The Tupelo journal., 1912-11-01

But the deserted buildings shut tnsm
on from the farmhouse, and there
was NO one visible on the bluffs or
downs. He took her tenderly in his
arms.
There" he soothed her gently.
Tell me
I'm afraid" she breathed brokenly.
Its too awful, Garrett, too dread
ful. 1t can't be true :"
Tell me-" he begged, though now
ne knew.
"Its-about Mr.. Power, Garrett. l
-I-he never left this island"
Il know" he said.
She drew away, her eyes widening.
You knew, GARRETT"
They" he stammered-"It hap
pened yesterday morning, just before
I came ashore-about daybreak."
"You-you know this to be SOL"
He told her briefly what and how he
knew of the tragedy. This dog" he
concluded. has been there-you must
have noticed-by his grave ever
since"
She nodded. Il saw him." she said
In q low, vibrant voice, butt didn't
understand. l remember thinking It
strange. He was here when We came
"a legacy from the former tenant
and Power was kind to him. He
never would have anything to do with
any of the rest of us-except me-; Mr..
Power fed him and he followed him
everywhere, but my-he the dog hated,
and the Chinese, too"
The brief explanation had helped to
quiet her; but now as she stood star
Ing blankly seward. tears trembled
in her lashes, and her lips trembled
rs she breathed convulsively.
Its so terrible" she said in a dull
and even monotone, dispirited and
cheerless. "Was l born only to bring
suffering and terror and death to all
about me?"
Don't say such things" Coast
pleaded ~wretchedly. Just a little
longer and"
But nothing can ever make me for
get, Garrett Mr.. Power was
kind don't believe especially high
principled OF good-but he was
thoughtful as to me and resented his
treatment of me. 1t was because OF
that they were constantly at odds
and now, because Of that Oh,
Garrett, Garrett" she sobbed.
Silent, who knew no words to com
fort her, he let her grief spend itself
Nn bic araArona uThon uha moe m IRA
composed, he ventured a question hat
had been troubling him ever since she
had betrayed her fears: How had she
learned of this?
1T was the boat-the boat they said
he stole" she explained listlessly. Il
wasn't like him-that he would have
waited until the fog cleared, and then
would have taken the sail-boat. He
knew q great deal about the water.
and knew that the tides run very
strong between here and Squibnocket."
tha's Vineyard. II thought 1t strange
he should try to row across with moth
ing to guide him and the danger Of
being swept out to sea-"
But this boat-you say you have
found 1.-THE r~ow-boat?" Coast de-
manded excitedly.
YES. When 1 had called Chang, l
went down to the beach. | wanted to
be alone, SO that | might think. To-
day has been dreadful to me-alone
there with him, the man l was mar
ried to, knowing he was a murderer:
ing to behave as If nothing had hap.
4 pened-"
Coast folded her close. Il know, l
know" he said softly.
At their feet the dog stirred rest
1essly, w~himpering; and alarmed, the
woman deftly disengaged herself, with
a terrified glance up the struggling, de-
serted street. But still they were
4 gratefully If desperately alone and u
watched.
"Then-the shock of being told we
were to leave the island wanted
ito think. . l went west along
the beach, without noticing-some dis
tance beyond the western point. Then
suddenly / found the boat, drawn up
CLOSE under the bluff. invisible from
above. -. At first l thought It
meant Mr.. Power had come back, and
then l saw how unlikely that was, and
tried to explain 1t. And suddenly it
came to me-the real meanikx Of 1t.
And l hurried to dnd you
Thank Cod" said Coast.
sShe lacked up, wondering at his
bDne.
* mean rs n way out" De said
soberly;; "a nightly slim chancs-but
vet a chance: l mean. the boat I've
been pussling all alongS wont Gee
to worst. there was thes Rathost-&
how to get you aboardv herr You
couldn't swim that far 4 She
shook her head. II could; but even
hen would 1t be possible to work her
knshore and take you aboard unob-
Derived? For IL they saw us, I'd be
Under fire and Blackstock has
nv pistol." he ended lamely.