The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-04-10
SHE'S all THE
I8i39 VORED To Me-.
By HALL GAME,
Author Of "ThG Manrman," "Thc Deem
StCr,n etc
Ill rCHAPTER IL, nna

uIH'T lllG MI knONu us inc 1llllJ f1H' |
gers and took the cliff road to the town. |
The deep boom of the waters rolling slow
ly on the sand below came up to him
through the dense air, He could hear the
little sandpipcr screaming at Orry's head
across the bay The sea swallow shot past
him, too, with its low, mournful cry. Save
for these, everything was still.
Danny had walked about a quarter of
mile when he paused for moment at the
gate of cottage that stood half way down
the hill to the town, There was light
in the kitchen, and from where he stood
in the road Danny could see those who
were within. AS if by an involuntary
movement, his cap was lifted from his
head and fumbled in his fingers, while his
eyes gazed yearningly in at the clh'tainless
window. Then he remembered the harsh
word of Kerruish Kinvig and started off
again more rapidly. 1t was as though he
had been knecling at fair shrine when
cruel hand befoulcd and blurred it.
Danny was superstitious He was full
to the throat of fairy lore and stories of
witchcraft. The night was dark The
road was lonely. Hardly sound save
that of his own footsteps broke the still.
ness, and the ghostly memories would
arise. To Danish them Danny began to
whistle, and failing with that form of
musical society to sing. His selection of
u song was not the happiest under the cir
cumstances. Oddly enough, it was the dole
full ballad of Myle Charaine. Danny sang
it in Manx, but here is a stave of it in the
lusty tones of the fine old "Lavengro:"
"Oh, Myle CAaraine, where got you your gold?
Lone, lone, you have left me here
Oh, not In the Curragh, deep under the mold
Lone, lone, and void OF cheer"
There was not much cheer that Danny
could get out of Myle Charaincs company,
but he could not at the moment think of
any ballad hero who was much more
. heartsome. He had good step of the
road to go yet Somehow the wild legend
of the MOddey Dhoo would creep up into
Danny's mind In the days when the old
castle was garrisoned the soldiers in the
guardroom were curious about strange
black dog that came every night and lay
in their midst. It's devil, " said one.
an follow it and see, said another.
When the dog rose to go, the intrepid sol
der went out after it. His comrades tried
to prevent him. "Ill follow it, " he said,
'if it leads to hell. "
A minute afterward there was an I'M
earthly scream; the soldier rushed back
pale as n corpse, and with great staring
eyes, He said not a word and died within
the hour. The Moddey Dhoo kept torment
ing poor Danny tonight. So he set up the
song afrcsh, and to heighten the sportivC
soul of it he began to run Once having
taken to his heels Danny ran as If the
black dog itself had been behind him. BY
the time he reached the town he was fairly
spent. Myle Charaine and the Moddey
Dhoo together had been too much fol
Danny. What with the combined exertior
of legs and lungs, the lad was perspirinG
from head to foot.
The house of the harbor master was {
little ivy covered cottage that stood on thu
east end of the quay, near the bridge tina
crossed the river The harbor master him
self was an unmarried elderly man, WHIT
enjoyed the curious distinction of having
always worn short petticoats. His full ant
correct name seems almost to have beef
lost. He was known as Tommy Bill-beg
a Dynamo which had at least certaiI
genealogical value in showing that the har
Dor master was Tommy the son of Littl
Bill. When Danny reached the cottage, h
knocked and had no answer. Then h
lifted the latch and walked in. The hous
was empty, though Il light was burning
1t had two rooms and no more. One was
dark closet of "a sleeping crib, The other
the living room, was choked with nearl
every conceivable article of furniture an
species of domestic ornament Shells, ifs
bones bits of iron and lead ore sticks an
l. Il, pl,n tlr
and corner Cupboards. A three legge
stool stood before the fireplace, and wit
all his wealth of rickety furniture thi
was probably the sole article which tn
harbor master used. There was facet
Gus faced timepiece on the mantelpiecC
and when folks piticd the isolation {
Tommy Bill-beg and asked him if h
never felt lonely, he always replied, INC
while hear the clock tick"
But Tommy Bill beg had not heard !!
clock tick for 20 years. He resemble
Jenny Quark in being almost stone dei
and had a further bond Of union with I'll
gardener of Balladhoo in being musica
He played no instrument, however, exceI
his voice, which he believed to be of IL
finest quality and compass. The harbC
master was wOcfully wrong as TO the 10
mer, but right as to the latter-he had
voice like rasp and as loud AS foghorl
Printed copies of ballads were pinned U
on various parts of the wall of his kitchen
Tommy Bill-beg could not read line, bl
he would rather have died than allow tn;
this was so, and he never sang except fro,
print.
Danny Fayle knew well how often Il
musical weakness of the harbor mast
was played upon by the Peel men, al
when he found the cottage empty he su
pectcd that some wags of fisher fellow
had decoyed Tommy Bill-beg away to Il
Jolly Mornings for the sport of having hi
sing on this their last night ashore Da
nv set off for the inn, which was in Cast
street. He walked along tho quay, inten
ing to turn up passage.
The night seemed darker than ever nov
and not breath of wind was stirrin
The harbor on Danny's left was some
yards across, and another 20 yards divid
the mainland from the island rock, I
which stood the ruins of the old fortreS
The tide was out, and the fishing lugge
Law at secure anchorage on the shingle al
in six inches of mud, The pier was straig
ahead, and there the light should now
burning.
As Danny approached the passage Tn
led up to Castle street he heard the d
.,f ,,,iS,. Sinninn NpS II paT