The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-08-05

exalted state than you own?" Y
mo. Not just that" said Eric mean
ingly. Who is your father2"
The one small word was like a blow
in the face. rs" he said,-not was"
"why-why, what do you mean?"
stammered Payson, the blood rushing
TO his cheeks. My father is dead. /
can't even remember him. You-you
think he is alive? That he is-Good
Lord, o don't suspect that he is a
criminal. a fugitive, or something of
that sortl"
"He died before you can remember p
cried Eric, his Eyes cleaning.
Yes. He was a sailing-master. He
took a boat out OF this port for years.
One night he was lost in a gale. His
body never came ashore. He's lying
out there in the Atlantic somewhere,
with all the others who are buried in
that ast grave. For you know, Mr..
Midthorne, that the Atlantic Is a grave
yard" .
Eric was suddenly conscious OF a dis
concerning directness IN the other
mans words. 1t seemed to him that
there was a significant, even hooking
CLEAN in the greyish eyes.
A chill crept swiftly into his blood.
He felt the Icy moisture starting from
every POI In his body. Was 1t pos
sible that Payson knew2 Was ne so
close to Adam Carr that the great sec
ret had been given into his Keeping
and for what sinister purpose7 To be
used as a threat, as a club?
With an almost visible effort, he re-
gained control Of his wavering forth
tude. There was the chance, he argued
inwardly that Payson's remark had no
sinister meaning. He would not be SO
easily caught. .
Are you quite sure your father Is
lying at the bottom OF the Atlantic?"
he asked, after the briefest hesitation.
Payson scowled. See here. Mid
thorne, / don't like your manner. What
are you driving att Ny father. Captain
Henry Payson, went down with his
schooner, the Lanigan. Three of the
crew were picked up alive. Two Of
them are inmates today Of the Sea-
mans Home. There Is no mistake. He
was an honest man. and a God-fearing
one. He was not a gentleman. accord
ing to your lights, / daresay, but he
must have been a good man, for my
mother has prayed that / might grow
up to be like. him" He anne a step
nearer. What have you heard? Has
down with the Lanigan2 Has anyone
dared to say that he took that a Of
deserving my mother and me?"
How old were you when the ship
went DOWN." demanded Eric, ignoring
the questions.
What has that to do with it?"
will you answer the question or
not?"
Certainly. I was not more than six
months old. they tell me. My mother
has told me the story a hundred times
overall about The black night and the
savage storm in the April OF that year.
Adam Carr has told me OF my father.
He was his closest friend. He always
stayed at our house when he was in
L Cnwfnfh h0kuuonn xynuo roe Ttua Innuyn
him always. He can tell you that my
father was an honest man and that he
| did go down with the Lanigan. i am
not ashamed of my father. BY heaven,
I hope I am like him. He was a mani"
There could be no doubt as to his
sincerity. II there was q mystery in
connection with his origin, he was
totally ignorant OF the fact. It was
plain to Eric that the secret mumblings
OF gossiping townspeople had never
reached his ears; 1t was equally plain
that Payson had never noted the re-
semblance of himself to Adam Carr.
In spite Of himself, Eric felt a sud
den, sharp pity for this tall, good -look-
ing chap.
II have the right to inquire, you'll ad-
init that, Payson," he said. less ar
bitrarily. .H..
Perhaps you're right" said the 9TH
er, biting his lip as he stared at the
ground through narrowed lids. Mary,
God bless her, would have taken me as
1 am, without a single question. It's
just as well that there Is someone to
ask questions for her. Good morning,
Mr.. Midthorne."
Eric watched him until his strong,
erect figure disappeared at q bend in
the ane Vaguely conscious that he
had not come off with flying colors in
IL fruitless interview, he jammed his
/ hanAa int hIa nnrlrofu and NTH Inu1-
cred chin. turned to re-enter the cot
tage. &c., y
There was a new kind of terror tug
| ging at his heart. To what end was
Adam Carr carrying his mysterious
game? '."@ 49,"
A raucous, indistinct but startlingly
familiar laugh came to his ears. He
stopped In his racks as IL turned to
stone. For years he had been waiting
for q repetition OF that never-to-be-
forgotten ound. Somehow he knew It
would come again. He knew that II
would avail him % to look for visible
signs of him who laughed. The sound
was of the air itself; 1t enveloped him;
he could reach out his hand and touch
the laugh ITSELF He was breathing
that CHASTITY sound, he was inhaling 1t!
His knees shook. He could feel the
hair on his hes rise, as IL responding
to the freezing current hat raced
rou MIN. Ills glarlnB eyes searcnoQ
among the leafless branches of the
trees.
Again came the low laugh, this time
apparently from the interior Of the cot
tage. With a cry, he sprang to the
door and threw It open, stopping on the
threshold to peer into the dim interior
Of the old mans home.
In q rocking chair, back in the dark
est corner of the room, sat O long,
shadowy figure. A groan broke In the
young mans dry throat. It was a
familiar figure. He had seen 1t In his
dreams.
As he fell back against the door
lamb, the figure arose from the chair.
II, seemed to shrink in size as he glared
at It. It moved toward him.
Good morning, Eric" said Adam
Carr, emerging into the light that came
through the open doorway.
Good Cod" broke from Eric's stiff
fened lips. He staggered to a chair
and dropped heavily into It
Have you seen q ghost?" asked
Adam, stopping short to stare at his
young friend.
"when-when did you come in
here?" demanded Eric hoarsely.
II spent the night here. I over
slept" said the other, his short, heavy
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