d along the beach as far as the point, the New Yorker in full
chat and high spirits, and Mary's attention almost entirely occupied by
a distant boat that seemed to be engaged in fishing, and which she
recognised, notwithstanding the distance, to be her namesake, the Mary,
belonging to her lover Kelson. Their walk occupied them till nearly
sunset, when Mary suddenly recollected that the tide was flowing, and
would soon entirely cover the narrow beach that they had just passed. By
dint of walking fast, they reached the foot of the path before the beach
was covered by the tide, and commenced their ascent just as the sun went
down.

In the mean time, heavy black clouds began to muster in the north-west,
announcing the approach of a thunder shower, and reducing the evening
twilight to less than half its usual duration. Large heavy drops of rain
were soon felt and heard, rattling in the few straggling shrubs and
bushes, accompanied by short gusts of wind. Mr. Millinet, who was
considerably alarmed by these indications of a violent shower, and who
trembled for the safety of his new Broadway hat, and Broadway coat,
hurried on with the most uncourteous and unlover-like disregard of his
fair companion, who was too much accustomed to take care of herself, to
be at all incommoded by his neglect. They reached the "Devil's Gap," and
the lover strode on most rapidly; he was just upon the middle of the
little bridge, when being startled by a sudden bright flash of
lightning, he stumbled, and in the dread of falling off, laid violent
hold upon one of the branches of the scrubby oak on the other side,
recovered himself, and passed on. The oak, that had long since been
partially undermined by the water from the spring, and which Captain
Bowline had determined to remove before it did any damage, gave way
before the violent pull of Millinet. Mary, whose feet were already upon
the planks of the bridge, alarmed by the rattling of the loose earth and
stones that fell from under the roots of the tree, ran hastily back. The
next instant, the tree, with a ton or two of earth attached to its
matted roots, came thundering down, sweeping away with it the bridge,
and a large portion of the path beyond it. In the mean time, short
violent showers, of but four or five seconds in duration, with equally
short and violent gusts of wind, induced the Broadway gallant to
increase his speed; he had indeed heard a loud crash, but it is no more
than bare justice