ng gush of the ocean spray, storm-lashed and drifted, the rain
came down, wrapping in misty darkness every object around them. And now,
the swollen cataracts tore madly down the mountain sides, leaping from
crag to crag, and rending the clayey soil in deep clefts and gashes.
Again the thunder pealed out, and every echo sent hack the sound, till
the whole glen vibrated with the deafening clamour. Still they sped
onward. The terrified horses strained every limb, and dashing madly
on--mid rock and rushing water they went, now, clearing at a bound the
course of some gushing stream--now, breasting the beating rain with
vigorous chest.

The storm increased; the howling wind joined with the deep-toned thunder
into one long continuous roar, that seemed to shake the very air itself.

"Yonder!" said the father, as he pointed to the tall dark pinnacle of
rock, known by the country people as "the Pulpit"--"yonder!"

Sybella strained her eye to see through the dense beating rain, and
at last caught sight of the huge mass, around whose summit the charged
clouds were flying.

"We must cross the river in this place," said the old man, as he
suddenly checked his horse, and looked with terrified gaze on the
swollen stream that came boiling and foaming over to where they stood,
with branches of trees and fragments of rock rolling onward in the tide.
"The youth told us of this spot."

"Let us not hesitate, father," cried the young girl, with a tone of
firm, resolute daring she had not used before--"remember what he said, a
minute may save or ruin us. Great heaven! what is that?"

A terrific shriek followed her words, and she fell with her head upon
her horse's mane; a broad flash of lightning had burst from a dark
cloud, and came with vivid force upon her eyeballs.

"Father, dear father, my sight is gone," she screamed aloud, as lifting
up her head she rubbed the orbs now paralyzed by the shock.

"My child, my child!" cried the old man, with the piercing shriek of a
breaking heart; "look on me, look towards me. Oh, say that you can see
me, now--my brain is turning."

"Oh God, I thank thee!" said the terrified girl, as once more her vision
was restored, and, dimly, objects began to form themselves before her.

With bare head and upturned eyes, the aged man looked up, and poured
forth his prayer of thankfulness to heaven. The raging storm beat on
his brow unfelt; his thoughts were soaring to the Throne of Mercies, and
knew not ear