the authorities of the desertion, and would urge them to hurry in
sending some one to fill the vacant place.

Grumbling aloud to himself, he moved around the circle of the gallery
toward the door. His hand was on the latch, when, turning, he cast
another glance over the rail, this time directly downward toward the
beach below. And there he saw something which caused him to forget
hunger and grievances of all kinds; something which, after one horrified
look to make sure, led him to dart into the light chamber, spring at a
reckless gait down the winding stair, out of the tower, rush to the edge
of the bluff, and plunge headlong down the zigzag path worn in the clay.

On the sand, at the foot of the bluff below the lights, just beyond
reach of the wash of the surf, lay a man, or the dead body of a man,
stretched at full length.




CHAPTER II

MR. JOHN BROWN


Once before, during his years of service as keeper of Eastboro
Twin-Lights, had Seth seen such a sight as that which now caused him to
make his dash for the shore. Once before, after the terrible storm of
1905, when the great steamer Bay Queen went down with all on board, the
exact spot of her sinking unknown even to this day. Then the whole ocean
side of the Cape, from Race Point to Orham, was strewn with ghastly