Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-10-18
| he Sea SCOurge
-~@O~

1t was late for Mary to be up. and she
and Otehewa also left. Paul had moth
ing now to detain him. and he, too,
sought his own room. And Mari Laroon
was left alone. He gazed about him,
and q shudder crept through his frame
why did he Gomez"
So spoke the dark man to himself, and
then he walked away into the darkness,
and back again. Then he stood still and
repeated the question. He gazed about
him, and he saw the dim specters floating
about in the dim corners of the room
They were men and women whom he
had murdered. And he saw another
specter-and he covered his face with
his hands. Soon he started up, and his
fists were clenched. and with the right
one he smote his breast.
why did he Gomez"
And as the words echoed through the
high place an answer seemed to come
back:
''Vengeancer'
And again the sweat stood cold and
saw two children laughing, pratt
Ting. gleesome children-and he renem-
bered that cold. wet. cherries day when
AAN ACu Win lNtA4i ~ 1DO>bOtl- 1t IT,
membered the Cross-Eands Inn. and tile
night he spent there. He remembered
when he went up to his bed that night
how he saw the children asleep-the
boy with a stern. solrowfnl face and the
girl with a calm, coafding smile. He
remembered how that tiny white arm
was thrown over the boys neck, and
how the boys hand rested protectingly
upon her shoulder.
And Mari Laroon is an old man--old,
at least, in crime and trials. Only forty
years have passed to his debt in the
great life book, but see how laden with
accounts those years are, See the lines
of silver already in his hair, and the
lines of woe already on his brow And
Mari Laroon thinks of those children
row, as they have just left him, and for
the moment softer shade rests upon his
dark face. Not once in all these years
has that boy done him harm by word or
deed-and not once in all the while has
the girl given him cause for complaint
until the past few days. He sees them
the only pure things he has about him.
and they would fee from him. Why is
it so? Too well he knows. But the
thought comes to his mind, and he speaks
again to himself:
''She shall be miner'
Then he starts away again and pene-
trates the gloom, and when he turns
even the lamp itself has changed to a
specter, for il is gone, and a hideous-
looking object has taken its place. He
starts back and clasps his hands in fear,
for his mind is not with present things.
and he stops not to reason. But soon he
sees the lamp again. and the specter
has passed away, but not from sight,
for it has only moved from before the
light and now stands before the smol-
dering fire.
who's thereT' he gasps.
"Hagar," is the response.
And the pirate is himself again, for
now another incarnate demon is with him
to combat with the dwellers of the I'M
seen world.
Where did YOU put our guest!" asked
Mari, approaching the woman.
I'm the turret chamber"
And did you nothing more?''
He asked for water. / gave it him.
He will sleep more soundly than he
would if he had drank not"
but not TO danger?''
mo; only for the night. 1 doubt if
he feels it beyond the rising of the SUM-
Good Hagar, thou art a very jewel
What shall l pay thee? As much as
you want. Come to me on my wedding
day. No-hold. On the day after"
"And l shall have gold?"
Plenty"
With this assurance the cid black hes
went away, and Mari Laroon was once
more alone. He looked at his watch, and
it wanted yet an hour of midnight. Mid
night was with him a charmed hour, and
he loved to work ct that mystic period
between two DAYS.