The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-29

| 1" HAT was long week at the
| Is bungalow. 1t was 10 culmi-
81 nate at St. Philips church IN
/ Sydney on the Saturday morn
| ing. The license was bought. The
| bridegroom carried the ring in his
| pocket. Everything was ready but a
| best man. And here another peculiar
| ity stood out There was no best man
| TO be had. AS In London so In New
| South Wales. THIS baronet's son and
| heir. this man of blood and means ana
| literary feats, was unbeloved in spite
of all. Claire and her aunt had been
| absolutely the only guests at the bun
galow in all Toms time there. Nor
was it because Daintree had never
made a friend in the settlement. It
was because he had never kept one in
any quarter of the globe.
Meanwhile the ladies came to Rose
bay no more. The happy man went To
them instead and would stop till mid
night, to galIop home by starlight and
pour out his happiness to Tom until
the harbor turned from jet to polished
steel; and twice the steel was silver,
and once the silver was flaming gold
before the poet would hold his peace.
1t was a long week, but the nights
went quicker than the days. Daintree
had never been a better companion
than in those long. confidential, star
lit talks. They were not exclusively
on tie one subject. Tom learned at
last how the murder had affected the
party at Avenue Lodge, and one whole
night and day he never closed an eye
for thinking of two men in two new
and startling lights. They were the
living man Harding and the dead man
Blaydes. The first haunted Tom the
longer. Why had he insisted on drag
ging Daintree to the trial?
The days were heightened by Peggy
in the kitchen, with her kind, uninjured
looks and the unfailing, friendly, amia-
BILE word that made him feel the mean
est of men. The girl could be an angel
when she had him. with all his cold
ness, to herself. He never suspected
what she had been from the Sunday
night to the Monday afternoon. And
now they were both under notice to
leave.
IF only you two would make up
your minds to marry said Daintree
to Tom. Il have you both on my mind,
but 1 could provide for the two of
you at one stroke as married couple.
It has long been my wish to start
model farm up country, and you and
Peggy would certainly make model
managers" But Tom shook his head
more decidedly than he had shaken it
while the little Rosamund was prick
ing her way across the chart.
On the Friday, the same breeze hold
ing good all the week, Daintree decided
to sail round to sydney instead of driv-
ing. He had solid check TO cash for
the wedding trip, and the Point Piper
road was no route for a pocketful of
money and a life at its very highest
value. Tom asked If Nat Sullivan
was still in Sydney and was told that
he had drunk himself PROSTATE at the
pulteney, whereupon Tom volunteered
for the voyage. and SO escaped Peggy
for one afternoon. To make safety
doubly safe, however, they ran into
Farm cove and Tom and the dog We're
to wait in the Domain while Daintree
went to the bank and called at the
hotel
It was then 3 O'clock. and Daintree
was to be at least two hours gone, but
he returned in less than one, bringing
Claire with him for a sail. Toms sur
prise at seeing her was less than that
of the girl at sight of him. The indig
nation was altogether on her side and
sufficiently percept.ble in spite of
Claire's efforts to conceal an inappro-
pirate displeasure. Daintree did not
see it, but what they all three missed
was the furtive figure which emerged
from the trees as the boat put off
Claire was given the filler and told
simply to obey orders, Daiutree took
he sheet, and ToEi was put into the
bows to be out Of tie way. The sail
made convenient screen. 1t also pre-
vented Tom from knowing in the least
what happened As a natter of fact,
they were just taking the wind-which
was by this time fresher than ever
when Daintrees attention was divert
cd By an apparItion at the waters
edge. IT was The lnaa who had follow
ell him through the Domain. and 50
Fapt was the gaze with which Daintree |
beheld him that he forgot TO let the
sheet 20 al the critical instant Smack
came the wind against sail Ike the
side or house. Let 20. Let co.
screamed Tom It was too late She /
was gunwale under. The sail lay 4
moment on the water. drinking it Ike |
b!otting paper. Then the saturated |
canvas sank. and the boat tossed keel i
upward within fifty yards Of the shore. |
Claire saak clear OF the wreck and |
had the presence of mind TO strike out |
before coming TO the surface. and even |
IS the sun dashed her vet eyes strong /
lands slid under her arms and she was
seiEe n',si'A'i go te----@r' bore |