The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-05-29
SHE'S ALL THE
WORLD TO ME-.
By HALL GAME,
Author Of "Thc Mdnrmdn," "Thc Deem
StCr," etc
By HALL GAME,
CHAPTER XIII.

y
As he ran down the road toward the town
Danny encountered gang of men with
lanterns, whooping, laughing, singing
carols and beating the bushes. 1t was the
night before Chris mas eve, and they were
hunting the wren" Tommy Tear and
Davy Cain were among them. Danny
heard their loud voices and knew they had
trapped the harbor master. The first act
IN tonight's tragedy had begun.
Two hours and half later Mona passed
the same troop of men. They were now
standing in the market place Tommy
Tear and Davy Cain had long pole from
shoulder 10 shoulder, and from this huge
bracket tiny bird-a wren-was suspend
ed. 1t was one of their Christmas Gus
toms. Their companions came up at in
tervals and plucked feather from the
wren's breast. Tommy Bill-beg was sing
ing a carol A boy held lantern to a
crumpled paper, from which the unlettered
Coxcomb pretended to sing
Mona hurried on. Her immediate des-
tination was the net factory. There she
found the company Of nine or ten men,
She was taken into the midst of them
"This is the young woman, shouted Ker-
ruish Kinvig, land when some of you fell
lows he added, "have been police for so
years and are grown gray in the service
you may do worse than come here and go
to school to this girl of two and twenty"
There was some superior and deprecia-
tory laughter, and then Mona was required
to repeat what she knew. When she had
done so, she did not wait for official in
structions. She quietly and resolutely an
nounced her intention of going on to the
cliff head above Contrary with lantern
in hand When the light on the pier was
run down by the fishing boat, she would
light her lantern and turn it toward the
castle as sign to the men In hiding there
The determination and decision of this girl
brooked no question. The police agreed to
her scheme And had she not been the
root and origin of all their movements
and the sole cause that they were there at
allp
But Mona had yet another proposal, and
to herself this last was the most vital of
all. The four men who were to watch Bill
Kisseck's house must have guide, or by
their numbering movements they would
awaken suspicion, and the birds would be
frightened and not shared. Christian had
not been found. Hes off to Ramsey, no
doubt" suggested Kinvig "Ill be guide
to you myself" said Mona. I'm take
you to the head, place you there, and then
go off to my own station" And so it was
agreed, 1t is not usually a mans shrewd
ness that can match womans wit at an
emergency like this. And then the men in
this case We're police-a palliating circum-
stancel
I,1f I,,Nn
the cliff head. She had so placed the four
men that they could see her own position
or know whether she duly and promptly
lit her lantern or not. The night was still
very dark. Not star was shining; no
moon appeared. Yet, standing where she
stood, with the black hill behind her, she
could at least descry something Of the sea
in front The water, lighter than the land,
showed family below. Mona could trace
the line of white breakers around the Cas-
tie isle If boats sail came close to the
coast, she could see that also. The dark
ness of the night might aid her. There
was light enough for her movements, but
too little for the movements of the four
strangers behind her
Mona saw the boat leave the shore that
carried Kinvig and his four assistants
across the strait to the castle. In a moment
she lost it in the black shadow. Then she
heard the grating Of its keel on the shin
gle and the clank of the little chain that
moored 1t.
Now everything depended on Danny.
Had the lad wit enough to comprehend all
her meaningP Even If so was it in human
nature to do so much as she expected him
to do from no motive but such as sprang
from hopeless lover God brighten the lad S
dense intellect for this night at least
Heaven ennoble our poor, selfish, uncer-
tain human nature for one brief hour
Mona strained her ear for the splash Of
an oar. Danny ought to be stirring now.
But no. Mona could hear nothing but the
murmur Of the waters on the pebbles and
their distant boom In the bay.
Look Coming up to the west coast OF
the castle were the sails of a fishing boat
silhouetted against the leaden sky. 1t was
lugger. Mona could see both mainmast
and mizzen, with mainsail and yawl. II
was the Ben-my-chree Christian was
there, and he was in deadly peril. She her
self had endangered his liberty and life
The girl was almost beside herself with
terror.
But look againl Though no sound Of
oars could reach her she could now see tht
clear outline of boat scudding through
the lighter patch Of water just inside the
castles shadow. 1t was Danny, God bless
and keep him on earth and in heaven
How the lad rowed Light as the dip of g
feather and swift as the eagle flies. Brave
ly, Danny, bravelyl
The clock in the tower of the old church
In the market place was striking. How
the bell echoed on this lonely height Six
seven, eight nine. Nine o'clock ThcI
the merchantman ought to be near al
hand Mona strained her eyes into tn,
darkness. She could see nothing. Per
haps the ship would not come Perhaps
heaven itself had ordered that the man she
loved should be guiltless of this crime
Merciful heaven, let it be So let 1t be so!
The fishing boat had disappeared. Yes
her sails were gone. But out at sea, far out
half league away-what black thing wa'
thereg Oh, it must be a cloud; that wa
all No doubt storm was brewing Wha
was the funny sailors saying that RUBY
laughed at when Danny repeated itS No
no! 1t was looming larger and larger, ant
1t was nearer than she had thought II
was-yes, It was sail. There could be M
doubt of 1t now The merchantmen wa'
outside and she was less than half mile
away.