, 1873-11-23
RALPH DAYNER'S DOOM.

II trsvs1crs aeo strange things, 80 do artists,
at least landscape patntora do, for thoy are
travellers as WE'LL aud In pursuit Of ttolr voca-
ton visit 90 many remote pfaces, and como In
contact with 10 many aortH Of people, that they
ought to bo good atory-tclors. Tho rural md
/ aoa.faring populations, with whom OF nocoaaity
tl,oy havo to minglo. of1or many curious studies
Of oharaotcr; aud tho akoschor from nature,
who chhnoca to DO writor alao, may pick mp
among thom Incidents and stories by the scoro.
hayc como across many, but the brush haa
olalmed 30 mitch OF my time that, liko nost Of
my craft lnvo had but lltt1o inclination to giyo
anysto tho pen. =.
However, within the 1aat wook como clrc1tn-
! STANCES hnvo ocourrod under my worry eyes Of no
tragio nnturo, and associated with so terrible
atory, that mn to1nptad before leave tho spot,
to utilizo tho long evenings now setting in by
writing down the faota aa taoy havo come to my
knowledge.
| am staying al little public houAe called tho
Pilot, tho only 11osto1ry in tho nn1au village Of
| PitHdean, Situated ut tho foot Of that enormous
rango Of chalk ofrs which, ut Its highest point,
| Ia narAoa on tho Charts OF tho south coaat as
Bhing1o Head. Tho aoant population is COM
posed Of a few fishermen, farm-laborors, and
son1o linle-burners~-thoa latter being tho most
humorous, for }mo-b burning ia oarriod On e1ten-
svoly in tho district, and whore tho chalk begins
to rigs from the fattor country by the boach tho
kflnB abound. Odd gaps and roads wind down
to thom through tho upheaved soil aud fantastic
masses Of landalip, rendered moro fantastic by
tho cuttings, excavations, and b1nstinga con-
stantly going on. L1ttlo groen platoaua jut out
here and there half f-way down some OF the taller
cliffs; and notably thoro Ia ono which, ovor-
hanging kiln on ono Bido. and out Of on the
other by 4 rising prcopico Of chatls, Is accessible
only BY narrow winding path descending from
the upper heights. =" g..
| This, together with tho range Of vhite cliffs;
worry varied in form, and rfsing In Bome p1aces to
hundreds Of feet; the burning Hmekiln with ita
film Of smoke, it's dark, cavornous furnace, it's
adjacent Htack Of driod gorss for fuel the carts
and horses going to and fro down tho atoop road
to tho beach, and across tho Bands to tho little
craft that has put in at aood-sido, and ia now at
tho Obj loft stranded to receive Aor cargo Of limo
stono; the moving figures, and aome boata-nado
up bit OK coast soenexy Which tempted mo to
| modntiou oflored by tho Pilot. 1 had marked
down the sceno during long walk, and had do
torminca to take up my quarters at tho rough inn
for the purpose Of painting It, So sig days ago
tho % waterns M whors fs; Saa staying, md aot
to work betimos the noxt morning. 49,.
Tho autumnal woather, was beautiful, mud the
effect just what wanted; but tho 1ittle craft
Item In the picture, I grow anxious for her up
pcaranco as the tide camo In. Whom It vas at it's
highest, however, she s1owly rounded the 1oad-
land, anl dropped anchor in her old borth little
before noon. know that by tho timo tho men
had lind thor dinner sho would DO lying high and
dry, and taking IN her cargo, in tho usual posur-
esque fashion.
hesting Tor q while, I strollod down to tho
aud tub-lfke-as might be expected, ro1nornbor-
ing ler trade-outter-riggod, and of from fifteen
to twonty tons burden. There Was 2 dock. and
cabiu hatchway forward, m open hold, and tho
yellow lettors on ler black stern announced that
sho was the Dotsy, Of Holmstone, and that Ralph
Daynor Was her 1nastcr. The sea waa calm, but
thero was just enough ripple breahing on tho
shore to prevent tho purport Of Bonao very high
words issuing from the tiny cabin being hoard.
Novertlolers, could mako ont enough to undor-
stand that there was man abusing md bullying
d womall. Ouco thoro was. something very like
scream, but 6oon all WAS ai1ent, aud presently
boy. apparently asleep in tho hold, tho two got
into tho little boat which the cuttor had In tow,
aud pulled ashore. Then they hauled it up on
to tho beach, and saw that tho man was huge
As he Walked away toward the kilns, exchanging
fow rough words with tho mon at work there
and disappeared up the road leading to tho vii
lago, thought had never eoen worao spcci'
| rnon OF bis class.
Sitting down again to my easel, becamt
much absorbed, End Us the dinncr-hour left tht
spot quite dosorted, l romained for q long time
from tho interruption OF any Of those on.lookorf
sight Of m artiHt Rketching. Practice has nadt
mo generally Indifferent to Those molostations
and 30, when after \ while was conscious tha
l soMe one vas ntanding near me, at first pait
CHANGED to turn my hoal, was rather Rtartlet
by tho sul!cn md forbidding inspect Of the inii-
vidual at my elbow. Flo WIS tail, thin, pale.
faced man Of about forty, with ahaggy iron-gray
Dressed in beamirohed and soody suit o1
black, and wearing an old chimney pnt-hat, hi
looked very different from any OF my uRual audi
enco; but it WAS not 30 much this which dis.
; turbcd me Us hia unpleasant Btare-a stare bent
upon mo, DO It remarked, and not upon my pic
ttrc could sec out Of the corner, Of my eyt
! TINT ho was not regarding what I waa doing n
ail. Eo hnd his back turned too much towart
tho aasol for that, and oaoh time that glanced
dark, sinister scowl. tried, however, TO ignore
: 'hiB presenco, although confess It atfootod mt
disagreeaby. BY degrees, too, I had sonsa'
Without sI s1 my ny knowing @ IT, and bccamo sure d
this at last as furtiyoly watched his feet. They
wero certainly creeping, as 1t wore. toward mo
, and. without taking stride. he had got mucl
him. Ho was now not aboye q yard from
| whore 1 sat, and 80 looked up at him n
laHt point-blank. Ho WINGED q little undor m1
steady glance, dropped his wild eyes TOR q mo.
mont, AID moved slowly round to tho othor sldo
} Again tried to 60 on with my work afd to for
get him. In d moro solitary place should have
I felt rather uneasy nay, was not really feel
ing 30 now ?-for horo, ut this hour, with tht
! coaat utterly deserted, was as much alone az
we'll could be.
/ did not know what to mako Of tho follow
Did lio Want to attack and rob me Ho hardly
looked like =. pickpocket; but yet could no
~ .ku t,nhn &1tA& 4srE E1Af
some sinister intention.
, Resolving thus much IN my mind. and eeeluE
that he was again creeping IN his cat-like
! stoalthy way toward me. and this time, na i
aeomed, trying to SGT behind me. I stood T. np sud
, you moan by this dodging about 2, II you wan
to 500 what1 am doing, look at it and bo on
and don't annoy mo any longer"
I Lad pitched M. caael in such position a
to make 1t impossible for any body to got tt
, my rear. without passing yory close Il
half-way up the clih road. 1uat at on
+ and Of its zigzag. bends, with a, stoop alop'