The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1900-02-02
CHAPTER XIV.
THE FOG

The moon was up, and 1t cast a lusty light
over the lowlands and the river, though its
setting would not be late. 1t was lovely
night; in faith, all nature was possessed Of
q beauty which made the thought Of yield
ing up of life bitter enough. Everything
suggested freedom, from the rolling of the
distant woodland on Long Island to the
sparkle and dance Of the water which lay
between il and me, barring me from liberty
and my Unborn right 10 breathe the free air.
The speck that shot across the brilliant
moon path knew TO be a patrol boat, and a
sudden hatred OF the bonds that comprised
ne. as exampled in that small floating thing,
brought my muscles into iron bands, and 1
clutched the sill with my fingers until the
casing cracked
/ turned back TO the others, and we ate
the balance Of our meal in silence, even the
girl feeling the growing nearness Of the end
and glancing furtively at each mans face IN
turn.
I think we sat in this state of depression
for much more than an hour, or long after
we had finished eating, and each face was
well-nigh lost in the darkness. The window
beng open, no light was made, and, as there
was not a breath Of wind, the stiffness was
out. There was a faint simmer of moon
light Oh the floor which barely gave form to
those at the table, but the only sign of ami
nation existing within doors was the glow
ing Of our three pipes as we men sat and
sucked away, each respecting the thoughts
Of the Others.
At length Burt spoke. q am bound TO
confess that darkness looms ahead be be
u n NJ
to hint that YOU should take a hopeless
chance IN order that 1 may be nd OF you.
Could you DO aught with boat. / have one
concealed that might be made ready IN an
hoar."
The spell Of silence and inactivity was
broken. for the girl lett her chair and
rtepDed softly to the window as / replied:
Il have thought of boats, but only for the
Hudson side. Could we 60 far and not be
picked up by another such sneaking devil OF
> patrol as ! saw yonderz Whittier shall we
gos I say we, for we i must be. i have
cast my lot with the others.
He made no answer, and / rose and joined
the Girl (wEom / could hardly yet think OF
as a Crib at the window. But now the as
pect of nature had changed, and the fair
picture / had seen below but a short time
pane. With the quick alteration possible IN
this region and at this season, within the
hour the night had grown damp, and light,
low fog hung over the river and its banks,
90 shallow, so still, and so silvery IN the
clear moonlight that 1t was as though a
auiet iuundation had engulfed the land and
turned the world into a lake. At the eleva-
ton from which ] viewed it, looked down
upon Il as one looks down upon the sea from
a low headland. A billowy fullness lifted
here and there, slow moving and majestic
but over It's vast extent the line betwixt fOg
and clear air was sharply drawn. No moon
rack cut across this ieecy ocean, no SHARP
ripple broke its surface, and breeze would
have wrecked its strange beauty In a second
The trees rose through the vapOr, clear at
their tops but invisible at their bases, and
enc lead sycamore stood strongly out
against the light like the masts and rigging
of a sunken ship. Its similarity struck me
As my eve caught II, Ike a flash of light
ming an idea shot into my brain and my
pipe snapped of at my teeth as l bit
through the stem in the intensity Of my
feeling. With a cry / sprang for Ames, and
gripping him by the shoulders with a torcC
that made him cry out, / said, or rather
shouted:
Il have it, / have IT. Now is the timel
VII you follow me and take a monstrous
chances Look, man, Mark the Jog. We
will 10 the boat-drift for the Phantom
cut her cable and trust 10 the ebb and God
above 10 carry us past the feet"
"The phantom, For the love OF God
what phantom Are you suddenly daft
Thorndyke. that You see ghostsE' was the
vehment return of the youth, as with a
violent twist he tried 10 free himself from
my grasp ,,, -.
laugh and a sob, so high was my nervous ex
element. MY ship-the schooner Phan'
toni Have / not told yOuz She lies but a
mile below On a straight drift. See, man.
see" said ]. hurrying him TO the window
The fog VIII be our guard Once away.
we are safe IT'S death 20 bide here when
ruch a mask stands ready for our use! We
are vet alivei We are not spent VIII you
risk the outcomey Let US not stand here
and see those scarlet devils hem us in like a
ring Of fire. Better strange in the sweet
brine beneath the vessels keel than be
ierked into the next world by means of a
ropei Never shall they dance mel How
now? Shall we sink or swim together in
the ventures"
i was beside myself with excitement. AS
The meaning Of my words, which had been
poured ont in disjointed sentences, caught
the youth, be instantly took fire. We were
now al standing, and / had released him
from my held. With a bound he gained the
aide Of his sister, who had stood ike a
statue as my plan was unfolding, and taking
her hand, he said:
Gertrude. Gertrudel do you follow
him? It's a grand opening; tbs ike cal