Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-01-31
CHAPTER XXI.

~N HAY was a long week at the
81 bungalow. 1t was to culmi-
81 nate at st. Philips church In
Sydney on the Saturday morn
Ing. The license was bought. The
bridegroom carried the ring in bis
pocket. Everything was ready but a
best man. And here another peculiar
| ity stood out There was no best man
| 10 be had. AS in London so in New
| South Wales. This baronets SON and
| heir, this man of blood and means and
| literary feats, was unbelOved in spite
Of all. Claire and her aunt had been
absolutely the only guests at the bum
galow in all Toms time there. Nor
was it because Daintree had never
made friend in the settlement. 1t
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 gallop 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,
md once the silver was flaming gold
before the poet would hold his peace.
1t was 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 the 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, anna
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. 81 have you both on my mind,
but l could provide for the two OF
you at one stroke as married couple.
1t 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 a solid check to cash for
the wedding trip, and the Point Piper
road was no route for a pocketful or
money and 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 were
to wait in the Domain while Daintree
went to the bank and called at the
hotel.
1t 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 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 perceptible in spite Of
Claire's efforts to conceal an inappro-
pirate displeasure. Daintree did not
see 1t, but what they all three missed
was the furtive figure which emerged
from the trees as the boat put off.
Claire was given the tiller and told
simply to obey orders, Daintree took
the sheet and Tom was put into the
bows to be out of the way. The sail
made convenient screen. 1t also pre-
vented Tom from knowing In the least
what happened AS matter of fact,
they were just taking the wind-which
was by this time fresher than ever
when Daintree's attention was divert
ed by an apparition at the waters
edge. It was the man who had follow
ed him through the Domain, and SO
rapt was the gaze with which Daintree
beheld him that he forgot to let the
sheet go at the critical instant. Smack
came the wind against sail like the
side Of q house. LET go! Let gov'
screamed Tom. 1t was too late. She
was gunwale under. The sail lay a
moment on the water, drinking itSike
blotting paper. Then the saturated
canvas sank, and the boat tossed keel
upward within fifty yards Of the shore.
Claire sank clear of the wreck and
had the presence Of mind to strike out
before coming to the surface, and even
as the sun dashed her wet eyes strong
hands slid under her arms and she was
being pushed face forward to the shore.
The trees were waving in the sun. 1t