The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-12-26
CHAPTER III.


human creature was seen all day upon
the links. The schooner in the offing
was the one touch of life within my
range of vision. She, apparently With
no set object, stood off and on or lay
(, TO, hour after hour, but as the evening
deepened, she drew steadily nearer. |
became more convinced that she car
ried Northmour and his friends, and
that they would probably come ashore
after dark.
The night set in pitch dark. The
wind came off the sea in squalls like
the firing Of battery Of cannon; now
and then there was a flaw of rain, and
/ the surf rolled heavier with the rising
tide. | was down at the observatory
among the elders, when a light was
| run up to the masthead of the schooner
! and showed she was closer in than
| when | had last seen her by the dying
/ daylight. / concluded that this must
be a signal to NorthmCur's associates
on shore; and stepping forth into the
links, looked around me for something
in response. ...
| A small foOtpath ran along the mar
| gin of the wood, and formed the most
direct communication between the pa
| vilion and the mansion house; and, as
! l cast my eyes to that side, saw
spark Of light, not o quarter of mile
| away, and rapidly approaching. From
its uneven course it appeared to be the
light Of lantern carried by a person
who followed the windings of the path,
| and was often staggered and taken
| aback by the more violent squalls. l
! concealed myself once more among the
| elders, and waited eagerly for the new
comer's advance. 1t proved to be
woman, and, as she passed within few
rods of my ambush, l was able to rec
ognize the features. The deaf and 81
lent old rame, who had nursed North
mour in his childhood, was his asso-
ciate in this underhand affair.
| / followed her at a little distance,
taking advantage of the innumerable
heights and hollows, concealed by the
darkness, and favored not only by the
nurses deafness, but the uproar of the
wind and the surf She entered the
| pavilion, and, going at once to the up
| per story, opened and set light in one
of the windows that looked toward the
sea.
Immediately afterward the light at
the schooner's masthead was run down
and extinguished. It's purpose had been
attained, and those on board were sure
that they were expected. The old wom-
an resumed her preparations. Although
the other shutters remained close, /
| could see a glimmer going TO and fro
about the house; and a gush of sparks
from one chimney after another soon
told me that the fires were being kim
died. M
Some time before Il, while the tide
was still dangerously low, boats lam
tern appeared close in shore; and my
attention being thus awakened / could
perceive another still far to seward
! violently tossed and sometimes hidden
by the pillows The weather, which
was getting dirtier, as the night went
| on and the perilous situation of the
yacht on lee shore, had probably
| driven them to attempt landing at
the earliest possible moment.
A little afterward four yachtsmen
carrying very heavy chest and guided
by fifth with lantern passed close
in front of me as lay and were admit
ted to the pavilion by the nurse. They
returned to the beach and passed me a
third time with another chest larger
but apparently not so heavy as the
first. A third time they made the tran
sit; and on this occasion one of the
yachtsmen carried a leather portman-
teau and the others lady's trunk and
carriage bag. My curiosity was sharp
ly excited.
While | was thus rejecting second
lantern drew near me from the beach.
1t was carried by a yaehtsman whom /
had not yet seer and who was conduct
ing two other persons to the pavilion.
These two persons were unquestionably
the guests for whom the house was
made ready: and, straining eye and
ear, set myself to'watch them as they
passed
One was an unusually tall man, in
travelling hat slouched over his eyes,
and highland cape closely buttOned
and turned up so as to conceal his face
You could make out no more of him
than that he was, as have said, unusu-
ally TALL and walked feebly with
heavy stoop. BY his side, and either
clinglng to him or giving him support
/ could not make out which-was
young, tall and slender figure Of
woman. She was extremely pale; but
in the light of the lantern her face was
marred by strong and changing sha-
dows, that she might equally well have
been as ugly as sin or as beautiful as
l afterward found her to be.
One by one, or in groups. the seanlen
returned to the beach. The wind
brought me the sound of a rough voice
crying, Shove off" Then, after
pause. another lantern drew near. 1t