Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-04-07
\; this good joke. both of them

=; this good joke. both of ther
lavshed.
he minutes moved slowly, yer
slowly indeed, as Kate sat, listenin
lor the sound of the old clock, and a
TIE same time listening for the SCUM,
al approaching footsteps.
il was now so dark that she coul,
not have seen anybody without light
t.t she could hear as II she possesse,
"a ears Of q cat.
Presently the old clock struck, one
r%p- In moment she was climbln,
Jver the rail. In the darkness sh'
p..ssed the heavx bit of rope whict
L.'kory had showed her, but feeling
.scut she dutched 1t and let herself
Gown to the ledge below. Her nerves
were quite firm now. II was necessary
to be so very particular to follow Dick
ory's directions to the letter, that her
nerves were obliged to be firm. She
slipped still farther down and sat side
ways upon the narrow ledge, So mar
row that il the vessel had rolled she
could not have remained upon 1t.
There she waited.
Then there came, sharper and clearer
out OF the darkness in the direction of
the town, the first stroke Of nine
O'Clock from the tower Of the new
church. Before the second stroke had
sounded she was hanging by her two
hands from the ledge. She hung at her
full length; she put her feet together;
she hoped that she would go down
smoothly and make no splash Three
four-five-six--seven- eight - nine
and she let her fingers slip from the
ledge. Down she went, into the dark
ness and into the water, not knowing
where one ended and the other began.
Her eyes were closed, but they might
as well have been open; there was
nothing for her to see In all that
blackness, Down she went, as II It
were to the very bottom of black air
and black water. And then, suddenly
she felt an arm around her,
Dickory was there
She felt herself rising, and Dickory
was rising, still with his arm around
her. In a moment her head was In the
air, and she could breathe. Now she
felt that he was swimming, with one
arm and both legs. Instinctively she
tried to help him, for she had learned
TO swim. They went on dozen strokes
or more, with much labor, until they
touched something hard.
MY boat" said Dickory, in the low
est of whispers; take hold Of It,"
Kate did so, and he moved from her.
She knew that he was clambering into
the boat, although she could not see or
hear him. Soon he took hold OF her
under her arms, and he lifted with the
strength Of young lion, yet 80 slowly,
SO warily, that not a drop of water
could be heard dripping from her gar
ments. And when she was drawn up
high enough to help herself, he pulled
her in. still warily and slowly. Then
he slipped to the bow and cast Off the
rope with which the canoe had been
anchored. 1t was his only rope, but he
could not risk the danger of pulling up
the bit Of rock to which the other end
OF 1t was fastened. Then, with q pad
die, worked as silently as II 1t had
been handled by an Indian, the canoe
moved away, farther and farther, into
the darkness.
SIS all weH with your" said Dickory
thinking he might now safely murmur
q few words.
'All well" she murmured back, "ex-
cept that this is the most uncomforta-
BILE boat ever sat I'M"
Il expect you are on my orange bas-
het," he said; perhaps you can move
II little"
Now he padded more strongly. and
then he stopped.
Where shall take you, Mistress
Bonnet?" he asked, little louder than
he had dared to speak before
Fate heaved a sigh before she an
swered; she had been saying her
prayers.
Il don't know, you brave Dickory,"
she answered, "but 1t seems to me that
you can't see to take me anywhere
Everything is just as black as pitch,
one way or another"
but | know the river" he said,
with light or without It, have gone
home on nights as black as this Will
you 60 to the town."
81 would not know where to 60 to
there" she answered, land in such a
plight"
"Then to your home" said he. "But
that will be long row, and you must
be very cold"
She shuddered, but not with cold If
her father had been at home it would
have been all right, but her stepmother
would be there, and that would not be
all right. She would not know what to
say to her.
ooh, Dlckory," she said, Il dca't
know where to CO."
Il know where you can 60" he said,
beginning to paddle vigorously, Il will
take you to nay mother. She will take
care Of you tonight and give you dry
clothes, and tomorrow you may 60
where you will"
CHAPTER w.
ON THE QUARTER DECK
(77TzI;7Sze1.KIW Il IT
- * WIZ sElS 81