Show A commonplace WOMAN but the dearest and bravest in the world she was a schoolteacher school teacher spending the ahe vacation at her brothers by the sea her brother was keeper of a lighthouse on an all island separated from tho the mainland nia inland by b y a wide deep deal channel that could ha be a swirling lina wl whirlpool ivi pool when the storms were high wills willis wife attis as a pretty woman but she thoo thon glit lit more of her own dainty comfort than tanin of liow low tho the world went on by what charm she won the N arni arm heart of will browning r wilts wills sister could not determine nit but she was perfectly just even to those she disliked and she knew the frivolous little woman must bs lovable ov or will would never havie chosen her froni from among lier her many friends S she met her with a kiss overlooking the unwelcome expression on her sister in laws fac and as she was passionately pt fond of ilia sea the days were full of pleasure for her the island was small but a delightful place in summer the coot cool b sweeping 0 in from the sea now moist with ali ills touch st now warm from the kiss of the sun the gray gulls swarmed over the rocks calliel calling calling their cries like music to lo ilia wirl girl weary of the ilia stifling city the ocean a now new world the sky a marvel of beauty near tile lie tower and connected with it by a covered passage was the keepers cottage of way gray r sione rough I 1 without but cozy within and aill a cheery sight for weary eyes and carrio carrie browning found the summer one of happiness and full fall of thoughts for all her life we oie of her chief pien pleasures suros was to go with hr h w brother as the sun wis setting up tip the winding stone staircase stair caio Cale to the top of ilia tower to stand at the alil ing anti and watch the sun sail settle lower and lower beyond the wide sweep of waters and ami then when he was gone and the heavens glowing with rose color and all warm tints of sunset to help her brother li light 0 ailt tile 0 great veit lamps inside the heavy glass case and turning again to tho sm sea to watch the darkness soft and mysterious ions creep in and lit in with the gray mists till tile tho tower light was like ilia iho e cio a of god never weary ever watching so tho the days passed clear and sunny with no liso rain only the sl sea a mists to cool tile the parched earth until vacation was gone but for ono one lingering day and of 0 this day carrie nindo mado the most alost her ufa r trunk was fairly fair ly crammed with shells and pebbles and pressed seaweed with which she would teach tho the children in ia her caro care many a wonderful erfal lesson of the life lifa beyond the ilia city and the exquisite works work of god slie she had closed down the lid and turned the key coy with a half sili sigh si li half smile saying to her sister in law life is too 1 0 beautiful to live in ono one it balls but bella shrugged her shoulders and replied that for her part lite life was waa oo fully dull and uneventful life would bo be simply unbearable he added li glibly were it not for far these breaks once in a while referring to a pirty in the ilia town across tho the channel Db annel that night ni lit to which they ill were vere invited and I 1 hope will will ill not bo be so absurd as a to let the chance pass but he be is to so ridiculous so thoroughly commonplace like you carrie carric a rippling laugh parting her red lips that I 1 cin can never be sure of his bis leaving homo home even half a night theres there is no sense in his bis being so particular no ono one would object and carl his as si stant is perfectly cap able of watching inthe light till our return of course 41 kd lie goes sometimes it if it is all fal fair r but I 1 am never sure of lihn hini but he never keeps you homo home bella even if ho be can not go carrie said in defense of her brother surely ly you can find no fault with him there and if lie iio thinks it unsafe for him to leave lie ought to know better than ill an we it is nit his own pleasure lie he thinks of you know but the lives of others you yon are arc going goin to lo nighton of course I 1 bella interrupted carelessly tom williams will bo be there and tom you co could uld not disappoint ive not decided yet about going carrie replied quietly not geedin heeding the others lau laughter biter 1 I would rather listen to the ilia sea out on the rocks than to dance danco the hours away 1 I bellve belive bell beli ve bella said sharply that you prefer being a commonplace schoolteacher school teacher thin than exert yourself enough to bo be pleasant to i tom evert even though you know he has plenty of money you and will are ns alike as possible an ali unconscious compliment tc I 1 me arrie said a warm warin light on her face if I 1 am ever is as good a s woman as will is a man I 1 shall b satisfied and she left the room and the house with this thought possessing her mind that a commonplace life may be a beautiful life if one but tries trie to make it so tile tho waves among the rocks and along ft the reef in and out ou among 7 the sed sedge sede 0 e sang lifes son song to her in 2 monotone ie and she listened the day was unusually sultry and as the sun situ sank lower and lower to the west heavy clouds banked themselves along the iho northern horizon and widened and mounted up toward 11 1 1 I 1 dont like the looks of the weather will said standau standing 0 rr wi with III carrie it at tile the doorway and w watching atchin the going town down of the sun id better not go tonight to ni night lit bella bantly his has never been alone and I 1 ido do lint wish to leave him in charge such an all everi evening everling ing as th aliis is for the gigli will twill be wild you to girls eirls go Bently ll row van you over a and nd tora tom will bring you yon home home well do nothing of the sort will bella declared emphatically you must go with us bently is perfectly capable of caring for tile lamps this once if he why do you have hiiop anyway it ant iante so dreadfully important 11 not 1101 important will turned his ste steady ady brown eyes full on liis his wife my aly dear bella if but one life were wen lost toni to ni inelia in tho the storm that is c coining i would you have mo 1110 go go B bia ia protested eagerly that there was tic no such danger daner that bantly was never him hiigli lid il lie ho net go go this aliis once when carrie r a interrupted lier her will she said and the sunlight bt VM jr d and ami threatening was full in her face you go with bella I 1 would prefer remaining home bunde I 1 understand estand thola tho lamps nips and beally will assist roe me trust me nothing nol liing shall happen if I 1 can call help hall it I 1 7 rather wish to bj alone at first will would not consent to this but bella was persistent and ami carrie insisted and ho he know knew if once the lamps were set there was to do at least not until he could return so ho he finally filially a agreed and they started ore the sun went down for bella would hire have it so tho the heavens grow grew dark with storm st orni the sun was almost gone and carrie be m feel uneasy ly did not come as usual took into her own slim hands the task of settin setting a light for the safety of those on the son sei it wits was not a hard task ask she lit the great great double wicki with steady handi and fastened securely the glass doors around tile tho lamps but she did not linger as usual on the balcony to tc watch the world of ill night lit como come up front from the son sea she went down stairs to the cheery sitting sifting room ond watched the so tun tumble life along tho the rocks and the lurid lightning I 1 play among the clouds but did not come and a feeling of dread took possession of her carrie leaned her face against the casing of the window and watched tile storm darkness was over every thing 11 broken only now and then by the fire fira in in the clouds while the rolling thunder llie ilia roar of the surf and the beating in g rain noro more the only sounds presently through carries thoughts tho the idea impressed itself on her mind that something was wrong and suddenly like a blinding flash bash tho the truth was upon her tie the light was not shining what was the matter she did not know of only one thing was she cartain cert tin unless the lamps lamp were lit at once any vessel near the coast was in danger of shipwreck ulion upon the rocks she was alone and the undertaking was da dangerous in ohp storm and darkness but she lid had undertaken uie ilia charge of the light until her brothers brother 8 return and tile charge should be as faithfully carried out as w was as in a her a r power site she must have left s some onic part of her bar work undone or the accad cut would not have hare happened sack guch a thin thing never happened when her brother was there all these thoughts 0 were ais the iho lio lightning and hurriedly taking down the lantern in the passage ilia and lighting iti no it she ran up the ilia stairs to tile hie tower and was amazed to find both the he huge lamps burning brightly like fiery monsters her eyes eye were quick to note all things I 1 up tip there just then and she saw tho the cause of the outer darkness the heavy covering around the outside of the glass had not been removed and the lights within wore useless it was a simple solution of the mysterious darkness but it was full ol of danger till aror and possible death to the bra brave ve woman who comprehended ill with a of the li lipi and a sudden paleness over the delicate face F firmly she passed down the first low flight of stone stairs to the landing k then with an inarticulate prayer 0 on ii her lips she reached up and un fastening the iho heavy door at the side forced it open and faced the tha wild storm A slender iron ladder up tip the side ot of the tower without railing or support was her only means of i reaching e ach the balcony above and up this perilous way she went bravely tile the winds tore at her dress and her hei lantern the rain beat in fury against her ilia lightning was blinding the thunder lik like 0 roar of artillery in battle but she succeeded and un fastening and rolling together the cover she ahe let out a flood of f light on the boiling waves along the shore and showed the white line of breakers on oil tile the reef and a boat reeking 41 like a shell shelf in the midst of it fur for a moment she held her breath in awe and terror then undaunted sought her way carefully town down the slippery ladder but when sho she reached the ilia tower door and turned to enter sho she found it had blown shut she having n failed to fasten it open and it could not be opened from the outbid out sid frantically she clung to the iron steps in the rush of wild wilda phout thoughts lits that overpowered lier hot while ala tho storm throbbed in fury around her suddenly ii a gull gulf driven by the wind past her struck the lantern and it fell from her hold bold dashed in fragments below should she lose her herhold bold the banio same tato fato would in her berc |