Litchfield enquirer., 1881-08-18

and kept, strange to say, for. it was contrary to his late habit, watch upon Bransome's every movement.
 Every now and then, too, he would rub his hands together as if in eager expectation, and would chuckle to himself as he glanced sea- ward. Of his own accord he gave orders to Scoka to get both the surf-boats ready for launching, and to make the boys put on their newest loin-cloths, and then, when everything was in readines, he asked Bransome if he was going off to the steamer.
 II fear 1 must" said Branseme "but IT don't like the locks of those cursed rol- lers"
 At this Jackson laughed, and something about ''being afraid of very little."
 'The beach is perfectly good" he added; SOoka knows, and SOOka is the oldest pGtrdO on the Point"
 And Sooka, who was standing by, made low obeisance to the agent, and said that the beach lived for well," which was his way of expressing in English that the sea was not heavy. s.7 TFf.
 At that moment gun was fired from the steamer as signal to be quick, and Bransone said: II will go, but not in that black black guards boat; it need not come, e,"-and he went down to the beach.
 It was one of Jack sons rules tbat when a a boat went through the surf there should be some one to watch it, so walked to the end of the Point to see the agent put of. He got away safely, and I, seeing Sooka's boat lying on the beach, and thinking that it would be as well to have it hauled up under the boat shed, was on the point of returning to the factory to give the necessary order, when, to my sur prise, saw the boats crew rush down the beach to the boat and begin to push it toward the sea.
 I waved my arms as signal to them to stop but they paid no attention to me; and saw them run the boat into the water, jump into her, and pull of, all singing soDg to their stroke ip their own language, the sound of which cam faintly up to the top of the Point ''Stupid fellows" 1 muttered to my self, ''they might have known that the boat was not wanted ;'' and was again about to turn away, when 1 was suddenly seized from behind and carried to the very edge of the cliff, and then as suddenly released.
 spraDg to one side and turning round saw Jackson, with a look of such savage fury on his face, that retreated step or two in as- tonshment at him. He perceived my alarm, aed burst out into fit of laughter, which in- stead of reassuring me, had the opposite effect it was so demoniacal in character. "Ha ha l" he laughed again, ''are you frightened ?" and advancing toward me, he put his face close to mine, 'peering into it with boodshot eyes, while his breath, reeking of spirits, poured into my nostrils
 Involuntarily l put up my arm to keep him off. He cutched it, and pointing with hls other hand to the sea, whispered hoarsely ''What do you hear of the surf Will the breakers be heaviest before sundown? See how they begin to curve! Listen how they already thunder, thunder, on the beach tell you they are impatient-they seek some one, he shouted. Do you know" he con- tinued. lowering his voice again, and speaking almost confdentially, ''sooner or later some one is drowned upon that bar ?" And even as he spoke fresh line of breakers arose from the deep, further out than any had been be- fore. This much observed, but 1 was too greatly unnerved by the strange manner of Jackson to pay further heed to the sea. It had flashed across my mind that he was on the verge of an attack of delirium tremens, from the effects of the liquor he had been con- suming for SO long, and the problem was to get him back to t,e house quietly.
 Suddenly thought struck me. Putting my arm within his, said, as coolly AS could, "Never mind the sea, Jackson let us have a maota6icho," (our local expression for a "drink.") He took the bait and came away l enticed him into the dining room, and shutting to the door quickly, locked it on the outside, resolving to keep him there until Mir. Bran some should return; for, being alone, I was afraid of him.
 Then I went back to the end of the Point to look for the return of the two boats. When reached It saw that the rollers Lad increased in size in the short time that had been ab. sent, and that they were breaking, one after another, as fast as thew could come shore ward-not pigmy waves, but great walls of water that seemed from their height actually to waver along their huge length before they fell
 A surf such as had never yet seen had arisen. stood and anxiously watched through a glass the boats at the steamers side, and at length, to my relief, 1 saw one of them leave her; but as 1t came near, l saw, to my sur prise, that MT. Bransome was not in the boat, and that it was not the one that Sooka steered. Quickly it was overtaken by the breakers, but escaped their power, and came in.shore on the back of majestic roller that did not break until it was close to the beach, where the boat was in safety.
 Not without vague apprehension at his im- prudence, but still not anticipating any actual harm from it, thought that MT. Bransome had chosen to come back in Sooka's boat. and
  the daylight had now so waned that could no longer distinguish what wss going on along side the steamer. At last 1 caught sight of a boat, white speck upon the waters, and just as it entered upon the dangerous part of the bar, discerned, to my infinite amazement. that two figures were seated in the stern-a man and woman--a white woman I could see her dress futteringin the wind, and So0ka's black figure standing behind her.
 On came the toat, impelled by the swift flowing seas, and for quarter of an hour it was tossed on the crests of the waves. Again and again it rose and sank with them as they came rolling in, but somehow, after little further time, it seemed to me that it did not make much way toward the shore as it should have done,
 lifted the glass to my eyes, and saw that the boys were hardly pulling at all, though the boat was now close to the rocks that were near the cliff. Nor did Sooka seem to beeconscious of huge roller that was swiftly approaching him. In my excitement I was just on the point of shouting to warn those in the boat of their danger, although knew that they could not understand what l might say, when saw Jackson standing on the edge of the cliff. little way off. dressed in his shirt and trousers only He had escaped from the house. He perceived that saw him, and
 
 on my guard. However. he did not attempt to touch me, but stopped and cried:
 ''Did not tell you that somebody would be drowned by those waves9 Watch that boat watch it it is doomed; and the scoundrel, the william, who is in it will never reach the shore alive!" and he hissed the last word through his clenched teeth
 ''Good God, Jackson!" said, "don't say that Look, there is white woman in the boat!" fi
 At the words his jaw dropped, his form. which moment before had swayed with ex- citement, became rigid, and his eyes stared at me as if he knew. but comprehended not, what had said Then he slowly turned his face toward the sea, and as he did SO, the mighty breaker that had been coming up astern Cf the boat curled over it. For moment or two it rushed forward, solid body of water, carry ing the boat with it and in those moments saw, to my horror, Sooka give one sweep with his oar, which threw the boats side to- -.lA e Al.~- AL |. .