The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-08-27
than leave him. Hc did mo- such thing.o

than leave him. lie did no such thing
HE hesitated, and his limbs turned to ice,
and every drop of blood in his body to water.
Like a wave rashed over him the thought
: that he could not swim stroke, that he was
encountered with his clothes, that Barton was
q stronger man than himself, that once IN a
current, with drowning mans clutch at his
neck, they must both inevitably be swept out
to sea and perish. 1t was only a moment
then the lads head rose again. For one Sec
ond his eyes caught his masters face in a look
of wild, despairing appeal and maddencd by
the situation, my friend rshed-aot into the
water, but up the bank, for help to the men
who drive the sand carts along the brow of
the lay
"Before he had gone two yards, before he
even heard him, Barton sank for the third
time and-all was over
"Sheer physical fear, a spasm of uncon-
querable cowardice which he had never felt
before in his whole life, and which, finding
him utterly unprepared for it, completely
overmastered the mans entire nature"
There's not much to tell you. 1t was just
the turn of the tide. Within twenty minutes
of the affair, the waves flung poor Barton's
, dead body within reach of the man who might
have tried to save his life, and did not. The
poems helped him to carry it up to the bank
: and lay it on the sand-cart to bring it into
| town. l believe it was buried decently next
day. They told me so but before then was
t ill, raving with sunstroke-
: "You!" The word leaped from my lips in
cry of horror. "Ducie you don't mean
Q that yon have told us of--that you were
= that"
He turned and looked me in the face.
+ !" Yes, Fred, scds that man ; | whose plucl
people are SO fond of praising.'
s There was a dead silence.
{; Can any of you tell me the length of ;
" minute Z? Sixty seconds No, rather six
n hundred. 1t seemed double that time to NEE
ir | stood longing for Helen to speak, longing
re to say something myself, and yet unable t.
Ne find a single word between horror at the stor,
II and pity for the man who told it. 1t was
at last His voice had been harsh and de-
y termined before it now sounded sad, weary
d and almost appealing
II THAT is ALL never told any one before
don't THINK could act III inc same way
l again but God knows Only you see can
n not hear other men condemned while l re-
member- lie broke on with a sort OF
: gasp, and added h'irr1edly i wish TO heav-
t en- had never needed to tell you, for Of
course know what you think OF me now.
lie looked at Helen but she never raised
her eyes and answered quickly:
t Il wish you had not Ducie There was no
occasion; but am very sorry ior you' IRON
a my soul am old fellow.
would nave given MN my manu- pue
Y though he said, Thank you, Fred, as II he
meant IT, his eyes never ieit ifelen $ face
she had never moved OF looked up once since
. he began. ieei sure now that she knew
from the commencement that ne was speaking
l OF himseii Dut IL was only when ne sa'd' i
was the man. that her iace' which had Deeh
white to the lips, flushed scarlet as though
{, the threatened blow had faiien; ana such
look came over II, q look OF PAIN unutterapie
7 OF bitter shame, OF uncohquerapie disgust a
look which but TO see but once IN the lace OF
: the woman we love might well make the voice
f break and tile heart sink as Ducies did Then.
was still there when ne ceased 10 speak,
. and she rose up calm and.cool as II ho'h'ng
had been SAID winch could cal ior comment
h from her, ana simply observing 'ha' IL "'S'
S be time to prepare Tor dinner' ieit the room
9 without glance from either Oh US.
i strobe after her. meaning 10 caii her oack
S and ask her TO say Kihd wofo 10 Duc'e ou'
she put out her hands WIN an nmp'or'hg ges-
, ture, and turning her FACE away ran up STAIRS
"heh ioe"'nou ''o"'y ~
: the library Ducie also hao ieie IL ny TIE o'her
| door, was not sorry.
h We all met at dihher AZ "o'h'hg was
Y amiss. Mary jackson ana were' l 'n'hk'
rather more lively IMAM usual anu even
7 Tom made himself $. pleasant !" us nese-
\ reux that my dear ola 1ather s"'o IL o'u nm
It good to hear such cat'er OIL VOICES Duc'e
a was very SILENT 1t Is true' ana heien iaco
q was coiofiess as uue'naes ""''' ~ '"o
0 spoke and even smiled whenever appeared 70