The Press., 1892-06-23
broken). answered that it was.

Il want you two" he said. ito take me round to Lamlash to-day. You shall have couple>of sovereigns for the job. don't know that may not come back with you-but may stay"
 : My eyes met those of my father for 8 flash. There's nas vera mnctreewind.." he said.
 What there is is in the right direc- tion." returned Dfgby. as must call him.
 1.-The new foresail has no been bent" persisted my father.
 "There's no use throwing difficulties in the way" said our visitor ungrily. If you won't come, I'll get Tommy Gibbs and his father. but go shall. Is it bargain or not?"
 "Ill gang" my father replied sullenly, and went down to get the boat ready. followed. and helped him to bend on the new foresail l felt nervous and ex- cited. "What do you Intend to do?" asked.
 Fl dinna ken." he said irritably. "Gin the worst come to the worst we can gie him up at Lamlash--but oh, it w;sd be a peety, an awful peety. You're young an strong, laddie; <can we no master him between usr
 No" said, I'm ready to give him up, but Pm damned if lay hand on him."
 You're cooardly, white livcred loon!" he cried, but was not to be moved by taunts; and left him num- bling to himself and picking at the sail with nervous fingers. '. It was about two o'clock before the boat was ready, but as there was a slight breeze from the north we reck- oned on reaching Lalnlash before night fall. There was just pleasant ripple upon the dark blue water, and 'xs we stood on the beach before showing off we could see the Carlin's Leap and Goatfell | bathed i'll purple mist, while beyond them along the horizon loomed the long line of the Argyleshire hills Away to the south the great bald summit of Ailsa Craig glittered in the sun, and 8 single white feck showed where fishing boat was beating up from the Scotch coast. Digby and l stepped into the boat, but my father ran back to where had been mending the rails and came back with the hatchet in his hand, which he slowed away under the thwarts.
 "What dye want with the ax?" oul visitor asked.
 "It's handy thing to hae aboot { boat" my father answered with averted eyes, and showed us off. We set the fore sail, jib and mainsail and shot away across the Roost, with the blue water splashing meSily under our bows. Look l ing back saw the coast line of our little island extend rapidly on either side There was Carravoe which we had left and our own beach, of Carracuil. and tht steep, brown face of the Combera. an( away behind the rugged crests of Beg na-phail and Beg-na-sacher l could set the red tiles of the byre of our home stealing, and across the moor a thin blue reek in the air which marked the posi- tion of Corriemains, My heart warmed toward the place which had been my home since childhood.
 We were about half way across the Roost when it fell 8 dead calm, and the sails Tapped against the mast. We were perfectly lnotionless except for the drif of the current, which runs from nortl to south. had been steering and my father managing the sails, while th' stranger smoked his eternal cigarette and admired the scenery; but at his sug gestion we now got the souls out tt row. shall never know how it began but as was stopping down to pick ul an oar 1 heard: our visitor give a grea scream that he was murdered, and look ing up saw him with his face all in , sputter of blood leaning against thu mast, while my father made at him witt the hatchet. Before could move hant or foot Digby rushed at the, old man ant caught him round the waist. "You gray headed devil. he cried in husky voice "I feel that you have done for me; bu >on'll never get what you want. No , Hver! never! never!'
 Nothing can ever erase from my memory the intense and concentrated malice of those words. My father gave raucous cry. they swayed and bal anced for a moment, and then over they went into the sea. rushed to the side boathook in hand, but they never came up. AS the long rings caused by tht