Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-08-01

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die for it! Every plunge of the dark
water seemed to be repeating those
words. The boatman sroused himself
with a start at the sound of his pas
senger's voice.
"You're a pretty fller, amt you,
now," said the latter resuming the
subject in lighter tone, wanting to
persuade me to cheat Justice after that
fashion?"
GAS for that" answered Joe, "you
said, yourself, if it hal been anybody
but Sawyer you wouldn't have trou-
bled to hunt him down, and I'can't t
see as that's any betteI notion of JUS
tice than mine. Besides" he added,
gravely, "the old mans got his death
sentence already, if that's what you
want; what with theadrink, he amt
the man he used to be, and the night
of the quarrel he got a cough that's
tearing him all to pieces; the doctors
say he can't live long, nohow."
"He'll live long enough to make
the acquaintance of a ropes end, I
reckon" said Groom with a 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 a curse, inarticu-
late for passion.
'Eh?" said Groom, catching the
sound, but not the words, 'what's that
you say?"
The boatman stopped rowing, and
leaned forward till he-almost touched
Groom where he sat.
"Just put yourself n the old mans
place for a minute" b began, with an
effort, speaking quietls. "'spose there
was somebody'd got The chance and
the will to get shut osyou Just as you
have of old Sawyer
"What are you drixng at now?" in
terrupted Groom. s9'here amt any
body, as I know Of, as got either
more luck for mew he ended, with a
laugh.
"Ain't there?', sal the. boatman
slowly. "You Ss 9stice, Mr..
Groom" he rs a amt ms
tice you've set out to dots murder.
You've got the law on your side, as it
happens, but all the same, as far as
you're concerned, it's murder,-as bad,
for what I can see, as if somebody's
it might be me"-said Joe, looking
fxedly in the others face through the
growing dusk, "somebody with mo-
tive, no matter what, for wanting to be
rid of you, getting you all alone-as it
might be here--out of sight or help,
should just put you quietly out of the
the way"
"Hey! dye mean to threaten me?'
cried Groom, springing up. Just then
the breaking gust struck sharp ON the
boats side that, left to her own guild
ance, had drifted round; she gave a
lurch and a bound that sent Groom,
who, in starting back, had lost his bal
ance, overheard like shot.
Joe started for an instant at the
empty place opposite, hardly compre-
hending what had happened so quick
ly, then, sudden as the lightning dart
ing through the black sky above him,
it flashed into his mind that here were
silence and safety, and that through
no act of his. "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 be?'" But
Joe could no more be deceived by his
own, than by others sophistries; a
voice within him cried: eff you leave
this man to die, you are his murderer"
A great surge Of horror and remorse
for the thought that had been in his
heart seemed to sweep him away, and
before the second ightning-bolt could
tear the clouds 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 a
hard stretch through the numbing
water, encumbered, as he was, with his
heavy clothing and the weight of
Groom, who, moreover, himself COM
pletely helpless, held him with a ner-
vous clutch that half strangled him.
BY the time they neared the shore, his
strength was pretty well spent, but
growing lights gave him heart again =;
he rested an instant for the final pull,
and just then it was that the gust seiz-
ed 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