Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-04-13


horrible ones; but no certainty, no
certainty.
Certainty enough, as you are
standing there, and for the matter O.
that, when a mans attacked it's all
right and fair enough, and | wouldn't
have been the man ever to speak
word agin it, or to let on OF what |
see, but"
"You saw-you saw my husband
killed. oh, Heaven! and you
never"
"Stepped in? Nay, mistress you
forget which side | should have
been taking, and as | say it were
Master Franklen as gave the first
blow, leastways as far as see"
"When and where2" Tell me, for
mercy's sake! tell me, and ask for
what you will"
1T was the night Of thegreat storm,
as you'll remember, Of course, by what
happened.
She made a hasty gesture OF assent.
stIhave been up and down the coast,
on and off-no matter on what bust
into the Chine, and precious dreary
spot it was at such times. had
mate with me, but his party lay more
down below.
chad a reason for noting who might
be stirring-there wasn't many, you
may be sure, such a night; SO noticed
the more when | marked the figure OF a
man coming with long strides down
the face of the upper cliff, like from the
direction OF the fisherman S cottage as
stood in the cleft. He come right along
to where the Chine sloped off from the
Deepgang, and | watched him, think
ing he might be on the lookout, but
he wasn't in that way, | soon made
out. He walked to and fro, and up
and down, like a man out OF his mind,
and with his hands clasped above his
head. Once he went to the edge OF the
cliff, and made as he'd ha' thrown HIM
self over where the sea boiled up like a
thousand devils cauldrons below"
Nelly groaned and hid her face in
her hands. Without varying tone or
manner, the ruffian went on
sIn bit, as watched from my hid
ing-place, ! see another come along
from the Deepgang way, and
/ knew in a minute twas our captain,
Saul Meghorn. He came slowly up to
where the other was hurrying to and
fro; | could not hear what words were
spoken, but I saw the first man turn
sharp round upon Saul. Which spoke
first, or what was said, Icouldn't tell;
but in two minutes [ see the first
Franklen it was-aim blow at Saul.
couldn't tell whether he was struck,
but the capt'n wasn't one to stand
nice about that, and he returned 1T
with interest, [ do expect, for the fish
erman reeled, and then they closed
and struggled like two demons. Well
matched they were, and for a bit 1t
seemed to me that one had as good q
chance as the other. But AleghOrn,
with quick wrench and a turn, all IN
a moment, flung the other over the
edge, and with the force he reeled and
stumbled himself. Franklen grasped
his leg and in another moment would
have drawn him over. Twas startled
at seing the captains danger, when he
drew his sword, and, quick as light
ming, drew it across the other fellows
hand"
Nellie uttered a loud shrek and
dropped backwards in her chair.
"Oh, merciful Heavens she cried
in an agony of grief.
But YaWmans went on
There was no cry that heard, but
the man fell back from the edge OF the
cliff, and heard the crashing of the
ferns and bushes as he fell and plash-
ed into the water below.s
"Saul drew back quickly, for it was
near chance for him, but he looked
down and saw that all was over; then
he hurried away, and [ made off to
where | knew he'd expect to find ne. ;"
.Oh maui you saw all this and new
er made one attempt to save him, or
for justice, she said, family.
"Bah!' said the ex-smuggler with
an oath, ''was it likely? 1t was q
troublesome customer got rid OF. He
lived too near our own run to be
pleasant. Ye may be sure which side
/ took in the matter; though didn't
speak of course, for it WASH t my place
to NEEDLE in the capt'n's private mat
ters. did go down when the tide was
out, to see if there was aught to be
seen, but | expect the sea made short
work of the body"
'sAnd he?" Nelly asked, after q
pause in broken voice, s".whereis that
horrible man, and why are you here?"
cts a long story, mistress, the way
I'm here; but where he may be | don't
know; and what [ do know won't give
you much clue, though you re welcome
to it, for owe the capt'n nothing,
now9 and it's little good and
much harm I've come to through
him.
"You may have heard, perhaps, Of
the skirmish that we got into with
the coast-guard DULLES, as we was
leaving the coast after he'd raced
about the country like mad a-seeking
of you and the child?
"Saul got badly hit in the fray; it
went hard with him, for the wound
ranked as never saw mortal wound
to ranl1le afore, and he give way like
any one but himself. However, we
did get clear of the land sharks, and
once out to sea, the capt'nrallied, and
after bit got round in a degree,