The Elbert County tribune., 1908-05-14

Ing the revolver in his hand. He was
snaAing In chill. though the temper
azure was over So and the cabin,
kwnen he had first entered 1t. had
seemed to him overpoweringiy hot
ana sitting. He warmed himself
with nip of gin. He looked over his
clothes for trace of blood. and
was thankful to find none He took
on MS coat; he examined the soles Of
his shoes. No blood Thank God, no
blood
He went on deck and cast the re-
yoiver overheard. standing at the tan
raii and watching 1t sink Even in
the time he had been below the wind
had risen; It was blowing great guns
TO seaward, the lagoon itself was
white and broken as far as the eye
could reach. Aboard his own schoon-
er they were busy housing the top
masts, and the yeo-heave-yeo of
straining voices warned him that
Cracroft was hosting in the boats
and making everything snug.
Gregory leaned against the wheel
and tried to think. To throw Hor-
ble's body overheard would be to ac-
complish nothing. The blood. the
shot holes, the disordered cabin,
wonld all betray him. To scuttle the
schooner with stick of dynamite was
better plan. but that involved re-
turning to the Northern Light. with
the possibility of Madge coming on
In the interval and discovering the
murder for herself. No. the risk of
that appalled, him. Besides. what
ever happened, he had another rea-
son for keeping the truth from Madge.
The fact of Horble's death, even If
| she thought 1t accidental would
shock her to the core. 1t was in
conceivable that she would feel any
thing but horror stricken, whether
she judged her former lover innocent
or not She might even undergo a
| terrible remorse. At such a moment
how little likely she would be to give
way to himl or course she would re-
fuse Any woman would refuse
Every restraining influence would be
massed against him. No, his only
hope lay in getting her aboard his
schooner and out of the lagoon be-
fore the least suspicion could dawn
|
| be two years before she might even
hear OF Horble's death. Once away,
and the empty seas would keep his
secret. Once away
| He studied the weather with new
and consuming anxiety. How could
he manage to get out at all, or pick
course through the middle channeli
1t was thick with coral rocks, and in
day so overcast the keenest eye
aloft would be at fault. And out
side, what then? Already it was
working up hurricane. To run be-
fore it would be counting death.
But to stake Madge's lifel Madge.
whom he loved SO dearly Madge,
for whom he would have diedl
And yet there was something sub
lime in the thought of taking her in
his arms and driving before the gale,
the storm sails treble reefed on the
| bending yards, the decks awash from
end to end, Madge beside him, the
| pitchy night in front. the engulfing
seas behind; to swim or sink, to ride
or smother, accepting their fate to
| gether, and, II need be. drowning at
1
| He looked toward the settlement
and saw crowd of natives pushing
whaleboat into the water; looked
| again, and saw old Maka taking his
place In the stern sheets and assist.
ing a woman in beside him. The
woman! 1t needed no second glance
to tell him 1t was Madge. He had
never counted on her coming off in
company. Fool that he was, he had
taken 1t for granted that she would
be alone. Everything. in fact turned
on her being alone. Then. with a
start, he remembered his own dinghy,
and how it would betray him. He had
made it fast on the schooner's star.
board quarter. near the little ac-
| commodation ladder. Going on his
hands and knees, lest his head should
be seen above the shallow rail, he un.
loosed the painter, worked the boat
astern, and drew it again to port.
| Then he crouched down In the alley
way and waited.
A few minutes later and the whaler
was humping against the schooner s
side. 1t might have been humping
| against Gregory's heart, so agonizing
was the suspense as he lay breathless
and cramped between the cofinlike
width OF the house and rail.
1T was kind of you to bring me
off. Maka," said Madge.
The old Hawaiian laughed mu-
sically In denial. mo, mol" he cried.
You must come below and see the
captain" said Madge.
Gregory was in cold sweat of ap-
prehension.
Too much Storm" said Maka,
doubtfully. Il go home now. and put
rocks on the church roof"
Five minutes won't matter" said