Puck — August 27, 1879 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

moon was nearly full, and what is called a “Scotch mist” enveloped sea and land, and obscured the sky. A nasty, raw, uncomfortable night it was, much to Archie’s surprise, for he was unaccustomed to these sudden changes of weather which are so frequent in the Western Highlands of Scotland, and he had to strike a light in order to discover the time by his watch. It wanted eight minutes of eleven as Archie took up a position behind some shrubbery on the lawn, from which, without being seen, though of that there was no fear, owing to the dtinling rain and darkness, he commanded a view of the hall-door, and could at once detect every entrance and exit. As the moments slowly passed and the hour approached, the watcher’s anxiety grew more and mcre intense; his breath came and went in short , and he could hear his heart beat loud and fast. But the hour came and went, and still the solitary light burned in the room he knew so well, and still at intervals that shadow crossed and recrossed the white linen blind, and still she came not. At length, just as he inning to think that ‘the meeting had for some other time, the door was cautiously opened and a figure—the figure he knew so well—enveloped in a long, dark-grey cloak, with cape and hood, ‘slipped gently out. In his agitation Archie started back and some branches rustled. The noise, though slight, was distinct, and the young girl, in her turn, gave a start like a frightened fawn and stood still; * But the sound was not repeated, and, after a’ moment's hesitation, she walked off into the mist and the night. * * Lover’s Loan, as the place had been chris- tened by the popular. voice, is a narrow walk along the edge of the cliff, which at this point attains its highest height, being over a hundred feet above the shore. The path runs through a small wood or plantain, and was a favorite promenade for smokers on pleasant evenings. ‘Towards this walk Maggie made her way with swift, noiseless steps—so swift, indeed, that. Archie, who after her departure had stood still for some minutes, as if unable to make up his mind what to do, lost trace of her in the dark- ness, This, however, mattered little, as from the direction in which she had gone he guessed her destination. Less familiar with the road than she, he stumbled along slowly in the dark for a considerable time before reaching the wood, and after getting there lost, further time in the attempt to discover the exact spot whither she had gone. At last he found it; the sound of voices directed him the way. Had it not been for the faint shimmer of the sea it would have been almost impossible for him to have seen any one, and as it was he could only with difficulty descry, dimly out- lined against the dull grey surface of the water, two figures. The wind, too, had risen, and what with the lapping of the water on the beach, the rustling of leaves, and the incessant tter of rain on the trees overhead, it was with infinite difficulty that he could make out even scattered fragments of the conversation. Mag- gie had her back to him, and her companion had his to the water. He was half resting serine’ a oy paling. that skirted the edge of the precipitous cliff, and one arm was around her waist, It was impossible for him to discern more than the rude outlines of the two figures; but he had no difficulty in recognizing both. It was Captain Macleod. Their interview was evidently drawing toa close, but to that Archie was indifferent. He ‘was no eave’sdropper. All he wished to ascer- tain was the identity of the man, and as to that he had never much doubt. To describe his sensations as he saw her whom he had thought was all his own in another's embrace would be PUCK. impossible. With all his extraordinary power of self command he could with difficulty refrain from leaping forward and hurling his rival over the cliff. “My own love,” he could hear him say, and her response, though the words were drowned by the noise of wind and water, was—he felt instinctively—in a similar vein. The other had given her what seemed like a packet, and she threw her arms around him and kissed him pas- sionately. *Good-by dearest,” Archie could just hear her say; the rest was lost. It was too much for him, and he suddenly made a step as if to rush forward. With a last supreme effort he checked himself; but it was too late. They had heard him, and guiltily-like and frightened started asunder. “Oh, God,” cried the young girl, her face blanched with horror, “who's that ?”” The Captain, having his face to the woods, was the first to detect Archie's figure, and leaped forward to seize him. But the young English- man, maddened by passion, was too quick for him, “ Traitor—dog,” he hissed, clutching him by the throat, “‘you are beneath contempt,""—say- ing which he hurled the other from him. The unfortunate man tripped and with acry fell against the low paling. The frail structure immédiately gave way, and the next moment the body lay limp and lifeless on the rocks a hundred feet below, Long as it has taken us to describe, it was all the work of a moment. With a wild shriek the young girl fainted away, and Archie, horror- stricken and stunned, was left—almost literally —alone. His first thought was for his rival, The body he could not see in the intense darkness, nor the path down the sheer and perpendicular cliff But despair gave him courage and strength, Next moment he was clamberin; down the rocks as well as he could. In broa daylight the descent was sufficiently perilous, even ore mountaineer; and in the dark it would have been pronounced by most people im sible. But Archie, with torn clothes and bleed. ing hands, reached the bottom in safety. With trembling hands and wildly beating heart he groped for the body. “He found it. ie placed his ear against the heart—the mouth; he felt the pulse. Great God, he was dead. (To be continued.) One out of a hundred—gg.— Cincinnati Sat, Night. Her bosom-friend—Cotton.— Baltimore Ev- ery Saturday. PHILADELPHIA has just had some excellent Noah's ark weather.—Phila, Kronikle-Herald, Tue mule is of an even disposition; he al- ways behaves according to his wont.—Boston Post, Grant declines a third term. This is over $100,000 out of Secor Robeson’s pocket.— Phila, Kronikle-Herald, “‘Hatr a loaf is better than none,” as the corner-loafer said to the policeman when told to move on,— Wheeling Leader. Tue diamond fallen into the dirt is not the less precious.—[Persian Proverb]. The same is not true of the pared peach.— Boston Post, ‘WHENEVER our eyes we cast on the list of esteemed contemporaries We see that as to what’s in a name opinion, widely varies. But though we scan the list all through, from A even unto Izzard, We find no name to match that of the Jim River (Dakota) Béissard, Unless it be contended that the title may pass muster Beside it of the Mississippi City (Louisiana) Buster, O may they live in happiness, these papers of dread names, And never get up a controversy about the Southern Claims! May envy of the Buster never rankle in the gizzard Of the editor of the radical Jim River (Dakota) Blizzard, And lead him to engage in war, with fearful fuss and fluster, With the Greenback Mississippi City (Louisiana) Buster! May the editor of the Mississippi City (Louisiana) Buster Forbear to exhibit any of the sectional bounce and bluster, And threaten to transfix, as one might do a snake or lizard, With his bowie-knife his brother of the Jim River (Dakota) Blissard, May fortune pour a golden shower on them that will be eternal, Till the bank account of each is as long as the title of his journal; May he never see, the editor of the Jim River (Dakota) Béiszard, The mercury at 98 through his ulster’s collar’s vizard; And in December’s snows may he not have to go in his duster, The man of the Mississippi City (Louisiana) Buster! —Chicago Tribune, Roscoz Conxuinc has been invited out again, but, as there was a shot-gun behind him, he accepted the invitation this time.— Baltimore Every Saturday. As Nellie Grant is not dead, the poets who have already evolved sonnets on the event are gloriously sold.— , Y. Star. A younc writer was knocked down by a tramp recently, but being a swift runner, he saved his comic opera.—W. Y. Star. Jerr Davis has a splendid opportunity of showing his devotion to the South by volun- teering to nurse the yellow-fever victims at Memphis,—Fhila. Kronikle-Herald. As Conx.ino’s usefulness as a Senator is about over, we suggest that he be made manager of the two female base-ball nines now ravishing this country.— Phila. Kronikle-Herald, Nosopy ever chased Jim Blaine with a shot- gun, When he stole Mulligan’s letters he took care to inform himself that the gentleman wasn’t armed,— Fila, Kronikle-Herald. Tue Chicago Zridune says all large cities _ suffer from the heat except Chicago. The in- terest on the Boston mortgages can’t be press- ing very hard just now.— Danbury News. “‘ Wuat is the difference between the article a woman has in her hand and the woman her- self as she steps on a peach-paring while chas- ing her undutiful son around the corner?” was the very simple question he asked. “ It’s easy; the one is a slapping slipper and the other a slipping slapper,” was his voluntary answer, ac- companied by the sickliest grin we ever wit- nessed.— New Haven Register. comicbooks.com