The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-04

yOut pul thought perhaps you
wouldn't mind If I asst you to come
over. Seems as If it promised to be a
good catch and / don't want to miss
it."
In a moment the whole story was
poured into Louis ears. 1t was clear
that he shared her apprehensions.
Waiting only to establish her at the
bedside of Joe, he borrowed Tom. the
big apprentice of Francis, the grocer,
and sailed Stewards.
What night that was for Nita! The
wind had risen. Swift fiurries of rain
puttered on the window panes and fin
ally the weird horn Of the fish factory
sounded, telling the fishers not to sell
their catch to tramp steamers, but
bring it to the home market.
Once during the night her father
came to her.
Daughter, he said "I guess l
hadn't orter spoke that ways to them
fellers. I-I-didn't mean no harm,
daughter. But I'll be glad when them
boats is in"
Nita chung to him.
Nj SInow-I know, father-you didn't
mean no harm; but I'm thinking of
Carlos an Diego"
lin thinking o. them, too. Maybe
we'd orter spoke about them boots a.
fore" And the old man wandered dis
consolately off into the night, his oil
skins screaming naISnly as LHey TuDDtu
against each other.
In the gray Of the morning the boats
began to come in. They had had an
other great catch and the good news
soon spread, bringing all the fisher folk
of the town to the wharf.
At last all the boats were in but
Dons and Louis.
Nita, in her watching of little Joe,
could not stay at the wharf and the
anxiety began to tell on her father.
He asked first one fisherman and
then another if they had seen Don's
boat and finally blurted out the story
of his fears.
The next time Nita returned the
crowd on the pier had increased and
all made way for her with murmurs of
sympathy.
Father" she said. inquiringly.
Eyes, it's Quit" the old man answer
ed; land I feel better for the tellin'"
About 10 o'clock a dory appeared
! around the light-Don's dory, and
closely following it Louis little boat.
) The kindly neghbors rushed to Nita,
! who was with Joe.
Its all right, Nita-here's the boats"
they cried.
Francis, the grocer, had Joined the
group, and was looking at the incom-
ing boats through his glass.
by CASH" he exclaimed. Some
things haveg one wrong! There's amt
but one man in either of them boats"
silence fell on the crowd; then old
Cap Cana went to old Rodrigs.
Cap Ridrigs," he said, 'can you
show us them boots?"
The old man hurried to his cottage,
and returned in a moment with the
boots, which were identified as having
belonged to Diego. Cap Cana gave
look at the boots, and then addressed
the fisherfolk around him.
Friends" said he, "if Diego didn't
have his boots on he never got drownd-
ed. And so 1 says, as fair-minded
man, that Diego couldn't a met 10
square and above-board death. AS for
Carlos, that there drownding of his al
ways did look queer to me, seeing as
the cargo was sold and the nets dashed
to the dory before she tipped over. 1t
looks as if they was preparing for that
tipping over. An ask you Teller fish
ermen what shall we do to Felipe sup
posing he shows up without Don?"
There was a moments pause and
then a voice in the crowd said:
Lynch HIM" And the whole crowd
took up the cry
Lynch him! Lynch him!'
"Wel," drawled Cap Gamas that
be my own opinion"
In a moment all was excitement.
} Some of the women scurried into their
homes and hid themselves; others hung
breathlessly on the edge of the crowd.
To the waters edge went a crowd of
determined looking men; and in their
midst stood Nita. Louis Joe, warmly
wrapped in shawl, was tightly clasp
ed in her arms. The boats came near
er-nearer-until cry went up.
''He amt there! It's Louis in one
boat and Tom in the other!"
AS the keel of Don't boat grated on
the san Nita sprang into the water
and grasped the edge of the boat with
her one disengaged arm.
"Donl Don" she walled; then with
| a terrified shrek fell back.
The benches and sides of Don's boat
were smeared with blood and on the
bottom lay the body of a man.
Tom, Francis numbering clerk, stop
ped them.
ut amt Don-it's the other Teller"
But Nita faced them. her eyes blaz-
ing with madness.
"Meni" she cried, lin the boat lies
the man who has murdered my lover!
Will you let him escape"
Lynch him. Lynch him."
In an instant a hundred voices had
taken UP the cry.
Lynch him!" Lynch him!"
Tom, for once reused TO life. clam
bered on the Prov of the boat and
stood holding on by the mast
Stop" he cried, holding back the
crowd with his uplifted hand. This
here feller's dead already. An I'm
most dead too"
Then it was noticed that Toms
hands an face bore marks of a strug-
gle and that he was ashy pale. Be-
fore anyone could help him. the great
lubberly lad fell face forward on the
sand.
Little attention was paid to him,
however, for Louis boat was now in
A dozen hands seized the sides OF
the little boat and pulled 1t ashore.
Louis, hatless and coatless, had his
arm bound up and blood trfckling
down his face from a wound in his
head.
Nita pressed her way TO the edge Of
the boat Joe was still in her arms.
Her eyes glittered with the same
strange light in them. She held Joe
ont 10 Louis.
Now" she said give me DOM"
There was a childike faith in her
tone. Louis had gone 70 protect Don
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