Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

BROTHERS O’ ‘“ For a minute of two I couldn’t see it. I thought it was a bit of fog had got in the way. Then it was all right again.” “That tells where the boy was, then,” piped the old woman. “ Never did he come home to his house at all till just this morn- ing, the time we were together on the beach. He was here and lighted another after the first one had blown off.” “ Here all night, eh,” exclaimed Starling. ‘“* Wouldn’t think he could have managed to do the thing. I wonder—eh, what’s that!”’ Again the boy had disappeared and re- turned with something in his hand. ‘« Jake’s hat!” ejaculated several. ‘‘ How came /e here?”’ “Last night wasn’t the first of his wan- dering,” put in the old woman. “ His wife will tell you he has been travelling, travel- ling, the month back. Listen to the truth now that I’m telling you: It was he that hunted Eastrup, trying by night to beat him down as he walked the dark paths, or find his secret and destroy it. At last he came to the cave and the way in, with the lantern brightly burning. The boy was here. ‘“‘ Back in the shadows he waited. When the fog cleared and the wind started blowing toward the rocks the black sinner stood in > the doorway and kicked out the light, think- ing that would be the end of his enemy. But the boy back there, after he had gone lighted another. And Darrance, making his way home in the darkness, slipped and fell.” A chorus of cries interrupted her. ‘No! No! It was Eastrup! Coming back, he met him on the cliff and threw him over. That doesn’t help him any! You have made it worse for him than it was before!”’ The hoarse shouts, taken up by all, filled the great cave, echoing far back into the darkness: ‘“ Throw him over! Throw him over!” Biting his lips, Starling stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak. He was caught up in the whirl of hands and shoul- ders reaching out for the prisoner, and flung one side. Half a dozen giants made a wedge and smashed through to where Eastrup stood. In a second they had seized him, hands and shoulders, and rushed him half way to the edge. SPINKLE’S CHIMNEY. 608 In that same second a flying figure from the shadows at the side dashed out and stood in front. More than ever did the limbs jerk and shamble. Desperate striv- ings after speech,gurgled from the throat. Poised on the very edge, he faced the mob. Hushed, they realized that he was going through a frenzied pantomine. First he pointed at Eastrup and shook his head. Then, turning, he went through the motion of kicking violently outward from the cliff’s edge. Once more facing his au- dience, he pointed at himself. Again and yet again he repeated the performance. ““ My God!” breathed Starling, ‘‘ he try- ing to tell us it was—”’ Breaking away, Eastrup had bounded forward, arms outstretched, checking him- self on the very fringe of the last edge. A terrible cry rang out from all who saw; then silence settled down. Where the bov had stood the instant before was nothing. ‘ He fell!”’ whispered a voice. ‘Nay; jumped,” said the bie farmer softly, crushing his hat in his great’ hands. ‘“T saw him clear. It was him pushed Dar- rance off, ye see, and this is his own settle- ment he’s made, instead of Eastrup. Come on, you men, if you feel like men now: we've done enough fine justice for one day, I reckon. God send none of us slips, the way back.” Stella Eastrup stole to her husband’s side and clasped her arms around his neck. ‘ How he loved you, Larry-—and the time so near!” Absently Eastrup pulled a tin box from its hiding-place behind the boulder he was leaning on, and opened it. “There it all is,” he murmured dully, ‘all I’ve saved from the fishing these three years gone to send him to the hospital! In a month’s time longer now—”’ We will go,” whispered the woman wist- fully, ‘away from here to the real world that is yours by right. The money will be our start. He—your brother—would have liked that, wouldn’t he, if he could have - known?” Eastrup nodded thoughtfully. Taking the girl’s hand, he lead the wav out of the cave and down the steps. nn (Cl QO) NOOK