The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-06-13
CHAPTER I.

quest and break the appointment! III any
thing should happen to you it would kill
me"
Happen to mer' said young Darlington
what can happen? / am not afraid OF
any man in Filixfield. 1 tell you, Mamie
he wrote in such way l could not refuse
I promised, and if l did not go he'd say L
was afraid"
HE will kill you, my Fred. Oh, my
love, he will kill you. He is desperate
and when 1 told him yesterday 1 could not
marry him, and that 1 was engaged to you,
and that my father knew of it, l thought
at first he was going to strike me, and
then / thought he was going to die"
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? And
this night without moon, and no one ever
there at such a timer she asked, with a
moan.
Il do not know, Mamie, dear; but 1 am
able to take care of myself; am as good
d man as he, and l shall be on my guard
darling, for your sake
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
Bolger cousin to himself and cousin also
to Mamie Wilton, the girl he had just left
the richest and most charming girl WITHIN
lilies OF flllNH0lu, III SuSSeA
Without meeting a soul Darlington reached
the end of the pier. Here he found
waiting for him his cousin Bolger, the man
he had come to see in spite of his sweet
hearts entreaties
just at that moment third man, Dun
ford, sauntered from the town to the shore
end of the pier, and, sitting on the parapet,
quarter of a mile from Darlington and
Bolger lit his pipe.
The man on the parapet smoked the first
half of his pipe in anything but peace;
He was disturbed and panied by loud
voices One he recognized as Fred Car
rington's. son of James Darlington, OF the
sawmils, and the other as that OF Joe
Bolger cashier and accountant of the FIX
field brewery, in which Dunford hlmself
was brewer The cousins were of an
age about %: Dunford 10 years older
At length to Dunford's relief. the voices
fell and after quarter of an hour 1901,
steps grated on the gravel, ana ne coulu
dimly make out the figure OIL man
was Darlington. AS he passed, Duntord
said: what quarreling with Boiger
again., Darlington, who had not noticed
Dunford started, turned, and stood IN
front of the sitting man. The latter con-
tinued in a tone of expostulation: our
rows with Bolger will have bad end;
either of you two will say or do some
thing there will be no getting over
"What business is that of yours?' said
Darlington, sharply.
u
enough when. neighbors fall out. but you
and Joe Bolger are cousins. Last night
in the High-street you and he all but
came to blows, and here YOU are tonight
at l. O'clock in the pitch dark on the
sea end of the pier, believing and roaring
at one another like bulls
believing and roaring" repeated Car
rington in the tone of one made uneasy
by the words, and changing his manner
from indignation TO scorn. "Bellowing and
roaring with George Dunford listening,
playing eavesdropper in the dark.
"Eavesdropping 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
against Bolger, you wouldn't say such
foolish thing 1 recognized your voices,
but could not distinguish word. Let me
tell you that the sea end of the pier at
midnight is not the place for family diff
ferences. and that the tone for the discus
sion of family differences is not a shout"
That's true said Darlington. He
changed his manner once more, now speak
ing as though ashamed of his former heat
and anxious to make amends. 80 you
didn't catch a word?"
"Not a syllable There was the length
of the pier and the wash of the half-ebb
in the river and the break of the waves
on the sands. Where's Bolger? He ought
to be coming back. It's very late"
Eyes, it's late" said Darlington, lacon-
ically. I'm glad you didn't hear what
passed. There will be no more rows be-
tween Joe and me-"
'That's good news" said Dunford. 'Ev-
eryone in the town thinks it 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
mans face could be seen How did you
know the quarrel between Bolger and me
was Connected with the family? Did Joe
tell you?"
"Not he. Although he and I 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 re-
sret that YOU, Darlington, are making a
tool of yourself"
'Wel, it was and it wasn't family
affair between Joe and me-.
"By-the-way, what's keeping him. He's
a long time
eyes, and he'll be longer
What do you mean? asked Dunford
uneasy.
ooh, merely that I don't believe Joe is in
any great hurry this way just now. Good
night" and he walked off.
"Wel but where is he? What can he be
doing all this time?" called Dunford after
the other.
Don't know I'm sure. Gone for a swim
perhaps. He in his flannels and the
night is warm called out Darlington. as
he strobe off towards the town and dis
appeared in the darkness.
The manner and voice of Darlington made
Dunford uncomfortable TN smoke an
other pipe here, and say goodnight to
Bolger as he passes back thought the
brewer. Their quarrelling out there Car
rington's strange answers, and the other
fellow not turning up would keep me toss
ing and tumbling till morning if l went to
bed now
The two young men were powerfully
made and when bad blood broke out be-
tween them people feared physical violence:
for Bolger was overbearing, insolent ruth
less, and Darlington quick and unaccus-
toned to injuries
At last Dunford's pipe was done and he
got up feeling downright alarmed; for no
one had passed and it was long after mid
night.
Il suppose" thought he, "Bolger will call
me prying busybody, but l must see him
before l go home
With quick steps he strobe through the
thick darkness to the sea end of the pier
Not soul here! Nothing but the pail
of night overhead, the hard, firm stones
underfoot. and the dimly phosphorescent
pusing beneath!
No boat was ever about at this time of
night and tide. Even if by some miracle
not get aboard; from the pier to the water
was more than twenty feet, with no ladder
stairs.
ANY man in the water here during the
past hour would be carried away by the
current, like a cork in a mill-race. Car
ried out to sea! Out to death!
There was for such 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, if he