Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-01-23

George has no right to say such things.
went out. and to my surprise Hold
ing followed me- hurried on, think
ing to avoid him, but he soon caught
me up The sky was cloudy and dark,
and on one side was an irregular streak of
grayish yellow light where the moon
was struggling to break through. l saw
no cause for old Luke's warning, nor
did Holding, it appeared, for he began:
"What can Meadows mean, Powell? 1t
is a dirty night, no doubt, but twill
clear before morning, 1 should think.
What say you?''
81 think so, too," I answered be-
tween my set teeth.
''But he is not one to croak, and he
is very rarely out in his predictions,
Ben continued would it not be wiser
to stay on shore?'
''Do so, by all means, if you are
afraid, replied, with sneer. ''You
are your own master.
The taunt stung him, could see,
dark as it was, but he kept his temper
and only said: 81 don't deserve that,
George, and no one knows it better than
you do. What ails you tonight?"
g Tain your business.
"Are you in trouble? Can ! do any,
thing?'
"You can hold your tongue. -
"What will Lizzie say?"
"She'n care as little as you or any
one else. How dare you talk of Lizzie
to me? Go your own way and let me go
mine.
''Nay, Powell, listen," he began,
but would not stay to hear 1 broke
away from him and ran down narrow
lane that led to my lodging Twas boil
ing over with wrath, and his GOODNESS
irritated me past all bearing. What
right had he to bring in Lizzie's name?
He had stolen her from me- Let that
content him, And how Meadows had
deceived mel He knew, no man better,
what took me to his cottage, and yet he
encouraged Ben's suit OH the sly. felt
as if could have throttled him.
In such a frame Of mind it was not
likely should sleep, and as a fact !
spent the night in walking up and down
my little room revolving in my mind
one plan of revenge after another. Hold
ing and Lizzie should never come to-
gether if by fair means Or foul could
prevent it, Who would have thought,
I reflected bitterly, that Meadows was
so mercenary? Because Ben had boat
of his own and two men in his pay,
while worked with Tom Ford at a
weekly wage, he was ready to throw
me over l felt glad 1 had taunted
Holding with being coward Now he
would go out in the morning, what
ever the weather, and who could say
what might not happen? His boat, the
Mermaid, was, every one knew, rot
ten tub. In his anxiety to rise above
his fellows he had bought her without
consulting any one and had been griev
ously cheated in the bargain. Lizzie's
sweet eyes seemed to plead for him.
They haunted me, turn where l would,
but l would not let them influence me.
If her lover perished in the waves, she
deserved all the pain it would give her,
the little f1irt But, however matters
turned out, no one could impute the
blame to me.
Before sunrise was up and on my
way to the beach The morning broke
gloomy and dull The clouds were rag
ged and torn at the edges, telling of
wind. but the sea just then was calm
enough. The barometer at the coast
guard station was lower than it had been
for weeks Still, had gone out many
day more stormy looking than this, and
/ made up my mind that if Ford wished
to go would say nothing to dissuade
him. 1t was not likely he would care
to stay on shore He was bold, deter
mined fellow, and knew his boat, the
Vixen, to be one of the stoutest and best
built in the place.
He came down presently, and with a
shrug of his shoulders and the remark,
"We'll get a wetting today, more than
Ford was man of few words.
AS we took our seats l saw Holding
and his men getting in their nets and
preparing to follow us. So, then, he had
not taken the old mans advice. He
nodded to me as we passed and smiling
ly waved his hand, but I kept my eyes
turned away and made nc answering
sign.
We got on much as usual till about
8 o'clock in the afternoon. Then saw
Meadows prediction would be verified.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and
the waves were high and sullen. Sud-
denly the wind sprang up, and it was
all we could do to shorten sail before it
WIS down on us. Ford said it was
squall, and we had seen the worst of it,
but he was wrong, as the event proved.
The gusts of wind followed each other
fast Every wave threatened to engulf
the Vixen and her crew, and it soon be-
came a struggle for life. For my own
safety cared little. Life had ceased to
have any attractions for me; but, re-
membering Ford wife and little chill
dren, | worked manfully to keep the
boat Oh her course
"Who would have thought it would
blow like this?'' Ford said in his usual
phlegmatic fashion as we crouched to-
gether in the stern.
Meadows said last night 'twould be
rougher than common" | rejoined.
''But he is getting old now and thinks
more of hatful of wind than he used
to do. :"
"You should have told me that" said
Ford gravely. "It's never safe to 60
agin old Luke-he knows the weather
signs better than any man. say, George
Powell" Z" he went on, looking keenly at
me, sis Holding to carry off pretty Liz
zie? He was at the cottage last night,
my wife says. He seems to be there
most days.
81 can't tell you, replied Its
nothing to me or to you either.''
Nothing to me certainly" returned
Ford. But the folks used to say she
was for you, lad. !"
Doesn't look much like it, was my
somewhat equivocal reply.
'Pon my soul, you are right,
Oroxp1od Eor1 onokbo~ ~r~ook xx,oxo