The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-08-05
CHAPTER v.
The Man From the Sea-.

ne MAN FROM the Sea.
Well. l was never one to sit gronn
Ing over cracked pot; If it cannot
be mended, then 1t is the part of n
man to say no more of it. For weeks
had an aching heart; indeed. ii is
a little sore now, after all these years
and happy marriage. when I think
of it. But l kept brave face on me.
and above all I did as had promised
that day on the hillside. was
brother to her. and no more, though
there were times when / had to put
curb upon myself.
For the most part she and Jim were
happy enough 1t was all over the
countryside that they were to be mar
ried when he had passed his degree,
and he would come up to West Inch
four nights week to sit with us. My
folk were pleased enough about it.
and tried to be pleased too
we used to take long rambles to-
gether. Jim and l, and 1t is about one
of those that / now want to tell you.
We had passed over Bramston heath
and round the clump of frs which
screens the house of Major Elliott
from the sea wind. 1t was spring.
and the year was a forward one, so
that the trees were well leaved by the
end of April. 1t was as warm as
summer day. and we were the more
surprised when we saw a huge fire
roaring upon the grass plat before the
majors door. There was fir tree In
1t, and the flames were spOuting up
as high as the bedroom windows. Jim
and stood staring; but we stared the
more when out came the major with
great quart pot in his hand. and at
his heels his old sister, who kept
house for him, and two of the maids,
and all four began capering about the
fire. He was a douce, quiet man. as
all. the country knew; and here he
was, like Old Nick at the carlins'
dance, hobbling round and waving his
drink above his head. We both set
off running, and he waved the more
when he saw us coming.
-'Peace !" he roared. "Huzza. boys!
Peacew
And at that we both fell to dancing
and shouting too, for 1t had been such
a WChiy wal 90 4ah Daeh dS VIC COuIu
remember and the shadow had lain so
long over us that 1t was wondrous to
feel that it was lifted. Indeed 1t was
too much to believe, but the major
laughed our doubts to scorn.
,"Aye, aye, 1t is true" he CRIED stop
ping, with his hand to his side. 1.-THE
allies have got Paris, Boney has
thrown up the sponge, and his people
are all swearing allegiance to Louis
XVIII"
"And the EMPEROR" asked; will
they spare him7"
There's some talk of sending him
to Elba, where he'll be out Of mis-
CHIEFS way. But his officers-there
are some of them who will not get of
so lightly. Some deeds have been
done these last twenty years that have
not been forgotten. There are New
old scores to be settled. But it's peace,
peacer and away he went once more
with his great tankard, hopping round
his bonfire. -t
Well. we stayed some time with the
major, and then away we went down
to the beach. Jim and 1, talking about
this great news and all that would
come of it. How little did Jim know
at that moment. as he strobe along by
my side SO full of health and of spir-
its, that he had reached the extreme
summit of life, and that from that
hour all would in truth be upon the
downward slope.
There was a little haze out to sea,
for It had been very misty in the early
morning, though the sun had thinned
1t. As we looked seaward we sud-
denly saw the sail of a small boat
break out through the fog and come
bobhing along toward the land. A
single man was seated I'm the sheets.
and she waved about as she ran. as
though he were of two minds whether
to beach her or no. At last, deter
mined, 1t may be. by our presence, he
made straight for us. and her keel
grated upon the shingle at our very
feet. He dropped his sail. climbed out,
and pulled her bows up onto the beach.
Great Britain, I believer" said he,
turning round and facing us.
He was man somewhat above
middle height. but exceedingly thin,
welf dressed In a suit of brown with
brass buttons. and he wore high boots,
which were all roughened and dulled
by the sea water. His face and hands
were SO dark that he might have been
a Spaniard. but as he raised his hat
to us we saw that the upper part Of
his brow was quite white, and that 1t
was from without that he had his
swarthiness. He looked from one to
the other of us. and his gray eyes had
something in them which had never
seen before. You could read the
question, but there seemed to be
menace at the back of 1t, as If the
answer were right and not a favor.
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