The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-05-18
By 4 BRACELET.

BY q BRACELET.
All the anger had died ont Of his
voice, the half smoked pipe had dropped
from his fingers upon the sand. and his
head was bowed despondently. The girl
seated on the upturned beat clasped her
hands behind her neck and swung back,
watching him furtively.
..I,m sorry spoke asJ did just now,
Kitty, ne SAID. with plaintiye ges-
ture Of cancellation. ssysar re oEly jokin,
amt you? guess amt half good
enough for you, but you amt goin to
throw me overheard, are yoa2 The pic
tur' was grand, and 60 mistake, an you
looked just like yourself. 1t ain's the
pictur' it tt's-it'
He broke off short and glanced as the
little circle Of gold that spaaned the
girls white wrist. With quick move
ment she drew down the sleeve OF her
% K blouse, covering it from sight.
Ycn've good cause for it, Jem. = She
said. Perhaps yoE didn 'tmean all you
said, an Z hope you didn'.. t, lad, for
'tHas no way to speak o. your bette-s-
lid lever promise to marry you. or any
one else? Can't take a present from
any one without bein spoke to as If I'd
committed murder OF robbery or sam
mat Yerse2 Well?''
81 guess you can do what you like,
Kitty, he said sadly, an nobody
least Of ali me-has no right to say
word.
That good. Maybe for the frtar'
you'll know your place. Good night. .
He watched the little figure in pink
hurying over the SANDS till il itdwindled
and disappeared among the shadows Of
the gabled street, and then drew oatsa
boat % row acreSs the bay. By and by
there was shout, and he glanced over
his shoulder and apathetically backed
the oars.
Can't yon look where you're going,
you delt? Do yen want to run me
sdownss''
81 guess I'll sst you swimmin if
you're rot civil, ne said, squarirg his
shoulders. {. Mebbs you think we've no
blood in our veins because we live
rough, an dom t dress fine an amt able
60 earn much money. I guess If you an
me quarrel you'll be the sorriest; so
stand clear! Good nightr'
The young man in the tweed suit
stood up, needless Of the heavy pollock
tugging at his line, and started after
the retreating beat.
sThe impudent hound!'' he blurted
out. Then, as he cleverly played the
fish and drew it in till it lay gasping
rnder the thwart, he laughed softly.
ess Another of the girl's admirers, sup
pose, " he said.
In the morning Jem and Ted Trew
lowe came down the village street to-
gether. Jem carried coil of rope and
pointed iron ba--the stock in trade
of his hazardous profession, that Of egg
bunter.
The boat was headed for the gray
white column across the bay, the
Witches pillar. they scrambled up the
rift in the cliff and reached the breezy
uplands. The iron bar was driven deep
into the soil, and five minutes later the
figure Of a man swung high over the
sea, terrifying the birds and looming
black against the lighter background Of
the cliff.
Little Trewlowe sat steadying the
swaying rope, his heels firmly wedged
in the holes he had cut to keep them
from slipping and his black Guilty grip
ped tight between his clinched teeth.
There was a frightened lcok in his eyes,
for Jem had seemed so queer and so lit
tie like himself.
Suddenly the rops slackened and
then grew taut again with fierce jerk
that started the bar a fall inch and
scared his hands. Then it swayed limp
" against the cliff edge, and a faint cry
from below sent his heart into his
throat.
He peered over the brink with almost
sightless eyes and called again. The.
rope streaked down, slackened and limp.
he fancied he saw dim blur of bab-
bles soaring the smooth surface of the
distant water, and his head reeled.
With trembling fingers he knotted
the rope firmly to the bar and, throw
ing off his coat, swung himself over the
brink.
The sun climbed the sky and slid
down lazily behind the Witches pillar,
decking the sky with gold, and the big
eye Of the farof lighthouse started
dazzling through the gloom. The boats
came in one by one.
Long after the light in the west had
melted into a hazy gray Kitty sat and
unused in the cottage porch. When the
shadows drew in, the lighthouse unclos-
ed its ponderous eye and glared at her
for moment like some huge beast as it
:ircled round, cleaving the darkness.
81 think I'll just run down an see