The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-22
CHAPTER XIII.
Where the Mill
Stream Runs Fiercest.

i Three o'clock.
IGSYS| Two men were talking be-
80 low their breaths in the
otherwise empty Office "That ERE
mill stream never gives up anything
1t has once caught" muttered one into
the ear Of the other. "It's swift as
fate and in certain places deep as
hell. Dutch JAMS body was five
months at the bottom Of it, before It
came up at Clark's pool"
The man beside him shivered and
his hand roamed nervously towards
MS breast. He rose and walked rest
lessly to the window.
Half the town is up" he muttered.
THE lanterns 60 by like fire.fies.
Poor Ransom! It's hopeless lob. I
lear" And again his hand wandered
to that breast pocket where the edge
OF a document could be seen. "I
nave half a mind to go out myself:
anything is better than sitting here"
But he sat down just the same. Mr..
Harper was no longer a young man
Then all the men looking up, stared.
A girl stood before them in the door.
way. Anitra, with cheeks ablaze and
eyes burning, her travelling dress
mapping damp about her heels, and
on her head the red shawl she pre-
ferred to any hat Behind her shout.
der peered the anxious face of Mrs.
Dec.
I'm going out" cried the former in
the loud and unmodulated voice of
the deaf. "He don't come back! he
don't come back! I'm going to see
why"
The lawyer rose and bowed; then
resolutely shook his head. He did
not know whether she had appealed to
him or not. She had not looked at him.
had not looked at any one, but he felt
that he must protest.
II beg you not to do So" he began.
Il really beg you to remain here and
wait with me. You can do no good
and the result may be DANGEROUS
But he knew he was talking to deaf
ears even before the landlady MUIR
mured
"She doesn't hear a word. I've
used every sign and motion could
think OF, but it's done no good. She
would dress and she will 60 out; you'll
see"
The next minute her prophecy came
true; the wild thing, with a quick whirl
OF her 1.-the body. was at the front
door, and in another instant had flash
ed through 1t and was gone.
1T is my duty to follow her." said
the lawyer. Help me on with my
coat; I'll find some one to guide me-"
Here is lantern. Excuse me for
not going with you," pleaded Mrs.
Dec, but some one must watch the
house."
The New Yorker nodded, took the
lantern offered him, and went stoical.
ly out.
He met a man on the walk in front.
He was faced his way and was pantin.
heavily.
Hello" said he, what news?"
"They haven't found her; but
there's no doubt she went over the
fall. The fellow who calls himself
her husband has just been reading a
letter they say she left on her bureau
for him. 1t was good-by, 1 reckon
for you can't tear him from the spot.
He says he'll stay there till daylight.
l couldn't stand the sight of his mis-.
cry myself. Besides, it's mortal cold:
I've just been running to get warm.
Who was the girl who just went sour.
rying by out Of here? It's no place
for wimmen down there. One lost gal
Is enough"
"That's What think" muttered the
lawyer, hurrying on.
He was not very imaginative man;
some Of his best friends thought him
a cold and prosaic one, but he never
forgot that walk or the sensations &C.
companying it. Dark as it still was,
the way would have been impossible
for a stranger, had it not been for the
guidance given by the noisy passing
w GNU AiO VI SAC CWdhSuGu IOWuSpSO~
pie. ring Of lanterns marked the
spot. 1t was near, very near where
the heavy waters fell into a deep pool.
NO one now spoke of Anitra; she had
evidently been warned by her first en-
counter to move with less precipitan.
cy.
AS he approached the place of cen.
trail interest, he moved more warily
too. He saw Ransom crouched on the
wet earth. staring down at a slip Of
paper he held In his hands. A lantern
set in the sand at his feet sent ito
feeble rays over his face and possibly
over the paper; but he was no long
er reading it, he was simply so lost
in its sorrowful contents that all pow
er OF movement had deserted him.
Harper approached to his side. but
he did not address him Something