The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-20

certain Of his identity in the winter
twilight.
Merry Christmasw she gave back
with quick uplift Of spirits. It was
to be a Merry Christmas after all, her
pride declared defiantly. She was turin
ing the tables on them all.
"Give us your bundle" the captain
told her, swinging 1t under his left arm
while his right went skillfuIIy out to
encircle her cIoak-shrouded figure.
And now, lass, for the earnest mon
S Sysn he whispered dragging her toward
FuriousIy she tried to wrench herself
away, but dropping the bundle the cap
tain held her fast and pressed one hand
over her mouth.
Nay, 1 like not screams, though
these will do me no harm,' he chuck led.
reused to incaution by his additional
supply Of rum. Body of the dragon,
girl, stop struggling! I mean you no
harm. Where are your manners? A
KISS is small thing-a small thing
Ie repeated, with tipsy laugh, and a
kiss l mean to have! Come; stop
this"
A sudden hand at the captains col
lar jerked him good four feet away,
and blow under his chin added an
other foot to that distance Surprised,
| but sobered, by the attack, Breresford
stood a moment blinking at his an
tagonist, then with a rush he made
| fiercely at him. The captain was the
| heavier man and indamed with rage
and rum, but the other had the longer
| reach and the quicker sight.
Suddenly there was a rush, thud OF
blows and a gasp of Jaboring breath.
For second both figures were indis-
tinguishable in a lightning give and
take; then, one on top the other, they
went down.
It was Westcott who first arose, and
he assisted the captain up by his col
| lar.
Take yourself off unless you want
! more" he commanded. breathing
heavily.
The captain shook his dizzy head,
holding his mantle to his ingloriously
bleeding nose. Body Of the dragon,
| but You are sledge hammer!" he
grunted, cycling his conqueror with
| ton and mans resentment. Il meant
no harm; the lass agreed to come with
me and was but claiming my passage
money. A kiss Is a small thing"
| Westcott looked from one to the
| other.
You agreed to go?" he said. with
him"
ITO England" the girl answered. Il
wanted to go back to England
And I'll take her back now, and she
still wants to CO." the captain thrust
In, with no more talk of kissing either.
She's good little lass and your folk
made vile show Of her"
Aye" said Westcott, but never
again. Zellah, do you want to go
now?" he criedN out passionately, his
face deathly pale in the dim light but
for the livid bruise on one cheek. do
you want to go-nowT"
mo, oh, no; not now" she answered
him. breathlessly, her eyes held and
confused by that new brilliance In his.
why, it's the chap that stood beside
her to-day" the captain muttered. A
whistle sounded fromsthe shore; he re-
piled with another and held out his
hand to Westcott.i
mo offense, SIR" he said. II know
when games DONE" and he melted
away In the darkness.
Westcott took one quick step to the
girl and drew her close. There were no
questions. no replies. ALI had been
asked and answered between them in
that GREATNESS moment. She lay still
IN his clasp like an exhausted bird, and
under the weight Of her light form his
heart throbbed with an almost terrify-
ing joy.
"Zellah." he whispered brokenly.
"Zellah, love you. Oh. how love
you! You will live on, here.
with me?"
Tenderly he pressed the little hooded
head back against his arm to read her
face. His first kiss was salt with the
tears she shed. She did not know why.
but in her eyes, when she shyly raised
them to his, was light so glad hap
piness so divinely radiant that grief
and pain seemed only far-away things
| whose memories could not even darken
the newborn glory OF their dream.