The Penn's Grove record., 1886-03-20

well" L crleu ueTcelys ali my rage
returning upon me, "what do you
want2 Why have you followed me?"
81 want you to come back to the
house" he replied pantingly. "Let us
both go together tomorrow, if yo1 will
60"
81 shall never set foot in Llsnaree
House againl" 1 cried bitterly. you
have driven me from therel And re.
member, traitor, your path and mine
are two in the futurel"
"Traitorl" echoed Darcy iiercely.
GLOW am I a traitor, and to whom?'
"You are a traitor to mel" 1 almost
screamed. "You have robbed me Of
the heart dearest to me in all the
worldln
"Traitor in your teethp' cried Darcy
"You dragged me to Lisnaree, and
here on this very spot you led me TO
think that Lucy Fitzgerald was freel
What right had you to bring us to-
gether without telling me the truthP'
he demanded.
81 brought you here as a friend not
as an enemy-as an honest man, not as
a robberI" l exclaimed "Why should
| warn you against doing what no
honest man would doP Why should l
label Lucy Fitzgerald mine to prevent
thieves from stealing her?'
"Bahp' cried Darcy scornfuIly. "She
never was yours, l believe"
AS he spoke, 1 sprang towards him
Gercely. He had passed me, and stood
between me and the village.
"Out of my wayl'I cried. 81 will
not fight with you for her false heart.
Out of my wayl"
My words recalled him to the errand
on which he had followed me Instead
of growing more enraged, he suddenly
grew calm.
"Come, come, Garrettl'' he said soft
ly. 1--WE will not fight, as you say. But
you wIii come Nark with me. Lucy
sent me for you. 1t is 10 Tlease her
that | am here"
Lucy sent you'll" I echoed. SIT is
to please her that you are herel Go
back and please her by saying that [
shall never enter her fathers house
again. Now out of my way, or l shall
strike you'll"
l sprang forward again but he still
barred my path. | strove to pass him
by taking the path just by the cliff
edge. but there two he got before ME
and held out his hands to turn me back
towards the house.
"C0me back, come back, for Heavens
slkel" he murmured. 81 will leave not
you. Why should l come between you?
Come back. come backi ~
''Therel' said |, losing all command
of myself and striking him across the
face. ''Therel Will you now2"
For an instant Darcy staggered back
his face pale Is death, his eyes for the
first moment more full of asto ish-
ment than rage. Then, with a low cry
as of a wounded animal, he leaped up
on me. At the first shock he almost
hurled me to the ground. But l was
too strong for him; and presently
sicken now as l tell Tiny heavy blows
laid open his face in several places.
Still he held on to me ~llercely; and at
last, when l found that he must tire
me out, 1 caught him by both arms,
shook him a moment asa dog might
shake a rat, and then flung him from
me with all my force. A wild cry of
despair burst from his throat and mine
as he threw up his arms I n the air and
toppled over the cliff
For a moment 1 stood rooted to the
spot in horror. Then, as footsteps hur-
rying up the path sounded suddenly
close at hand, l started and sped towards
the village with all my speed.
Before long l stood before O'Kelly,
my head bare, my face white as death,
my knees almost unable to support me.
ALAS, O'Kelly,' l cried in a hoarse
voice, after a pause, ''alas, l have
murdered my friendl"
Then 1 fell forward upon the floor in
a faint, and knew nc more for a time.
The footsteps which had frightened
me from the scene of my crime were as
| learned afterwards. those of Michael
whom l had expected at first. AS he
came up the path, he caught sight of
the last struggle on the cliff, saw Darcy
topple over the edge, and strove too
late to stay me in my flight. When l
awakened to consciousness again, he
was standing over me wringing his
hands.
'Oh, Master Garrett" he cried, ~
was afeard it would come to thisl Why
did you bring HIM down to Lisnaree to
put between you an Miss Lucyp But
what is to be done now?"
THE first thing is for you to hold
your tongue" replied O'Kelly. Its
a terrible accident, to be sure, but only
an accident, you gomeril, you-only an
accidentl"
"Alas, not was no accIdentl"
cried. 81 flung him over the cliff, and
| am a murderer-oh, Heaven, a muir
d~ersrln
"Whist, Master Garrett. avic, You
don't know what you're sayingl" muir
INJURED the publican earnestly. "An'
you, Michael, off and get a boat out to
search for the body. Mind you hold
your tongue about what you saw"
perhaps he may yet be savedl"
cried starting to my feet. "Is the tide
hlgh?"
"The tide is at the full" replied
O'Kelly. 'But, if he went over the
cliff, no power on earth could save
him."
"Heaven mlght-oh lie tYen mlghtl'
l replied. michael, come along and
help me to find him."
"Oh, if you go, l go tool" said O'Kel'
ly. but mind you hold your tongue
about the accident, Master GARRETT
"Iil do anything you like, If you
only help me to find him." l replied, as
we hurried out of the house and down
to the beach.
There one of the strongest boats in
the village was quickly launched, and,
though the rain and darkness had in.
creased, a crew was soon found. A
heap Of bog fir splinters was thrown
into the bottom of the boat, and, with
a couple of these alight, we pushed of
for the cliff.
All that long night we rowed about
the spot in VAIN. One moment | sank
down upon the thwarts Of the boat ut
terly worn out, the next l was all fiery
energy as some new thought occurred
to me, some new fancy as to Darcy'S
salvation, which l had only to test tC
find foolish as the rest.
When morning came, we made one
more ~despairing search backwards and
forwards along the beach, then rowed
slowly towards the village.