The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-06-05
SHE'S ALL THIN
WORLD TO ME-.
By HALL GAME,
Author of "The MdnrmNn," 1.-THE Deem
StCr," etc.
CHAPTER XIV.

cold, motto! less ana silent, among the
rocks outside the castle. When the time
came he had lcaped into the boat which
the police brought with them and pulled
away. He had strained every muscle to
reach the Poolvash, knowing full well that
if he gained 1t one minute late it might be
indeed the bay of death. Before he had
crossed that point at which the two streams
meet midway in the strait he could see the
Ben-my-chree lacking into the harbor.
Then indeed he sculled with all his
strength. He ran ashore He mounted to
the cliff head. With the matches in his
hand he peered through the darkness to
where the lamp still burned on the end of
the pier Yes he was in time. But what |
was the red riot that was now rising In his |
heart?
1t was then, and not till then, that the |
thought came to him, what am here |
forS2 wl,At forH Who for9 WhyP 1t was
moment Of blank bewilderment. Then
in an instant, as If by flash of lightning,
everything became plain. Mona, Chris
tian, Ruby--theso three linked together
for the first time in the lads mind flashed
the truth, the fact, the secret upon him.
Danny had at length stumbled into the
hidden grave He saw it all now What
had lain concealed from other and wiser
heads, vainer heads, heads lifted above his
in lofty pride, was revealed to his simple
intelligence and great yearning heart.
Yes, Danny knew now why he was there
1t was to save the life of the man who was
beloved by the woman whom he loved.
The world seemed in that moment to
-crumble beneath his feet He dropped his
eyes in deep self abasement, but he raised
them again In self sacrifice and unselfsh
love- There was no doubt as to what he
should do No, not even now with the
life of Christian in the palm of his hand.
Some power above himself controlled him.
For her sake he whispered. "Oh, for
her sake, for all he murmured, and at
that moment the light on the pier went
down.
He struck his matches and lit the gorse
1t was damp, and at first it would not
burn. 1t dried at last and burst into flame.
Then the lad crept Gown to the water
edge and waited.
The water lay black as the raven out
side but the light of the burning gorse
overhead gildcd the rolling wavelets at his
feet.
In five minutes the dingy of the Ben
my-chree shot into the creek, and four
men leaped ashore. One was Kisseck an
other Christian, and the other two were
Paul Corteen and Luke Killip. All vert
violently agitated.
"What for is all this, you young devilY
cried Kisseck what does it all meant
Out with it, quick What tricks have you
been playin? D-n his FOOLS face, why
doesn't he speak,"
And Kisseck struck the lad, and he fell
Danny got up strangely quiet strangel!
calm, with great wide eyes and a face tina
no man could look on without fear. Kis
seek trembled before it, but-from dreat
alone and without waiting for word o
explanation-he raised his hand ono
more.
Christian interposed. Danny told his sto
ry-how the police were on the cliff heat
as well as the island; how they would Ger
tainly make for this spot; how Mona Gre
geen would send them along the hig
path, and how they-Kisseck, Christia
and the others-were to take the low aptE
get back with all haste to the cottage an
make pretense that they had never bee
out.
Christian started away. He had climbe
the precipice cliff head in a minute, til
others following. When they reached til
top Danny was side by side with his III
Gle, staring with wild eyes into his fac
Kisseck stopped
-, what for do you look at meY"
cried. Then again he lifted his hand an
struck the lad and threw him. When Dal
ny rose to his feet after this second blov
he laughed aloud. 1t was laugh to free
the blood. Christian turned back. /
took Kisseck by the shoulder. BY -,
he said between the gusts of breath, "tou(
him again, and III pitch you into the sea,
Kisseck was silent and Cowed. The
was no time TO stand quarreling ther
Come on, cried Christian, and he set {
to run. He speedily outran the rest al
they lost sight of him.
The two paths that lead to the Lockja
came together within 100 yards at the en-
In the darkness, in the confusion, in t.
turmoil of SOUL Christian missed the low
path and followed the higher one. He
not realize his mistake Running at
utmost speed, however, he heard footste
in front of him. They were coming iowa
him They We're the footsteps of the poli'
Christian was uncertain what to do. +
himself he cared little But he thought
his father OF Mona, of little Ruby, a
then life and fame were dear.
The cllH was on the rlSnt OF MN, rs
supposed, the sea on the left. He reckon
that he must be near to Kisseck's Gotta
now. Perhaps he could reach it before
men came up to it. They were drawi
very close. Along the higher path Chr
tian ran at his utmost speed.
All, here is the cottage, nearer than
had expected He must have run fas
than he supposed. In the uncertain lis
Christian sees what he takes to be the
quarry. There is no time to go round
the road and in at the front. He must Ii
down the back of the shallow quarry, liz
on the thatch, and lie there for min
until the men have passed.
He runs ne leaps, but-he has Juml
down the open shaft of the old disu
lead mine.
Meantime Kisseck and Danny Fal
with Corteen and Killip, found the
path and followed it. They heard
strangers pass on the high path, but {
were themselves running softly on the t
grass, and cliff was between the Pc
and them. When they got to the angl
the roads and turned down the footpatl
front of the house, they passed Mona
they entered:
Who was that woman9" said Kissed
Mona, - answered Danny.