Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-09-10
rIo ,ootrad snanchinclv round. but no

human form was discernible. wen
the lights in the houses were out. anu
the moon had hidden herself behind u
passing cloud.
The auietness. the darkness, ana the
Stiffness. all favored John Gridley. VINO
drew nearer and nearer still to ms VIC
tim. -.
More this way. sir; more this way,
he said. quickly: ut 4 same 'lnis
jostiing against the young squire anu
| forcing him still closer TO the edge.
Take care. take care; you'll have me
into the water"
You speak the truth said the MATT
| ster's clerk. fiercely. ut the same rune
| giving the young man Il vigorous push,
The assault was too sudden, anu
| Ernest Hartrey was too ~unprepareu
to allow him To make any endeayof at
saving himself.
He s...-gered. lost his balance, n
fell.
A large iron ring at the edge or the
quay. Used for mooring ships, stayed
his fall. for he caught 1t tightly IN ms
grasp. and in Il few moments might
| have drawn himself to Il place or Sc
curity. had not John Gridley, with a
| cold cruelty. worthy of the arch fiend
himself. kicked. with his ~ron-heele
boot, against the white. unprotected
hand of Mays affianced husband.
1t was a dreadful! deed, but now ~
was a life against life.
Gridley had gone too far to retract'
for if Ernest Hartrey were tD.live. tlie
| others prospects would be ruined TOT
ever. even If he escaped the penalty OF
the law.
1t Il but for a few seconds that
Ernest could stand the pain OF the
wounds so unpityingly inflicted on ms
hands. He struggled anu stfoNe III
vain.
At last. with Il despairing cry, he fell
with Il loud splash into the water.
A terrible fascination rooted JOnn
| Gridley To the spot. He went To the
quay. and stretched his body rs far
over as was consistent with safety.
Down below. by the aid Of a wretch
ed oil lamp. which marked the landing
place. he saw Il human form battling
with the waves, and Il pale. upturned
face.
Help. help cried the drowning
man.
John Gridlev fancied he heard the
sound of splashing oars. and shuddered.
Help! help"
Mar overboard-give way, my heart
les" cried 4 voice. faint in the dis
lance: and then the regular beat or
the oars sounded over the water.
John Gridley could not tear himself
away from the spot. but continued in
the same position, with his eyes rivet-
ell on the man who, below him. buffet
ed vainly with the sea.
Ernest Hartrey was a tolerab9 good
swimmer. but the pain from his wound
ed hands. the weight Of his clothes, and
the sudden shock. all served TO enfeeble
his frame. and he could do no more
than keep afioat. by padding first with
one hand and then with the other.
He heard the sound OF the approach
ing boat; but he felt his strength rap
idly leaving him. and he doubted being
able to keep on the surface till its ar
rival.
The agony which he experienced,
however. was almost equalled by that
of his would-be assassin who. with
straining eyes, watched the sinking
man.
The measured dip Of the oars sound
cd faster and nearer. The boat was
rapidly approaching.
Help me. or | am 4 dead man."
cried Ernest Hartrey. but in a very
faint voice.
Here w are. close ut hand" was the
reply.
whereabouts are youg' asked an
other.
Here, here",'
John Gridley pushed a large piece Of
granite to the edge of the quay: and
just as the boat doomed through. the
darkness. hurled ii in the direction in
which he had last seen his victims
form.
With n wailing shrek, Ernest Hart
rey sank beneath the surface. just as
the boat reached the spot where, a
minute before, he had been.
Sunk, by JOve.." cried a hearty
voice. stand by. my lads. Wen soon
have him on board,'
Then there was a loud splash, as one
of the boats crew leapt overheard and
dived after the drowning man.
John Gridley. In his anxiety. forgot
that the boat was every second adyan-
cling nearer to him; and he was only
recalled to a sense of his position of
danger by hearing a voice exclaim-
Halo, There's Il fellow up there
peeping down ut us. After him, my
lads"
Three or four sailors sprang out upSa
the cauSeway. and u up the steps:
but the maltster's clerk had got the
start. and was running for his life.
Up and down the narrow courts and
alleys % old Portsmouth town they
chased John Gridley: but after a time
he succeeded in evading them. and the
sailors We're forced to return 10 their
boat. foiled and defeated.
Have you got him?" cried those who
had chased John Gridley Of their com
rades. referring TO the young squire.
Yes. we picked him up. more dead
than alive. Here he is, in the stern
sheets"
Now. them cried an authoritative
voice. N %palavering. but in with YOU"
The men leapt into the boat. the last
pushing her clear off the causeway: he
oars fell with a measured splash i'm the
luminous water. and the full force of
eight strong arms propelled the boat
over the waves, with her bow directed
towards Spithead.
In the stern. still insensible. law Err
nest Hartrey, a big. rough-voiced man.
rubbing his hands. and using other