Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-11


 All at once his eyes fell upon the body of tho drowned man. Was it fancy, or had it really moved a trifle from the position in which he had first found it2
 Gods curseI The brute was coming to life again to claim his own.
 What right had he to deceive an honest wrecker? He was drowned. Well, he ought to have stayed drowned, then. No good ever came of rescuing man from the sea. Be sides, the box7 The box belonged now to the one who had found it.
 Once moro the fisherman rattled 1t, and once more that beautiful, alluring music sounded upon his longing ears.
 Then the fury which had been gathering force within him broke loose, and, with savage growl, he stopped and picked up 8 heavy stone. One moment of hesitation as he stood with 1t poised above the helpless sailor, and then he dashed it down with the force given of madness. It fell upon the head of the poor fellow, and beat it in. There was horrid, grinding crash. A low moan fol- lowed, and little blood ebbed out and stained the sand after which all was still.
 He moved onward, still trembling in every limb, and lifted up the heavy stone. He rec ognized the fact that it would be damning evi- dence if the body were found; and though the horror of the act was still upon the wretch the instinct of self-preservation was neverthe- less very strong. He scrambled out upon the rocks and threw the fatal stone into a deep pool, inaccessible save at very low water.
 Then he went back and stood by the dead body. An impulse prompted him to turn it over and see the face of tho man he had killed, but sick, shuddering repugnance mastered the impulse. strange spell glued his feet to to the spot.
 The sailor was of commely, athletic build; and his fair hair, dabbled in blood, curled close round tho neck much in the same way that his own boy Jim's did. Perhaps this man had an old father who waited and watched for inrsomewhere as he himself waited and watched for Jim. Heaven pardon him! Would to God he had spared this son of some doting, anxious parent The curse of Cain fell on him at this thought He turned and fled from the scene of his crime. sort of stupor crept over him, and it was q little while before he regained con- sciousness of his position. When this took place he sat upright, and then in the dim uncertain light saw on the ground the fatal box which he had brought with him In his flight. He hated the look of it now. If it were only hidden away out of sight and out of touch. Desperately he began tearing at the earth, but his feeble endeavors made only slight impression on the hard earth. Then he got up and wandered about; at last he found 8 rusty piece of iron. With this he managed to scoop hole, into which he threw the box, still closed.
 Tomorrow" he muttered, in a hoarse voice, ''aw'll ha surely getton' owre it by the l morn and then aw'll come and fetch it. Aw 1 wonder if aw can remember the place? It seems to smell O blood, ugh It reminds me O what lies yonder.
 | | Tho ol1 Aoho {v, ! | morning.
 He started up scarcely awake, and his face was ghastly with fear. He beat the air with | his feeble, skinny arms, as though to ward off ! some threatening horror. cit was the rocks Nobody can say they saw me near thee. Why dye come moanin' and botherin' here for then? Leave us alone l As the knocking still continued he shook off l bis unpleasant dreams and rose to his feet. l "Eh, me, whatten a hullabaloo is this ?" He had not undressed, so there was small need of delay, yet he did not seem inclined to hasten and open the door. | "Come, man, be quick l" cried q voice, trem- ulous, yet impatient. ''Ye wouldn't tako so much to rouse ye if ye knew what's comin' after me. Quick, quickl Merciful heaven, here they areP'
 The door fell back.
 1 With solemn feet and slow came those be- hind, four fishermen, who carried ghastly burden covered with a sail, laid it upon the bed just vacated by it's troubled tenant. l The old man leaned against the wall, and uttered no word of protest. His sin had found him out. The men stood waiting.
 How was 1t he showed no curiosity.
 There was something about him they could not understand, pitiful as they all felt toward him. @ E#s@
 Big Jack Stevenson laid rough, but kindly hand on his shoulder.
 Rouse theeser, man, and dinna give way
 owre sair!"
 "Marcy me, tn mans gaen daftp P muttered
 Jack in despair. One of the women who had crept in pointed to the bed.
 " He canna take in what's happened" she whispered: She went up to the old man, and taking his hand led him up to the bed.
 "See thee here, hinny! Ye maunna hev il
 said ye were frightened to look at him as he lies thee quiet and peaceful like!"
 The grasp on her hand frightened. Then s hoarse, half articulate murmur fell on hel ear.
 Does it bleed-does it still bleed P"
 "What? oh, tho place on his poor head
 No, no, yell see nothing to shock ye,'' replied
 the woman.
 Slowly, reluctantly he turned, and gazed al
 the still figure resting there.
 Nothing to shock him.
 He gave one wild shriek of mingled horror
 and despair, and throwing up his arms t
 averaging Heaven rushed madly from tn, place.
 "Poor sad man he's clean daftr' said tn, ) sympathising crowd, and big Jack followed !, q safe distance to see that he did himself nt Ibodily harm...
 Directly afterwards Molly Fenwick crept in ) and threw herself upon her knees by the sid ) of the bed, clasping one of the dead man
 cold hands and covering it with kisses. He
 grief was too overwhelming to leave any re gard for appearances. But indeed, thei
 hearts went out to the poor young thing, be reft of her dearest-a widow without havins , been q wife.
 :, He was her lad, and she had a right to tn last of him. Even her mother felt this an 5 it was not until an hour afterwards that Mrs Fenwick ventured in. She found Molly sti 7 in the same attitude. When the mother knelt down there, toe and put q soft, warm, motherly arm aroun the girl, Molly laid her head on that lovin breast. Aftera while the girl raised the col ! hand she was still holding.
 "Look, mother dear! We spoke the word :, you know of and I put my silver ring ol his finger. Oh, mother. mothor. it breaks m : hcart-it breaks my heart!" vs1lv