The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-24

ly In sympathy.
"Oh. my dear" he pleaded over and
over again, i've behaved like fool
ish child. Can you forgive meY
She smiled, like the sun shining
through the last drops Of a summer
shower. 1T was my fault more than
yours" she said. 81 was selfish and
so silly. but didn't know-I didn't
know"
But you know now? You're sure?"
The answer was not in words alone
and was entirely satisfactory.
When he got home Bradley swallow.
ed the last drop Of the pepper tea"
provided by Miss Tempy-he was in a
mood where nothing short Of gallon
would have daunted him-and hasten
ed upstairs to put on dry clothes. When
ne came down he went through the
motions Of eating breakfast and an
swered as best he could the hundred
and one questions regarding the float
ing OF the Freedom that the old maids
ana Cara asked. He had been up prac-
tically all night. but was too excited to
think Of sleep, and. remembering how
unceremoniously he had deserted Cap
tain Titcomb. decided to go down to
the postoftice and telephone to the
Point.
The storm was in full blast by this
time. The wind screamed through the
treetops. and the thick ropes Of rain
shot downward with savage force. As
he entered the postoffice the postmas-
ter called to him through the little win.
dow in the center Of the frame Of mail
boxes.
HI. Brad!' he hailed. lis that you?
jest sent boy uptown after you.
Cap'n Ez has been keepin' the tele-
phone hot for the last ha'f hour. He
wants to talk to you the worst way"
| Bradley was alarmed. Had anything
happened to the Freedom? He entered
the telephone closet. stood his drench-
ed umbrella in corner and gave the
four rings which made up the Setuckit
Point call.
| The wire buzzed and hummed like
an overturned beehive. The receiver
at his ear walled and screeched like
a banshee. At length a faint "Hellow
| answered his call.
"Hellor' he shouted. THAT you, Cap'n
Knowles? Yes, this Is Brad Nickerson.
I want to talk with Cap'n Ez. Can you
get him for meY'
The life saver laughed. There were
more buzzing and humming. Then Cap
, tain Ttcomb's voice rose above the
music Of the storm.
Hello. partnerr' It called. THAT
you? You don't say! Well, this is Tit
comb. No; the Freedoms all serene
She'll ride It out as slick as a duck in
q bucket. But there's a feller here
wants to talk with you. Prick up your
ears now!'
| Bradley heard his partner laugh.
Then another voice began-a drawing.
high pitched voice.
us that you. BradleyY it droned.
''This Is me talkn'. Do you hearT'
"Me? Who's mew
! me. Peleg-Peleg Myrick. Cap'n
Ez wants to know what I'd better do
with the dynamite I've got buried un-
der my shanty. I'm scarf to death
Of it."
1.-The dynamite? What dynamite"
THE dynamite took off the Divin'
Belle the day afore she was burned.
Cap'n Ez ordered me to take 1t all
out, so done 1t the next forenoon.
! What'll do with It? I've been tryin'
to tell you an the cap'n about 1t, but
you never give me no chance Skee-
zlcks Is the divil to dig. and II he
scratches that stuff up. Why
"Stop" Bradley shouted 1t. "Wait
a minute! Pcleg. what are you talkin'
f! about? Do you mean there was no
dynamite aboard the Diving Belle
when she burnedr'
! "ia-as. took 1t oil out that morn
in. What'l"-
Again Bradley shouted. Stop He
wanted to think. If there was no
dynamite aboard the schooner. why
why then the insurance could be col
lected. If His heart sank again.
I'm afraid that won't do. Peleg."
he called. "Shc certainly blew up.
heard her and felt the shock under
water. Everybody on the hill heard
the explosion and saw 1t too. No. Pc
leg. Much obliged. but I guess you
! must have left some Of it."
The wire whirred and sang. Then
the drawling voice went on. It said:
"Cap'n Ez wants to know II the ex-
plosion want pretty small for a dyna-
mite one, now that you come to think
! Of It He says what about the gaso-
! line tanksw
The gasoline tanks! The gasoline for
the engine! 1t had been slowed in the
bow Of the schooner.
The receiver fell from Bradley's
hand. He stared at the calendar on
the wall Of the telephone booth.