Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-05-07
The error OF
TankerVi11e
BY GEORGE a. BEST.


TTT $685. go s'.S 49, f'T :StfFTTr*
THOROUGH the mist which hung like
a pail above the waters of an un-
familiar sea, the sun appeared blood
red and angry. In the high valley,
away to the westward. the pillows of
new river were still rushing madly
towards the inundated lovlands in
the wake of the first great wave which
the trcacherous wall of IL hillside
hour before dawn.
In the bed of the River of Death lay
the demolished town of Tanterville.
its submerged streets still illuminated
by the glow of "A dozen incandcsccnt
lamps. which distorted into weird
shadows the many grucSomc oh iects
that rolled by in an endless procession
just beneath the surface.
And. high on the hillside. the en-
gines of the Generating Station were
still clanking noisily. for the engineer
had long since fled from his post TO
gaze in silent horror upon the strug-
Cling forms which tionred by. in twos
and threeS. on the relentless tide be-
low.
In the center Of floating table n
man sat tailor-wisc, graspng a re-
volvcr in his right hand. His face.
framed by long tangled beard and a
mass of unkempt hair, was cruel and
repulsive. His shirt open at the front,
showed a newly inhicted wound on the
breast. The human dcrelict was an
outcast and a felon who had been SO
often described by the police as the
Terror OF Tankerville" that he was
known in the district by no other
name.
The frail raft spun like top on the
eddYing tide; but the outcast chung
tenaciOuSly with his bare feet to the
few yards of wood which formed the
deck of his craft, holding the shining
thing in his hand high above the reach
of the water.
\ hand shot ont suddenly from the
center of the Whirlpool and three
fingers grasped the narrow ledge of
the table top. causing the raft 10 heel
I over dangerously. The three fingers
worked convulsively for moment
and the fourth, a mere stump. moved
in nervous sympathy with the others
The pistol spat viciously towards the
submerged side, and the raft gently
righted itself. In the Whirlpool astern
white face revolved slowly for a mo-
ment and then disappeared.
y child'S voice rose. clear and Shrill.
above the roar of the rapids and the
crash of grinding wreckage. The man
with the pistol lowered his weapon
for the first time, and turned cautious
~ round in the direction of the sound.
At the same moment some floating
vessel, in the shape of large bath or
cistern. struck sharply against the end
of the raft and capSiHcd. leaving n
tiny form struggling on the surface Of
the water. within arms length of the
outcast
The engineer on the valley side shad-
ed his eyes, for the sun had changed
from blood red to gold. and the float.
ing objects on the great lake were
bathed in dazzling white light. For
moment the raft appeared indistinct
and shadowy: then it glidcd down the
stream on a silver ray. and the figure
of man and "A child stood out in bold
relief against a dark background of
bracken and fir.
"Where are We goin' to. grandad?"
asked the child, gazing up at his
strange companion with a pitiful
| smile.
"To Kingdom come, mos likcly!"
replied the "rcrror." rrimly. Hold
on tight, an don't git askin' me cues.
tions. an'-an' don't call me your
grandad, eos amt"
1T always call old men 'grandad.' "
said the boy, confidentially. II had a
real grandad once, an he was some
thin like yon-but prettier; yes, ever
so much prettier! I s'pose Kingdom
comes long way off?"
"Not SO very judgin' by appear
ances."
"s il the same Kingdom come as |
say in my prayers, JUS before THY
viii be done?'"
"Mebbe il is"
SIS il comfortable place, like
home?"
at couldn't be much wuss nor this,
anyway"
evil dad an nam be there, tooP"
~ reckon they've arrove already.
dad!" exclaimed the boy at sight Of
the wound on the breast Of his COM
panion. you've hurt yourself badly,
an never spoke bout it,"
"There's nothin' to speak about in q
scratch like that" growled the Ter
ror.
ibid you get hurt savin' somebody ?"
""Tain't likely!"
DADDY did. He saved a man from
bein' torn to pieces in the mill, an lost
his own finger"
The outcast started convulsively.
Lost his finger, did hc?" he gaspcd,
hoarsely Which finger was it?"