News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-01-04

Lie loIulucIo WClC III lhCIL CLIPiOS III
one small way or another. The better
and more respectable men-men who
held license papers from the govern
ment as pilots-seldom were seduced
by the Outlawry, for. having once been
in the employ of the authorities, they
were never again considered entirely
trustworthy by the free duty mon.
Many were the accidents and narrow
escapes, therefore, endured by the
smugglers because of inefficient pilots.
But they were a goddess, reckless lot,
and peril by darkness and storm was
the least of their many dangers.
Donald Fran was one of these Ii
censed pilots and, although there were
many tales Of bold work in the past
generations in which the Frams had
hand, Donald was a quiet, abiding
body and was well known to be friend
ly with the coast guard and had more
than once piloted the government YES
sci which occasionally cruised in those
waters to strike terror to the hearts Of
the free duty men.
Besides, Donald had but recently
been wed, and the young wife pos
sessed a deal of influence over the
rough pilot. She was brave, bonny
girl, was JEANNE Fran, and well de-
served the worship Donald gave her.
He was her hero and in her eyes could
do no wrong. And it is great truth
that what good woman thinks a man
Sc hat 1,n xuiI hc if ho rk ~
manhood in his soul.
But there came bad season to INST,
a season of blight on the poor crops
and time when even the sea would
not give her fruit. The sea, though it
treated the men of INST roughly
enough, seldom refused to repay their
arduous toll by a goodly harvest, but
this year the nets were drawn almost
empty. The fish seemed to have
Stunned the Shetlands as though some
marine plague had broken out among
the finny tribe in those waters. Want
did not alone come to the humble cot
tage on the head, but it was as hard to
bear as though the neighDOTs We're not
suffering in like manner. Donald Fran
clinched his strong hands as he sat in
the chimney corner and glowered sui
lenly into the turf fire.
Could those strong hands have seized
the throat of fate they would have
choked her for her cruelty. AS for him
self, he cared not; but JEANNE
Just piece of loaf in the house
on this bitter night, and no chance at
the fish in the morning, for Black reef
was moaning even now, and that
meant a breeze on the morrow that
would drive the schools ont to sea.
How long could two people keep alive
on that loaf? And Jennie needed
more nourishing food now, and there
would be another mouth to feed short
ly. Donald Fran felt as many Il
strong man has felt in the light of IA
similar position. He could have cursed
fate and died
He could not bear to speak to the
little woman he loved so passionately;
he could scarcely look ut her And
yet, brave heart that size was. she sat
upon the opposite side of the hearth
knitting bit shoe and softly grooming
the lullaby that she hoped, perhaps, to
sing ere long to its wearer. All. a
woman's heart-who knows its depth
Her cheerfuness kept Donald from be-
coming quite mad.
The moaning of the reef grew louder
as the evening advanced, and the wills
Ting wind aud sullenly roaring surf
drowned all lesser sounds. The clat-
tering Of feet upon the rocky path lead
ing to the cottage door was not needed
by its inmates. and when a sharp rap
came upon the panel it startled them.
JEANNE uttered a little cry and dropped
her work. Donald half rose from his
seat
'Who's tLere?" he cried.
Instantly the latch was lifted and
the door flung open. A man, stern
browed, dark faced man wrapped in q
cloak, entered unceremoniously and
kicked the door shut behind him.
Are you Donald Fran, the pilot?'
he demanded in a harsh voice.
81 am" replied Donald, coming a lit.
tie forward.
You are the best pilot in these wa
! tiers, they tell me-" said the stranger
standing without removing his hat and
with the water dripping from his
cloak.
my names Franz" said the Shet
lander I'VE have always been pi
! lots"
The man growled out something in a
! foreign tongue. lone other matter
he said. Can you keep your mouth
Shut" The pilot looked at him ques
/ tioningly. II mean" said the other
''can you hold your tongue if you are
paid well for it?"
Donald looked at him and said moth
ing. JEANNE crept to his side and
took one of his hands in hers.
II see you are cautious, pilot" said
the stranger, his thin lips curling
slightly. Perhaps this will help thee
decide" He drew a great bag of
blinking gold from beneath his cloak
and counting out five broad pieces sci
them in a row upon the rough table
They would have bought the cottage
and all 1t contained, and Donald gasp
= cd.