The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-12-29
CHAPTER XIX.

seat formed by the 'clasped hands Of
suggested this!"
The girl responded with a quiet
laugh of the most natural effect imag-
inable-until II ended in sigh, and
without the least warning she crum-
| pied upon herself. and would have
| fallen heavily, in dead faint, but for
Alan's Quickness.
Good Lord" Barcus exclaimed, as
Alan gently lowered the inert body of
! the girl to the sands. And to think
l didn't understand she was so nearly
all in-chaffing her like that! I'd like
to kick myself"
Don't be impatient" Alan advised
grimly; I'm busy just at present, but
Meantime, you might fetch
some water to revive her"
II was an order by no means easy
to fill; Barcus had only his cupped
hands for a vessel, and little water
remained in them by the time he had
dashed from the shadows back to the
spot where Rose lay unconscious,
|
| to sprinkle into her face availed moth
| ing toward rousing her from the
trance-hke slumbers of exhaustion into
which she passed from her fainting
| fit
In the end Alan gave up the effort.
She's all right" he reported, releas-
| ing the wrist whose pulse he had been
FoI~ ,ioI1% ,,
but now she's just asleep-and needs
it, God knows! 1t would be kinder
to let her rest, at least until see what
sort Of reception that lighthouse is
inclined to offer u.s."
You'll go, them" Barcus inquired.
I'D just as lief, myself :"
mo; let me-" Alan insisted. 'It's
not far-not more than a quarter Of a
mile. And she'll be safe enough here,
in your care, the little time I'm gone"
Barcus nodded. His face was drawn
and gray in the moon-glare. Thank
God" he breathed brokenly, you're
able. I'm not"
He sat down suddenly and rested his
head on his knees. Don't be longer
than you can help" he muttered
thickly
He had come to the headland of
the lighthouse itself before the ground
began to shelve more gently to the
beach; and was on the point of ad-
dressing himself to the dark and silent
cottage Of the Hghtkeeper when he
paused, struck by sight of what till
then had been hidden from him.
The promontory, he found. formed
the eastern extremity Of wide-armed
if shallow harbor where rode at moor
ings a considerable number of small
craft-pleasure vessels assorted about
equally with fishing boats. And barely
an eighth of mile on, long-legged
wharves stood knee-deep in the water
like tentacles flung out from the sleepy
little fishing village that dotted the
rising ground-a community Of per-
haps two hundred dwellings.
Nor was this ali-even as Alan hove
in view of the village he heard series
of staccato snorts, the harsh tolling of
brazen bell, the rumble of train
pulling out from a station. And then
he saw it's jewel-string Of lights flash
athwart the landscape and vanish as
F! it's noise died away diminuendo.
Where one train ran another must
He need only now secure something
to revive Rose, help her somehow up
the beach, and in another hour or two,
Of certainty, they would be speed
ing northwards, up the cape, toward
Boston and the land Of law and order
Such thoughts as these, at least,
made up the texture of his hopes; the
outcome proved them somewhat too
presumptuous. He logged down a
quiet village street and into the rail-
road station just as the agent was clos
ing up for the night
A surly citizen, this agent, ill-pleased
to have his plans disordered by chance
flung strangers. He greeted Alan's
GREATNESS query with a grunt Of in
grained churlishness.
"Nah," he averred, they amt no
more trains till mornin' Can't y see
I'm shuttin' up?"
But surely there must be a tele-
graph station"
You bet your life they ts-right
here in this depot. An I'm shuttin' it
up. too
Has the operator gone for the
night?"
He's going. I'm the op'rator No
| business transacted after Office hours.
Call raound at eight o'clock tomor-
row mornin'. Now if you'll Jest step
out of that door. I'll say g'd-night to
you"
But l must send a telegram" Alan
protested. 81 tell you, l must. It's
matter of life and death"
Sure, young Teller. 1t always is
after business hours"
Wont you open up again"
81 tell you, mol"
In desperation Alan rammed hand
into his trousers pocket. 'fWi1l a dol
lar influence your better Judgment ?'
he suggested shrewdly.
Lets see your dollar the other re-
turned with no less craft-open In
credulity informing his countenance.
And, surely enough, Alan brought
forth an empty hand
Make light" he said sharply. my
moneys in a belt round my waist
Open your Office. You'll get your dol
lar, all right"
"All right" he grumbled, reopening
the door Of the telegraph booth and
1 lii 4,L+