Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-04

to us who had been part Of that history,
and who now held the wanderer to our
hearts against a world OF ISLANDERS.
You must forgive me, Fairlie, dear (she
was saying). 1t was wicked and cruel Of
me-. But then / did not know what ! was
doing. thought that you were in league
with those who wanted to take my baby
from me. So / said nothing to you Of
what l meant to do. was afraid you
would tell them. l wanted to get to Ru-
pert-it seemed as II l must get TO Ru-
pert, and I knew you hated him. o, yes,
you did, l always knew that--though, In
deed. he always spoke nicely about you. I
think at heart he was a good man, my
Rupert-that is, II his father would only
have left him to me. He never meant
me any harm. knew that. God will
never be SO cruel to me as to let me be-
lleve that he did.
80 when you were busy in the house I
stole Quit was after these two had come
back. I heard them go into the dining
room where the guns are, and 1 slipped
past so quietly, and went round to the
back Of the peatstack. That is where
Hamlsh keeps his tall ladder. At first I
thought l could never be able TO carry 1t
and set II against the wall. But just when
l was going to give up l heard baby cry.
And then all at once 1 could.
II got II up bit by bit, a little at a
time. And once / had a terrible fright and
was obliged to sit down for a while behind
the peat stack. And, Oh, Fairlie, l felt so
happy to zee the babe again and to think
that there was q way out for him and me.
1t was hard to wait. / knew that their
boat would only be tied with cord. Because
the day after Rupert went away l unwound
the chain and threw 1t over the cliff into
the sea, before Hamish cana back from
rowing lin. And l always meant to tell
you OF 1t, Fairlie. But the devil, or else
that little tickling thing in my head, kept
saying that I must not. You would not let
me go II 1 did.
Yes, It was very wickedi But do not be
angry. Well, the old hateful thing kept
saying all the time, 'Give-Fairlie-some-
Of - that sleeping stun you-got-for
toothache,' And l dropped thirty drops in
your wine glass before dinner-only there
were more than that. oh, / can't think
what made me so wicked, Fairlle. But
that night everything that 1 wanted to do,
and just how to do it. popped UP in my
head without needing to think Of 1t at all.
1t was the funniest thingl"
EMO, l am not the least tired, dear-at
lSdSl uOI II you Will put llllle rupert upon
the bed and let him hold my forefnger.
l would rather tell you all about 1t now.
Is my father there? Why do you love me
so much, father, dear? 1 have been such
a bad daughter to you. l wouldn't II l
were you'll"
"oh, yes. about the boat-no, I was at
your going to sleep. 1t was funny to watch
Il mean IL would have been II 1t had not
| heen ao Wickad-to SEQ Won trying IN kaan
awake.
Then. hen at last you went upstairs, I
had to help you to bed and l just opened
your dress at the neck and covered you
up comfortably. Then / laughed-yes,
did. But l waited q long, long while, till I
heard them come up and listen at the door.
Then l was dreadfully afraid they meant
to come In and that / could not wake you
to help me. And, oh I was 80 frightened
So 1t was after that that l dragged the
chest Of drawers In front OF the door
after they had gone, l mean. For when
they were there / just walked about the
floor, hushing baby and talking to him to
show them that l wal awake.
Then 1 heard Mr.. Glendonwyn and
Surgeon Warner go down again and shut
themselves into the gun room. And l took
baby In my arms. Oh, how l prayed that
he would not cryl l opened the window
and put out my hand. trembling for feaI
the ladder would not be high enough Of
lest some one should have taken 1t away.
But 1t was ~there-only so steep and thin
that / knew not how l was going to trust
baby upon It. However, I took a long
breath and let myself out backward. creep
ing very quiet and slow, lest anyone should
hear me.
IT expected to see them all rushing out
and catching hold of me before I had time
to get ten yards away. But 1t was JUS
the same with everything that night.
was going to find my husband and speak t.
him about our love, and how he must hell
me to take care OF our loyeliest. And til
1 found him-everything went well-until
found him.
Eyes, / will finish the story-though. in
deed, 1 cannot understand why you do no
let Rupert come and see me and the boy
II (Rs you say) he really loves US. Blu
perhaps he is i'll again? Perhaps
"Ah, we'll, l won't talk about Ruper
any more. There, kiss mel will keel
my promise and tell you everything. Well
I found the boat easily enough, simpl,
walking straight to II. It was all done II
a moment. Indeed, as near as might be
lost the boat myself. l had TO make
; Jump for It. The tide was coming in an
I the boat was dancing on the little jabblinI
waves.
Blu I scrambled In somehow-no,
l never hurt myself a BIZ. Everything wa
as easy as II God had sent his angels I
bear me and my baby up In their arms.
, well, as l got farther out, the sail dre'
better and the boat went more swiftly.
could see the little. twinkling star whie
was the light in the kitchen window o.
Inch Jonet. dancing and dipping. So
kept that straight In my back. and steere
to leave II behind.
"And I do not know how long II was
very, very long-and much battering q
winds. and the waves leaping up In q kin
Of foamy way about us. but not angry O
olutching-only glad. as / thought, tina
they were helping us to escape.
And then I came right into the midst
an awful sound. 1t had been slowly grow
ing and growing-not a loud sound, but lo'
and booming and awful. 1t made tn
lump in my throat go quiver-quiver like
leaf that the wind shakes.
And all at once l knew 1t must be III
waves breaking on the shore. Now. I kne
not one direction from another, but jui
drove straight away from the island. b.
the wind had carried me aimost aR atraiel