Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-02
TRIAL BY WATER.

TRIAL BY WATER.
As Tredennack church clock struck
noon Noah Capel and Thomas Bullasy
laid down their brushes and their buck
cts of pitch, and making their way up
the narrow path to the Three Pilchards
sat there in the sun on the bench at the
edge of the cliff garden and ate their
pasties and drank from their mugs of
beer in wide eyed silence, looking away
across the water with brains inactive
and mastication slow. And in such
manner, indeed, might they have sat
until the dinner hour was over had not
a movement on the beach below caught
Noah Capel's eye and enticed his mind
toward mundane matters This having
occurred, he stared for many moments
at the cause Of his awakening, then he
chuckled heavily once or twice, and ar
ranging the corner of his pasty in the
side of his cheek made way for speech.
"That's Peter Tods maid down pad
ding about them boats,'' he volunteered
in food muffied tones
"Aw," drawled Thomas Bullasy. ''Is
'er 'ome agen?'
"Iss, an a fine handful too. Peter
won't get 'er to chapel more'n 'er's q
mind to, I'm thinkin.
"There was always sight of devil
ment in that there gurl," "quoth Thomas
Bullasy slowly, "but 'er's got purity
face
Together the youths looked down up
on the girl in question, and truly Ann
Tod was good to look upon, either be-
cause or III spite of the devilment which
lay in her. Her face was short and
round her eyes were golden brown, and
but lazily opened; her cheeks were
warmed by the sun, and her nose free
kled by that same power; her head was
a mop of short brown curls, and her
blue frock well became her very shapely
form.
AS she passed slowly inland, under
the shadow of the cliff and out Of their
sight, the youths shifted triie on their
bench and looked at one another.
"'Tis a brave lookin maid, sure
enough decided Thomas Bullasy
again. "I've mind to DO a bit of court
in in that quarter.
"Aw," grinned Noah Capel, "you'm
too late, my dear soul. I'm a-goin to do
bit that way myself.
Then Thomas Bullasy opened his big
OK eyes in wonderment. "Why, law me,
how longs the maid been 'ome?"
"Comed last night. y
"You began yer courtin pretty sippy,
then.''
"Well, 'aven' begun yet, as you
might say, but I'd a-made up my mind"
"Aw, we'll, then," declared Thomas
Bullasy, "I'm SO good chap as you.
Let best man win
But Noah Capel seemed not wholly
pleased with the arrangement. "You'd
never a-seen her if adm appointed Of
her out he grumbled.
It was Thomas Bullasy who chuckled
now. "But Fave a-seen her, 'aven't I?
Eff you con cut me out, do it. ;"
81 don't see no 'cashun to grizzle like
a great buffihead, even if you are goint
keepin company with a giglet like Ann
TOD declared Noah Capel, with some
warmth.
Thomas Bullasy's grin died slowly
from the corners of his mouth as he abb
sentmindedly placed his mug bottom
side up upon the bench.
"Well," he said at last, "I dom t
want no ballywragging bout the mat
ter Us'll toss for the maid an settle it
fair.
Noah Capel still looked glum, but
after some slow thought he decided that
his chance was worth the taking, so he
took it, and Thomas Bullasy. drawing
penny from the far corner of his fus-
tian pocket, heaved it in the air.
There were full five minutes spent in
vain seeking for the coin. Then the
gamblers slowly rose again, their face
toward the sea. Then they sat down sud-
denly, with fallen jaws, and then they
strove to smile Just below them, on
ledge of the cliff, sat Ann Tod, her ell
bows on her knees and her chin in her
hands, and how long she had been sitting
there was question uncomfortably un
certain in the minds of Noah Capel and
Thomas Bullasy.
For moments they sat there staring at
the girl and the girl at them. Then
she, being more clear of conscience and
therefore self possessed, spoke first.
"An which of ZEE won me?" she ask
| ed calmly.
There was silence again for full
| minute, and then Thomas Bullasy gig
| gled, and then he trusted to the humor
of the situation and answered boldly !:
"Nuther Of us. Us'll Try agen. though. !"
81 wouldn't t tly agen, said Ann Tod
soberly. "a pellnys penny, an there's
no use wastir money bout the matter" :"
Then she ceased being sober and
| smiled up ct them with allurement in
her half closed eyes.
| "I'll settle it, - she declared. "You
| como long with me-" And her smile
| was indeed so alluring and her mood
60 convincing that they rose without
protest and followed her down the cll1f.
When they had re"ched tie water s
edge. they began to ', onder as to their
future, but there was no manner OF hes-
itation about Ann Ted.
"Get in the little boat, she murmur
ed coaxingly, and they did SO.
"'Tis nigh o'clock, chuckled
Thomas Bullasy aside to Noah Capel'
"Not much time to spare. y
But Noah Capel was smiling IN hroad
content1nent as he watched Ann Tod
and she, smiling also guilelessly, made
fast the little boat to the stern OF th'
ferryboat, and, sprinsing into the lat
ter, grasped the oars.
"Now, I tell 'ee," she said as sh
pulled away from shore with her tw'
swains we'll in tow, whichever OF e
wants me most by the time us gets 'om
agen shall have me. An that's plall