The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-02-17
VENGEANCE ON
the DEAD
BY JOHN CusHMA AN.


J listing to port In miuute-or ten
minutes--it would sink
Arthur fought his way Ike a mad
man TO the head of the stairs and
caught Lillian in his arms.
Stand back" cried the mate, The
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 90 FIRST"
Desperately Arthur tried to lift the
girl into the boat just as it was being
lowered
He would have succeeded but a
Young man leaped upon the sunwale.
pushing her aside in his frenzy ana
clambering in himself The girl gave
q cry and stretched out her hands for
help, clutchins the edge of the boat.
The young man was turned and Ar
thur could see his face 1t was lIyid
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 she
| 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 shot
| downward into the sea
Coward, screamed the mate as he
turned
His pistol flashed and the young
man threw up his hands and topped
overheard
Arthur already had dived after Lii
liam He did nor want to live unless
he found her He swan this way and
that under the water and felt about
with his hands. He could not touch
her
When he came 10 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 doating. dead with pale
upturned face, few yards away 1t
was as if the lake refused 70 take the
misereant to her bosom
Arthur filed his lungs with air and
Owed 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 Leads
For months Arthur was like mad
man. He was filed with a consuming
hatred for the youth who had muir
dered Lillian--who had taken her
place in the boat and then had beaten
her off 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 cottage in /
the presence Of an old couple-grav
haired. gentle and vet sad He I
learned the cause Of their sadness by f
accident Their only son had been /.
lost in the wreck of the Sunhowcr-- I
he had gone down in the company of .
Lillian and the other Inflated ones who /
persisted in that disaster.
Il was there" seid Arthur. his grief .
aud his hatred coming over him
afrcsh.
Then tho tongues Of the aged couple
were loosed
And to think cried the old man,
that so many lives were lost that could .
have been saved. ] have followed the .
sea. was commander of the Cas-
oaria, but I am ashamed Of my profcs- ,
sion. They We're cowards-cowards- .
md 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 10 me in dreams. He
.umes every night have seen him
lighting to rescue the women and chill
lfen, giving up his own life that they
night be saved.
1T is my Que comfort said the old
nan. simply 80 SNOW that he died !.
hc death Of the brave and the noble"
II is all that enables us to live
aid the mother ITO know that our
10Y was a hero
she came toward Arthur with
rcmbiug steps
Here is DIS uhotoGwph" she muir
nured Perhaps you have seen him"
For a moment ArJhur's heart ceased
% beat Io knew The face Instantly
rhc thin features. the bright ewes the
ong curl that clustered about the fore
read.
His hands clutched The photograph.
Ie felt like tearing tt into pieces and
iiugine The bits into the old womau's
ace She wds the woman who had
brought a munderous coward into the
world
lie handed the photograph back TO
.er Ills fingers were shaking Ills
Sos were sfame.
You knew him-you saw him die7'
he mother cried. You know my
rave bov7"
ARTHUR bowed. For a moment he
uuid not speak
"Ycs . eau t'm die no said. ae nc
murd ava. 2 saw him 90 the last
io wac iu ore of tha bosir that was