The Newtown bee., 1896-12-18

passed his hand over hls wet forehead before he gave his OminOus order to hoist away. As the tune of the popular meln- dy filtered down to him through the rig ging he cursed to himself ''I'll be even With that sucker now Or-H'ist away say-H 'ist.' with hOarse "Heave O." the men jumped to their duty, and the yard creaked it's way alOtt. A nervous contraction of the throat told Tom that ne had thrown away his last chance of repentance. This knowledge made him reckless,
 Look out there, and keep that yard clear " he shouted up to Sam, To the men his voice seemed perfectly natural :; but to himself it seemed as if another demon were speaking. ''Tend to what you're doing.'
 Sam grOwled back an oath, but with l both hands bent his whole weight out l ward upon the rope. Fascinated, with l eyes and mouth apart, hearing his own 1 heart beat through his throat, Tom l watched the spar ascend. What! Had 1 the rope not parted yet from the head of ! the yard? Another command from his mouth, another instant might mean murder.
 l "Shove it out Hard ]" Tom yelled with dry shTiek.
 l The end of the spar had now come to SanI's hands. He surged outward with i the heavy weight. His body hung far ! over the crOss-trees. There was 8 sud 1 den snap. Released at the end from it's l quarter hitch, the yard swung square l with tremendous sweep, and with a call of fright figure shot into the air, clawing in Vain for support.
 "God! God! I didn't dc it! Don't
 look at me- shrieked Tom. covering ] his face.
 ''Tom! Tom! Whats the matter, dear?" Mary shook her husband and ] bent over him aExiOuslY. She pulled the ! pillow out from under his head, and thus brought the wrerched dreamer to his 1 senses.
 Perspiring, writhiDg, trembling, stan. mering, the rigger raised himself in bed and stared about. Don't ask mel" Tom | looked around; then recognizing his wife bending over him with anxious face, he added, with all intOnatiOn of intense re- ] lief, seiztng her hand: "Mary You?" The dull dawn shown in at the win doWs. So great was the horl or of the murder in his soul, so real the deed, that in order to exercise the vision Tom 1 got up and lighted his pipe and sat by the window moodily. At seven he mus t begin work on the 'Waterwitch," the
 
 ghastly distinctness. And as he smoked and thought he could not put from his mind the plot of the Quarter-stop. He felt as if his heart had been corrOded by ! 2 deadly poison, for whose presence in nis system he was not responsible, and which he found it impossible to cast out. The Legion cared for the sick, for widows and orphans, better than any | church in town; but it had no antidote for the trouble that was viCiating the poor rigger's life. He felt immeshed by his dream.
 M Orning came, and Tom, shaken of his courage, decided to put off the inevitable scene with his enemy as long as possible. He had the feeling that something might happen before the noon hour to break the bond that bound the two survivors of the "AurOra" together. It might be final quarr el-or-or what?
 II can't go no fur ther,'' said Tom, be- tween his teeth. ''Him an me hev come two block, and there's no more drift there aint nothing left between us.''
 Tom was exceeding nervous that morning before he started out to work :; but, withal, he was so tender toward his wife that their lodger looked at them with sus spicious amusement. Sam tried to be j0cular at breakfast. but was met with such silent scorn that an inkling of ftaal trouble began to dawn upon him.
 "Where's my dinner-kettle? asked Tom, with pardonable irritation. Sam had slreadV gone with his we'll filled, as usual by Mary.
 "Tom, dear, let me bring it over to-day to you" His wife put her white arms about his rough, red neck. s'I'n come over on the II 40 ferry, and you'll have your coffee hot. can't bear not seeing you to-day, Tom"
 sThen don't come to the loft, girl dear" Tom looked down upon her with his best expression; ''we're workin' all day on the bark next to the landin'. I'll look out for ye."
 It was after eleven o'clock. There was one yard left to be sent up. The topsail yard was hanging by the yard tackle at its place on the mast. Tom had hoped to finish that part of the job by noons and he had hurried his five men with degree of nervousness entirely new to their experience. Tn fact, Tom had got himself and his hands pretty thoroughly worked up; and why? He could not clearly formulate this to him. self. They were paid by the our, and what reason to hurry2 He had feeling Of resentment that they were cool while he was seething.
 'sGet up therein the topmast crogs- trees Y he ordered Sam, gruffly, ssan1 lash those lifts over the head Of She top mastln
 Each yard had three sets of ropas