Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-08-01
Softlyl Where is Kate :"

Pedder, ar1ADR ana planting hersen In D cnair
There was little to do, you know, as did not
expect you home until dinner"
"Then no one will hear u.s."
He drew chair nearer to that Of his sister
and sat down beside her.
"What's your idea ?" he asked, in whisper.
"My idea is to separate them ; to turn their
love to hate; to dig pit beneath their feet
that will remain open foreverW
"But how?"
"Will. Hawley is poor, isn't he 2"
Certainly; there is no mistake about that.
His mother was helpless invalid for the last
ten years OF her life, and Will. insisted on her
using for her comfort every penny he earned.
1t hasn't been six months since he was relieved
OF that burden. He's poor, therefore, as you
say-poor as Jobs turkey"
"Then he'll have to leave his darling Clara, !"
sneered Miss Pedder venomously. "He'll have
to absent himself from his deary in order to
earn their mutual bread and butter. In short,
he'll have to 60 to sea again"
"Well, yes I suppose he will" assented
Pedder. "He can get better wages at sea than
elsewhere. He'll sail again soon, no doubt"
"I thought as much. And the sea is full OF
terrible dangersl When do you sail again for
Australia 2"
ain about two weeks-possibly in ten days,
as the ships filling Up rapidly"
"Hawle thoroughly competent to eyour
first mate
Pedder looked woudengly at his sister a
moment, and the answered:
"Of course. know OF no better man for the
He must be your first mate, then. You
have influence enough with your owners,
hope, to turn out the present Incumbent"
"Wby, the post is already vacant. Mr.. Jar
ding-you have sen him MIR. Jarding has
just been called home suddenly to Ohio, on
Eoe1 L; ga
"Goodl That's fortunate. You must rec
ommend Hawley for the vacant place to your
owners, and get them to engage him. The
thing can be doneT
without the least doubt. It was under
stood, you know, as just now remarked, that
was to help Hawley at the first opportunity.
Well accordingly suppose that be sails with
"You must leave him-not dead, but prs
oner-on some desert island between here and
australia !"
Pedder looked his astonishment.
eff it can be done,". he said, after pause,
"what next?"
"You must come back and report that he is
dead, furnishing full details and good proofs.
Those details and proofs will not be difficult to
manufacture. Then you must be all kindness
suppose herself to be, and in less than year
thereafter she will be your wife,"
ooh, If this thing. were possible !" sighed
Pedder, beginning to look relieved.
"Possibte? It's as simple as kissing. And
the moment you are married to Clara, l will
take trip to Australia for my health, and nat.
urally enough, stumble upon the very island
where you have left Hawley effect his rescue
tell him his wife is dead :condole and sympa-
thIze with him like an angel and conclude the
whole comedy by becoming his wife and settling
in Australia. You'll thus have your Clara, on
this side Of the ocean, and I shall be happy
with Hawley on the other
She was smiling now, with every sign OF anti
cipated triumph.
AS to Pedder he twisted nervously in his
chair scarcely venturing to breathe.
"that of getting Hawley on the desert island
without his suspecting anythlne."
cit can be dOne," and the lips OF Miss Ped
der came together like the jaws OF vice.
"There's no difficulty about finding suitable
island p
"Not the least. 1 saw the island in my
minds eye the moment you uttered the word,
and glorious one it is for our purpose"
cit will be easy for you to get Hawley upon
it." suggested Miss Pedder thoughtfully. ''H
it's near your route, you can call there fnr wa
ter. If it's out OF your way, you can be blown
there by adverse winds, or be drifted there by
unknown currents, or fetch up there by mis-
take in your reckoning or fault in your chro-
uometer. And once there, you can have Haw.
| ley seized by some trusty agent, while he is
ashore upon business, or you can send him
ashore under some pretence, such as Looking
for deserter from the ship orr r shipwreck-
ed sailor and then sail away without him"
"Say no more," interrupted Pedder, with
wild exultation 81 see how to manage the
affair from its b. ginning to it's end"
"And you now see that we can undo that
hateful marriage?"
Perfecty-perfectly. The affair will require
little time and patience, Of course, and lit
tie expenditure Of monty, but we are sure to
triumph. Capital! gloriousl What load you
have taken from my soul, Ruth! What a
genius you arer"
He leaped to his feet and began pacing to
and fro rapidly, with the most extravagant
signs and exclamations of joy!'
':First to get Hawley on his island" resumed
Miss Pedder musingly. "Next for you to mar
ry the pretended widow. Then for me to rescue
the prisoner and marry him. And finally FOL
you and me to be happy, you in your way, anG
with Will. in Australia: You comprehend the
whole project clearly?"
From the first step to the last. There's
only just one possibility Of failure"
And that one"
GA refusal on Hawley's part to accept the
post offered him-a refusal based upon hlf
marriage"
Miss Pedder turned pale at the thought.
"But he won't refuse" she soon declared
wanting just such place. Married or single
he can't neglect his bread and butter"
"Wen said, Ruth. 1 think we can count
upon him. The post he came here to ask me
for is now vacant, and will accordingly have
it offered to him, just as il nothing had hap
pened."
can simply offer him the post in question, il
accordance with the old understanding. AnC
he will accept it. He can't possibly have an!
suspicion OF anything wrong Outwardly ane
apparently We are ali on god terms with ont
another, and will remain 80. Let the wages
offered him be liberal. Possibly he may objec
| to leaving his young bride 80 seon, but the mex
voyage after this one"
Pedder interrupted the remark by gestur,
OF impatience. he was all eagerness now-al
| determination.
"That next voyage after this one will not an
swer," he declared. "Hawley shall accompan.
me on my very next trip. To make all sure OF
this point, will have him engaged this yer.
day. In fact will see to this notD."
He seized his hat and gloves, addressed a few
words to his sister, and quietly took his depart
ure down town. The last g.ances the couple
exchanged at the door were full OF tublan
wickedness.
The next three or four hours passed slowl.
to Miss Pedder. She was beginning to feal
that the whole project had mlscarried at it
very commencement, and was fretting hersel
into !. fever, when Pedder suddenly made hi
appearance One glance at his vivid tushes
at his dancing eyes, at his airy manner, wa
sufficient.
1--WE triumph them she cried, throwing
herself into his arms Tor the first time in years
'Completelyl saw my owners on the sub
ject, and they sent for Hawley. He at frs
offered some objections, as was natural, bu
the high wages, the great step upward. tn
kindly interest We all manifested, soon brough