Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-08-29

There was question to be asked and
answered and it held the issues Of life
and death.
| What did YOU mean just now by
! saying, If all goes we'll hereT Is there
any special reason why things should
not go well?' &
/, The young Philadelphia might have
been haZarding an inquiry about a
| matter of trivial interest. so calm was
he, so smooth his utterance. But
Brand had made no mistake In esti
mating this youngsters force OF char.
acter, nor did he seek to temporize.
| He extended an arm toward the reef
You hear that?" he said.
1 Eyes"
at may boil that way for weeks"
$50 / have been told"
"By whom?"
| "AIr. Emmett told me-"
"Ah! He and have discussed the
matter already Yet l imagine that
neither he nor any other man in the
place save myself grasps the true
meaning of the fact"
1--WE been thcorizing," said Pyne
ut occurred to me that this light isn't
here for amusement"
He looked up Mt the lamp and smiled
The pillar in those days must have
been II haunt of Illusions, for Brand,
like Constance and I'yne himself in
the case of Mrs. Nansittart, thought
he caught an expression familiar TO
his eyes long before he had seen that
clear cut, splendidly intelligent face.
But there was no time for idle specu-
lation. He glanced into the we'll of
the stairs to make sure that no one
was ascending.
Then he approached nearer to Pync
and said In an intense whisper:
at is folly to waste words With YOU
have reasoned this thing out, and now
l will tell you what have decided /
will take the watch from until u
! AT II you will relieve me and will
20 below to secure provisions and
water sufficient to maintain the lives
| of my daughters, you and myself for u
few hours longer than the Others BY
| right, If ! followed the rules have
| promised to obey, alone should live.
That is impossible. a Spartan might
do it, but | cannot abandon nv girls
and yet retain my senses. / trust you
| because l must have n confederate
If the weather does not break before
tomorrow night we must barricade the
stairs-and iight-if necessary"
His face was drawn and haggard,
| his eyes blazing. He shook as one In
the first throes of fever. He seemed to
await his companion's verdict with an
overpowering dread lest any attempt
should be made to question the Justice
of his decree.
yes. figured it out that way, too"
said Pyne. Its queer, isn't 1t, to be
in such IL fix when there's all sorts of
help within call, so to speak? We
might as well be in Il mine closed up
by an explosion. .llSi, I'll tell you
what, I'm real sorry for you"
Brand, collapsing under the strain,
sank into IL chair.
ut is an awful thing" he moancd,
ITO condemn so many men, women and
children to such death"
A spasm of pain made Pyne's lips
tremulous for an instant. He had for
| gotten Elsie and Mamie.
| But his voice was fully under coll
troll when he spoke again.
You can count on me in the deal in
\ all but one thing" he said.
The older man looked up 1iercely.
What condition could be imposed in
the fulfillment of a duty SO terrible?
Il am here by chance" went on
Pync. Zone of your daughters may
have told you that Mrs Nansittart
came from New York to marry my un-
Gle. Anyhow you would know she was
dear to him by his message today. She
is sort of in my charge, and can't de.
sert her. It's hard luck. as don't care
Il cent for her. She's the kind of WON
an old men ore-fascinating. birdlike
crcatures--whcn the cage is gilded."
Brand sprang TO his feet and raced
up to the trimming stage. When his
hands were ON the lamp he felt surer
of himself. 1t gave him strength dur
ing the hurricane. and it would
strengthen him now.
There can he no exceptions" lie
said hnrshly. Pync waited until the
lighthouse keeper rejoincd him
81 ought to nvc put my proposition
before you first and made Il speech aft
erward, he said Constance and Enid
Will join You here when you say the
word, but will be on the other side of
the barricade"
NONSENSE! c..ct !. md "Y.u Lave
no right to thrust, Away the chance that
Is given you. You saved all these pco.
pie once. Why should you die use
lessiyT'
| WHAT. suppose it pans out that
way suppose we live Il couple of
weeks and escape. Am l to face the
DID man and tell him-thc truth? 10,
sir. You don't mean it. You wouldn't
10 1t yourself. What about that shark
the girls told me of? can guess lust
what happened. He wanted the light
refreshmcnt in the boat. Did you scoot
back when You saw his fin: I'm n heap
younger than you. Mr. Brand, but that
bluff doesn't go"
Thank heaven. we have twenty-four
hours yet" mIrmurcd Brand.
1T will he all the same when we
have only twcnty-four seconds. Let II,
liX 1t that way right now. Don't YOU
see. 1t will be easier to deceive the
girls: And there's another reason Bar
ricndc and shoot us sou like, it Will be
n hard thing to keep threescorc ,lc.s-
perate men boxed mp down below.
When they begin to diet on COLA there
VIII be trouble. y few of us, ready to
take chances, will be helpful Some of
them may have TO die quick, you
know"
Brand closed his eyes In sheer af-
fright In that way he tried to slut out
IL vision
BE II so" he gaspcd May the Lord
help MS.
II was the responsibility that master
cd him. Judge; on The bench often,
break down Whom they sentence n
criminal to DEATH hut what Judge. hu.
name. tender hearted AMI God fearing,
ever pronounced tie doom of seventy
eight people snatcicl from IL mcrcirul
death To be stepped IN horrors:
AT last his iron will prcdominnte!