made, the wretched woman was
tossed back among the breakers, that seized upon her, fiercely hurled
her to and fro against the rocks, then gave her over to a great
inheaving wave, which left her shrouded in a drift of seaweed almost at
her murderer's feet.

Daylight had broken on the wreck before it went down. Leaden and cold it
fell over the corpse of that poor woman as it was borne up to the
tavern, with the seaweed trailing from it and the wet garments clinging
to the limbs like cerements. Two rude seamen carried her away, for North
fled from the first sight of his work and plunged madly into the water,
where many a poor wretch was buffeting with the waves. He called on the
wreckers to help him, and dragged two or three exhausted creatures to
the beach, for he was ready to brave death in any shape rather than look
upon that cold form again.

They carried the lifeless woman up to the tavern, and, careless of
ceremony, laid her on the bed in North's room. Here they left her, with
the salt sea-water dripping in a heavy rain from her garments, soaking
the bed and forming dreary rivulets along the uncarpeted floor.

Deep in the morning North came up from the beach pale and staggering
from exhaustion. He went into his chamber and was about to cast himself
on the bed, when, lo! that face on the pillow met his gaze, ghastly and
cold. The heavy dropping of the water struck upon his ear like the fall
of leaden bullets. He stood paralyzed yet fascinated. A shudder colder
than spray from his garments shook his form from head to foot; and,
turning, he fled down the stairs again out upon the beach, and helped
the wreckers to haul in their plunder, till he fell utterly exhausted on
the sands.

CHAPTER XXII.

AMONG THE BREAKERS.

The storm had abated, but still the sea rose tempestuously, and broken
clouds filled the sky as with great whirlpools and drifts of smoke. A
good deal of rain had fallen, and this calmed the waters somewhat; but
the disturbed elements of the tempest made the most experienced seaman
look anxious when his face was turned oceanwards. An assistant pilot,
whose duty lay in that range of the shore, had been injured in helping
to save the crew of that ill-fated vessel. His comrades had carried him
up to the tavern, and laid him on a settee in the bar-room, where he
grew worse and worse, till it became dangerous to remove him to more
comfortable quarters.

In this state North found the man on the s