SHORT STORY.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 445, 27 October 1904, Page 7

SHORT STORY.

LUKE IEADOWS' m WAMUG.

BEN HOLDING was a tall, handsome, young fellow, in a much better position than I; but I never envied him that or anything else till he came between me and pretty Lizzie Meadows, She was an orphan, and lived with her grandfather, Luke Meadows, the oldest fisherman in the village. Had she wished it, she might have had all the lads in the place at her feet; but even in her childish days, when her companions fought for the privilege of buying toys or sweets for her, or of carrying her books when she trotted to school, she would give them no reward but a smile, or a glance from her dark eyes. Her childish kisses were reserved for me. To me only she told her childish secrets, and brought her childish troubles. But now she was a woman grown, and no longer lavish of her favour. She was quiet and shy. And old Luke, being naturally very careful of his treasure, guarded her so jealously, that it became each day more and more difficult to obtain speech with her. It was but seldom now that I was allowed to look in at the cottage of a Sunday evening, as I had been in the habit of doing regularly from a boy. But that troubled me the less, inasmuch as the permission was not granted to any one else. At length, however, it began to be whispered about that Ben Holding went very frequently to Meadows' cottage, and was doubtless paying attention to his grand-daughter. This was the more surprising, as the young man had, till very recently, been working at a place some twenty miles to the north; and, to my certain knowledge, there was nothing between the-two when he first went there. His work must have brought him in a good round sum, for he went fishing now in a boat of his own, and had taken a cottage all to himself, instead of living in a single room, or boarding in a family, as was the custom with the young fishermen round about. However, I gave little heed to such gossip. Lizzie always greeted me with a smile when we met; and Meadows was, if anything, rather more friendly than he had been for some time. Moreover, if by chance I did spend an evening at the cottage, I never came across Ben Holding. He used to go by on Sundays on his way to the meetings of the Plymouth Brethren, where he was a constant attendant ; but he never stayed to chat more than five or ten minutes, and what he said to the girl all the world might hear. I went down to Meadows' place one Sunday afternoon with the intention of telling Lizzie how it was with me and of asking her to be my wife. It would be the best way, I thought, of putting an end to the talk of the village, which did not please me, though it caused me no anxiety. I had lately had a rise in my wages, and was promised a further increase at the end of the year; so I hoped to satisfy Meadows as to my prospects. I cannot tell if he suspected my intention : but it was in vain I sought for an opportunity of speaking to Lizzie that evening, Meadows talked without ceasing, and Lizzie herself seemed more occupied than .usual. Instead of sitting still, she flitted about the kitchen, doing one thing or another; now reaching down plates from the topmost shelf of the dresser, then bending over the fire, where, contrary to custom on a Sunday, she had two or three pots to attend to. I was so absorbed in watching her movements, that I fear I made but an indifferent listener to Meadows' old-time yarns. It was a delight ' to me to note the graceful turn of her figure; to watch the colour deepening on her cheek till her delicate ear looked like a rose-leaf as it lay amid the clustering rings of her dark hair. Lizzie laughingly turned us out at last, saying she wanted to set the kitchen to rights, and we were in the way. I offered to help her; but the old man would not hear of my doing anything, and carried me off to the porch to smoke a pipe with him. We had not sat there long, before I saw Ben Holding in the distance, evidently making his way towards us. So little did I fear him, that I was actually glad to see him, thinking he would take off Meadows' attention and give me a chance of a word with Lizzie. But I soon saw that was not to be. After shaking hands with us, Ben strode into the kitchen; and though we followed immediately, he had found time to give her a little note, for I saw her hide it in her dress as I came in. I soon discovered he had been invited to supper, and the dishes Lizzie had been taking so much pains with were prepared in his honour. When we sat down to table, the talk turned on matters of which I knew nothing, and could take no part in. Lizzie asked question after question about Holding's cottage, and displayed such an intimate knowledge of its arrangements, that it was clear to me the subject had been often discussed between them. What could this mean but that the house was furnished for her as Holding's wife. Meadows smiled placidly, and looked on with an air of approval that well nigh maddened me. I turned cold and sick; but though I never Epoke, and hardly touched a morsei on my plate, they paid no held, but continued to laugh ar.d joke over their own affairs. At last, I could stand it no longer, and, rising from the table, abruptly, said it was time to go home. Then, for the first time, Lizzie earned to perceive my agitation, for the blushed and looked confused. * AiSpuu going out to-morrow, George ?' Meadowi asked as I bade him good-night. 'Of course,' I said briefly. ' Why not ?' ' I don't like the look of the weather,' he explained. • I was just going to say so, when Ben came up this evening. I am not one to counsel any man to stay at home when there's work to be done, but industry is one thing, and rashness is another. It's blowing up for a gale, take my word for it, lads. There'll be mischief to-morrow, I warn you.' * What then?' I rejoined sullenly. ' 'Twon't be the first gale I've been out in, nor the last, maybe. And if it is, nobody will care.' I No man has a right to throw his life away,' urged the old man solemnly. * What's come to you, George ? That's not like you.—l hope you will take my advice, Ben, any way, for the 'Mermaid' is not <■ seaworthy. You'll rue the day you bought her, if you don't look out.' 1 We'll see how it is in the morning,' Ben said hopefully. ✓- ' Anyhow, you can't say nobody cares,' I heard Lizzie whisper. And then she went 4 - on half to herself: ' And George has no right to say such things.' I went out, and, to my surprise, Holding followed "ine. I hurried on, thinking to avoid him, but he soon caught me up. The sky was cloudy and dark, and on one side was an irregular streak of grayish yellow light, where the moon was struggling to break through. I saw no cause for old Luke's warning, nor did Holding, it appeared, for he tegan: ' What can Meadows mean, Powell ? It is a dirty night, no doubt; but 'twill clear before morning, I should think. What say you ?' ' I think so too,' I answered between my set teeth. 'But he is not one to croak,' and he is Very rarely out in his predictions,' Ben con -

tinued. ' Would it not be wiser to stay on shore ?'

'T)oso, by all means, if you are afraid,' I replied with a sneer. 'You are your own master.'

The taunt stung him, I could see, dark as it was; but he kept his temper, and only said: «I don't deserve that, George, and no one knows it better than you do. What ails you to-night ?' 1 'Taint your business.' 'Are you in trouble? Can Ido anything?' '

' You can hold your tongue. 1 ' What will Lizzie say ?' ' She'll care as little as you or any one else. How dare you talk of Lizzie to me ? Go your own way, and let me go mine.' ' Nay, Powell: listen ' he began; but I would not stay to hear : I broke away from him, and ran down a narrow lane that led to my lodging. I was boiling over with wrath, and his coolness irritated me past all bearing. What right had he to bring in Lizzie's name ? He had stolen her from me ; let that content him. And how Meadows had deceived me! He knew, no man better, what took me to his cottage, and yet be encouraged Ben's suit on the sly. I felt as if I could have throttled him. In such a frame of mind, it was not likely I should sleep, and, as a fact, I spent the night in walking up and down my little room revolving in my mind one plan of revenge after another. Holding and Lizzie should never come together, if, by fair means or foul, I could prevent it. Who would have thought, I reflected bitterly, that Meadows was so mercenary. Because Ben had a boat of his own and two men in his pay, while I worked with Tom Ford at a weekly wage, he was ready to throw me over. I felt glad I had taunted Holding with being a coward. Now, he would go out in the morning, whatever the weather, and who could say what might not happen. His boat, the ' Mermaid' was, every one knew, a rotten tub. In his anxiety to rise abovehis fellows, he had bought her without consulting any one, and had been grievously cheated in a bargain. Lizzie's sweet eyes seemed to plead for him ; they haunted me, turn where I would, but I would not let them influence me. If her lover perished in the waves, she deserved all the pain it would give her, the little flirt. But however matters turned out, no one couldimpute blame to me.

Before sunrise I was out and on my way to the beach. The morning broke gloomy and dull; the clouds were ragged and torn at the edges, telling of wind; but the sea just then was calm enough. The barometer at the Coast-guard station was lower than it had been for weeks ; still, I had gone out many a day more stormy-looking than this, and I made up my mind that if Ford wished to go, I would say nothing to dissuade him. It was not likely he would care to stay on shore. He was a bold, determined fellow, and knew his boat, the ' Vixen,' to be one of the stoutest and best built in the place. He came down presently, and, with a shrug of his shoulders and the remark, 'We'll get a wetting to-day, more than likely,' motioned to me to shove off. Ford was a man of few words.

As we took our seats, I saw Holding and his men getting in their nets and preparing to follow us. So, then, he had not taken the old man's advice. He nodded to me as we passed, and smiling waved his hand; but I kept my eyes turned away and madte no answering sign.

We got on much as usual till about three o'clock in the afternoon. Then I saw Meadows' would be verified. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the waves were high and sullen. Suddenly the wind sprang up, and it was all we could do to shorten sail before it was down upon us. Ford said it was a squall, and we had seen the worst of it; but he was wrong, as the event proved. The gusts of wind followed each other fast. Every wave threatened to ingulf the ' Vixen' and _her crew, and it soon became a struggle for life. For my own safety, I cared little ; life had ceased to have any attractions for me; but remembering Ford's wife and little children, I worked manfully' to keep the boat on her course.

* Who would have thought it would blow like this ?' Ford said in his usual phlegmatic fashion as we crouched together in the stern.

•Meadows said last night 'twould be rougher than common,' I rejoined. 'But he is getting old now, and thinks more of a hatful of wind than he used to do.' ' You should have told me that,' said Ford gravely. ' It's never safe to go agin old Luke—he knows the weather signs better than any man.—l say, George Powell,' he went on, looking keenly at me, 'is Holding to carry off pretty Lizzie ? He was at the cottage last night, my wife says. He seems to be there most days.' •I can't tell you,' I replied. 'lt's nothing to me, or to you either." 'Nothing to me, certainly,' returned Fcrd. ' But the folks used to say she was for you, lad.' 'Doesn't look much like it,' was my somewhat equivocal reply. ''Ponmysoul, youare right,'growled Ford as another great wave broke over us. 'But if that is what you mean, Holding's chance is no better than your own, or as good.— Look 1 Isn't that the ' Mermaid ' yonder ?' It was not easy to distinguish anything, for my eyes were full of salt water; but after a bit, I managed to make out Holding's boat, with three men on board of her, being driven before the gale. It was madness on his part not to have put back hours ago, for he knew well enough how little the ' Mermaid ' was fitted to encounter such a sea as this. For a few minutes the wind lulled, and we came within speaking distance.

' George,' Holding shouted as soon as he could make himself heard, 'Meadows knew what he was about last night, eh? I was a fool not to take his advice. I shall never set foot on shore again. Ford stood up, a rope in his hand, and called to him to come on board the 'Vixen.' But Holding shook his head. He was seaman enough to know that to attempt such a thing would in all probability swamp us all, and he would not risk it. ' Tell the folks you saw us,' he said calmly, though his face was white as death, ' Bid them good-bye. I know Meadows will lock after my little girl, God bless her! And you, George—Lizzie '

His voice was lost in the roar of the waves, and indeed my heart beat so fast I should hardly have made out his words in any case. A flash of lightning, more vivid than any we had had yet, half blinded me, and at the same moment we shipped a sea that nearly washed us from our seats. When we had succeeded in bailing out the water, and were able to look about us, I sought in all for the 'Mermaid,' but she was nowhere to be seen. I cast myself down at the bottom of the boat, overcome with horror. To have my rival thus suddenly swept from my path was more than I could bear. Last night, I would have hailed with joy anything that severed him from Lizzie. Now, I felt like a murderer. It was I who had lured him to his doom, and wrecked the life of the girl I loved. I tried to pray for God's forgiveness, but no words would come. In my misery, I would have thrown myself into the water, but I had no strength to move. Ford called to me, but his voice fell on deaf ears. I lay stunned and motionless.

I must have remained in that state for some time. Ford thought I had been struck by lightning; but it was out of bis

power to Kelp me: it was all he could do, single-handed, to guide our little craft Fortunately for us both, the storm began to abate, or we should never have reached the shore.

It was dusk when we landed, and the harbour-lights flashing into my eyes roused me from the lethargy into which I had fallen. A crowd was assembled on the beach, eager to welcome the friends they had given up for lost. I soon made out the tall figure of Meadows, with his granddaughter clinging to him as if for support, and I bowed my head in agony at the thought of the fatal news I had to give her. Suddenly a voice sounded in my ear, clear and sharp above the rest, and I started. It was a voice I had never expected to hear again in this world..

'Here they are at last!' Ben HoldiDg cried joyfully.—' Lizzie, look Up. Powell is safe, thank God ! He is here!'

I staggered towards them, dizzy and faint. The joy was overpowering. By what miracle had Holding escaped with his life ? He seized me by the hand and drew me forward. Lizzie said something I could not hear, and would have fallen to the ground, had not some one caught her and laid her,'white as a lily, in her grandfather's arms. Tneh ensued a babel of voices. All the fishermen in the village seemed thronging to shake hands with me and Ford. I gathered from their talk that great anxiety had been felt on our account; that a lifeboat had been sent to our aid, and had fallen in with the ' Mermaid' only just in time to save the lives of those on board, for she had capsized, and left them all struggling in the water. By the time this was effected, the wind went down ; and finding the ' Vixen ' was not in pressing need of assistance, the lifeboat made for shore, where she arrived long before we did. I was borne on the shoulders of my comrades to Meadows' house, where a good glass of grog helped to steady my nerves. But as soon as I was able to walk, I insisted on going home, giving as an excuse that I wanted to turn in. To remain under Meadows' roof was intolerable. ' Well, if go you must,' Luke exclaimed, when he found I would stay no longer, ' I will see you to your door.—Don't cry, my girl; he will be all right in the morning. Ben and I will look after him.' ' Powell,' Holding began, as soon as I had reached my room, ' you and I have a little matter to settle, and the sooner it is done the better. I know what's troubling you. I knew it last night, and I would have set you right then if you would have listened to me. I don't deny I was put out by what you said—but Well, I have been very near death to-day, and such things seem of no importance. You think Lizzie and I are lovers, don't you ? All the village thinks so. Because I have taken a little house of my own, I am going to take a wife, they say. And so I am. Mary Blake and I hope to come together at Christmas. She lives &{' the place where I've been working all summer. As I haven't a creature belonging to me, I come to Lizzie for help ; for what do I know of how things ought to look, or what a girl likes to have about her? But you've no call to be jealous, my friend; Lizzie is yours heart and soul. I've thought so many a day, and 'now I'm sure of it. I confess I pretended to make love to her last night, but it was only a bit of fun. Will you forget and forgive?' What a relief those words were to me! I tried to tell him of all the wicked thoughts tfiat had filled my brain, and to ask his pardon for them; but he would not let me speak, and presently went away, leaving me alone with Luke Meadows. I could do no less than confess the'state of my heart to the old man, though I scarcely in a condition to talk coherency. But Lizzie's grief and terror during the storm had softened him; and instead of repelling me, as I feared he would do, he smiled as he said it was truetie had vowed never to part with his little girl; but if I* liked to come and live at the cottage, I might marry her whenever I pleased. But that happy day was not to dawn yet a while, The next morning found me unable to rise from my bed, and many weeks passed before I could leave it again. Through the fever that followed, Holding nursed me like a brother, even putting off his own wedding rather than leave me to strange hands ; and I verily believe it was owing to has watchful care that I ever recovered my health—as it was to him I owed the restoration of my peace of mind. Winter had passed away, and the spring flowers were peeping from their hidingplaces in the grass, before Lizzie Meadows and I were man and wife All Lizzie's old playfellows came to the church to see her married, and wish her happiness with the lad she had chosen: but no one's words touched me so nearly as did those of Ben Holding. 'Ah, Ben,' I whispered as I wrung his hand, ' I don't deserve my happiness, and no one knows that better than,jou do.'

Of course he assured me it was all nonsense, and I must not let such thoughts trouble me; but I know well that the recollection of that terrible day will never fade from my memory.