Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 187 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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earn ece the resistance of her causeway. Again and — au overtopping monster of a fellow dashed clear across the stretch of sand, and poured his waters into the pooi beyond. Rose was forced to pause on @ higher knoll until the forces of the waters were again drawn off, and she could run dry shod over tLe spot late captive to the waves. These necessary delays were vexatious in her ex- tremity. The tide seemed to be rising with rapidity, and it was important to reach the inner beach as uickly as ere if she wished to escape a very isagreeable situation. She, indeed, found it expedient to not wait until all the waters of these higher waves had run off. She dashed through the rippling play of some of them, managing to keep her clothes from harm, thou; h her shoes were soaked with salt water. The point desired was at length attained. Rose stopped in new dismay. It was as she had feared. The sea had overflowed the channel—dug it out even, to a greater depth than before—and a ce of dark water, twenty feet wide and whose depth it was difficult to guess as the bottom was not visible, lay between her and safety. ere was a dilemma. Rose had no idea of a wade through this wide stream, up which every suc- cessive wave sent a gurgling flood. The others were too far off to notice her dilemma. Will, however, was still where she had left him stretched at full length on the sands, and—watchful guardian as he was—fast asleep. Rose’s cry brought him to his feet with an instant awakening. ‘*Hallo!”. he eried, in momentary confusion. ** What's gone wrong?’ Ina moment he had taken in the girl’s unpleasant situation. *‘ By Jove, Rose,”’ he ejaculated, “‘here’s fun! I told you how it would be, going off-on thav ridiculous expedition. And now iy you ever going to get out of it without a wade?” “don’t know,” replied Rose, with a piteous look at her dress,.a favorite which she was very loth to haye spoiled with sea water. ‘ A wade won’t hurt you, Will, and you might carry me across.” “That’s blamed thin,’’ exclaimed Will, looking in his turn at his dainty garb. He could not forget a wade he had lately experienced. ‘“‘I don’t see any use of two of us getting soaked. The water is not bo deep. You can easily wade across at this point.’ The tears came to Rose’s eyes. “The time was, Will, when I thought you would go through fire for me. Now you 1 not go through a foot or two of water. Very well, sir, I can cross without your aid.”’ “But one’s got to be wet anyhow,”’ persisted Will, ‘‘and I don’t see a ghost of use in two being soaked.” Rose's lip quivered as she strove to keep back the tears, which would rise at this exhibition of his cold- hearted selfishness. She was about to step into the water, which had been deepeni ye during this oofeay when a loud cry caused her to pause. ‘Hold! I will be there in a moment!’ came the ory again, in a well-known tone. n another instant a lithe, slender form dashed by the hesitating lover and into the water, then foam- ing with the impulse of a wave. In a moment more the channel was passed, and Rose saw by her side the active frame and flushed, handsome face of Fred Halyard. ‘‘ This is too bad, Miss Darlington,” he breathless- ly cried. ‘‘How came you here?” “By my own folly,’ she answered, sf You must be got off at once. In ten minutes more there will not be afoot of dry sand here to stand on. But you can’t wade that stream ?”’ **T don’t want to,”’ she replied, with a look of dis- may. “But I presume I shall have to. It serves me right for being so thoughtless,” “Tf you ie hee g me, a Darli bt he Aig: hesitatingly. ‘‘ You are not heavy, ow. An am strong. I should hate to see you in that wa- ter.’ - She, too, hesitated, with a certain confusion in her mind, for which the occasion hardly gave warrant. She had asked Will Howard to carry her across. wy oo feeling of bashful hesitation with Fred She turned at length to him with a smile that masked a modest confusion. ‘“‘T am heavier than Fes think, Mr. Halyard, I fear that you would find me too great a weight.” Fred replied by clasping her in his strong arms. He could not hesitate longer after this invitation. ‘‘Why, you are but a feather’s weight,”’ he said, as he set foot into the running water. But never feather made a man’s heart beat as that light burden did Fred’s. A sense of delicious joy stole through him, fiving a new warmth to every muscle and nerve.. He could have spent the day in crossing the stream, with that rare burden in his arms And she, too, seemed not free from something of the same feeling, for her heart throbbed warmly, and a color stole into her cheeks that justified her name, Will Howard stood in sullen er awaiting their arrival. He had again been chi by the unselfish- ness of this boating lad, this waif of the beach. Nor did he feel more comfortable for Rose’s ironi- cal greeting. “T thank you, Mr. Howard, for your devotion. But, T hope I shall have no need to on your services ey’ ae t,” he angril replied, ‘‘so long as “Tsu e not,” he ed, | ou have this sand-lubber always at your elbow. I hink Thad best leave him to take care of you, since you have become 80 very intimate.”’ With this sneering reply, he turned on his heel and —— eee Oe —_ -_-—- me me a eee ae te Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy. 19 walked away. He had not taken many steps, how- ever, ere Fred’s hand was on his arm, and Fred’s voice at his ear. “T have had about enough of this from you,” came in a fierce whisper. ‘“‘ You shall answer me for these insults. I have not forgotten your effort to murder me,” Ere the slower-witted Will could reply, Fred was back again by Rose's side. Her face was pale. She looked eagerly into his face. **I hope there is no quarrel between you,”’ she nian **T should not wish any quarrel on my ac- count.” ‘There is no quarrel,’ Fred gravely replied. “I hardly think he is worth quarreling with.’ They slowly walked, side by side, toward the car- riages, which were about a half-mile off from the scene of this adventure. Few words passed between them. But, in their frame of mind, every word was full of deeper mean- ing. Their steps aya slower and slower as they ap proached the p enic ground. To both it seemed al- most a sacrilege when the light laughter of the pleasure-seekers broke upon their intense feelings. Fred left her as they came near. He fe to compromise her in some way by his presence. But, Will Howard hastened to take his place. He spoke to her, in a low, bitter tone. **T shall no longer stand in your way,” he said. “I have learned from your father that he and you are beggars. The Howards do not wed with beggars.” CHAPTER XXIV, A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST. THE season at Beach City was near its end. Al- ready the annual August storm—‘the reed-bird storm,’’ as itis called on the Delaware—had come and gone, and had had its usual effect of Sep laang the watering-places of many of their gay birds o passage. Only the relics of the season remained, those who knew from post experience that warm weeks would follow this August chill, and who had no special rea- son for a hasty flight back to the city. Spin Bag were ourfriends, Mr. Darli n and his daughter, Will Howard, and others who have ap- eared in our pages. Among the latter were Jack unce, the handsome sailor, and Amos Yarnall and his son, the rescued passengers. August had indeed fairly vanished. It was its last day on whose morning Fred Halyard rescued Rose Darlington from her unpleasant position—the day succeeding that in which he had driven into town with his enforced captive. On the following ese Amos Yarnall, who had been in constant search for a week past for Fred Halyard, met that young gentleman, seated in a ship’s chair on the narrow strip of green sward in front of his adopted father’s residence. Old Tom sat beside him, a short pipe in his mouth, from which the smoke curled upward in wreaths which threatened to envelop him in their vapory softness. *There’s some’at satisfyin’ about a good p pe,” remarked the old man, withasigh of pleasure. ‘‘I’ve see’d the time more’an once when a whiff of *baccy smoke was worth— Eh? Did you speak, sir?” This to Amos Yarnall, who had just stopped. This gentleman withdrew his eyes with a seemin effort from their fixed stare at Fred’s face, a loo which our young friend did not altogether relish. ““Lonly gave you the good-morning,” replied Mr. Yarnallt, “ You have a pretty place here.”’ ‘*Rayther, rayther,’’ returned old Tom, with a ratified look. ‘The sile ain’t the best goin’, but ’m a bit proud 0’ my — “You have reason,” said Mr. Yarnall, leaning heavily upon the fence. ‘* Beach City is rather bar- ren, as a whole.”’ **Aren't you the gentleman as come ashore in the Triton?’’ asked old Tom. “Yes, sir. That was one of my life experiences. Bae he made more than one narrow escape in my me. “*There’s nothin’ wuss than a wreck,”’ was old Tom’s positive reply. ‘*A man’s narves and mus- cles are precious little use when the sea gets on a rampage. He’s got to trust then to chance and Providence—eh, Fred?”’ “T must walk down to the Center House,”’ re- marked Fred. “I have a slight matter of business ere. * All right, all right, boy. Take the lad’s seat, Mr. Yarnall—that is if you don’t mind having a bit of ‘A likely young man that,"’ responded Mr. Yar- nall, nodding his head after Fred. ‘‘I’ve noticed him before. Is he your son, sir!” “He calls me father,” returned old Tom, with a smile of pride. ‘If I wanted to sail under false col- ors I s’pose I mought safely claim him.” **You are not his father, then?” ‘He's a son o’ the sea, Fred is. A bit of flotsam. But he’s been mine a’most since afore he could talk, so I reckon I'll hang on to.him.” ‘‘Did he come ashore in a@ wreck?”’ asked Mr. Yarnall, eagerly. “Yes, Fifteen years ago come next January. Lucky for him he fell into old Tom Halyard’s keep- in’. I’ve taught him some’at worth a man’s know- in aig ce Be wy who the ayo of = vessel?’’ queried Mr. arnall, with eager rest, “Nobody knows. She went into chips. And her crew was locked up in the depths of the sea, and their secrets buried with them. Only a single soul come ashore along with Fred, and the greedy sea washed his memory clean out of him.” A smile of pare satisfaction slid over Mr. Yarnall’s white face. this was the boy on whom Dariling- oe ~ wee ee ee ——— + oe ~ a ee ee ee + ee - - Oreeeeeee ton depen led to defeat him, it would perhaps prove a trust in a broken stick. He Cag etty continued his questions, and old Tom, nothing loth, entered into the full details of the wreck and rescue, incited thereto by the intense in- terest of his auditor. ‘What vessel it was is one of the mysteries that'll never be found out,’’ concluded Tom. ‘‘ We’ve a hint of a smuggler as come ashore about that time; but nothing to show that the boy was aboard the smuggler. This seems to bea bad bit of coast for smugglers. Here’s the Triton now, with her brains dashed out.”’ “Smugglers?” ejaculated Mr. Yarnall, with a sur- prise that was mingled with some Cearer feeling. “Yes. Haven't you heered what Beach City knows, that she landed some contraband stuffs a night or two afore she come ashore?” I heard of the smuggling, replied Mr, Yarnall, with the same peculiar look. ‘“ But I did not hear that it was ascribed to the Triton.”’ “You will hear of it, then, if you live many days longer. There's likely to be some questions. asked. The thieves were cute, but the honest folks were cuter. The contraband stuffs are in the hands of the customs this blessid minute.”’ Mr. Yarnall’s pallor deepened. ‘* How is it that 1 have not heard of it?’ he asked. ‘*Must have shet yourears,’’ wasthe reply. ‘It’s leakin’ outeverywhere. A whole wagon-load’s been nabbed, and the driver's enjoyin’ hisself behind a set 0’ good iron bars.”’ trangely Mr. Yarnall was as pee interested in this information as in that concerning Fred Hal- yard, It seemed to be an hour cf not very pleasant surprises to him, pang old Tom, in his spirit of garrulous chat, had failed to notice his visitor's im- perfectly-concealed emotion. But he could not help observing something odd in ='s Yarnall’s reception of the news about the smug- ng. wih wonder if he was mixed in it?’ the old man asked himself, after his visitor had left. ‘‘He was aboard the Triton. He mought’a’ been one of the contrabandists.”’ Mr. Yarnal]l walked quickly on through the main street of Beach City. “IT must see that Jim Bundy without delay,”’ he muttered. ‘‘His memory may have returned. If so his tongue must be locked. It would be ruinous if that boy could be identified as George Bruce’s on. But he had, just now, other business in hand of more pressing piikroones Hastening to the tele- graph office he addressed a carefully-worded dis- patch to J. W. Tompkins, Son & Co., of lower Broad- way, New York. As to the purport of the dispatch the telegraph operator knew nothing. It was written in a sort of cipher, which seemed at first sight By English, but which was utterly empty of meaning on any ef- fort at connected reading. But Tompkins & Co, had no difficulty in arriving at its significance, which, in fact, proved somewhat alarming to that honest and reputable firm. ’ They hastened to send a cable dispatch to Liver- ool, with instructions to stop the of the ship ary Ann until further advices. Their telegram came too late. With very little delay the following return message was delivered into their hands: ‘*Ship Mary Aun, Carstairs commanding, cleared yesterday. ent to sea last night, and is beyond our reach.”’ There was no help for it. The new smuggling venture could not be stopped. While Mr. Yarnall was thus engaged, and old Tom Halyard was doing all the injury he could to the ecuniary prospects of his oe pe ‘pose son, through his ak beh garrulity, others of our characters were working in Fred’s favor. Mr. Darlington, that same morning, had taken the accoinmodation train a Philadelphia, accompanied by the sailor, Jack unce. This, however, was not a final departure. Rose remained behind, in hostage for his speedy return. And his taking the accommodation instead of the erprees looked as if his destination was some way station. Such proved to be the case. He and the sailor left the cars at Crockettstown. Evidently Jim Bundy was the ulterior object of this journey. They proceeded, however, with something of the same circumspection which Fred had shown on a 8 occasion. Instead of going directly to the Red Lion they made their way to the Black Horse, Here the rival landlord was questioned closely as to the mental condition of his opponent in business. He had no hesitation in telling all he knew—was rather eager than otherwise—but what he knew —s very discouraging to the purposes of his vis- tors. Jim Bundy had, now and then, shown slight symptoms of remembrance of his former life. But he had never recollected anything of importance. And, generally, it was all completely lost to him. His village crony win aa might know some- thing. He had hobnob over many a glass of half-and-half with Bundy; and when a man’s head is afloat in good ale sometimes his brain loosens up as well as his tongue. “Tl interduce you to Tony, if you eare, gentle- men, But what’sup? There's been several] sets of folks this way after Jim Bundy lately.” “There is something in Bundy’s past life that would be worth’ buying, if it could be come at,” said Mr. Darlington. ‘‘We had best go at once to the Red Lion. But if Phe will ask the man you speak e 4 step down that way, it might be worth his rouble, GEomichbooks.co