Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-05

Happen to me!' said young Caring
ton. What can happen? am not afraid
Of any man in Filixfeld. tell you. Nam
ME. he wrote in such a way 1 could not
refuse. promised. and If did not 60 he'd
say was afraid"
He will kill you. my Fred. Oh, my
love. he will kill you. He is desperate.
and when / told him yesterday 1 could
not marry him. and that ! was engaged
TO you. and that father knew Of 1t, I
thought at first he was going to strike me,
and then l thought he was going to de-"
Young Darlington took his sweetheart in
his arms and kissed and tried to reassure
her. but she would not be comforted
why. on the pier. and at IL o clock :?
one ever there at such q timer" she asked,
with a moan.
II do not know. Mamie, dear, but I am
able to take care Of myself. I am as good
al man an. as ne. anyway. and l shall be on
She wrung her hands, and wept. and
sobbed. After many vain attempts to
soothe her he tore himself away and left
her weeping in the drawing room.
He set off that August night at a quick
pace to keep his appointment with Joe
Boiger. cousin to himself. and cousin also
to Mamie Wilton. the girl he had Just left,
the richest and most charming girl within
miles OF Fflixfield. in Sussex.
Without meeting a soul Darlington reach
waiting for him his cousin. Bolger, the man
ne had come to see. In spite Of his sweet
hearts entreaties.
Just at that moment a third man, Dun
ford, sauntered from the town to the shore
end of the pier. and sitting on the parapet,
quarter Of mile from Darlington, and
B0lger, lit his pipe.
The man on the parapet smoked the first
naif OF his pipe in anything but peace. He
was disturbed and panied by loud voices
One he recognized as Fred Carrington's
lanes CarrinRfnn n ha On mi 10
and the other as that of Joe Bolger cashier
ana accountant OF the Filixf1eld brewery.
In which Dunford himself was brewer. The
cousins were of an age. about twenty-five;
Dunford ten years older.
At length. to Dunford's relief, the voices
grated the an and he eaSd
oimiy make out the figure of a man. 1t
was Darlington. As he passed Dunford
SAID p. What m auarreling with Bolser
Dunrord, started, turned and stood in front
OF the sitting man. The latter continued.
In tone Of expostulation: Your rows
with Bolger will have a bad end; either Of
you two will say or do something there will
be no getting over
y. " vy,t business is that of yours?" said
For shameF said Dunford. IT'S bad
enough when neighbors fall out, but you
the High street You snd he ali bu, cams tn tn
blows. and here you are tonight at u
o'clock. in the pitch dark. on the sea end
OF the pier. believing and roaring at one
Believing and roaring" repeated Car
rington, in the tone of one made uneasy by
Indignation to scorn. Following and roar
Ing. with George Dunford listening. playing
eavesdropper in the dark"
housekeeping with the whole length Of
the pier between you two and me"' cried
Dunford. with good-humored laugh.
only you are beside yourself with rage
foolish thing. i recognized your Voices.
but could not distinguish a word. Let me
tell you that the sea end OF the pier at mid
and that the tone for the discussion of
That's true" said Darlington: He
ing as though ashamed of his former heat.
ana anxious to make amends. so you
didn't catch Word2"
OF the pier and the wash of the half ebb
IN n the s river and the break Of the waves on
be coming back. It's very late"
Yes. it's late" said Darlington, laconi-
cally. I'm glad you didn't hear what pass
Joe and me-"
That's good news" said Dunford Every
one In the town thinks 1t such pity you
two young fellows should fall out over
some wretched family affair"
Darlington started slightly. and looked
AT the speaker. The expression Of neither
know the quarrel between Bolger and me
was connected with the famiiy9 Did Joe
Mot he. Although he and are both in
the brewery there is no friendship between
US, and he does not confide In me No one
cares much about Bolger. but all regret
that you: Darlington. are making a fool of
Well, it was and it wasn't family
anair between Joe and me-"
by the way, what's keeping him? He's
Yes. and he'll be longer"
What do you mean?" asked Dunford,
oh. merely that don't believe Joe is in
ann any great hurry tbs way just now. Good
well. but where eeE is ' he? What car 10
be doing all this timer" called Dunford
after the other.
perhaps he was in his fannels, and the
night is warm" called out Carrington az
he strobe OFF toward the town and disap9
Inc manner and voice Of Darlington made
Dunford uncomfortable. I'm smoke anntb-
er pipe mere, and say good night to Bolger
Their Ouarreling out there. and Csrring.
tons strange answers. and the otner fel
low not turning up would keep me tossing
now" ~ 1SN
The two young men were powerfully
made, and when bad blood broke out be-
lence. for Bolger was overbearing. insolent
ruthless. and Darlington quick and unac-
cuStomed to injuries.
At last Dunford's pipe was DONE and he
got up feeling downright alarmed, for no
one had passed. and 1t was long after mid
night.
Il suppose" thought he, "Bolger will
call me prying busybody. but must see
him before go home"
With quick steps he strobe through the
thick darkness to the sea end Of the pier.
Not a soul here! Nothing but the pail of
night overhead. the hard, firm stones under
foot, and the dimly phosphorescent pulsing
sea beneath!
No boat was ever about at this time Of
a boat had CHANGED to pass, Bolger could
not get aboard; from the pier to the water
was more than twenty feet, with no ladder
or stairs.
Any man in the water here during the
past hour would .,e carried away oy the
current, like a cork in a mill race. Carried
out to sea! Out to death!
There was for such a man but a single
hope.
One who knew the place, and had not
been manned or stunned, and who was,
moreover, a good swimmer, might. II he
struck out vigorously, reach the Black
Bank.
Quarter Of a mile from the mouth of the
river Filice, with the skeleton Of a wreck ed
schooner on It., lay sandbank. At the
present state Of tide that bank would be
resting place for man between where Dun
ford stood and the coast of France!
If Bolger had fallen in the water he
might be on the Black Bank. II he was
not on the Black Bank he must be dead.
Bolger was a powerful swimmer, and
there lay his one chance OF life.
Dunford made a trumpet Of his hands.