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Show The Hero of Beaver Head. 'HI -. 4BJH. Hi .-aHI.l . At Inst the boot dv. Indl-1 U n sjjeck nnd died In the blue nif, nnd n (Trent white cloud nhnt K .i upon It, like tho marble oevprlntr to a prow. ,t that n piifmniit MMpto if nrpi.ratlon fell mwn , the Uiy, tliollritN'mriitlinK-Df nniWli, I in th( IhiihI that ii'ittira Iind phieod Iks-twecu Iks-twecu them jmrtPil. lloMootl appalled nt the deed he Intd ilone. A virion of tho man ntnrvlnjr, raviitjf, drownlnir, row liofotv him, nnd, with a cry of terror, ho broke tlirni( ii tho luito nnd rage that bound hlui, nnd rnn towards tho head. The IkhiI wot lylti there with prow tipon the jellow nuud. He pushed It I out nnd b-nped ! nud spread out tho i im, tho tmsly tviiter-wlntrs Hint were to movo hint itiHin the wlldenl, t MrnnircKt Jounio.v of bin life. He swept , lierimt upon the r-vvlls. Thaid: fortune, hbi nrms nnd che..t were well-ulfrli as thickly citl.telcd ns n innn'nl Ills poor, hulling le(,fi would not be needed In thin bitter race! flu t'louir'.it of bin . mother und looked up nt lien vcr head. rnrl was Ftnnlln;r itinn Its vet (re. "Tell mother thnt father bim drifted out to sen, nn' thnt I'm (roln'nftcrhlml" (ihoutod I'nul. "Oh. f'nrl. tell her I'll brlnir him back to her if I live If I ttvet" nud be hild tho iKiat uljout on the wnter, nnd hent her out with all his (.treiiBth. "Tell mother I let him po! Tell her I couldn't wnll to nee her! () Carl, bo (rood to her If me nnd father never come back no moro!" Then tho voice fulled: the lioy upon tho cllfl could hear it no longer, nnd turled nnd ran toward the bouse, nnd Paul wont outward on the hwells. He sat facing tho (jrer.t furrowed front of tho bead as ho pulled. Would ho ever fcee it timiln'.' All that he loved was up there, have the pixir father toss-Injr toss-Injr towanl the mmset. Ho huh figures runninff to nnd fro upon tho height; his mother was nmonff them! A choking chok-ing lump rojo into Ids throat, but hu never oneo Blackened his despcrnto ntrokc. Outward he went, outward, outward, at It life nnd hope lay only lu tho dangerous central ooa. Tho bend bctraii to sink; hlowly It went down, lint his eyes never left It for n moment. i itfl top nlono was visible, n bluish spot with moving r.pceks upon it. Then slowly thnt, too, went down, nnd reappeared, reap-peared, nnd sank uirnlii, nnd ho whs ulono upon the wide, mysterious sen. Ho closed bis eyes, his breath coming hard with the struggle, nnd n (rrcut wretchedness fell upon him n.i tl.o land, with nil it held, v.'ni parted utterly from him. Hut he did not pause; outward, out-ward, outward ho went, crvlnjf In his benrt to Hod for time, f.r daylight, In vthleh to rave tho one ho bed lost. Suddenly bo leaped u;i nnd looked narrowly acre the vast xrvinsa nothing noth-ing was thero snvo tlio cro.- .hanirlng' beltaof llffhtnnd shade n the fleecy clouds blew over, nnd wltli n piteous cry ho spran;r to the ours nnd dr-ivo Hie heavy boat onward. Oh, If he could but reach hi . father ere the nun ceased to brighten dlstiiutoujoctsonthnwutcrl Ho pulled with every muscle (.trained well-nijh to brouklng. At laot ho felt himself turn slek with lalmr, nnd fell upon Ida lcnces nnd dnshed his face nnd bend with water, lie was ihlppln? with sweat and his heart was fluttering from Jonp and violent notion, llo thrust bis j liot enna in tho wut -r to tlio aliouldcrs ' as ho huiifr over the side of tho bo.it, nnij j his dizziness passed. Then he it nped up. again nnd pulled fevorisVy forward, i The first grent surgiiHf aen.i of crime ' nnd pollution never lifted Itself from Ids nplrit for u moment. A deadly ox-i ox-i linusllnn legan to creep upon him, but J lio could not robt; the boat kept leaping outward, nnd over nil the face of thu deep there was no sound snvo tho oars ' working in tho locks, his Inlorln:r breath, nnd tho low slap nnd gurgle of tho water under tho rulvuucini; prow. At Inst the sun began lo go down, und ho rose In tho boat nnd ntrained his eyes again ncrosn the waters. Hut nothing una vUtble, nnd lie sank down, U with agony nnd exhaustion. Tho sky seemed to turn round nbovo him, und tho ocenn teemed to shift from sld$ to side. Ho wnsn pitlnbloplcturo as he, sat there, clutching tho bout In Ids dizziness. dizzi-ness. Ilh lint was gone, olio arm was iiaro to tho shoulder where his shirt bad been torn nwuy In his btmggle with hit father, his fnco wns btreulced with blood nnd his hnlr hung about his throbbing throb-bing .temple. In sweat-dnmpened Mrunds. Ills tongue wna like dust in his mouth, nnd bis throat seemed parching. parch-ing. Oh! forn cup of water from the spring on Heaver bead! Hut what right had ho to nsk for wnter? He, n mur dcrcr, bcnrchlng for Innocence! Ho caught the oars und sent tho littlo craft desperately onward. Presently he stood up nnd looked nbroad again. Half the sun was in tho m-ii, nud n great road of gold Kin from his boat Into tho very heart of It. Suddenly, nt. bo gazed, n moving dot entered the golden way, nud began drifting into tho sun. A piercing cry of joy louped from tho boy'n lips. Ho selred tlio oars nnd tho boat Hew onward. Ho wns fur to tho south pf his father, nnd miles nnd mites of wnUr Iny between thoni! but that ono glimpse was more refreshing than days of rest nnd beakers of wine. Old If God would but btay tlio sunset, would but keep lb" day ullvo (mother hour! Jlut even whlio ho prayed tho light began be-gan to wane, shadows roso out of tho sen and huddled together hero and there, tho filmy runners of tho night enmo over tho ix-enn from tho oust, tho west-wnrd west-wnrd moving darkness rolled Blowly, oyer him, nnd ho wns nlono with tho btarn upoulho wide, mysterious main. Cries of despair broke from his lips nt last, n slekonlng fuliitncsft foil upon him, nnd his swollen hands dropped limp from tho oars. Henven was lignlnst him! Ho wns a murderer! a mtuderer' nloti with hU boiirtupou tho laiintln.", -ipoi tnd deep, Klowlv, the nl'l.t wore on, every moment mo-ment Mhorn pre sod deep into Ida heuit by remorse und feur. And what would the frrny dawn bring? Would it bring Ills Innocence bach ti him" or only tbo mornliig'H (lure upon t'v i-uiptr, beau- I teous wnsU? At lai.l bli. head begun to j full from "-hint" Id-; at time . hesooi d pltcbui'rfrom t'l boat, and ere Inn: t'n1 stnrs 1 loin-1 ihm u pityingly lnt. 1 is I upturned f.ieo, u , a ,1 v'p in tho st in, with one swollen h nid upon tho b- hn and tho other trailing ovur the, bide of ''" in ' ' ' i ' -; .. x- i up - -fit- - .-"" 'a IIR SANK IK)WM II.I. WITH AOONT ASP trxHAimnoy. tho bout, lie went plunging onward Into mystery and gloom. ClfAiTr.il iv. Ilravo Erie Ivorson nnd n comrade lind been nbsent six days upon the wn, searching for the lost mnii nnd his son, nud the pooplo of Redwood town began to -wonder If they, too, bad not gono dowil to, rise no more. Hut tho two men bad tnken wnter nnd provisions wdth them, and many who knew of Eric's tender heart bald It would bo long ero they returned could ho bring no tldlngn to tlio sorrowing woman and her children up there on tho frowning head. No blorm had come; only u soft and steady wind rolling tho shining swells forever outwnrd. Day nnd night It blew, nnd Incoming schooners had to mnke long tucks to right nnd left thnt they might enter tho littlo hnrbor. Over the hut upon tho clllt tbo hours of dread and sharp cx)ectnncy had passed, anil now tbo gloom thnt comes of settled, certain death seemed creeping creep-ing on. Tlio mother, torn with grief nnd apprehension through the first days, could do nothing. She seemed to Jive dny and night thero at tho edge of tho precipice, with her hungry eyes searching tho wide, mocking reaches of tho sea. Hut now she began to work nnd wash again, moving about much like one Inn saddening dream. Little (laic, though her eyes would sometimes fill with tears, played with I.annle nnd (Inbo under tlio trees, happily forgetful of tho dark shadow of sorrow that lay upon tho place. Itut Carl nnd Jimmy felt tho cloud of and-ncss and-ncss nbout them, nnd much of the time wero silent. The elder boy began helping his mother ns Paul had done, ami Jimmy kept tho children from tho precipice and watched the nzure circle of tho horizon for Eric's sail. It seemed to tho poor mother that tbo rescuers woubl never return, und tho blighted look grew In her face, and her eyes looked sunken nnd anxious ns sho lifted them hour by hour to tho wide world of wnter. Other mothers, touched by pity, came to help Hie drunkard's broken family, bringing food and clothing, nnd as tlio tlmo pnsscd tlio village babbled with dark prophecies of shipwreck for Erie, and conjecture ns to tho fatal phases of this grange race for life upon tho seu. The men nt Eric'ii wharf wdiero ho had been foreman of the lumber londern so long looked many times ench day towards tlio west, thinking of their nbsent leader, and v. Ives and mothers htnndlng at the gates or lu the doorways of the cottages upon tho heights nliout the bay thought often of the bmcly family over on tho heud, nnd turned their eyes earnestly towarda tho far horizon Hue. On tho seventh day tho wind shifted and lulled, and. just lWoro sunset tho mother came sveorlly down the path und stood looklpg out upon the shining flood. Her heart seemed numb with longing. When would bhe wako from this dreadful dream? Tho children wcro playing down on tho sand bolow4 nnd suddenly Call (rave n tthont of Joy; the mother looked up, and thero, beejulug not three miles Uwny, was Eric's boat! She gazed, trembling from bend to foot. Yes, it wns surely Erie's boat, battered, nnd with tlu sails patched und torn. Ureathlessly sho hurried down nnd ciimo nmong the children, where, whispering nud clinging to ench other's bauds, they w lilted nt the wntcr's edge. Jubt when tbo sun t.'as sinking Eric's yacht swept through tho mouth of the littlo bay. Tho children held their breath, and tho mother strained her pale fnco outward. Sho did not see the men waving thoir bats up at tho wharves, nor tho wives and mothers watching from tho yards and doorways about tho bay. The boat was nil thero wns In tho world to her. How slowly It camel Was Trave and her lamo lxiy there? Thit was Eric's face, nnd thero irnh bis lirnv. riitTmnnlnn. Wlmt r.ilmi object was that lying on n litter in tho bow? Tho woman shook as with nn ngtic, but even while sho trembled and questioned the boat rounded on tho glassy field and sivcpt up to tho binding bind-ing by tho bend, and Eric, battered and worn, leaped out and made it fast. Hut tho woman did not see him; sho was clinging to tbo tide of tho boat and straining her eyes down upon tbdt uiullled llguro in the bow. Men enmo running from tho bluff, and the; plnV-form plnV-form was gently lifted out, and thev looking liku death Ittclf, luy Tru Armor, clothed In his rags nnd the dying light of tho day. Tho woman threw herself upon her knees beside him nnd called him plte-ously; plte-ously; tbo children crowded forward with f lightened whispers, nud the men stood nbout her with uvertcd faces. In a moment, In answer to her culling, Armor's eyes opened weakly; then with nklnd of cry, ho tried to lift himself toward hor, but was nil too weak. "Oh, Trnve," moaned the woman, "where Is Paul? Where did yon leave him?" "He wns lost, I.ucyl Ho wns lostl Ho saved me, but he was lostl" Tho woman stared at him a moment blankly, then with a cry of desolation she hid her face upon tho sick man's brenst nud w opt. Very gently Erie lifted her up nnd led her nwny to tlio hut uion the cliff. The iupu slowly followed, bearing the man upon tho litter, and laid him down In hii humble homo, In a littlo time Carl came In with tlio village doctor. Tho physician placed a flask of whisky to tho exhausted man's lips, but wbeu its fumes smoto tho patient's nostrils, such n look of terror, hatred and loathing came Into tho sufferer's face that thn doctor fell buck lieforo It in wonder. "Take it nwuy I Destroy It!" hoarsely hoarse-ly cried Travo Armor. "Don't yo, for tholovoof Heaven, ever offer that to the like of mol Do yo expect to heal mo with poison? Oh, think what It bus done to list" and bis rago foil Into u broken-hearted tnoan. "Don't oslc mo f -a " hi mi i jms'Il' I i a i .m i.j.nj to drink it. ' he sold, "for I've boon hi sane' I've tasted tho second death Don't ask mo to go no further!" I Kind hands and sytnpith -ti Ii brought food nnd wonts of v t ii ' ' the lonely place that ni lit i 1 1 i ' days went Irr the story of I' nil V't" ' heroism spread from mouth to m"!i Ilia father would never drink :vi they snld: his thirst wnndeud: 1 iU"' . I followed him, nnd in the fa-J ff ldn. and injury had brought him b.iek r.i turned bl-i feet t .ir.l t ., jh 'i , kingdom of a vlrtiv i. l.(e Time panned. The r.nvt, in Ihe In mill., kept up Mn ir n-11. .--. Ii nn I schooners sailed in nnd out ('. b " port, nnd Trnve Armor I n ielilnf liul upon tho hill. Slowly hi iliviiftb enme back, but his be irlwn Id.e leml when he thought of I'uiil, nud IN-mother's IN-mother's feet ilrni'vd he-nily ns ln went nliout her wirk. Ono da h. culled the sad woman to bi-i led Ide and nnld, very gently: "Lucy, ken ye beur it now? Mebby ye could liesr it liott.ir If yo lienrd once how bravo onr (ioor Iwiy went down." The Blither not down and hid her face ugnlnst tho pillow by his head, nnd be wont' sorrowfully on: "1 guess I nbiiscd him afore It hap-KMicd. hap-KMicd. It nil seems like an nwfnl druam now, but I guesH I tuok the money fron him ye earned nwnshln', an' otrnek him too; but 1 was ernay, Lucyl Tho drink did It' Then I don't ivmemlier nn, more, only that I l?fl him lyin' whiu fMSv ..iwm1' r " "TAKR IT A WAV, III STROV ITl" IIOAUSW.Y cmnn TnAvi: aiimok. nnd dend down there where wo met. till I enme to myself that night awaj out to sea. For nwhlle, I.ucy, I thought I had died, nnd was In that wild, nwfnl nfter-ltfo which wns only fit for the lllto of me. "I ken't toll ye, Lucy, whnt I suf fered ufter that; I nln't got no words t make yo seo It with, an' It would onh, hurt yo to hear It, but I know that morning come at last ufter thnt nwfnl night, nn' I was nil nfire, nn' fearful bights nnd shapes wns nil nbout me, an 1 don't know why I didn't dlstroy myself my-self to end my misery. Then Unit dnj went by, nn' It was llko years nn' yeart of torture, nn' tho night tome again nn' I think another day, an' then it seemed like my reuson como luck. Hit the lioat bad no oars, nn' I wns so weal from bavin' no food nn' from strug glin' un' flghtin' with the feniful thhiTi that seemed pursiiin' me, I jest Ink like a dead mnn In tbo lioltom of lh boat un It went plunglu' 1 don't know when-. "Hut the thirst wns killed lu inc. Lucy; it wns burned nut! Tho MilTorin' I'd gone through had set mo frco! Hut when night come again I seemed ii-freez-in' nu' then u miserable sickness sot In. nn' my bend seemed goln' round nn' round, nn' everything I ever seen oi done In tho woi Id kep' comin' nn' goln n fore mo, seeming big nn' clear, bill liinu ot strange ns it It wns u dream Then 1 knowed tho daylight conn again, but I couldn't go up, an' tin sights kep' eomiu' no' gum', nn' some times 1 wemed a drown in', when nil m II siiddent I seo our poor buy'u fnce'ovci me. "I hnrdly knowed It, Lucy, It wn changed. It looked utmost llko llttk llreoze's fnco when she laid In her oof fin, nn' 1 thought it was part of my dreams. Then It Bald: Father, I've ' cornel I've como to save yc! .Don't yo know mo?' un' I roused myself nn' boo It wns him. Then ho tried to get into the boat with me, but be wis so weal-It weal-It seemed llko bo couldn't stand, nnd the bontH plunged ns If they would r.wunip, but ho held 'em together, uu when they lunged forred he full Into tin boat w Ith me. In u minute he got ont hU knees an' cried out wild like: 'Oh fa'her, 1 can't save ye! 1 enu't snvo ye' tbo oars lira in tho other bout!' nn' nwny It drifted nn' we wns helpless, "After awhile ho wild, sort of slow lllte: 'l other, Ivo dono my best. I couldn't use the oara If I hud 'em, my hnnds are so lad. Mobby we l.cn stnci (into some Island an' get saved.' Then I see his poor bunds wns RWrllad to the shoulders from rowln', nn' worn raw an" bleodln', an' I kissed 'cm nn' cried over 'cm, an' wo talked nn' forglvo ono another. "Then he triod to steer tho boat, but he couldn't sot up, nn' for u long time we laid at the bottom of thu bout like dend mon. Hut about night ho struggled strug-gled up nn" snld: 'rather, there's a Island Is-land nhoad, nn' I guoss I'll stoor onto It cnlso tho sou has been gettlu' wonwi foi three days, mi' w can't keep nliout much longer.' So ho manage I to steoi for tho Island, an" when wo got nigh, ho said tignln: 'I nm 'fourd, fnther. the current'!, goln' to carry us by.' And ho set tho helm to port un' tied It. Then he got mo forred Into the prow, nn .when wo wns nlmut to strike he held me up with h) knees uu' tooth, tin' whnt ho could with bis poor hands, un' When wo struck ho lifted un' throwed mo nhend, an' I fell onto tho shore. Hut It wns solid rock whero wo hit, nn' the boat hprnng back un' glanced off, nn' he fell In tho prow un' laid btill. He'd fainted, Luey, bis Inst drop of strength wn gone. 1 got upon my knees un hollered with nil my might to rouse him, but ho had no strength, Lucy; he'd give It nil to mo!" mid tonrs ran down the birr mnn'H checks, while the Coimuro bur m. |