The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-09-02
CHAPTER xvI.--<continued.)

D~%y lIlIH WHY stay mere by
the sea? Think of the great, dry, peace
Iui west. where the mountains
listen, he broke in. his voice ris-
Ing TO a monotonous, sing-song pitch,
listen to me. The fishing off the
Foint used to be the best along the
They tell me there is no catch
at all In these days, and hasn't been
for half a dozen years. The great
catches are no more. The fishermen
say that the stretch from here to the
hody Islands Is hoodooed. They can't
understand it. But / could tell them,
Mary. 1 could tell them. There's some
tnlng out there that cares them away,
Why. Ericl" she cried. you are
losing your mind. What a silly thing
70 say. AS If that could make any diff
ference to a fish, Don't be ridiculous"
Wen, It's queer. isn't it?" he in
sisted: You'll have to admit It," He
stared out across the tumbling waters.
white fear in his widespread eyes.
She gave him a swift, furtive look. and
then fell to trembling all over. Was
he going mad?
Come away. Eric" she cried, tight
enlng her grasp on his arm. TITS hor-
rid here. Let us go back. It's tea
ume. See. it will soon be dark"
! Wonder-I wonder If it could be
possible for waves as big as these to
WASH an iron chest ashore. Maybe it's
coming now, rolling over and over on
the bottom Of"
She screamed aloud.
DON'T"
He had drawn SO close to the brink
OF the p%recipice, the better to search
the foaming crannies far below with
Dreadful, eager eyes. After a moment
ne obeyed the frantic Juggling of her
Inc and fell back to a less perilous
footing, a short laugh cracking on his
lips.
NO" he said, with a note of triumph
~ ms voice; 1t can't come ashore. It's
out there to stay"
Come, Eric" she pleaded.
he threw his arm around her. What
a beast l am to keep you up here in the
wind and rain. Why, you're drenched.
You're half frozen Swiftly aroused
to compassion and concern for her. he
led her away from the wild brink to a
less exposed spot in the lee Of a jutting
rock. Here they were sheltered from
the wine and the freezing drizzle; but
the gale shrieked about their ears. and
the sea roared all the more loudly be-
cause they had skunk back from its
fury. Great gulls careened past them,
their screams no more than sharp,
cca barks, as of a dog In flight.
The terror in Mary's eyes was most
distressing to him. She was trembling
violently. Her wet hair had blown
across her face. Her figure was limp,
pathetic.
We'll go back. dearie," he cried. .Tm
sorry you came. You will be Ill for all
this. should have come alone. That's
VIA l wanted to do. I wanted to
mash this fear and dread I've had fol
years. Well, I've done it. I'm no longer
afraid of Stone Wall or the sea out
yonder. l a laugh at them and al
myself for having been afraid. 1 can
laugh att
Suddenly he stopped as II petrified
Even as he uttered his hapless boast
there came floating up to him on The
wings of the gale a harsh, never to be
forgotten laugh, hooking, distant, un-
located; came floating up as a part OF
the gibbering turmoil, out of the WIND
racked Atlantic, out of nowhere!
Good God!" he gasped, shrinking
back against the rock with the glare
Of horror in his eyes.
She looked at him / in utter amaze
ment-and dread. The terror in his
face was something she was never to
forget.
Eric" she whined. What is it?"
His voice was hoarse. "Did-did you
hear it?"
There is some one out here besides
ourselves, Eric" cried she, $50 DOM
be afraid. We are not alone, dear. j
heard some one"
He turned upon her with a glad
shout. "You-you did hear it, then?
You heard the laugh?"
Yes. of course. Tramps, I suppose,
sheltered in the over
Thank God! Thank God!" he
shouted. IF you heard 1t, too, then it
must nave been real"
Real? The laugh? why-why
Eric, how queerly you act. What of 1t?
There they are-two Of them"
She was pointing excitedly along the
crest Of the cliff toward the right.
IN bold relief against the leaden sky,
the figures of two men stood out clear
ly defined. Not more than 100 yards
separated the two couples on this bleak,
supposedly deserted stretch OF Stone
Wall.
tzed at their fellow adventures.
Slowly into their intelligence stole the
knowledge that these men were no
strangers. They knew them WE'LL
Great, ~rain-coated men We're they, wind
blown and sturdy, n they looked not
toward them, but out to sea.
Again the raucous laugh was waited
across the rocks.
by heaven, Mary, it's Adam Carl"
cried Eric, passing his hand over his
eyes, a great weakness assailing him.
Mary was staring hard at Adams
companion, a tall man in storm hat and
coat,
And john" she cried. amazed. John
PaYson.'
At that instant the two men turned,
as If SO ordered by some strange, com
pelling force, and looked squarely at
the spot where the Midthornes stood.
CHAPTER XVII.
A BEGGAR COMES KNOCKING.
For many seconds they stared in
tently at each other. 1t was quite evil
dent that John Payson had not been
aware Of this propinquity until the
present moment. His surprise was APP
parent even at SO great a distance. Not
30 Adam Carr. There could be nc
doubling the fact that he had known ali
along OF the Midthorne's presence on
Stone Wall. Either he had followed
them to the wild. lonely spot. or he had
exercised that amazing sense OF clair
poyancy which he possessed. guessing
correctly that Eric would venture first
Of all to the scene OF his so called crime
before going to his uncle with the con-