The Newtown bee., 1896-12-18

Sam knew it; but Tom no longer vaCii- lated. The memory of his dream and of the part it seemed to him that he might have performed, frightened him. Never theless, he ground his teeth in rage and said nothing.
 At last Sam Purse stood at the end Ot the yard and called for the brace. Az he reached over for it the great spar trembled. There was the ominous sound of cracking rope. Sans own flashing had parted at the head, and the huge yard upon which the unfortunate man stood, held in the middle and now free at the end, gave a terrible dive. At that moment the fussy ferrybOaC had blown it's triple whistle of approach at the land- ing below.
 There was shriek, not like that of 8 man, but more like the cry of a horse in it's last agony upon battlefield, un earthly, never to be forgotten, and ar resting the blood. A figure shot forth from the stays of the bark in a sicken- ing parabola. It grazed the stern of the ferrybOat, and sought the putrid water, A beautiful woman, dressed in plain woolen and carving a tin dinner-pail, was leaning against the rail at the stern of the tugboat. She wore &n expectant, | happy look, and was gazing eagerly at the bark above her. She was smiling, and now, for the first time, Mary did l not think about her missing teeth, Tor did her clenched hand seek her mouth. 1 Her smile congealed upon her lips, and her beauty blighted; for, as the hu- man comet swept past her, her quick eye recognized the man who had tried to mOlest her, and she uttered a great cry. Almost at her feet her persecutor drop 1 ped.
 The splash choked her into silence, and blinded her at the same time, When she looked again there was nothing left to mark her lodger's personality bCg a pretty vortex of oOze in the water be- 1 low,
 There was silence such as rarely falls upon the harbor when the sun shines high and the wind is hushed. The pilot of the ferryboat had happily called ''Ho-old!" and had warped the tug to iCs ''drop"; for he and all the passen- | gers ran aft and bent trembling to look at the dark spot. Three frightened 1 faces peered over the bulwarks of the l "Waterwitch." Some one of the men had line ready should the unfortunate one come up.
 Before the stupefaction passed, and before the general call for help Mary 1 looked u, from the ferrybOat and caught her husbands striken eyes turred upon c the "Waterwitch" he stood, and a cer- struck her heart like ice. Could it be? Preposterous Impossible! She cried l out: ''Oh, come quick, I'm! come and get me !''
 This appeal struck duHy on many ears; but it broke the ell which hor- rified silence had wr"rght upon the crowd. Then came cries, tumbling into dories, shouts, advise and breathless comment.
 s9ttHe'li come up in g minute !' "DOn'G you believe it!"
 "He's dead as a dogtish."
 ''rheyll have to drag for him."
 "They may have to blow for him."
 "The tide1l lodge him under the wharves."
 But Mary ran up the drop-ran as if she were haunted; ran, blinded, straight into her husbands arms. No one no- ticed the two; everybody was craning over the water to see the dead man float l up.
 The husband and wife looked deep into each others eyes. Mary's har- | bored an interrogation but Toms had ! the serenity of waters safely past the whirlpool.
 ''No Mary" he said; "he brought it on him broke" The rigger talked with a strange ! quietuess. Then he added these honest | words "I ain't saying what might have hap | pened; but the deed was his"
 A beautiful smile illumined the woman's | face, and ir the mirrow of 1t Tom took back | his old expression ot seltrespect and honor. | The town clock struck F solemnly. Si Swith. l am having hustled up to see how lar his men 1 had got on, now learned the fatal news. He | looked about tor his foreman, but not seeing l him, cImed on the bulw arks ot the bark to 1 get good view.
 "He ain't a-comin' up," he said.
 "He's stun gone"
 The sun beat down out of the pale zenith, | and every drop from the rising poles tell upon piles was doubled by reflection, and shipping | at anchor on the edge of the channel show. i ed Lhe rigging complete to the highest fatl1nes 1 Tn the marvellous reflection. So 1impid and 1 calm and brilliant was the harbop that it | seemed an impossible thought that only a stopped within it's bosom.
 But Tom led Mary away silently. Tender ness sat awRsrd1y but well upon a rough 1 nature that trembled for days and weeks be- T8ley. went to their own home. Tom walked | aGout nervously. He looked at their little l furniture with new attention.
 ashall ! warm mp your din ner?" asked | Mary, perplexed and pertnrbad, Tom shook | his head.
 Ut 'ud choke me-"
 He sat down on the edge of the bed. Mary stood before him Ike looked into her beau tIful and trusbfuI face. The Pigger had kent | Ills head dropped upon his breast.
 "Godi'' he said, s'to thf ak how nigh all this come to being causized.