The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-08
A STORM ASHORE.
BY JAMES II. Connolly.
LEM OPENS THE CAMPAIGN.

elDOWb reoteu upon ms knees, huu MS
aching brow was supported by his palms
pressed against his temples. He might,
had he wished to do 40, have caught
glimpse of sunshine through the narrow
window high up in the wall might have
seen the green branches OF tine venerable
Elm that, swayed by the wind. swept its
foliage from time TO time across that little
space of sky; might have heard the blithe
carols OF the sonR-birds that fitted among
the old trees boughs, and even perched
and sang upon the stone window ledge
but lie had no heart 10 look anywhere but
on the ground. no thought for aught but
his own misery and shame. Ii seemed TO
him terrible thing that he should DO
locked in a Jail. What would Mary say
when she learned OF II, as she inevitably
must7 All She would not believe that
he could be guilty, certainly not; but the
shame OF him would break her heart
His life had hitherto been one singu-
larly free from reproach, and OF tho many
things to which even passably good men
become accustomed and hardened, by
contact with the world, he was almost 40
innocent as his sweetheart herself. He
had not gone oil to big city to make his
fortune and fall into evil WAYS. as the
EasthAmpton storeKeeper had said. Out
Of the three yeRrs and some months since
he Quilted the village, he had spent, alto
gether. but few weeks on shcTe. he
had been out az sea, doing brsvely and
we'll the manly work 10 which he had
dedicated himself, aud from even the
Tuder and, 20 some natures, demoralizing
influences by which he was there sur
rounded. he had been protected by the
purifying charm of his ever-faithful love.
A retrospective view [ his whole life
brought 20 his memory no thought of re-
Rret OF shane for Rught that he ned done,
no remembrance Of anything no would
have wished to hide from the knowledge
of her he loved best, and in whose regard
he had most desire 10 stand we'll.
But there was one thing that. were II 10
do over again, he would not have re-
pealed lie would not have knocked
down the officer who came TO arrest him,
he did in his first natural heat of indiR-
nation az hearing himself charged with
being an assassin and thief. No, be
would not DO thar over sgain, for after he
was iTonsd he had heard men say that he
did It in desperate hope OF escape, and
that he would not have done IL ii he had
not been guilty. And yet it seemed 20
him tho most natural thing for an inno-
cent man 10 do under the circumstances
Could he have imagined that such a con-
stTuction would DO put upon it2 And
now what had he 10 look forward TO? He
knew nothing, absolutely. OF tho murder
Of the neuest, or of the grounds upon
which hs was suspected, save that he had
q vague remembrance OF hearing 10 said.
amid the sxcItement attendant upon his
arrest, that he had been in the vicinity of
where Mr. Van Deuet was murdered on
the night that the old man was killed
Yes, that was probably true; and how
could h0 prove, or even state, the innocent
purpose OF his presence there2 Could DO
ask Mary 10 come into court and testify 10
their iove.meeting in the woods? No.
Not even 20 save his life.
His reflections were broken by the
sound OF footsteps in the corridor without,
and the sound OF the iailSr's voice saying:
This is his eel"
The prisoner looked up and met the
frank. kindly face and oulstretchod hand
of Lem Pawlett.
well. Dorm. old fellow, m nightly
sorry TO see YOU here" he said cordially,
as the jailer walked away leaving him
standing In front of the grated iron door
OF the cell, through which lis hand was
thrust to grasp that OF Mary's lover.
''Does-do they know OF it?" stammered
Dorm.
Does Mary, you mean. Wei. yes.
guess she does Uncle Thatcher was Mt
the store last night when the mail-rider
brought the news. and he has most proba-
bly, mentioned it ut home. But, Lord
bless you, man she don't think anything
nj 4 haa
mouth. She won't believe a word against
you. you may be sure. And il don't come
or her like a shock, az it were, because
she has been expecting IT,"
'She expected it?'
Yes. She has known for two or three
days that they were after you, but had no
WAY OF getting any word to you"
But how did they come to be after
me?"
That was Aunt Thatchers doings. |
believe; but I'll tell you ali about it, as
far az know"
Thereupon the good fellow proceeded to
give as full and correct an account. AZ his
information enabled, Of the facts already
better known TO the reader, beginning his
narrative with the diGcovery OF the muir
der and concluding il with an expression
Of his determination of the night before.
TO TRY TO strsighten out the tangle."
God bless you, Old fellow" responded
Dorm, with tears OF gratitude in his eyes.
II can't tell you how II warns my hoart
10 have one friend stand by me in a time
like this But little did I ever think
when We were boys playing together, that
you would ever have TO do such thing
for me-"
That's all right. Dorm. Don't saw any
thing more about IL. III be glad il can
do anything, and so will Ruth and Mary.
And now, let's see what Is to be done
The first thing is for you to tell me, az
clearly and exactly as you can. every in
eident YOU can remember of where you
were and what you did that night"
Everything Is a. clear Ia my mind az
The occurrences OF yesterday. Let me be-
gin a. the beginning. i reached New
Haven IN the forenoon OF that day, and.
having made . much quicker voyage than
was expected. found that / would have
several days al my disposal. OF course
my frst thought was OF going 10 see Mary.
left the schooner in charge OF the mate.
70 sea 70 the taking out OF her cargo while
l was gone. and got n man named Hollis
20 bring me over to Napeague ia a little
fishing smack. lie had TO come. any way.
TO get a couple Of pipes OF rum that had
rolled of traders deck one night. left
him At tho beach, telling him that II l did
not meet him there al 80 o'clock that
evening he need not wait Tor mo, "a 1
might have 20 remain over a day, or even
two; for you know. as Mary would not