Middletown transcript., 1920-07-31
CHAPTER lII-continued.

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But not an inch of canvas did she
lower, foundering on in her stolid
fashion, while a little black ball ran
up her peak and the rare old flag
streamed suddenly out from the hal
Hard. Then again came the rap-rap-
rap of her little guns and the boom
boom Of the big carronades in the
bows of the lugger. An instant later
the three ships met, and the merchant
man staggered on like stag with two
wolves hanging to its launches. For
a stricken hour the hell-cloud. moved
slowly across the face Of the water,
and still, with our hearts in our
mouths, we watched the flap of the
flag, straining to see If it were yet
there. And then suddenly the ship.
as proud and black and high as ever,
shot on upon her way, and as the
smoke cleared we saw one Of the lug
gers sQuattering like broken-winged
duck upon the water. and the other
working hard to get the crew from
her before she sank.
For all that hour I had lived for
nothing but the fight. My cap had
been whisked away by the wind, but
I had never given 1t thought. Now,
with my heart full, I turned upon
Cousin Edie, and the sight Of her took
me back six years. There was the
vacant, staring eye and the parted lips,
just as had seen them in her girl
hood, and her little hands were
clenched until the knuckles cleaned
like ivory.
"Ah, that captain!" she said, talking
to the heath and the whin bushes.
There Is q man-sO strong, SO resO-
lutte! l would give q year of my life
to meet such a man. But that is what
living in the country means. One
never sees anybody but just those who
are fit for nothing better"
I do not know that she meant to
hurt me, though she was never very
backward at that; but. whatever her
intention, her words seemed to strike
straight upon naked nerve.
Every well, Cousin Edie," said, try
ing to- speak calmly. '"That puts the
cap on It. I'll take the bounty in Ber.
wick tonight"
"Oh, you'd look so handsome in a
red coat. Jack, and it improves you
vastly when you are in a temper. /
wish your eyes would always flash like
that, for it looks so nice and manly.
But am sure that you are Joking
about the soldering"
"Tll let you see II I'm joking" Then
and there set off running over the
moor. until l burst into the kitchen
where my father and mother were sit
ting on either side Of the ingle.
Mother" I cried, I'm off for a
soldier"
Had I said that 1 was off for bur-
glar they could not have looked worse
over It, for in those days among the
decent, canny country folks it was
mostly the black sheep that were
herded by the sergeant. But, my word,
those same black sheep did their coun-
try some rare service, too! My mother
put up her mittens to her eyes, and
my father looked as black as q peat
hole.
"Hoots, Jock. you're daft" says he.
Daft or no, I'm going"
'"Then you'll have no blessing from
me-"
'"Then I'll go without"
At this my mother gave a screech
and throws her arms about my neck.
I saw her hand, all hard and worn
and knuckly with the work that si1t
had done for my upbringing, and II
pleaded with me as words could not
have done. My heart was soft for her,
but my will was as hard as q flint
edge. I put her back in her chair
with kiss, and then ran to my room
to pack my bundle. It was already
growing dark, and had a long walk
before me; SO ! thrust a few things
together and FASTENED out. As came
through the side door someone touched
my shoulder. and there was Edie in
the gloaming.
SILLY boy!" said she. "You are moi
really going? I don't want you to 60
Jack"
You said that the folk In the coun
try were flt for nothing better. You
always speak like that. You think nc
more Of me than Of those doves in thu
cote. You think I'm nobody at all. II
show you different" All my troubles
came out in hot little spurts of speech
She colored up as I spoke and looked
at me in her queer, half-mocking, half.
pettipg fashion.
''0h, think SO little of you as that, >
said she. "And that Is the reason why
you are going away. Well, then, Jack
will you stay If am-if am kind tc
your
We were face to face and close to
.gether, and In an instant the thing
was done. My arms were round her
and was kissing her, and kissing her
and kissing her. on her mouth, hel