The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-03-16
VENGEANCE 0N|
the dead


the shin was doomed. Already 1t was
listing to port. In minute-or ten
minutes-it would sink.
Arthur fought his way Ike q mau-
man to the head of the stairs ana
caught Lillian in his arms.
stand back" cried the mate. Inc
boat is full-one, two"
Not for myself--for her." shouted
Arthur.
Pass her in, then" sang the mate
mo men in this boat. All the women
and children go first"
Desperately Arthur tried to lift the
girl into the boat just as 1t was being
lowered.
He would have succeeded, but q
young man leaped upon the gunwaies
pushing her aside in his frenzy ana
clambering in himself. The girl gave
q cry and stretched out her hands TOT
help, clutching the edge of the boat.
The young man was turned and AT
thur could see his face. 1t was iivid
with fear. Great beads Of sweat mois-
tened the long lock of dark hair that
hung above his forehead. With an
oath the coward turned upon the girl
beating her hands down, and as sne
| still chung he caught up an oar and
| struck her across the face.
| AS Arthur tried to support her LIZ
lian's gown was torn and she snot
| downward into the sea.
Coward" screamed the mate as he
| turned.
His pistol flashed and the young
man threw up his hands and toppled.
overheard
Arthur already had dived after LII
liam. He did not want to live unless;
he found her. He swan this way ana
that under the water, and felt about
with his hands. He could not touch
her
When he came to the surface for a
moments breath he looked around
wildly. Lillian was not in sight. The
boat containing the women was row.
ing rapidly away from the ship. The
coward was floating, dead, with pale,
upturned face, few yards away. It
was as II the lake refused to take the
miscreant to her bosom.
Arthur filed his lungs with air and
dived again.
When he opened his eyes he was on.
land, surrounded by friends. For a
moment the awful scene was hidden
from him. Then he remembered.
Lillian" he asked. They shook
their heads.
For months Arthur was like mad
man. He was filled with consuming
hatred for the youth who had MUIR
dered Lillian--who had taken her
place in the boat and then had beaten
her on into the water. The man was
dead, and it is awful to hate the dead
Arthur felt that he could pursue him
through world after world to get his
just vengeance.
He travelled from place to place. try
ing to forget. and at last the day came
that he found himself in a cottage In
the presence of an old couple-gray
haired, gentle, and yet sad. He
learned the cause of their sadness by
accident Their only son had been.
lost in the wreck of the Sunf1ower--
: he had gone down in the company OF
Lillian and the other Inflated ones who
persisted in that disaster.
Il was there" said Arthur, his grief
and his hatred coming over him
afresh.
. Then the tongues Of the aged couple
. were loosed.
And to think" cried the old man.
q that so many lives were lost that could
4 have been saved. have followed the
. sea. was commander of the Cas-
H,xk 7 oh aoA NJ v,v>nfoc-
. sion. They were cowards-cowards-
/ and the brave ones are dead. Cow
ards and dogs!"
my boy did his duty" said the
:. mother, tears rolling down her cheeks.
He has come to me in dreams. He
q comes every night. have seen him
q fighting to rescue the women and chill
dren, giving up his own life that they
L might be saved"
Q 1T is my one comfort" said the old
O. man, simply, ito know that he died
o the death of the brave and the noble.
@ 1T is all that enables us to live,'
> said the mother, ito know that oul
;. boy was hero"
IT She came toward Arthur with
. trembling steps.
Here is his photograph" she muir
INJURED. Perhaps you have seen him.
For q moment Arthur's heart ceased
to beat He knew the face instantly
II. The thin features. the bright eyes, thu
is long curl that clustered about the fore
IN head.
e His hands clutched the photograph
II, He felt like tearing 1t into pieces ant
DO finging the bits into the old woman
W. face. She was the woman who hal
~ brought a murfle-Ous coward into tn