NAN. | 15

 

had manned her only saved their own lives by a miraculous chance. All the villagers were
out upon the shore, watching, praying, hoping, longing to be of some use. And it seemed
almost a mockery when for all their wishes to render assistance there was but one tiny babe
to need it. There was almost a competition for the privilege of giving the little one a
home, for the kindliness in the hearts of the villagers was not measured by their means.
But when by the advice of the parson and the doctor the honour was assigned to John
Brown’s young wife who had not long lost her own baby, all. the villagers accepted the
decision and proffered such help as they could afford to Mrs. Brown, in the way of clothes,
food, and—above all—advice.

So Nan—they had christened her Nannie from a name they found engraved on a locket
round the neck of her mother—grew and flourished in her new home, without a single
relative to own kinship with her, but with such love as even relationship does not always
imply.

The Browns often speculated whether the child would ever be claimed ; and as they
turned over the mother’s clothes which they had religiously kept, they Med themselves
-whether it was their duty to tell the child that they were not her parents. But the idea of
losing Nan who was now to them as their own child, and the improbability that she would
ever be sought for, made them shrink from telling her the story of her life. So they lived
on, putting out of sight the possibility of losing her, and she, knowing nothing and
consequently without doubts or apprehensions.

John Brown was a coastguard, and in the days of this little tale, coastguards had a great
- deal more to do than look to sea and chat to seaside visitors. ;

As Nan ran up the shingly path to the cottage, he was just starting for his night-watch.

“Why, Nan, my lass,” he said, “I thought you were lost, my pretty one,” as she lifted
her face for his good-night kiss.

“Lost, father! That would be a fine thing, indeed,” she answered. “No—lI stayed
some time with Granny on the down, and then coming along the cliff path I tried to catch
a butterfly and—oh, father,” she added, “there’s going to be a storm to- -night, and Isawa

-strange ship in the offing.”

« And what of that, my lass?” laughed Brown. “Haven't you seen plenty o’ strange
craft afore? One ’ud think you expected some one aboard her.” And so saying he
kissed the girl, and steadily wound his way up the cliff path to his beat at the top.

“Some one aboard her!”

The words seemed to linger in Nan’s ear. >

But who that had anything to do with her could be aboard the ship?

Nevertheless the girl could not get the words out of her memory, and as she sat at tea
with her “mother” her thoughts kept with the strange ship, and with the storm that she
knew was coming.

The night drew on, and the wind was now blowing a heavy ts and as the tide was.
at the full, the noise in the bay was bewildering.

Anxious faces of women and children were pressed against the darkening window-

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