The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-04-07

which incapacitated Nm for duty for day
or Two, and 70 when I saw Robert radiantly
hand my niece into rowboat after tee
that evening concluded that his period Of
penance was over and all was on it's old
footing.
II was two. hours later, namely, ct 9:So
O'Clock, that was smoking in front Of the
billiard room, when ] saw Robert and my
niece 60 mp the board walk and ascend tho
steps OF Che hotel. They werc walking
and distrait. As they passed Robert made
an imperious sign for me to stay where I
was, and abandoned the intention, which
he thus anticipated, Of following them up
stairs. Two minutes later he ran down the
stsp., seized 4. u me & by the arm and hurried
he only said come under his breath, in .
manner Of suppressed excitement that I
had only seen III one man before, and he
was an unfortunate friend of mine who
was on his way with me and a doctor in o
cab to Kirkbride's.
saw his hands tremble as he fumbled at
the knot which secured to the whaH the
skiR which he and my niece had Just left.
After thirty seconds OF vain effort to unite
it, he drew his knife with curse The
steadying it and looking curiously in his
face during his struggle with the painter,
started back at this action. The young
man observed the start, and laughed loudly.
could see all the loungers in the lighted
door OF the billiard room turn their heads
"You needn't be afraid Of me, O'Niel,''
he said, in o rasping voice. .Im harmless,
quite Get in, Draper
had no particular fancy for trusting
myself in skiff to the middle of the st.
Lawrence with presumptive mania, but a
intuitinn fr,ld n at n;f
that or scene, and thought at the same
time that with cra.y cunning he had
calt u!ated on my intuition for having his
wsy. Iobeyed. ! saw the stout white ash
blades Of the oars bend like whalebone al
he took the first savage stroke when oul
bow was pointed outward. tan.
Six OF the strokes carried us fairly into
mid-channel, where we rested in the midst
Of the broad pathway Of light thrown from
the lamp Of the little red-topped Lighthouse
men singing that arrested Roberts oars
The music fioated across the water from 9
sailboat, whose canvas could dimly make
ont some distance down stream. Robert
dropped his right oar, doubled his fist and
shook 1t despairingly at the indistinct
his hands and stared blsnkiy at me.
"Mr. Draper" he said, at last. He spoke
in voice from which his late fury hat
gone utterly. Thought IL curious that ht
should have put the handle to my name
which he was proud of having droppet
pathetic likeness, both in the tone and man
ner of his address, to that OF child in wha
it considers great trouble.
II have mother and two sisters at home
as you know, and If l hadn't shouldn't
have brought you out here. should hav,
come out alone, and I shouldn't have gon'
back"
All my sympathy vanished at this. ~
| threat OF this kind Is, perhaps, tho mos
contemplate utterance that a man cal
make, Robert" l said. IF you wish t.
carry 1t ont shan't deter you--jump righ
overheard" was caught with cough a
| that moment, and, remembering my ex
treme susceptibility to cold, grew YER,
angry. III you've simply brought me on
here" said, "to pour out a lot Of slol
you, yen can row me right back to shore
and then you can go hang or drown o
whatever you want. The family has es
capped, | must say, u most disagreeable nd
dition in the shape Of a very deadly ass"
| DON'T" he said with gesture of hope
to this Inever knew what a mans homo
was, but now I've lost it. do know now.
For mercy,s sake, man, what do yo1
Twin not say what thought crossed m,
mind MIND ths Go S.H on stop this internal beatin
The sound Of the singing came NOR
plainly over the water aud Robert raise
his head and looked hatred at the whit
sail from behind which 1t came. 'Tha
cursed load Of cads and walters has cost m
more than hfe." he said. "Listenr'
I'VE pulled up to Warmers tonight an
heard the sunset gun," he said, heavily
"When 1t went off your niece asked me II
wasn't opposed to sunset guns any way, q
being, warlike, you know, and we 60
thrashed over NIL tho old straw that wa
chopped !. last night, s she's very fond 2
. melancholy break in. his voice that wa
~ near sob as a laugh. ''Ehe took til
oars and sat In the stern and we drifte
down between Friendly and Titusvill<
The talk stopped, and was watching, afte
| fellows ON Friendly, about their camp-fir
In front Of their tent on the bluff, yo
know. Sillrouettes are awfully fetchin
against the canvas, with the fire between
heard little gasp and oars splashed i
the water I looked at your niece.
Thought she was dying-so many wome
have these heart troubles, you know. Sh
swayed back in her seat, and grasped th
gunwale. never saw such q staring blac
as her eyes, llor such q dead white as tn
face. She tried to speak once Then sh
gasped out, Behind d--behind-lookp
zone of those fellows ON the bluff gave
whoop at the same minute. I wouldn'
b ave known what was up, but heard
soft slapping noise behind me and tn
creak Of Q boom. Irose and turned like
dash--there they Were just on US, tha
Your niece pointed to the oar-she coul
not speak-thers was no time for that.
doubled back and sprang for their ha
yards. must have looked over IN
shoulder while ! was still in the air,
think, for my first consciousness when
Icvs h. - Al,I ~ -,
deck was that the boat was safe, carrie
out of harms way by the force of m
jump. She gave a little shrek when
| Jumped; that was what made me look.
"fhe fellows on the bluff chesred. an
banged on . kettle. Then those brutes b,
gan to apologize. They were excursionist
| who had hired those niggers out to sing fo
them, and they were beating to windward
that's why we didn't hear them sooner.
I'm the midst Of al the excitement you
boat and waited for me to get In" MY
Robert broke off in his narrative hert
He wrung his hands like a woman an
choked in his throat. "See here" he sait
almost sobbingly, "it's your niece yo
know, and all that, but by gad, ! don
think!5I don't think that ever ma
royal mail steamer was jumping 70
I'd have done the same. My God, what
was to see her so frightenedl And then,
he continued, "when she came around 8
quick and backed that skiR up and didn'
faint or tremble at all, as most wome
would when the danger was over, felt 8
proud Of her, and felt so proud that tina
quick thought of mine had saved her. En-
cuse me, but felt as II she were mine.
She spoke first when got into the boat,
continued Robert. "Her voice startled nae