The Argosy — page 153: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

140 Secret as the Grave. tumultuous sea laden with spoil. Some of it was going out with the tide. Who would venture to bring it back? Coney and his mates knew not fear. ‘They were the first to enter a boat: but for once they measured not the force against them. ‘The storm died hard, struggling with a giant’s strength ; and before they had pulled a dozen strokes they felt its fury. In the attempt to return a huge wave engulfed them. For a few seconds they kept afloat, and might even have survived, had they not been battered and crushed by the whirl of heavy chests and bales of merchandise. One of the bodies came ashore. At first it was thought, being entangled in wreckage, that it belonged to the ill-fated gun ship of Admiral Beaumont; but a Deal boatman recognised his lodger Coney, not so much by the features as by the outline of a rabbit ingrained on the left arm. These tidings reached the lonely cottage on the Monday night, and Lena, scarcely realizing her bitter bereavement, hastened to the coast and brought back the body of her beloved for burial. It was placed on trestles in the belfry. That afternoon, when the stir caused by its arrival subsided, and the attendants had left, Edward quiétly entered the old church. ‘These events had greatly moved him. He reverently approached the coffin, and, bending over the remains, almost unconsciously thought aloud : “Ts this the end. <A few days and full of trouble. Alas! when thou wert leaving this church nine years ago, I deemed thee the happiest of men; zow, a misshapen mass, wrapt in a woollen shroud. How art thou fallen? And yet without the lamp of knowledge to guide thee, how could it be otherwise? ‘Thou didst but follow the instincts of thy kind—passion leading the way, judgment limping afterwards. Surely,” sobbed Edward, now quite overcome, “there is mercy with thee, therefore shalt thou be feared.” “Mercy,” whispered a plaintive voice beside him (Lena had entered unperceived). ‘‘Oh, yes! I know whom I have believed ; and then he was so handsome, so brave, and fond of me,” added she, weeping bitterly. For a space there was deep silence, and their tears gathered fast. The evening shadows began to fall in that ancient belfry over the living and the dead; a mournful emblem of the shadow which has long since passed upon all ; but, from the lancet window (spared when other images were defaced), there still beamed resplendent the patroness of the church, the Virgin with the Holy Infant in her arms ; and the young widow, looking up through her tears, interpreted once again the letters of gold, ‘“‘ For He hath regarded the lowliness of His handmaiden.” A few mornings afterwards Mrs. B remarked, “I have been to visit Lena, and seeing that she hath now no support I have offered her the post of serving-maid here.” ‘“And did she accept it?” enquired Edward. ECOPMICLIOO KS, EO