Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-07-23


portunity 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 himself with start at the sound
OF his passengers voice.
n"Yod're pretty Teller, amt you, now,"
said the latter, resuming the subject in
lighter tone, "wanting to persuade me to
cheat Justice after that fashion %
CAS- 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 [ can't 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 thesquarrel he got cough that's tear
ing him all to pieces; the doctors say he
can't live long, nohow.'
"He1l live long enough to make the &C
quaintance of 9, rope's-end, [ 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 inarticulate
for passion.
"Eh?" said Groom, catching the sound,
but not the words, what's that you say ?"
The boatman stopped rowing, and lean
ed forward till he almost touched Groom
where he sat.
"Just put yourself in the old mans
place for a minute" he began, with an
effort speaking quietly. "'Spose there
was somebody'd got the chance and the
will to get shut O. y0u, just as you have Of
old Sawyer"
rupted Groom "There amt nobody, as
l know of. has cot either-more luck for
men he ended, with laugh.
Amt there?" said the boatman, slow
ly. "You talk about justice, Mr.. Groom"
he resumed, 'but it amt Justice you've
set out to dots murder. You've cot
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 | can see,
as if somebody's it might be me'-said
Joe, looking fixedly in the others face
through the growing dusk Somebody
with motive, no matter what, for want
ing to be rid of you, getting you ali alone
as it might be here-Out of SIGHT of
help, should just put you quietly out o.
the way r4
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 guidance,
had drifted round; she gave a lurch and
bound that sent Groom, who, in starting
back, had lost his balance, overheard like
shot 3
Joe stared for an instant at the empty
place opposite, hardly comprehending
what had happened so quickly then, sud
den as the lightning darling through the
black sky above him, it fashed upon his
mind that here were silence and safety,
and that through no act of his. ''Whv
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 m. re be deceived by his
own, than by others sophistries; a voice
within him cried: eff you leave this man
to die, you are his murdererr' 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
llghtning-bolt could tear the clouds, he
had thrown himself after Groom
When the two rose together, the boat
was nowhere in sight. There was moth
ing now tor 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, en-
numbered, as he was, with his heavy
clothing and the weight Of Groom, who,
moreover, himself completely helpless,
held him with a 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 a look in his face that
foIetolc 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 Law.
"Well, Gorton, and how is it with you 90
he said, affecting to speak cheerfully,
though struck at once by that look of
death in the face.
about as bad as it can be, Mr.. Groom, y
answered Joe, feebly. "The old boat and
I'll go down together, reckon'
"Now, never you talk that stuff. nv
man," said Groom, in almost a hlustering
way, perhaps to conceal a certain un-
steadiness ofyoice, II owe you life, and
| amt one to rest till I've paid it, if it
takes all the doctors from here to Jericho
I've got means, tell ye." 80
10 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 whis-
per reaching any ears but those close to
it, tits what wanted to speak to you
about owe me life, you saw; mine
amt yours to give-but old Sawyer's is"
Groom's face darkened Il swear I'd
almost rather you asked for my own" he
muttered.
"But you'll promise, Mr.. Groom 81 said
Joe, IN his eagerness managing to half
raise himself you'll promise 2"
WE'LL ypose amt got no choice"
answered Groom, still reluctantly; Eyes, 1
do promise; there's my hand on it."
A CLEAN OF intense delight for the mo-