Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1885 — STATION TEN. [ARTICLE]

STATION TEN.

BY VICTOR REDCLIFFE.

_ Click-click' ’ ■ Ernest Snowden, light-house keeper and signal-service sergeant at Station Ten,, sprang from his seat at the open window of the beacon turret and hastened to the little telegraph table in one comer of the apartment. It was long before dark and the lowering sky and frequent gusts of wind made his point of observation far from being a pleasant one. Yet with earnest eyes he had watched the rocky headland which sheltered the harbor over two hours, and his sad face told that his vigil was fraught with anxious, torturing thoughts. For he had expected to see the ship Falcon leave her anchorage, and, pointing for the East, hear away from Station Ten the woman he had loved and lost, the angel of a blissful summers dream of hope and joy. Click, click! His hand sent back the response to the call, and then relapsing into his sombre mood of thought, he sat mechanically waiting for the expected message. Station Ten, originally a section of the life-saving service and combined with only the signal turret and a boat-house, had lent its name finally to the growing little town, which had sprung up as if by magic around its splendid harborage. The dreariest prospect Lake Huron afforded could be viewed from its reef-lined shore on the north. To the south, however, favorable winds bore the stately ships swiftly thought the chain of waters, and Station Ten because an important shipping center being nearer producers than the railroads. For six months Ernest Snowden had been in charge of the station with the salary and rank of sergeant of the signal service, and had one assistant. A telegraph line ran to Woodson’s, the nearest railroad town, whence official dispatches were transmitted bv the service line direct to the light-house. " The regular report was ringing in his ears now. The technical points were heedlessly noted, but he started as the message concluded, “Cautionary signals ordered for” —then followed a long list of points in the line of the predicted storm, and among them Station Ten. He chronicled the local observations in his chart, sent the O. K. over the wire, and as he smiled sadly, seemed to hear his heart continue beating out its message of comfort to his gloom-haunted soul, even as the telegraph had ticked its life away through the magnetic points. “She will not go away to-night,” he murmured, “for the Falcon will not go out with storm signals flying,” and he took down the night lantern with its red globe and ignited the lamp.

There was a rail-guarded platform running around the house, and he passed from the door around it to where the light could be seen from the harbor. Here he swung the red lantern, and with a tireless glance down the stairway leading to the beach, returned to the watch-room. The light-house lamp, with its quadruple reflectors cast a broad stream of radiance over the waters. Seated by the window he watched the angry play of the waves in the distance, and gave himself over again to meditation. “She can never be mine,” he murmured, sadly, “but Lura Lee loves me despite her father’s cruel will, and that thought cheers me. If the storm continues the Falcon will not sail till morning, and when Percival relieves my watch at midnight I shall have a glance at Lura at her window, if nothing more.” Then his heart grew sombre as he went over the love-life of the past few months. He had met and loved the shy, winsome girl whose beauty obscured her father's poverty and made her the belle of the village. She loved him in return, but Jabez Arnold, a wealthy speculator, came to the village and coveted his prize. His wealth blinded old Adiel Lee’s fatherly affection, and the daughter, who held filial obedience as part of a divine law, bowed her head sadly to her fate and told the young light-house keeper, Ernest Snowden, that he must forget her. And a week since he had parted with her, she, heart-broken, he cast into the dark gloom of despair, all the more intense because his love-life had been so beautiful and serene. There were ugly stories afloat about Arnold, and it was even hinted that his wealth was greatly over-estimated. But old man Lee pointed stolidly to the consignments of merchandise and produce in the warehouse on the docks, and at the Falcon loaded to the water s edge with Arnold’s goods shipped from the interior, and silenced all cavil. And this night Snowden had heard Lura was to be a passenger on the Falcon, bent on a visit to a port down the lake where a maiden aunt lived. Arnold's ship, stored with Arnold’s goods, was to take Arnold’s intended wife away from Station Ten, and Arnold himself, back in the interior, upon his expected return in two weeks would find her home from her journey, forgetful of her fancy for Snowden her father prophesied, and the wedding would then take place. Of all this was Ernest Snowden thinking, and the minutes merged into hours as he •at absorbed in thought. Silence and increasing gloom was Shout him, the wind had risen to a mild hurricane, and he was

about to close the window when he started violently. Every pulse seemed thrilled to powerful excitement; his eyes grew wildly startled. There, just rounding the‘river cliff, was a, ship. He could not make out its hull, even tips masts were indistinct, but he saw a green light beneath a red one moving steadily towards the lake, conveyed an in-' telligence to his quick mind, more sentient than wnrdg. ; ■■ “The Falcon,” he gasped. ■ ( It,was not the fact that she was qbout to weather the gale. It was the mystery of her captain disregarding the storm signals,; and Lura would sail in the face of a threatened peril. “What does it mean?” he murmured, hoarsely, and then he stepped through the window and scanned the scene more clearly. “Great heavens!” He fell back as if driven by a powerful hand. His eyes had rested on the sheltered box where the harbor signals were placed. • The red lantern, placed there by his hands an hour previous, the signal of danger, the warning rarely disregarded in these troublesome waters, was gone. In a flash his mind, tortured with the fear of the unjust change of neglect, anxious to supsense for Lura Lee and the ship which probably bore her away, seemed to divine how readily the captain, deeming the rising tempest a passing gale and not observing the storm signal, had put out to sea. But the light? Who had removed it for that purpose? Had the wind torn it away or had an enemy—No, no, he had no enemy. But by foeman’s hand or accident removed, it was gone. Its absence held human life and property as a penalty, and his would be the blame —hid the loss. There was a second red lamp in the turret; he lit it, placed it in its box to warn cithers and then tore down the stairway to, tnebpach. 'A cry of despair broke' from his lips as he observed the lights of the Falcon round the point and disappear from view. “She must be overtaken; she must not run the risk of the rising storm,” he cried in an agony of excitement, as he saw how futile would prove any effort to reach the town in time to secure a boat and overtake her. “A yacht!” he cried, as he saw a boat moved near the little breakwater on the beach. “Oh, if I could but guide it around the reef and intercept the Falcon!” He ran to the spot where it lay. He fell back as the form of a man confronted him from the bottom of the boat, “What want?” The voice was gruff and uncivil, the face of the man obscured. Amid his excitement, Ernest Snowden spoke hurriedly, earnestly. “In heaven’s name lend me your boat or accompany me around the harbor rocks.” “In that sea?” — * ———~— “I must reach the harbor bar in ten minutes. Fifty dollars if you will assist me, for the ship Falcon is sailing unprepared, unwarned into the face of a terrible storm. “I won’t go. Find some one else,” A reflection from the shifting waves lit up by the light-house beacon, cast a sudden radiance on the speaker. “Jabez Arnold!” broke in wild amazement from Snpwden’s lips. The other muttered a subdued oath at the recogpition.

“As he stepped back his foot brushed back a piece of canvas. * “The danger signal/’ cried Snowden as his eyes fell on the station lamp in the bottom of-the boat. “Merciful heavens. I see it all! Jabez Arnold, it was you who removed that lamp.” The hand of the other had stolen to his breast-pocket as if to draw a weapon. , “Get out of this boat,” he cried, angrily. “What do I know of your lamp?” “It is true. I could not mistake it. You dare not deny it. Ah! man, if you have done this deed, at least retrieve your crime by saving the ship you would send to ruin —to save the woman I love, you love—Lura Lee.” ‘'Lura Lee,” echoed Arnold in startled tones ; “what do you mean?” “That she is on board the Falcon.” “Oh, merciful Heavens, my sins have been punished.” Arnold’s voice rang like a wail of anguish over the bleak waters. Snowden, intensely startled at the sudden change in the manner of his companion, noted with joy that he sprang like a madman to the chain, unloosed it, and, with a madman’s recklessness, put the boat to sea. As they passed the flame of light from the tower a glimpse of his face showed the pallor of horror, agony, and remorse on his stricken features. Like a feather driven over the crest of the waves, the yacht flew with the rapidity of a bird. Twice it lurched, twice its heel grated on an unfriendly reef. Then, as it rounded the cliff, the awful tempest drove it into the open water with frightful velocity. “Tpe ship! the Falcon!” cried Arnold, wildly. “ Straight ahead, but out of her course. Ph, Arnold, Arnold, reach her in time to save the threatened lives, to rescure Lura Lee-, and I will forget that you are the cause of their peril.” He could see the dancing lights of the Falcon in the distance. Then they seemed to plunge down like a shot. “She has struck the northern reefs!” he groaned. For the love Of heaven make haste.” i “Even if we perish/’ came hoarsly from Arnold’s lips. “Aye, even if we perish in 1 the attempt.” What was the secret motive which made Jabez Arnold a hero in that hour of awful peril?

Reckless of 'life, moaning, cursing by turns, it seemed as if even in his evil mind there dwelt a love for Lura Lee more potent than his love'for gold. With rising excitement, they saw as they neared the northern reef a waste of boiling waters with a stately ship beating to pieces on the dangerous rocks. Held trembling to the touch of a master hand, the little yacht quivered jamid the surging waves, in charge of Arnold, as Ernest Snowden raised his voice- loudly. One by one from the ill-fated Falcon the crew dropped to the water and were drawn to the yacht. / Jabez Arnold sprang from his post and into tile water as they lowered a woman’s form, and then as he lifted her to the yacht, a quick groan rent his lips. They were forced to drag him from the waves. Amid their peril they noticed not that he had sank an inert heap at the bottom of the boat. A glance at Lura, a prayer of gratitude, Ernest Snowden spread the clustered shrouds of the yacht to the breeze. And half- an hour later the terrorful, huddled handful of saved souls landed safely in the harbor at Station Ten. Snowden bent over his rival. v “Are you hurt?” he asked, solicitously?*"*" “Crushed between a rock and the yacht. That is all. Are they saved?” T - ■ “All.” , b ' “Thank God, and Lura?” “She is here.” Fainter grew Arnold’s tones. “Come nearer,” he murmured. Lura Lee moved to his side. “You will forgive me/’.he asked. “Will you put the red lamp neareftoy face?” Snowden wonderingly did so. “Lura Lee,” spoke the prostrate man, “J

am dying—dying with all my sins upon my guilty soul. Look upon my face an if, tell me if the remorse and repentance hiy atoning heXlt 'feels does not win from you one word of forgiveness for my cruelty.” The young girl scarcely comprehended him. “Forgiveness?” hhe repeated. “Yes, for I sought to-night to wrong the man by your side, to execute an evil, daring deed. At dark I came down the shore in my yacht with the vessel ana cargo of the F Alcon insured for three times its value. The captaiiVefused to be bribed to burn up the vessel\t the docks. Then, returning to my boat, I saw the red. signal. A wicked thought impelled me to remove it — to cast blame on ~my rival—to have the Falcon sail-unwarned into the face of a tempest in which I hoped she would be lost, for that insurance money alone could save me from financial ruin. Then Snowden told me what I did not know', that you were aboard of that vessel. Heaven, forgive me, I never knew how I loved you till then. Now lam dying. Tell me you forgive me and and I will die in peace, with the hope that my life given freely to save those I had doomed may atone for my evil past.” ' “I forgive you freely,” murmured Ltfra, brokenly. A placid smile stole over the white suffering face. Then the eyes closed, the form fell back as if in slumber —the slumber of death. They kept his secret very quiet. The insurance money was never applied for, and an explanation to tne Captain and the service officials concerning the stolen danger signal rested with them, and was not made public.. And thus, shielding the memory of the man whose love for Lura Lee had led him to a heroic sacrifice amid crime and cruelty, the two loving hearts death had reunited were blessed a year later by Adiel Lee’s consent to their happily marriage at Station Ten.