The Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American Life
Page 7
CHAPTER V.
TO THE RESCUE.
While the gale on the lake was putting Belle and her brothers in peril,four young men stood at one of the docks about two miles north ofCleverdale Camp, watching the surface of the water. One of them raised afield-glass to his eyes and looking across the tempest-tossed lake gazedintently toward Cleverdale Camp, and then said to his companion:
"Alden, what is that? It looks like a small boat; see, it seems to behovering about the island rock. As I am alive, man, there is a woman onthe rock with two objects at her side. It must be--"
His further remarks were cut short by Alden, who quickly seized theglass, looked intently for a moment, then said:
"Bob, there is also a woman in the small boat trying to rescue anotherfrom the rock. The two objects beside the woman on the rock look likechildren. They must be helped. Come along; who will go with me? Step up,boys; no time is to be lost; with a man at the oars and another at thehelm we can weather this storm. Quick! who goes?"
George Alden, for it was he, was greatly excited as he observed theboat, for a terrible suspicion was filling his mind.
"George, are you a fool?" asked Bob Harkins. "No boat can stand such agale; you are mad, man."
"I'm neither one nor the other, Bob, but a man; when a fellow mortal isin danger I am going to the rescue. If some one will go with me the workwill be easier, but, alone or not, I am going. Come on, for I am off!"and he started for the bay, where his boat was safely harbored.
All efforts to dissuade him were fruitless, and no one volunteered toaccompany him. His boat, the "Nellie," shot out from under the bridgeacross the little bay with only himself for crew. Fortunately the windwas in the right direction, yet the group on shore anxiously watchedhim. His boat rode the seas like a cockle-shell; she was up on a whitecrest one instant, and then hid herself in the sea's trough for severalseconds, as if she had been swallowed up, but skilfully the well-trainedarms managed the oars.
Suddenly, during a lull in the wind, Alden cast his eyes toward thesubmerged rock, and perceived that the objects had left it, while alittle way toward the south he beheld the rescuer and rescued dashingover the excited lake toward Cleverdale Camp.
"Thank God!" he exclaimed, "they are saved."
Heading his craft for Cleverdale Camp, within two minutes after BelleHamblin had fallen George Alden was at her side.
"Oh, Mr. Alden, Belle is dead, she is dead! What shall we do?" exclaimedGeordie, while little Willie was moaning piteously.
Quickly leaning down and placing his ear to her lips, Alden felt afaint breath, and then was gratified to hear a deep sigh. She lay on thegrass, her face white as snow, her eyes closed, the beautiful brown hairfalling about her shoulders. Alden cast but a glance at her, and thenasked the faithful Jane: "Will you help carry her to our camp?"
The limp form was taken up and George Alden passed toward the camp withBelle's face close to his. She was very pale, and the thought that herstillness might, perhaps, be that of death staggered him for an instant.Holding her in his embrace and realizing that his arms clasped all hisheart desired, he raised his eyes toward heaven, and said something moreearnest than young men often do when looking in that direction.
The camp reached, Belle was laid upon a bed of boughs, a blanket havingbeen previously thrown over it, and then Alden and Jane began the workof restoration by gently rubbing the girl's brow with brandy, a littleof the same diluted being forced between her lips.
The young man, informed by Jane of the circumstances of the morning, ofthe storm and the wrecked boat containing herself and the two boys, oftheir rescue by the brave girl, felt assured that Belle was only payingthe usual penalty of overtaxing nature. But, feeling certain that hisown destiny was linked with the beautiful girl lying so pale and quieton the improvised couch, the pulsation of his heart would have toldtales if any one had been by to listen.
While chafing her hand with spirits Alden was gladdened to feel herfingers close about his own, and then he noted movements of the lips asif she were trying to speak. He quickly poured a portion of the spiritsinto his hand and placed it to her nostrils. Nature began to reassertitself.
Belle sighed loud and long; her eyelids unclosed, the blue filling foran instant with wonder, and then the long fringed lids closed again.The veins filled with blood, and the plump cheeks showed the rose-tintof returning life. Gradually strength returning, she gently lifted herhead, opened her eyes, and said:
"Where am I? Where are Jane and the boys? Are they saved?"
"Yes, Miss Belle," he replied, "they are all here. You are at CleverdaleCamp, with friends. Can't you sleep for a while? Jane will stay with youwhile I amuse the boys. You are safe here away from the storm, and ahalf-hour sleep will restore your strength."
"You are very kind," murmured Belle. Then she exclaimed, "Oh, I can seethe mad waves opening their great yawning mouths ready to swallow me. Mydear little brothers; let them come to me. Oh, Willie and Geordie! ThankGod! you are saved. Thank God!" and kissing their foreheads she fellback exhausted.
George Alden arose to withdraw, telling Jane he would be in the tentonly a few feet distant, when Belle, opening her eyes, said:
"Oh, don't leave me yet. Stay--but no--I am not myself. I am stillfilled with the horror of those cruel waves. My poor mother, God pityher! she probably mourns us as lost. Oh, George, is there not some wayto inform her of our safety? It will kill her if she thinks us drowned."
"Yes, I will see to it at once, only promise you will try to sleepagain," he replied.
"I will promise anything if you will only manage to relieve mamma'sanxiety," and she again closed her eyes.
George, quickly obtaining a piece of white cloth, with paint he had athand put on it in large, bold letters:
"ALL SAFE AT CLEVERDALE CAMP."
Placing the sign in a conspicuous place and firing a pistol, he saw hissignal was heard, as several persons gathered on the dock and answeredby another pistol-shot. Raising a field-glass he beheld Mrs. Hamblinstanding on shore with a telescope to her eyes. Knowing the anxiety ofthe mother was relieved, he returned to camp and ascertained that Bellewas sleeping.
The hurricane, as if sullen at being foiled in its attempt to destroythe little party now safe at Camp Cleverdale, began to halt in its madcareer, the waves that had been roaring and dancing upon the shoreshowing signs of exhaustion. Although the winds blew, it was evidenttheir force was nearly spent.
Later in the afternoon, while George Alden was seated upon a rockamusing Geordie and Willie, the boys much interested in the stories hewas relating, Jane approached the trio and informed him that Belle,awakening from her sleep, wished to see him in the tent.
Leaving the boys with Jane he walked toward the Camp, and on enteringthe enclosure was gratified at finding Belle sitting up. "How areyou feeling now?" he asked. "You look rested, and I hope are muchrefreshed."
"Yes, thanks to your kindness, I am feeling like myself again. Is thestorm over? What a narrow escape for us all! But, how came you here?"she asked, anxiously.
George then told his own adventures, relating all the circumstances ofhis trip, and then said:
"Ah, Belle, how happy I am that you are safe! I earnestly hope that youmay experience no ill effects from your adventure."
"No, I am feeling quite well excepting a little lameness in my arms. Itwas a long, hard pull for my weak hands, but had I not undertaken it ourpoor little boys would have been drowned. It was a terrible ordeal, andwhen the cruel waves capsized their boat my senses nearly left me. WhenI saw my loved ones on the rock clasped in Jane's arms, my heart sentforth such a prayer of thanks! Are the boys injured?"
"Not in the least, the little fellows are perfectly safe. I trembled foryou, though, when I saw your white face, your eyes closed, and your lipsspeechless."
He spoke feelingly, and as he did so gently took her hand, which sheallowed him to hold with the confidence one feels when beside a trustedfriend.
"And yourself, George,"
she said, "you look pale, as if the excitementhad been too much for you, but I hope it is only your anxiety for us."
"It has been an anxious day for me. Had you been drowned, my heart wouldhave been sorely stricken. Belle, I must speak--do forgive me--but youare dearer to me than all the world. I see you are offended, but whenall I care for, all that I love, is before me I cannot help speakingfrom my heart."
Belle arose from her seat and said: "Oh, think of what you are saying.I am not my own mistress. You are noble and brave, and having been themeans of saving us from sorrow, I cannot be too grateful to you. Youare more to me than--than I wish; but do not talk of this to-day. Thescenes of the morning--the awful waves, that seem even now to laugh meto scorn--make this moment too much like the bright day following thedarkness of night--too much like the sunshine after a storm. Please,George, no more of this--at least not now."
"As you say; but hark! hear the merry laugh of the boys. Come, let usjoin them. There! you look like your own dear self again."
As they stepped forth the sun suddenly hid its face behind a cloud, butthe tempest had nearly subsided. Belle's brothers ran to meet her, andin an instant two little pairs of arms were entwined about her neck.Then she arose and, turning to George, said:
"Can we go to our mother now? The lake is calm."
"Yes, in a short time, for I think I see the boys in the distance--ifit is, we can make one trip. I have the children's boat, washed ashoreduring the gale, but Geordie's little arms cannot row to-night. See! Theboat is headed for the island, and in a few moments we will take you toyour friends."
In ten minutes the three companions of George Alden, stepping on theshore, were quickly informed of the state of affairs, and in a shorttime Jane and the children were in one boat, George and Belle inanother, all gliding over the lake, which now was calm and beautiful,and soon Belle and the children were in their mother's arms.
Remaining with the fond hope of again seeing Belle, Alden wanderedthrough the hotel, and about half-past eight, discovering the girl atthe door of her parlor, he went toward her. Gently and lovingly takingher hand he drew her toward him and somehow their lips met. That instanta hand roughly seized the young man by the coat-collar, hurled himacross the hallway, and the Hon. Darius Hamblin stood between the two.