her life, 'iuti.i" she wiw inert, timid, n woman who cowered away from the door and ' ii.-i o.niou-.ly anxious that lie should iuo her to the quiet misery of the , ached bedroom. As the day passed, a wearisome Hcj atlon of all that had gone before, a iiew feature in the relations of the .nnvdtul community made Itself disa greeably apparent. Men drew apart from each other singly or in small groups. An Inconsolable gloom settled on the women. By some means the knowledge spread that they might all starve to death In the heart of this cold dungeon. They began to loathe It, to upbraid Its steadfastness with spoken curses or unrestrained tears. The sanc tuary of one day was becoming the tomb of the next. No longer was there competition to look at land or sea from the open windows. Everywhere was settling down a pall of blank, horrible silence and suspicion. Even Constance yielded to the com mon terror once when the men of the watch escorted tho bearer of a tray load of provisions to the occupants of the coal cellar. "Enid." she whispered, "did you see the light In their eyes? What Is it? Does hunger look that way?" "It must be so, yet it Is almost un believable. They are far removed from real starvation." "One would think so. But it Is so hard to realize things beforehand. And they have nothing to do. They are brooding all the time. We are slaves lo our Imagination. Many a sick per son Is nllowed to cat far less than these men have been given, and the deprivation Is not felt at all." "What will become of us, Constance, If we are detained here for many days?" "Dear one, do not ask me. We must not think of such things." "But dad Is thinking of them. I watched his face when I took him n scrap of food Just now, and" "Hush, dear. Lot us pray and hope." There was a clatter of feet down the Iron stairs. The men of tho watch were hustling to unbnr the Iron door. A solidly built, circular raft had been lowered from the Trinity tender. An assistant keeper, wearing a cork Jacket, with a rope about his waist, was clinging to n stumpy mast In the center. Two stout guide ropes were manipulated from the deck of the ves sel, and the lint, unwieldy masa of imber wns slowly drifting nearer to tho lighthouse with the tide. The door of the column opened to ward the east, so the wind, with Its pelting sheets of spray, was almost In the opposite quarter, and the stout granite shaft itself afforded some de gree of protection for the entrance. The scheme signaled from the steamer wns a good ono. None but a lunatic would endeavor to approach the rock itself, but there was a chance that tho raft might be made to drift nenr enough to the door to permit a grapnel to ho thrown across the rope held by the gallant volunteer on tho raft. It was his duty to attach the two ropes and thus render It possible for a stronger lino to be drawn from the vessel to the pillar. There was no oth er way. The lighthouse did not possess a rope of sufficient length to bo drawn back by the raft without the interven tion of some human agency. This was precisely the puny, half de spairing dodge that the -reef loved to play with. Catlike, It permitted the queer, tint bottomed craft to approach almost within hnll. Then It shot forth a claw of furious surf, the heavy raft was picked up as if it were a floating feather, turned clean over and flung many fathoms out to sea, while both of Its guiding cables were snapped with contemptuous ease. The assistant keeper, kept afloat by his Jacket, was hauled, half drowned, hack through the choking froth, while the wave which overwhelmed the raft curled up a spiteful tongue and almost succeeded In dragging out several of tho men stationed In the doorway. With a clang the Iron shutter was rushed Into Its place, and when tho sailor was rescued tho Trinity boat steamed away to try to secure tho raft. So Joyous hope gave way once more to dark foreboding, nud tho only com fort wns the faint ono to bo extracted from the parting slgnnl: "Will try again next tide." D CHAPTER XIII. ISCIPLINE slackened its bonds tlmt night. For ono thing, Mr. Emmott fell ill. Although In ured to hardship lu tho ele mental strife, being of tho stocky mar iner raco which holds the gruff Atlantic In no dread, he had never before been called on to eat sodden brend, to drink condensed steam flavored with varnish and to chew sustenauco from the rind of raw bacon. These drawbacks, add ed to the lack of exercise and tho con stant wearing of clothes not yet dry, placed him on tho sick list. Again there wero ominous whispers of unfair division In tho matter of food. It was not within tho realm of accomplishment that tho purser, Con stance, Enid nud others who helped to npportlon tho eatables could treat all alike. Somo fared better than others In quality if not lu quantity. Tho un fortunato ones growled and talked of favoritism. A crisis wnn reached when tho sec ond officer mustered the night watch. When one sheep leads the others will follow. A sfout (ionium from Chicago asked bluntly: "Vere's tie goot of blayln' at mound In' gart? Deiv Is bud von ting to gart, uud dat Is dor kldchen." Community of Interest caused many to huddle closer to him. Hero was one who dared to say what they all thought. Their feet shullled lu sup port. The olllcer, faithful to his trust, was tempted to fell the mnn, but ho thought the circumstances warranted more gentle methods. "Why are you dissatisfied?" ho stern ly demanded. "What do you suspect? Are you fool enough to Imagine that you are being cheated by people who nro dividing their last crust with you?" "How do ve know dat? Dose girls dey are chokln' mlt Mr. Pyno all dor day. Dey can'd do dat uud bo hungry like us." "You unmitigated ass!" said the dis gusted olllcer. "There is food hero for three people. They have fed eighty ono of us for two days and will keep us going several more days. Can't you figure It out? Isn't it a miracle? Here! Who's for guard and who not? Let us quit fooling." And the doubters wero silenced for the hour. The hymn singer endeavored to raise a chorus. He was not greeted with en thusiasm, but a few valiant spirits came to his assistance. A couple of hymns were feebly rendered and again silence. "Say when," observed Pyne calmly when ho entered tho service room to find Braud trimming the spare lamp. "Not tonight," said Brand. "Why not? Hell may break loose at any moment downstairs." "What has occurred? I heard some thing of a dispute when the watch mus tered at 8 o'clock." "Things are worse now. One of the men found a gallon of methylated spirit In the workshop." "Good heavens! Did he drink any of It?" "He nml his mates have emptied tho tin. Eight arc helplessly drunk, tho others quarrelsome. The next thing will bo a combined rush for the store room." "But why did not the second olllcer tell me?" "He thought you had troubles enough. If he could depend on the remainder of the crowd he would rope the sinners. Says he knows a slave knot that will make 'em tired." Brand's eyes glistened. "The fools," he said, "and Just as the weather Is mending too." "You don't mean that?" "Listen." He glanced up nt the glass dome. Heavy drops were pattering on It. They looked like spray, but Pyne shout ed gleefully: "Is It rain?" "Yes. I was just going to summon the watch to help In filling every ves sel. By spreading canvas sheets wo can gather a lnrge supply if it rains hnrd. Moreover, it will beat tho sea down. Man alive, this may mean sal vation! Tie those weaklings and sum mon every sober man to help." With a whoop, Pyno vanished. lie met Constance on tho stnlrs, coming to see her father before sho stretched her weary limbs on the hnrd floor of the kitchen. She never knew exactly what took place. It might have been politeness, but It felt uncommonly like a squeeze, and Pyne's face was extraordinarily close to hers as he cried: "It's raining. No moro canvas whis ky. Get a hustle on with every empty vessel." Ho need not have been in such a whirl, however. When the shower enmo it did not Inst very long, and there wero many difficulties in tho wny of garnering the thrice blessed water. In the first place, the lighthouse was expressly designed to shoot off nil such extomnl supplies; In the second, the total quantity ob tained did not amount to moro than half a gallon. B;: it did a great deal of good in other ways. It brightened many faces, '. It caused the drunkards to bo securely trussed like plucked fowls and dumped along the walls of tho entrance pas sage, and it gave Brand some degreo of hopo thnt the rescue operations of tho next day would be moro success ful. When tho rain cleared off tho moon flickered in a cloudy sky. This was a further omen of better fortune. Pcr haps the Jingling rhymo of Admiral FItzroy's barometer wbb about to bo justified: Lonjj foretold. Long last; Short notice, Soon past. And the hurrlcnno had given but slight warning of its advent. "I feel It in my bones that wo shall ' all bo ns frisky as lambs tomorrow," said Pyno when ho rejoined Brand after tho scurry caused by tho rain I had passed. "Wo must not bo too sanguine. ' Thoro is a chnnco now. I won't deny . that, but tho sea is treacherous." "This reef licks creation. 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