The Republican journal., 1897-05-20

ace. Suddenly he plunged into the
water, and swan the distance to the cove,
A light still burned in the window A
shadow passed and repassed it with
monotonous regularity Dave approach
ed quietly, and peeped in. His wife was
pacing the floor, the picture of despair
She TUNED to see the face against the
glass. 1t must have changed since an
hour before, for she started back with a
cry of fright; but his voice treasured her,
and she unbolted the door, quick, eager
questions on her trembling lips
''Dave, what is it? What's We here fer?
Dave-ye're all wet-an'-an' jest afore
ye looked in the winder l seen him.
Dave
'Seen-seen who?'
winder. | hid my eyes, and when I look
ed again he wuz gone. Dave, where he
now? Dave-I-rm afeared of We, Daver'
and the agonized women covered before
him.
An unnatural fire was in his eyes.
Raising his right hand, he spoke in solemn,
measured tones THE laws agin God
'lmighty. Him as We seen at the winder' S
gone. He won't come no more"
''But-but, Dave, who
The law again the right, agin God
mighty. The sea- S hisn; he took han :;
wrong can't never stan afore the lmigh-
ty."
He said no more. He explained nothing,
but his suffering wife knew. She forgot
not the face at the window. 1t may have
been the moonlight on the broken panes,
but she saw a face. Dave walked the
floor in silence till morning. With her
babe at her breast she waited: she guess
cd the end.
The Neck had the news by early morn
ing, and a curious and excited crowd of
men ard women gathered at the cove.
The dory had drifted ashore, and the
deputy's body had been found above the
tide ON the island, deep cash across the
forehead, Was it done by the rocks?
Some said so, Others that 1t was the cut of
an oar
Groups of fishermen stood here and
there iii earnest conversation. Some more
curious or holder than the rest came near
the house with many suspicious and men
acing gestures To their surprise and
fear Dave opened the door and strobe
past them to the shore. No one blocked
his path He saw no one, spoke to no
one. His feet were still bare. He was
hatless and coatess. His mop of hair
fell over his face, Like a prophet of old
he Appeared to the gaping crowd as they
stepped back to let him pass.
The wind was increasing to gale: but
he lifted his skiff into the water, and
pulled out of the cove
There was a movement in the crowd as
if some would follow; but none dared; his
presence overawed them. One old man
shook his head as he said, Hold on that.
fellers. 'Tain't Dave; that's suth' SUI
pernatural. I've heered my mother tell
of SIGH things as It's blastin' to go nigh"
''His sktf can't live in this sea, no.
how said another ''Malk me, We'll
find it along shore afore dark
And he was right. At noon the skiff
was found bottom up on the beach oppo-
site Green Island.
All that day the gale increased in fury.
To one waiting woman it had but one
sound: ''The laws agin the right; it's
agin Cod lmighty.' And that night, the
clear moon lighting the wild scene, she
thought she saw the form of man above
the waves. She watched till day, but
saw it not again.
The fishermen steer clear of Green Is
land after dark. ''Dave haunts it, said
one; 81 seen it wunst,' declared another
and 81 heared him calm pitiful,' re-
ported third.
Upon the rocky isle the sea breaks and
means; it gurgles among the rocks, and
thunders in the caves; shadows play with
the moonlight; but old ocean keeps its
secrets and its dead. E. E. NEwBERT.
Orphaned by the Sea.