Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-12-09
W. M. NICHOLS, Prophet

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| s.But she doesn't seem TO pine after John a
bit But then, what else could one expect
from such child? Out of sight, out Of
mindr / suppose if John is pleased, ought
to be. But I'm sure it was never my way,
when Danforth was ont on a voyage. Many's
the night have cried all night. and the
house was more like funeral than any
thing else all the time he was gone
Mrs. GRAY, wise woman that she was,
carefI lly abstained from limiting that this
4nigh be the reason of Johns preference to
merry, cheerful Robin, whose unfailing
good spirits were to him constant source
of wonder and delight.
| Il thought she always seemed very fond
of John" she contcnted herself with say
ing. ss Mrs. Danforth rose to take her
leave.
.sSeemedr' echoed Widow Danforth with
her deepest sigh: '.let me tell you, Mrs.
GRAY. when you have lived in this wicked
world as long as have, you will find that
things are not by any means all that they
seem.
And with this uuintentional parody of
the sublime song Of the poet, Mrs. Dan
forth went her lugubrious way homeward.
So the summers came and went in frag-
rance and song to the little cottage on the
Crag; and the white ships sailed stately
and grand, or flew like frightened birds to
their s.haven under the hill;" and the
Gee An Bird. command, d by Captain John
Danforth, touching nov at this port now
at that sometimes driven by prosperous
gales, sometimes buffeting adverse winds,
set sail for home.
And in the heart of the brave man, who
sometimes in shine, sometimes in storm.
always cheerfully and hopefully pace her
deck, there dwelt picture of a face which,
whether bright with piqnant smiles or sad
with April tears, had always been eloquent
with love for / i'm. and which was fairer
and dearer to his eyes than all the world
beside.
Dream on, honest Captain Danforth. For
you the joy and the brightness of love are
over-for you q storm Is gathering which
will scatter your love dreams as easily as
the wind which sweeps over the deck Of
the Ocean Bird scatters thefoam that crests
the wave whereon she rides.
The Dutch clock ticks merrily away. sur
veying the neatness and cosinses of the lit
tie room with face shining with approba-
ton. The fire burns cheerily in the fire.
place, the canary dozes sleepily on his perch,
and the old cat purrs loudly in the corner.
Meanwhile, the little mistress, daintily at
tired in q merino dress, with lace at the
throat and wrists, sits before the sparkling
fire and gaZes oreamily into it
Her work hes idly upon her lap: the ball
of worsted has rolled, unnoticed, upon the
floor; so deeply is she immersed in her re-
verie that she heeds not the fact that Hans
has gone to sleep in his chair in his usual
fashion, and sits with his round head bob
bing up and down like Chinese mandarin
in q toy shop. Without, the wind whistles
drearily, as only the November wind knows
how, and the moan of the surf upon the
shore chants its monotonous dirge.
Outside the cottage, close to the win
dow, stands man needless OF the bitter
wind, deaf to the roar of tie angry sea, gaz-
ing, gazing. with hungry heart and hap
py smile. upon the picture within.
How beautiful she is he whispers to
himself, and proud and loving look comes
over the bronzed face, as he gazes on the
little figure in the merino dress.
1t was thus that ne had pictured her,
many time-the bright fire, the shining
little clock, even the pattern of the chintz
curtain, had blended together in a harmon
ious whole, labeled in his mental picture
gallery, Home"
But the slight girlish figure bent little
forward, the falling brown hair, the shin
ing, truthful eyes, this had been the bright
est. because the dearest of all
She was thinking of him, perhaps, little
dreaming of the happy surprise in store
for her In his unexpected return. What is
that?
Ay! start, John Danforth, and reel as if
struck BY sudden blow. Is this the wife
you have seen in doting dreams, for whom
you have kept your soul pure aud uLstain-
ed, that it might hold enshrined her sacred
image?
An inner-door is opened, quick, manly
step upon the door, and man, muffled
with coats and wrappings of fur, is beside
Robins chair. She looks up in his face.
How well John Danforth knows that low
ing smilei and though the wind prevents
their words from reaching him, she seems
from their gestures to be urging remon-
strsnces against his going ont in such a
storm.
He shakes his head laughingly, the boy
ish curls glancing to the freight, and
stoops down beside her. She filings both
arms round his neck, presses his lips to the
smooth cheek, innocent of beard or razor,
; and he lays his hand upon the latch, slowly
o. ems the door. aud in a moment more is
out in the stormy night.
The heart of Captain Danforth sinking
down, down like lead IN his bosS m with the
weight of his loss, leaps and burns with all
. the fury of savage as he hears the footsteps
. of his rival beside him, SO close that if he
should stretch out his hand he could throt-
Tie him in moment.
he looks at the darkening sky and starts
on the road to the village.
The village roadi That way is long and
rugged; few travellers ever tread the lonely
, way. Revenge, revengel
1t is said there is drop of tigers blood
, in every human heart. think it must have
been alive in Mr.. Danforth's heart then, and
, prompted the stealthy, creeping, pace with
I which he followed his victim on, on, over
rugged paths, watching the boyish form, till
. the sudden, blind impulse OF revenge grew
3 into settled purpose-till thesure, relent.
; less hand seconded the murderous plans
of the heart.
: Halfway down the winding, rocky road
: deep chasm runs parallel with it for lit
: tie distance, then. with an abrupt turn,
l takes another directions toward the coast
John, breathlessly dogging the footsteps
2 of the boy-he is but little mDre than that
r -chuckled with savage delight at the
e thought of misstep, which might plunge
his unconscious enemy headlong down the
, abyss to frightful death on the sharp. jag
e ged rocks below.
As he reaches this point in his journey
3 the youth pauses moment, turning his
T back to the fierce blast, which has beer
b blowing steadily in his face all the way
e John is beside him in a moment.
t "Villainl' He grasps the boy by the
!, shoulder fiercely, with an oath Missed be
Q tween his shut teeth, and there is strug
gle-unequal. short, decisive.
e Unequal, for the youth is but as bab,
) in that fierce, strong grasp, and oyerpowsr
!, ed he shouts with all his might for help.
4 'sRobinsr'
: That name, wrung from him in his agon
!. izing fear. is his death warrant A thou
{ sand demons rage in the heart of Danforth
: as he holds him a moment over the abyss
D The moon, shining through a rift in th'
4 clouds, show him two blue eyes gazing
e with wild, beseeching fear into his TIVE
. white hands tossed haplessly in the air;
futter of yellow curls, and then something
: goes crashing over jagged points of rock