The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-05-23
THE TRAGEDY OF
THOMAS HEARNE
(Continued.)


Matters moved quickly with us.
hired a stout horse and tWo-Wheei-
ed cart for a month from the landlord
TO whom | talked neolithic man OF an
evening, impressing him with a learn
ing ACQUIRED from the reports or tnat
worthy society the Devonsh1re asso-
citation. l preferred to drive myself
declining the boy offered for that pur-
nose. There were no other prepara-
tons to make; and so, on the DAY Ioi-
lowing. that earnest student, MT.
Abel Kingsley, might have been seen
smoking his pipe On the cairn hill
In a white macintosh, for was there
not q threat of rain in the air? while
Mr.. Thomas Hearne lay hid amongst
the stones watching the effect OF the
signal through his pocket telescope.
He reported all well; julius Craig had
undoubtedly noticed the white water
proof, and understood that we were
waiting for him.
could talk to you for an nour OF
our doings In the next three weeks.
We lived on the edge Of a powder
barrel in which we had set the fuse.
Never a morning but we were up
with the sun, staring to windward for
signs of the weather. Would 1t be
today, tomorrow not at all? A
nervous man would not have stood
that strain; but we were not neu-
rotic couple. the old chap and /.
AS hard and keen and clever as a
lad Of 81 was Thomas Hearne. 1t
was he who spent the day in Ply
mouth, returning with wig and long
overcoat that might temporarily con
zeal the convict's identity until he
could change his yellow prison uni
form for the clothes l had already
bought; it was he who gathered to
himself all the weather lore Of the
village until he had become better
prophet than the wisest veteran of the
moors. Two fogs we had, but dur
ing the first the convicts were kept
within the walls; while before the
other caught them the warders had
time to rush the gangs back to their
eells. Yet Hearne never lost temper
1t these delays, cheering me back into
patience with the strength of his own
certainty.
Don't you worry, Kingsley" he
would say; what is fated to happen
cannot be prevented, and Providence
will see to it that Julius Craig comes
to us SOON"
His affection for the convict seem
ed to fill his life. No risk, no labor
was too heavy; no storm would drive
him from his post. Often when
smoked by the inn fire he was crouch
Ing patiently amongst the rocks on
the cairn hill, as II it were his only
son for whom he waited. There was
something inhuman in his merciless
self-sacrifice; but l had no reason tc
complain, for 1t lightened the burden
on my shoulders.
1t was at three o'clock on Tuesday
May 8, that julius Craig escaped
Poor devil! II be had but known!
Hearne and l had Quarreled thai
morning over the fog question. Per
haps both our tempers were wearing
thin, but that was no excuse for his
dropping from argument to insults.
dare say he thought my language JUS
as bad; but that didn't make the trou
Ole any lighter. There was fog IL
the air, he said, though even the land
lord laughed at the idea when | pu,
the question to him. Finally the OLE
man walked of in huff, though hat
SO far given way as to promise tina
| would bring the cart to the ruin.
by lunch time.
l sulked about the inn until the pa
pers came from Plymouth. When
had finished reading them it was nigl
one o'clock. A leg of lamb was cook
Ing in the kitchen. Just becaus,
Hearne preferred cold ham sand
wlches or a draughty hill there wa
40 reason why should not have m
meal In comfort. l would lunch be
fore l started. and he could wait TO
his sandwiches.
1t was selfish thing to do, but h
had irritatsd me that morning NOR
than l now can understand. wa
finishing OF with cheese when tn
landlord thrust his head through tn
door Of my sitting room.
I gave a FOOLS wisdom this morr
ing. Sir" he said. "The fog be blow
Ing up proper from the eastward. II
feared that Mr.. Hearne-"
He got no further. for / was pa,
him like fash and out into th
open.
The moors had gone: utterly vanis]
ca away. In their place there lay
blanket Of billowy white that sar
Wild strsamers upwards to the f,vin