The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-05-16
A REVENGE PLOT THAT FAILED.
"HnrrY. dear. don't go. /"

"I must Cis. Beggars can't be
choosers, l answered bitterly. "After
all, dearest girl, it will be only for
| few months.
"a year, I'm afraid. Harry, from
what father says"
"Well, since he has found me this
work mustn't shirk IL. Goodby, my
own girl"
What misery does poverty entail on
loving hearts Cicely Fleming and ]
had loved one another for years-ever
since, indeed, we were children togeth-
er. had spent the few hundreds my
father left me in completing my engi-
neering education In Germany. Then i
| came home, confident of finding work.
But nothing came my way in spite of
every endeavor At last Mr. Fleming's
interest procured me place as assistant
engineer in building new lighthouse
on the dangerous island of Skryn, off
the west coast of Ireland.
| 1 parted with Cis on Tuesday. Fri
day morning found me or the small
sailing craft which was the only means
of communication between Skryn and
the mainland.
Soon we landed, and waded ashore
and walked up the steep path to the top
Of the cliff.
AS reached the summit man met
me, and, holding out his hand, said:
"Good morning You're Mr.. Brydon.
l suppose I'm Gallant"
He was not so i'll looking-at least as
far as features went. 1t was not till
later that discovered the peculiar re-
pulsion he inspired me with was due to
his eyes, These were extraordinarily
dark and piercing, but across the iris
of one was remarkable pale yellow
mark which, combined with very
slight squint, gave him an absolutely
uncanny appearance
Next day was up betimes, boiled
my big kettle, made my coffee and was
out on the reef before Callan was visi-
BILE. The men were already at work.
spoke to them, but either they could
not or would not talk Presently Callan
came out, scrambling along the reef.
What burly brute he looked in the
clear morning sunlight He spoke to
the men with extraordinary roughness
They evidently feared him, and, soon
saw, hated him too.
This puzzled me till knew him bet
ter. But very few days opened my
eyes. If ever there lived man without
one grain of pity in his composition, it
was Eugene Callan. He seemed to take
an absolute delight in cruelty for cruel
tvs sake. There was a boy called Bar
ney McKeown who acted as servant to
Callan. The way Callan bullied that
unfortunate boy was appalling. won
dered how the others could see such
things happening.
A few weeks later we had a storm
which stopped all work.
I sat in my hut reading most of the
r day and listening to the gusts that
roared at times like thunder. Once OF
| twice fancied a shriller sound mingled
} with the gale.
) Late in the afternoon it lulled lit
} tie, and suddenly there came, distinct
} and clear to my ears, scream of pain.
, sprang up and listened. Again and
| again the cry sounded out. 1t was from
r Callan's hut it came.
: / sprang up, rushed across and flung
open the door. The sight that met my
eyes made me blaze with anger. Strip,
ped to the waist and writhing with
pain, the wretched McKeown was tie6
to the head of Callan's bed, while ovel
him stood the big black bully, lashine
him with ropes end.
"What's this for 2" I cried.
Callan turned his crooked gaze on me-
"To teach the young hound obedi
e encel" His voice grated with rage al
my interruption. Sand what business
S is it of yours, Mr. PryH"
|, fancied for an instant he was goine
d for me. But I was much too angry t.
l. think of consequences
l. "You're an internal bully" shout
ed. "And If you don't chuck it l can
3 make you, but I'll soon let our employ
! ers know"
The bully was coward--that
, knew. But he could have killed M
"a with one hand. So my relief was con
Il siderable when he suddenly threw
down the ropes end i united Nc
Keown, and. pushing him before me
left the hut.
10 But a Kissing whisper followed me:
% GAN right, young man, your turl
10 now. But you'll pay for il"
r One day letters came across from tn
n mainland-one froIl Cis and one in a
y y unknown hand.
Il Cis' letter, of course, I read first
a. Then / tore open the other and skimme
1t through.
Only by slow degrees did realize II
import My mothers uncle, old 81
a. Bernard Child, had died and left m
le everything. Why, had never see
IL him, hardly imagined that he wa
ty aware of my existence. walked out
IN and, still in a dazed condition, calle
McKeown to pull me across to th
: mainland. Then / bolted up to the vi
lage postoffice and sent off a wire. TX
ward sunset the reply came, assurin
~ me my news was correct in every d.
n. tail. i looked up the first train frol
I- Culcross in the morning, arrange
ih about q car to take me there and w,