The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-20

was entitled. he thrust il away frCn,
him and shrank back with his face -
the wall as though IL were somethiEs:
he could not bear to look upon. See
that" remarked Jim Bates. who was;
one OF the jury, when the old man hal
gone; that shows the old chaps not SO
bad as they make cut. He couldn't
abide the thought OF making anything
out of the body OF Mother Harmhys
husband, JUST 'cos she's been SO kin.i
to him.,
Meanwhile. news had come from a
neighboring port OF a collision or the
coast in the night, which explained thc
mystery surrounding John Harmhy :
presence there. y steamer, in the cb-
security Of a snow STERN, had crashed
into the side OF a large sailing ship
homewaru bound. and had sent her al
most instantly to the bottom. -Four
OF the ships crew had just managed
TO save themselves by scramblng INTO
one of their boats. but the rest were
supposed TO have gone down with the
ship; and among them was the maze,
John Harmby. Il was evident that Ge
had made a hard struggle for his life.
Death by drown.ns" was of course
the verdict OF the jury.
That day something happened in Alb
| biesey which had not been known 10
happen for thirty years. The TIDE
went down without The sand walker
following il. Notwithstanding that
the sea called 50 loudly on the BONNER
rocks, the old man nNer came forth.
What might il mean The fishermen
became uneasy as they talked of this;
it seemed to them unnatural, and they
feared that il might be a bad omen.
None of the simple folk knew of To
bitter anguish there was that day in
the cuddy Of the Sarah and Ann. An
old man, lonely and wretched. was
fighting against himself for all that hq'
had held dearest. for life itself For alf
these years he had gone steadily on in
one course with one aim. and only
one. And uoW-sudden shipwreck. ana
all lost.
He crouched there on his rags. his
hands elasping his knees, his wild eyes
staring blankly into the darkness OF
his den. striving to realize what had
happened. For hours he never stirred.
and no hunger, nc thirst no sleep came
to him. And all this time he though.
of two things, and only two; of his
money and of his one friend. These
two Intervene themselves in his mind
in a vague delirium. and through 1t all
he heard the cruel sea calling and
hooking him
1t was safe, his money. quite safe; 1t
was all there in the hole beneath him:
he had not lost anything, Yes. but
the woman. she who was his own, his
one friend. What had happened TO
her? II was she who had Lost, lost
everything, and by his hand, The life
of the man who was nothing; the lives
of hundred such We're nothing; the
sea gave. them to him. and they We're
his TO treat as ne liked But her
husband What could he do? How
could he make amends?
The mockery of the sea came louder
and louder through the timbers of his
cell The sea knew what he could
do. and shouted it out to him over and
over again, laughing all the while at
his misery. He shut out the sound
with his hands, but he heard It just
the same. He knew he would have
heard it even without ears. 1t sound
ed ever louder and more peremptory.
For a long time, very long time. he
refused to obey, and sat and suffered
obstinately. But at last it was more
than he could bear, and he moaned in
anguish and gave way.
Trembling so that he could scarce
sustain himself even on his knees, heI
slowly uncovered the hole where hrs
treasure lay hid. and began 10 rake the
coins out of the dark water. He piled
them up beside him. never pausing
in his task till the last one had been
found. All We're there. the new gold
he had got but yesterday and the an
cient pieces washed out of the wrecks
of Spaniards and Dutchmen OF long
ago, guineas half-guineas, pistoles,
dollars, doubloons, pieces of eight and
modern money. There lay the dis
tillation of the unceasing labors of a
lifetime, all heaped in one small pile.
For the last time he told them over to
see that there We're none missing,
kneeling and shedding hot tears over
them like a father over his dead child.
And still the sea laughed outside 1t
was hard. very hard. but he could not
help himself; there was no other way.
In feverish haste he wrapped the
coins in a cloth and bound it tightly
round with piece of rag. kissing the
heavy bundles he hid ii in his breast,
and them slid back the shutter. and
crept out. 1t was night again. He
saw through the darkness the white
pillows bounding toward him with de-
light, while far out over the raging
waters an unsteady light fiickered and
flashed. 1t was the signal Of a ship in
peril, and his eye fell on it Instructive
iy. but its meaning seemed not 10
reach his mind. and the sight gave him
no pleasure. He heard without heed
ing the crash of the rocket which called
together the lifeboat crew, and gave
no thought TO dim shapes hurrying
through the gloom to the beach One
thing alone he needed. the voice be-
hind him driving him on.
He took the road away from the sea,
up into the dismal lane where stood
the widows house. his dog following A
light shone from her unshuttered WIN
dow. and when he reached her gate he
could see distinctly into the little room.
She sat there alone, with her head bent 4
low on the table. Her neighbors he
all FASTENED down to the beach, In
times past she would have been the ffgst
there herself: but now there was nc
place in her heart for anything but
her sorrow.
The old man never hesitated, but
passed up the garden path and pushed
open tile door. The woman lifted her
head at the noise and looked drearily
at the Wild figure on her doorstep. She
showed no surprise Don't talk 10
me-" she said. Don't tell me how
you found him, 1 can't bear it yet. IL
you're hungry, there's plenty to eat in
there. Get something and so. On.
;+ir bar h,r ~, - 4