The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-10-10
her suffer along with the old man"

| I'LL inLcTeSt III III her, out Ia nave my pay
out of John Sawyer now, if was to die
for it."
"Jocs grasp frightened convulsivey on
his oar Was the man crazy, thus to make
a boast ofthe misery he would cause before
one whose advantage and opportunity it
alike was to insure his silence who had
him almost as completely at his mercy here
on this unfamiliar element as if they two
had been alone in all the earth If he
were to die for it Every plunge of the
dark water seemed to be repeating those
words. The boatman reused himsef with
start at the sound of his passengers voice.
you're pretty TELLER, amt you, now"
said the latter, resuming the subject in a
lighter tone, "wanting to persuade me to
cheat justice after that fashion 2"
"As for that" answered Joe, "you said,
yourself, if it had been anybody but Saw
yer you wouldn't have troubled to hunt
him down, and / cant see as that's any
better notion of justice than mine Be-
sides" he added, gravely, "the old mans
got his death sentence already, if that's
what you want; what with the drink, he
amt the man he used to be, and the night
of the quarrel he got q cough that's tearing
him all to pieces the doctors say he can't
live long, uOnOW.
"He'll live long enough to make the ac-
QUAR- lance of a ropes end, reckon" said
Groom, with coarse laugh, "and that's all
| care about"
The brutal words and manner reused the
lurking devil in Joe Gorton's heart. He
stammered out curse, inarticulate for pas
sion.
"Eh 2" said Groom, catching the sound,
but not the words, "what's that you say 2"
The boatman stopped rowing; and leaned
forward till he almost touched Groom where
he sat.
"Just put yourself in the old mans place
for minute" he began, with an effort,
speaking quietly. "Spose there was some
body'd got the chance and the will to get
shut o. you, just as you have of old Saw
yer"
What are you driving at now ?" inter-
rupted Groom. "There amt anybody, as
l know of has got either-more luck for
me ~ he ended, with laugh.
"Ain't there 2" said the boatman, slowly.
"You talk about justice, Mr.. Groom" he
resumed, "but it amt justice you've set out
to dots murder. You've got the law on
your side, as it happens, but all the same,
as Tar as you're concerned, it's murdcr-as
bad, for what | can see, as if somebody
as it might be me"-said Joe; looking
tixedly in the others face through the grow
ing dusk, somebody with a motive, no
matter what, for wanting to he rid of you,
getting you all alone as it might be here
out of sight or help, should just put you
quietly out o the way"
"Hey dye mean to threaten me 3" cried
Groom, springing up. Just then the break
ing gust struck sharp on the boats side that
left to her own guidance, had tlrifted round
She gave q lurch and bound that sent
Groom, who, in starting back, had lost his
balance, overheard like shot.
| Joe started for an instant at the empty
place opposite, hardly comprchending what
had happened so quickly; then, sudden as
the lightning darting through the blue
| sky above him, it flashed into bis mind that
there were silence and safety, and that
through no act ofhis. "Why not profit by
the accident Why not, in the mans own
spirit, in his very words, leave him to sink
or swim, as might Beg" But Joe could
no more be deceived by his own, than 10y
others sophistries; a voice within him
cried: eff you leave this man to die, you
are his murderer" A great surge of hor-
ror and remorse for the thought that had
been in his heart seemed to sweep him
away, and before the second lightning
bolt could tear the cloud, he had thrown
himself after Groom.
When the two rose together, the boat
was nowhere in sight There was nothing
now for it but to strike out for the shore.
Luckily, the Milham side was not now very
distant; still, it was hard stretch through
the numbing water, encountered, as he was,
with his heavy clothing and the weight of
Groom, who, moreover, himself completely
helpless, held him with nervous clutch
that half strangled him. By the time they
neared the shore, his strength was pretty
well spent, but the growing lights gave
him heart again, he rested an instant for
the final pull, and just then it was that the
gust seized him, unprepared, and whirled
him away from the inlet he was making
for, to the rock-ledge jutting into it, that
caught and battered him-poor Joe.
He was conscious when they took him
up, but there was II look in his face that
foretold the end, even before the doctors
did. AS for Groom, he had been shielded
by Joe's body, and, tough and wiry as he
was, was scarcely the worse for the whole
adventure. When he heard what they
were saying about Joe, he burst out with
an oath, and hurried to where he lay.
"Well, Gorton, and how is it with you?"
he said, affecting to speak cheerfully,
though struck at once by that look of
death in his face.
About rs bad as it can De, Mr. Groom
answered Joe, teebly. "Tbe old boat and
I'll go down together, reckon"
"Now, never you talk that stuff, my man."
said Groom, in almost clustering way,
perhaps to conceal certain unsteadiness
of voice, 81 owe you q life, and | amt one
to rest till I've paid it, lift takes all the
doctors from here TO Jericho. I've got
means, tell ye."
mo use, Mr.. Groom" said Joe, "there
amt no doctor could patch up what's
smashed inside Of me. But look here"
and he instinctively lowered his voice, with
a glance at the attendant, though there
was little fear of that broken whisper
reaching any ears but those close to it, tits
what wanted to speak to you about-you
owe me a life you say; mine amt yours to
give-but old Sawyers is"
Groom's face darkened. II swear I'd al.
most rather you asked for my own" he
muttered.
"But you'll promise, Mr.. Groom 2" said
Joe, in his eagerness managing to half
raise himself, you'll promises"
"Wcll-l s'posc | amt got no choice"
answered Groom, still reluctantly; Eyes, |
do promise, there's my hand on it."
A CLEAN of intense delight for the mo-
ment almost drove the death look from