St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-10-26

nome considering the mysterious
words. Mysterious they were, yet
memory soon solved them. She re-
called shadowy incidents of child
hood, bits of unheeded conversation,
her fathers long absences, the fetch
ing and storing Of bales and casks,
his broad acquaintance with those
sailing to foreign ports, and so she
comprehended that the former part
ners had been smugglers, intercept
ing vessels off the coast and receiv-
ing from them precious contrabands
which they dare not bear into port.
She remembered Reuben's sinister,
scowling face, and she perceived that
he would work his revenge, even at
the ruin of his own livelihood.
Of course she must tell her father
and save him from fine and forfeiture
and Imprisonment. But how could
she explain the source of her infor-
nation, or, without so doing, make
it credible? Poor child Her ma
ture was too simple and unassuming
to understand its own strength.
That surely father respected her
judgement as he had her mothers,
so when she warned he believed.
otis that young cub you've heard
FROM" he growled. "D-n him, with
his dad but belize it's true. I'll not
venture out this week, though there's
job with many a dollar. Oh, my
day may come, and then, and then,
stand by for squalls, you lubber."
and Mary watched HIM as he brave
ly paced the beach, now and again
shaking his fist toward Macbeth.
That night an ominous thing hap
pened. Mary kept her vigil, as
usual, for only the hand of death
could have stopped her, but not a
sign came out of the west. 1t re-
manned as changeless as an edict of
fate. She watched until the sickly
light betrayed the breaking of day.
Then through the gray shadows
she crept back with heart just as
cold as that awesome hour, yet not
a whit irresolute. One more trial
would she make, and if that gave no
tidings then she would seek them
face to face. Through storm and
gale and darkness she would 60 to
her lover, for she knew that neither
tranquility nor safety could be his
without her arms.
Something told Mary to return to
the cliff at an early hour. She did
so at nine O'Clock that evening. The
twilight had just deepened; all its
serenity remained. An assure veil en-
wrapped the earth and through it
glimmered the stars. From the east
came breeze heavy with ocean
mist. Far on its line the darkness
was deeper, as if offering a hiding.
Perhaps behind it whirling gale
lay in ambuscade. At least the
skies were not clear enough to seem
candid to the girls weather wisdom.
"How foolish l am" Mary
thought Il have deliberately chos-
en- long, long wait" Yet some
thing within her heart whispered
a denial; something cried out that
Matt surely was in danger. She
sprang to her feet with outstretched
arms and peering eyes, like one who
entreats before closed door. And
suddenly there was an answer in
three vivid flashes. Come Come
Gomez" they signalled, and then the
pale starlight through the deep
cerulean, the sense of the falling Of
that heavy hand.
The girl was absorbed with tender
unselfish thoughts, while the sloop
obeyed her unerring will, and flew
like an arrow to its goal. The night
was heavy and lowering, and the
cry of the breakers wild, when she
drew up against the wharf which
Reuben used. 1t was unoccupied
Evidently the master was abroad
with his boat.
There were hasty, unevensteps and
Matt sprang into the sloop.
Let us away at once" he ex-
claimed. well never have such a
chance. IT'S a rough night, but the
craft is seaworthy; the wind is
strong, but it is favorable, and by
tomorrow noon we can make the
city's port. My plans are perfected
my work accomplished; there is
wealth and renown and happiness
for us, darling, if we can only escape.
Listen, father is away somewhere.
But yesterday heard him planning
with an old friend, whaler, to
shanghai me fora three years cruise
Oh, should die"
But ere he had finished Mary had
cast off and they were dashing out
into the open, amid break of spray
Little chance was there for further
talk. Their course was straight
way with the wind on their quarter,
but that wind was now fierce and
ftful, and the sea was mountains
and CULTS. Mary kept the helm, her
calm eye reading the waters and the
night. In the angleby her side Matt
covered, trembling and incapable,
The old fear of the elements was
upon him, and only the sweep OF her
garments kept his soul within him
And so the hours brought layer
after layer of opacity, and slowly