The captain now stood beside them with Violet on his arm, and the others came climbing back, till they all stood in a group together.
“What an awful occurrence that was! what a dreadful death to die—tossed about by those booming waves, that raging, foaming water, against those cruel rocks till life was extinct,” Violet said, gazing down into the chasm while clinging tightly to her husband’s arm.
“Yes,” said Mary Keith, “and I feel that I was hardly right to run the risk I did in climbing about as I have been doing.”
“Nor I,” said Croly.
“Nor any of the rest of us,” added Calhoun; “but we won’t do it any more. But what is it Vi refers to? Has there ever been an accident here?”
“Yes; have you not heard the story?” said his uncle. “Has no one told you the meaning of yonder cross?” pointing to it as he spoke.
“No, sir; and I had not noticed it before.”
Mr. Dinsmore briefly told the sad tale; then slowly and almost in silence they turned and left the spot.
Harold, Herbert, and Will Croly were strolling together along the beach that evening, and for a time their talk was of Rafe’s Chasm and the accident there, the story of which they had heard that day.
“It has been a good deal in my mind ever since I heard it,” remarked Croly, “and I have asked myself what must it be to be called so suddenly from earth to heaven. It is a solemn thought that we may be so called any day or hour, but a sweet one also; for to the Christian, what is sudden death but sudden glory, a sudden awaking in the land where pain and sickness, sin and sorrow are unknown, and in the immediate presence of the dear Master who has loved us with an everlasting love? Oh, I cannot think sudden death a calamity to the Christian!”