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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 1906)
J qSaWWi'WtnyHNUM'tflllJWlfHUMa. --- yj ( f V . THE PILLAR of LIGHT I CONTINUED. Ho. waited, lost porchuncc the other iiirnii should take the cue thus offered, but Brand, for the twentieth time, was poring over the records of the days which followed the hurricane re- i liorled by a former keeper. The Amer- , lean pursed his lips. "He has had a bad time with a wo- ' man once in his life," ho mused. "It must have boon Constance's mother, nnd that Is why he doesn't believe in I 'heredity. Well, I guess he's right." Had ho soon Mrs. Vanslttart cower ing on her knees outside her bedroom I door, ho might have found cause for . more disturbing reflections. She was ' T.vhig softly, with her face hidden In .her hands. "Oh, I daro not! I dare not!" she moaned. "I am the most miserable wo man In the world. It would have been better If I had gone down with the vessel. The Lord saved mo only to jiuntsh me. My heart will break. What vlmll I do? Where shall I hide?" And her sobbing only ceased when iho noise of ascending footsteps drove lior Into the company of sorrowful wo men, who would nevertheless have for gotten some of their own woes did they tint realize her greater anguish. CHAPTER XIV, S IOME people are never satis fied," said l'yne, while ho helped the cooks by smash ing u ham bone with a hum mer. The bone had been picked clean of meat and marrow on the first day After the wreck, but It occurred to Enid that If It were broken up and boiled she might procure some sort of nourishment for the two children, who -wore fast running down In condition. "What is the matter now?" inquired Constance, whose attentive eyes were Covering between the cooking stovo :md a distilling kettle. AH the flour and biscuits, with the exception of two tins reserved for ex tremities, had been used. She was striving to concoct cakes of chocolnte I out of cocoa, an article more plentiful than any other food of its kind in .stock, but water could not be spared, Jiud eating dry powder was dlfllcult to jinrched palates. "There are two tugboats, a trawler Jind a Trinity service boat not half a mile away," said Pyne, "and the cliffs at Land's End are peppered with people." "Surely that Is satisfactory. Dad told me that the Falcon signaled this morning he was to expect a special ef fort to be made at half tide on the flow and not on the ebb, as was arranged .yesterday." "Yes, that Is all right so far as It goes." I'yne leaned forward with the air of one about to impart information -of great value. "But the extraordinary thing is that while every man on board those vessels Is thinking like steam liow best to get Into the lighthouse, wo are most desperately anxious to get out of It. So you see, as I said before, some people" "Oh, dash!" cried Enid. "I'vo gone and burnt my finger, nil through listen ing to your nonsense." "Are there really many people on the cliffs?" demanded Constance. Pync pounded the bono viciously. "I go out of my way to Inform you of n number of Interesting and strictly iiocurnte facts," he protested, "and one of you burns her fingers nnd the other doubts my word. Yet, If I called your skepticism unfeeling, Miss Enid would bo angry." "I don't know why lcottlo lids nro so cantankerous," said Enid. "They seem to get hot long before the water does." "The hottest part of any boll Is on op," said Pyne. Enid smiled forgiveness. "I bellevo .you would be cheerful If you were go ing to be electrocuted," sho said pen sively. "Yet, goodness knows, It Is hard to keep one's spirits up this morn ing. The sen Is as bad as ever. What -will become of us If wo got no relief today?" "Mr. Tyne," Interrupted Constance suddenly, "do you think that any of the men can have gained access to the utororoom during tho night?" "I can't say for sure," ho replied. "What has put that Into your mind?" "Tho purser and I examined all that was loft this morning, nnd wo both grced tlint some of tho tilings had dis appeared. It Is very strange." Pyne was not wholly prepared for this initio being sprung on him, so ho essayed to gain time. "It doesn't nppenl to mo In that light. There was a miscalculation about the water. Why not about tho food?" Bccauso my fathor went; through all By... Louis Tracy, Aulhor of The Winga of (he Morning" Copyright, 1904, by Edward J. Clode tho stores personally nnd portioned them out. Some Hour and tinned meat have gone; I am quite sure of It. The question Is, Who can have taken them? The flour at least must have attracted attention If anybody tried to eat It." "Did you say all that to tho pur ser?" he asked, suspending his labors and looking at her steadily. "No; he could not remember exactly what proportion of the various articles there ought to be left." "Then take my advice, Miss Con stance, and keep on forgetting," ho said. A quick flush came Into her pale cheeks. "You are not saying that without good cause?" she murmured. "I have tho best of reasons. If tho least hint of such a thing goes round among the men there will be ructions." Constnnco went to tho door nnd closed It. "Enid," she said, "I bellevo fathor and Mr. Pyne have got some dreadful plan In their minds which they daro not tell us about." But the American was not to be cor nered in such fashion. Ho opened tho door again and went out, pausing on tho threshold to sny: "I wouldn't venture to guess what might be troubling Mr. Brand, but you can take It from tne that what he says goes. Talk about grasping a nettle firmly! I believe your father would grab n scorpion by tho tall4If he felt that way." And with this cryptic utterance he quitted them, Intending to warn Brand at the first opportunity that the time was at hand when he must harden his heart nnd take the decisive step of cutting off communication between the service room and the rcmnlnder of tho building. This could bo done easily. Tho flnnges of the uppermost Iron staircase were screwed to the floor above and below. A few minutes' labor would re move tho screws. The steps could bo lifted bodily into the service room nnd there utilized to seal tho well. "What a howling menagerie will break loose hero when they find out," thought Pyno. "It's a hard thlng to say, but we ought to have tho door open. Quite a stack of folks will need to be pitched outside." A comforting reflection truly, yet his face bore no token thereof as ho join ed tho lighthouse keeper and several of the Chinook's ofllcers and men on tho gallery. The wind had shifted another couple of points to the north, and tho sea, npart from tho reef, was running In a heavy unbroken swell. Tlint was tho tantalizing part of it. Any ordinary ship's boat, properly mannged, could live In perfect safety In tho open. But the Iron toothed reef, with Its tortuous channels and battling currents changing with every stage of the tide, surrounded the pillar with an appar ently Impassable barrier, while tho Ilghthouso Itself offered as frowning a front ns any of the blnck rocks which reared their weed covered crests at low water. Signals were being exchanged be tween tho gallery and the Trinity tend er. Brand seemed to be very emphatic In his answers to tho communications made to him by Stanhope. "No, no," he muttered aloud, while tho anxious mau near him wondered why he was so impatient. "It Is utterly Impossible!" ho said again. "No boat can do It. Somo one should stop him. It means certain loss of life." At last, becoming aware that his companions could not understand whnt was going on, ho turned to them with passionate explanation. "Thnt bravo fellow Stanhopo says that, with two others at the oars, ho intends to row nenr enough to tho rock nf: half flood to endeavor to spring on to tho ladder. I cannot persuade him that no man has over yet succeeded In such a mad project. Look below and see how each wave climbs around eighteen or twenty feet of tho base. The thing Is wildly Impracticable. IIo will bo swept off and smashed to pieces before our oyes even If tho boat es capes." "If tho boat can come near enough for that purpose, couldn't wo heave a lino aboard her?" asked ono of tho ship's ofllcers. "Wo can try. I shall signal them to thnt effect. Anything is better than to sanction an ntteinpt which Is foredoom ed to failure nnd must result In tho death of tho man who tries It." Thereupon more energetic flag wav ing took plnce. Finally Brand desisted in sheer exasperation. "I cannot convince him," ho cried. "Ho has made up his mind. May tho Lord preserve him from a peril which I consider to be a mortal one!" ''Hn.s ho put forward any theory?" iik"d Pyne. "He was doing n lot of talking." "Yes," explained Brand. "He be lieves that a strong boat rowed to the verge of the broken water might watch her opportunity and dart In close to tho ladder on tho back wasli of a big wave, allowing Its successor to lift her high enough for an active man to Jump on to the rungs. Tho rowers must pull for their lives the instant the wave breaks and leave him clinging to the ladder as best he can. There Is more chance of success In that way, he thinks, than In trying to make fast a lino thrown by us even If It fell over the boat. It Is all a question of time, he argues, and I have failed to convince him that not only he but his companions will bo lost." "Is thero no chance?" Inquired thu AM'oud olllcer. "Look below," repeated Brand hope lessly, and Indeed, when they obeyed ' him, craning their necks over tho rail , to examine the seething caldron from which the granite tower tapered up to them, no mau could say that the Ilght houso keeper deplored Stanhope's yv" clslon without good reason. They understood matters a little bet ter, perhaps, when, ono by one, they re entered the lantern, the Falcon having flitted away to make her final prepara tions. Brand asked them not to make known tho nature of the ponding under taking. "If I thought It would do any good to the suffering people I would gladly , see them enlivened by tho news," he said. "I confess, however, I expect nothing but disastrous failure and gentlemen Lieutenant Stanhope Is practically engaged to be married to one of my daughters." What was to be said? They quitted him in tho silence that was tho dom Iiiant note of. their lives Just then. Pyne alone remained. He wondered why one man should bo called on to endure so much. Though each of those present on the gallery was loyal to Brand's sorrowful request, It was Impossible to prevent others from seeing that something of exceptional interest was in progress afloat and on the rock. Brand did not know tlint the officials of the Trinity house had only agreed to help Stanhope's hazardous project under compulsion. The sailor Inform ed them that ho was determined to carry out his scheme with or without their assistance. So when the Falcon, the tender nnd n strong tug hired by Mr. Traill rounded tho distant Cam du headland at 11 o'clock the lighthouse keeper felt that further protest was unavailing. It behooved him to take all possible measures to help the men who were about to daro so much to help him. In tho first place, ho caused a rope to be swung from the gallery to the doorway. If any doubt were enter tained as to tho grave risk attending Stanhope's enterprise it was promptly dispelled by tho extreme difficulty met with in accomplishing this compara tively simple task. Even a heavy piece of wood sluug to tho end of tho ninety odd feet of cord necessnry did not prevent the wind from lashing tho weighted end In furious plunges sen ward. At Inst a sailor caught tho swinging block with a bont hook. Tho man would have been cnrrled away by a climbing wave hnd not his mates perceived his danger nnd held him. Then two life buoys wore attached to other ropes In case there might be somo slight chance of using them. Tho tackle which tho unfortunate captain of the Chinook hnd cast adrift was utilized to construct safety lines In tho entrance way. Loops werO fasten cd to them, in which six of the strong est men available were secured against tho chnnce of being swept through the door to Instant death. Meanwhile tho three vessels had steamed close to tho mooring buoy, which, it will bo remembered, lny In full view of tho kitchen window. Con stance gave them a casual glance. Be ing versed in tho ways of the sea, sho Instantly discovered that somo unusual event was astir. She called her sister's attention to tho maneuvers of tho steamers. Ono, tho Trinity tender, lay brondsldo on to tho Incoming tide. "They are lowering a bont, I do de clare," sho announced after., they had watched tho proceedings for a little whllo with growing curiosity. At tho dlstnnce, nearly GOO yards, it was dif ficult to discern exactly what was tak ing place. "No boat can live If it comes near the rock," cried Enid. And then a wild thought brought her heart to her mouth. "Oh, Connie," sho cried in a sudden nccess of terror, "I feel sure that Jack is doing something desperate to snvo us! Dad knows. They all know, but they would not tell us. Thnt is why Mr. Pyno has not been nenr us for hours." "It cannot be. No ono would permit It. Father would never glvo his sanc tion. Enid, my dear ono, why do you sny such things? You frighten me!" But Constance's lips were bloodless, nnd her eyes dilated with tho fear which she, too, would fain deny. They were perched so high above tho sea that tho dancing hillocks of green water could not wholly obscure the stoutly built craft which bobbed Into Fall and UNDERWEAR Infants' all-wool Vests, button down front, all sizes 40c 2 for 75c Infants' all-wool Rubens Vests, No. 1 40c Rising 5c per size Children's, separate Cotton Garments with fleece back, size 16 at 12 Ac 2 1-2C rise per size Children's Cotton Garments, extra heavy fleece, size 18 at 18c Rise 4c on each size Union Suits in Cotton at 25c, 50c, 60c and 75c Union Suits in Wool at $1 00 Ladies' separate Garments at 25c, 50c Ladies' separate Garments, extra large sizes, at 50c Ladies' Union Suits at 75c, $1.00, $1.25 YARNS! torn Our stock of Yarns was never so complete in colors and qual ity. Prices the lowest. INFANTS' WOOL HOSE at 15c and 25c CHILDREN'S WOOL HOSE at. . . 15c, 25c, 30c LADIES' WOOL HOSE at 25c, 3CC, 40c F. NEWHOUSE. LDry Goods, Laces startling prominence round tho stern of tho tender. "It Is! It Is!" shrieked Enid. "Look, Connie! Thero Is Jack kneeling in tho bow. Oh, dear! Oh, denr! Is ho mad? Why don't they stop him? I ennnot bear to look. Connie, tell me shall I see him drowned before my eyes?" The girl was distraught, and her sis ter was In little better plight. Fas cinated, speechlesB, clinging to each other llko panic stricken children, they followed tho leaping boat with the glassy staro of those who gaze open , eyed at remorseless death. 1 They scarce understood what was to-1 ward. I As the boat, n strong crnft, yet such a mere speck of stanch llfo In tho tum bling sens, was steadily Impelled nenr sr they saw the tug lurch nhead of the other vessels until a line was thrown ' nnd caught by Stanhope, who Instant ly fastened It round his waist. The rowers wore cork Jackets, but he wns quite unprotected. Bareheaded, with his well knit limbs shielded only by a Jersey, loose fitting trousers nnd can vas shoes, ho had declined to hnmpcr his freedom of movement with the cumbrous equipment so essential for any ono who might bo enst adrift in thnt dreadful sea. The girls, even In their damb agony, woro dully . conscious of a scurry of fct up nnd down tho stairs. What did it matter? They paid heed to naught save the advancing boat, uow deep In the trough of a wave, now perched precariously ou a lofty crest. Whoever the rowers were, they trusted wholly I to tho instructions given by tho gallant youth who peered so boldly Into tho wilderness ahead. Tho flying foam and high tossed spray gave to tho lighthouse tho semblance of alternately lifting nnd lowering Its huge framo nmld tho furious torrents that enclr-1 cled It. Nerves of steel, strong hearts I and true, were needed by those who ' would voluntnrlly enter that wutery Inferno. Yet tho men nt tho oars did not falter nor turn their heads. They pulled evenly nnd well, with tho short, deep sunken stroke of tho fisherman, nnd Stanhope, now that they wero nltuost In tho vortex whero tho waves lost their regularity, produced a paddlo ; wherewith to twist the boat's head to meet each turn and swirl. I ((inter and Embroideries A Stealthily tho powerrul tugboat crept In tho wake of tho smaller craft, until It became clear to tho girls' strained vision thnt watchful helpers, lashed in tho vessel's bows, wero manipulating uuother rope as a drug, thus helping tho sailor's efforts to prevent their frail argosy from being swamped by a breaking sea. Then a mlraclo did happen, a miracle of science. When tho boat was yet 200 yards away, Brand, looking out from tho gallery in stony despair, sud denly behaved as one possessed of a fiend. "Follow me!" ho roared. "Come, every man!" Ho rushed Into tho lantern. As If ho wanted wings rather than limbs, ho swung himself by his hands to tho floor of tho service room. Galvanized Into activity, those who wero with him on tho ledge raced after him. They knew not what had hap pened. Their leader had spoken nnd they obeyed. Down, down, they pelted, taking tho bteop stairs with breakneck speed, un til they reached tho oil room, with its thousands of gallons stored In great tanks. Big empty tins stood there, awaiting tho next visit of tho tender, and Brand wrenched tho cover off the nearest cis tern. Ho scooped up a tlnful of tho oil. "Bring all you can carry," ho shout ed, and wns off again with an energy that was wonderful In a man who had endured the privations nnd hardships of so many hours. They understood. Why had nono of them thought of it earlier? In Us cold granite depths the lighthouse carried that which had the power to subduo tho roaring fury of tho reef. The first man to reach the gallery after Brand was Pyne, who chanced to bo nearest to him when tho hubbub arose, IIo found tho other man fling ing handfuls of tho oil ns far to wind ward as tho thick fluid would travel. "Quick!" gasped Brand. "Don't pour It out. It must bo scattered." to be continued. I To Cure Cold aln One Day. Take Lnxatlvo Bromo quinine tab lots. Druggists refund money If it fails to euro. E. W. Grove's signature is on each box. 25 cents. S 1 If I , U : U wm&r'"'