The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-07-23

W "SAs AA~ NoNA pASAS0 OOS
the fisherman from the rest and put a
question to him, turning about again
toward the sea. Tell me this he
said. "Could a boat have taken her off
from that ledge Of rock where her foot
marks stop?"
The fisherman pointed to the rollers
tumbling in on the sand bank and to
the great ave leaping up in clouds
Of foam against the headlands on Ell
ther side of us.
mo boat that was ever built" he
answered. 'could have got to her
through that"
Sergeant Cuff looked for the last
time at the footmarks on the sand
which the rain was now fast blurring
out.
"There," he said, "is the evidence
that she can't have left this place by
land. And here" he went on, looking
at the fisherman, us the evidence that
she can't have got away by sea-" He
stopped and considered for q minute.
"She was seen running toward this
place half an hour before 1 got here
from the house," he said to Yolland.
"Some time has passed since then.
Call 1t altogether an hour ago. How
high would the water be at that time
on this side Of the rocks!" He point
ed to the south side-otherwise, the
side which was not filled up by the
quicksand.
Gas the tide makes today" said the
fisherman, "there wouldn't have been
water enough to drown a kitten on
that side Of the spit an hour since"
Sergeant Cuff turned about north
ward toward the q%ulcksand.
How much on this side" he asked.
"Less STILL" answered Yolland. 1.-The
Shivering Sand would have been just
awash, and no more"
The sergeant turned to me and said
that the accident must have happen
ed on the side of the quicksand. My
tongue was loosened at that. mo &C.
cident!' I told him. "When she came
to this place she came, weary Of he1
life, to end it here"
He started back from me. "How dc
: you know" he asked. The rest OF
Juelu CIOWueu IOullu. Lie sci SCuAC AC
covered himself instantly. He put
them back from me. He said I was
an old man. He said the discovery had
shaken me He said, "Let him alone
a little" Then he turned to Yolland
t and asked, els there any chance OF
finding her when the tide GIBBS again?'
And Yolland answered, "None. What
l the sand gets the sand keeps forever
{ Having said that the fisherman came
a step nearer and addressed himself
/ to me.
"Mr. Betteredge," he said, II have a
; word to say to you about the young
/. woman's death. Four foot out, broad,
wise, along the side Of the Spit, there's
a shelf Of rock about half a fathon
down under the sand. My question is
, Why didn't she strike that? If she
slipped by accident from off the Spi
, she fell in, where there's foothold a
barely cover her to the waist. She
must have waded out, or jumped ou,
into the deeps beyond or she wouldn't
be missing now. No accident, sir! Thu
deeps Of the quicksand have got her
And they have got her by her OWL
act"
After that testimony from a mar
whose knowledge was to be relied or
the sergeant was silent. With one &C
cord we all turned back up the slope OF
the beach.
At the sand hillocks we were met by
the bridegroom running to us from
the house. He handed me a little note
with a decent sorrow in his face. "Pe
nelope sent me with this, Mr.. Better
edge" he said. "She found it in Ro
Sanna's room"
1t was her last farewell word to the
old man who had done his %best-thanl
God, always done his best-to befriend
her.
"You often forgave me, Mr.. Bet
teredge, in past times. When you mex
see the Shivering Sand try to forgive
me once more. l have found my grave
where my grave was waiting for me
l have lived and died, Sir, grateful fol
your Kindness"
There was no more than that. Little
as it was, l hadn't manhood enough t.
hold up against it. Your tears com
easy, when you're young and beginning
the world.
Sergeant Cuff took a step nearer tt
me, meaning kindly, l don't doubt
Don't touch me-" I said. "1t's the
dread Of you that has driven her to it.
; You are wrong, Mr.. Betteredge," he
answered quietly. But there will be
time enough to speak of It when WI
are all indoors again."
Ito be continued
+ DubIin's Red Haired Club.