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

tated. but he elutched the pieces of
money with steady determination, and
| his face grew fierce and wicked
Plague take you he muttered, but
you're not going to have il back."
He stood up and looked cautiously
around. The low black line OF cliff
stood out smooth and sharp against the
sky without a speck upon it, and the
moon shone over the bare and lonely
shore whereon nothing moved excep;
! the kissing white waters The sea
was behind him plunging and calling
savasely, and he knew what she said.
XIII him and keep it. What's he TO
you?" She said il over and over again.
and each time more distinctly
| SO the old man stopped down, and
rolled over the hapless mortal upon
| his face. The sandbank was frettetl
with innumerable little waterpools, and
| it was into one of these pools that the
| face sank AS he held il there firm
| ly by the shoulder, he saw the pool
bubble, and felt a sobbing shudder
shake the frame and that was all. u
was done in an instant. and SO easily.
! He slowed the money among his
rags, feeling infinitely relieved 10 think
how surely he had made il his. Then
he fixed the life-belt on the body again.
and dragged the dead man by the
shoulders out of reach Of the tide. He
propped it up at the foot OF the cliff
with its back against the slope. The
head rolled sideways upon the breasc'
and the hands spread helplessly out
wards, palms upward. The sand
walker chuckled TO see il. sit there,
~ n 4
sit there and wait till / send 'em 70
fetch you. Don't you go away. now, or
you'll lose me a good five shillings.
He hurried off towards the town,
heading straight for his den. There
he sat TO rest awhile and amuse himself
| by drawing out the money and letting
it slide rafting to and fro from one
hand TO the other. When tired of this
| amusement he pulled up the plank
of his cabin floor and dropped the coins
one by one into the stagnant pool be-
meath, counting them as with sharp
plop. they struck the water. Eleven,
twelve. thirteen-all good gold. En-,
that's grand! Now for the silver. The
big crown first-eh. what a splash.
Then the rest--ten, twelve, thirteen,
why. thirteen shillings, as we'll. Come,
that's good to rememberi What luck.
And like enough they'll give me the
other seven tuppence if he isn't claim
ed And then there's the five shillinSs.
What luck! Now to report him, lest
some enc else sees him and claims
first"
So he covered UP the hole, and clam
bered out into the dreary night again.
1t was not far to the coast-guard sta
ton and there was a light within. He
pushed open the door and stood on the
threshold of the cosey little room. a
drowsy officer who had been doing on
his chair near the fire started up at the
sound, and stared with daZed alarm at
the Eaunt apparition in the doorway
until he had time to gather his wits
and recognize the sand walker. The
old mans shivering dog peeped timidly
past his masters legs into the warm
interior, and eyed with envious hate
the fat, comfortable cat on the rug
near the fire.
Halo, Conger." exclaimed the coast
guard, as soon as he had found his
voice. What brings your ugly face
here ct this time of the morning? You
surely haven't found another, have
you? Yes? What nose you have Tor
them, to be sure! Where have you left
it them"
The old man pointed to the south,
and niuttered, 1.-TWO miles" and the
officer understood him. tAll right. I'll
send a couple of men TO fetch it at
once We know your ways, Conger
There, I've seen senough of you now
so off you go and come down here after
the inquest and I'll see that you get
your money" And he shut the door
in the old mans face.
".
Before daybreak next day the storm
had broken upon Abblesey, and it was
late before the dim light of a November
day could struggle through the blind
ing sheets of sleet and spray that came
in straight from the sea like flights of
arrows shot low The pillows clapped
and crashed upon the rocks of the
headland and doomed across the sands.
But IN spite of the weather there was
much running to and fro in the street,
and the news soon spread that the Con-
ger had found another in the night.
and that it was even now laid in the
fiocked to see it, full of curiosity and
luxury only to be enjoyed when, as in
this case, they need have no dread OF
personal loss, since none of their own
fishing boats had been out in the night.
The body of a stranger was an attrac-
ton which few could resist.
A policeman stood on guard at the
door of the stable, dispensing the right
of admission with dignity to adults as
a personal favor worth remembering,
and keeping a sharp eye to prevent the
intrusion of the little boys who Were
proving round the place with white
faces anxious and yet fearful to see
it, Mother Harmby fastened thither
with the rest, full of pity and inquisi-
tiveness. Poor fellow she said, Il
wonder whose man he is?" The people
fell away from the door to let her en-
ter, as if they recognized her right to
be there. and then crowded after her
1t was so dark inside that for a mo
ment she could see nothing and she
called out to them anxiously to stand
aside from the doorway. Then the DUN
gray light streamed in. and with q loud
shrek she sank on her knees beside
the body. She seized the clammy hand
and bent close over the bearded face.
"Oh, John, joint" she walled "Oh. my
own dear mani How came you here?
How came you here?"
The inquisitive crowd outside melt
ed away as if ashamed of themselves.
and only a few neighbors with plying
faces came in to try to comfort her or
to share her sorrow. 1t was in vain
that they babe her bear up; she was
beside herself with grief. They were
aghast TO see that she whom they had
come to look upon as their main helper
and comforter in times OF trouble