Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-09-02
CHAPTER xv1.-(continued.)

the sea? Think of the great. dry, peace
1ul 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
Point used to be the best along the
coast. They tell me there is no catch
at all In these days. and hasn't been
1or nall a dozen years. The great
catches are no more. The fishermen
say that the stretch from here to the
Eddy Islands is hoodooed. They can't
understand it. But | could tell them,
Mary. l could tell them. There's some
thing out there that scares them away,
that"
why. Eric!" she cried: You are
losing your mind. What a silly thing
to say. AS if that could make any diff
ference to a fish! DON be ridiculous"
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
ening her grasp on his arm. It's nor
rid here. Let us go back. It's tea
time See. it will soon be dark"
L wonder wonder if it could be
possible for waves as big as these to
wash an iron chest ashore. Maybe it's
AAo"s LII oSS1 d1lu ONeI OH
the bottom Of"
She screamed aloud, s.
DON'T"
He had drawn SO close to the brink
OF the precipice, the better to search
the foaming crannies far below with
eadfu eager eyes. After a moment
he obeyed the frantic Juggling of her
hands and fell back to a less perilous
roofing, q shor laugh cracking on his
lips.
mo" he said, with a note of triumph
IN his voice; lit can't come ashore It's
out there to stay"
Come, Eric" she pleaded. :.
|. He threw his arm around her. What
q BEAST am to keep you up here in the
WIND and rain. Why, you're d%renched.
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 wind 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 it's
1ury. Great gulls careened past them,
their screams no more than sharp,
staccato banks, 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.
Wen go back, dearie," he cried. "Pm
sorry you came. You will be i'll for all
this. I should have come alone. That's
what l wanted to do. 1 wanted to
smash this fear and dread I've had for
years. Well, I've done it. Pm no longer
afraid of Stone Wall or the sea out
yonder. 1 "a laugh at them ana at
myself for having been afraid. 1 can
laugh att
S,,ddop1, he ,+o,,a -.
Even as he uttered his hapless boast,
there came floating up to him on ,l.a
wings of the gale a harsh, never to be
forgotten laugh, hooking, distant, I'M
located; came floating up as a part of
the gibbering turmoil, out of the vino
racked Atlantic, out of nowhere!
o o ID! 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 t."
His voice was hoarse. "Did-did YOU
hear it?"
There is some one out here besides
ourselves, Eric" cried she, 80 don't
be afraid. We are not alone, dear. L
heard some ONE
He turned upon her with a glad
SAfOoN. AOu-you al e IL, lnGn .
You heard the 'laugh?"-
yes, of course. Tramps, 1 uppose
sheltered in the caves over"
Thank God! Thank Cod" he
shouted. eff you heard it. too. then it
must have been%real.''
Real? The laugh? why-why,
Eric, how queerly you act. What of it?
Was 1t the laugh that--Ah! See!
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
1y defined. Not more than 100 yards
separated the two couples on this bleak,
supposedly deserted stretch o. Stone
| Wall.
In sheer amaZement the Midthornes
gazeG at their fellow adventurers.
Slowly into their intelligence stole the
knowledge that these men were not
strangers. They knew them WE'LL!
Great, rain-coated men We're they, wind
blown and sturdy, and they looked not
toward them. but out to sea.
Again the raucous laugh was waited
across the rocks.
3 heaven, Mary, it's Adam CARR"
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 II so ordered by some strange, COM
pelling force, and looked %squarely at
the spot where the Midthornes stood.
CHAPTER XVII.
A BEGGAR COMES KNOCKING.