The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-18

| before them with rain dripping from hi
garments.
Earle MAXWELL they both calculated il
unison.
Who else should it be?" demanded til,
| newcomer with scowl on his not Verl
| the tavern that it was thought that old
| Amos Harlow would not live the night out,
so l breasted the storm up here and satan'S
| own time I've had of it. L knew that he
would want to see his nephew before lie
went under, even if he never had much love
| for him. How is the old chap? Still hang
ing on to life. suppose?"
"Get out of the house, Earle Maxwell, if
| you can't speak like human being" cried
| old Hitty in shrili key. 81 wonder how
you dared come here at all. after the way
you have used him. Your uncle is dying
now and | hope il is spared him to know
that you are here"
"WhO has a better right. l wonder? Not
that little whelp of Neil? If / had found
her here l should have been more than nalf
tempted to have thrown her over the
cliffs"
at is a pity you had not been at the bot
tom of tie sea long ag0I' cried Dick in Il
rage. But suppose you have been saved
for the halter. which will be yours, all in
due time. But how dared you show yourself
here? If | were you l should have been
afraid that the Almighty would have struck
me down at the door before L could have set
foot inside"
Kitty had given glance toward the bed
and cry of alright at that moment fell
from her lips. The others turned, and were
struck dumb at the sight they DeheId before
them.
The man who for days had hardly moved
LIMB without help was sitting up ii bed,
with his wide-open, CLASSY eyes fixed upon
the intruder. His lips were moving as
though he were trying to speak, aad mingled
with the look of death was one OF utter
loathing CT the man before him. 1t was as
though one from the dead was trying to
pronounce a curse upon him.
'DOn't, mate! Don't. Amos" cried Dick,
springing 10 the bedside of the dying man.
He shall go away; l will send him of,
mate!'
But he was too late. Before he could
reach out his arms for his support old Amos
fell back without a word. Ritty who had
hastily relighted lamp, held it abnve the
bed. 1t needed but one glance to tell them
that all was over. Amos Harlow lay dead
with that terrible look still upon his face.
well he's gone" said the intruder in an
unc0ncerned manner. But he re d not have
given ME that look he did. 1t Is plain that
was not welcome caller, but l got here
just in the nick OF time"
1T would have been better if you had not
come at all, cried Hitty; "buI you can do
him no harm now, thank God"
He made no answer but stepped up to the
bed as though he would get a closer look at
the dead man. But this was not his object.
Quick as flash he caught the iron box from
the table, darted to the door, and the next
moment he was gone out into the blackueSS
Of the night. The act was performed 50
swiftly that Dick and Hitty had no chance
to prevent 1t, had they by main strength at
fn,, IL Nov h,,t
little show with strong man like him. and
his errand SO desperate.
Follow him, Dick. Don't let him rob lit
tie Nell!D cried HItty, as her companion
went to the door. But he only closed it after
the fleeing villain and came back.
at is no use, Hitty. You can't see a rod
before your face outside. But we will have
him yet You aud me see him take the box,
and | will follow him to the eud of the earth
but what have il back and punish him.
just now we've got sad work to do here,
Hitty."
you are right. Dick. had almost for
gotten the dead" she said.
They at once set about the sad task, and
in due time all was done for the dead man
that was possible then. This completed,
they resumed their seats on the hearth with
fresh supply of wood heaped upon the
fire, and watched aud waited for the morn
ing 10 come. 1t did at length, aud with the
light the storm cleared away. As soon as
he could see Dick left Hitty alone with the
dead aud went down to the village to tell
his neighbOrs that old Amos had gone out
with the ebb Of the tide at midnight on
his long last trip. He inquired for Earle
Maxwell, but no one had seen him since
the evening before. To those whom he
could trust the story of the night and search
was quietly made about the village for him.
But he WAS not to be found and they said
that one OF two things must have happened.
He had either fallen over the cliffs in the
darkness and been dashed to death, or he
had fed with his lil-gotten treasure to hide
himself from pursuit and the faces Ot those
who knew not only of this crime, but of an
attempted one before, when he mad nearly
robbed and slain his uncle. Ii was in this
way only that lie could enjoy the fruit of
his theft, and most thought that this ac-
counted for his absence.
But search was made, ard before noon
that day the truth was known. They found
his body lying on the sands at the fOot of
the cliff, with the iron box clutched tightly
in his dead hands. In the darkness he had
mi ssed his way and fallen into the water,
but the waves would not retain him. They
cast him from their embrace with his i'll
gotten trcasure-wh0se hold upon he would
not loose even in 1eath-as though he was
too vile thing for them to give an ocean
burial. And so. thanks TO them, little Nell
had her own a, last; and they seem ever
telling to old Amos, in his grave on the
headland, the story OF the part they took in
affairs the night he died.-P0rtland Tran
scTiDt