The Woman-Haters

he was startled and horrified to find the lightkeeper awake and dressed. Mentally he braced himself for the battery of embarrassing questions which, he felt sure, he should have to answ

boro Twin-Lights would shortly be

ocker, he looked up as the young man entered, and immediately looked down again. He se

stant, with an assumptio

e you?" was Mr.

explained Brown. "The

to k

early, ar

I guess l

ng? Not sic

take a sudden interest in the conversation, "

s.

ngin' around outsi

d outside? Wha

' at me as if I was some sort of dime s

e behavior. He was prepared for suspicion concerning his own actions; but Seth

looked keenly at him fo

round? Gettin' pretty nigh to supper time, a

he put on his cap and went out, not to his usual lounging spot, the bench, but to walk a full half mile along the edge of the bluff and there sit in the seclusion of a clump of bayberry bushes and gaze stonily at nothing in par

chair, by the great lantern. At last he rose and went out on the iron balcony. He looked down at the buildings below him; they were black shapes without a glimmer. Brown had evidently gone to bed. In the little stable Joshua thumped the side of his stall once or twice-dreaming, p

cks, as if some one was moving through the briers and bushes beyond the stable. Some one was moving there, coming along the path fr

low voice; "Set

d lightkeeper could not

eated the v

n the direction of the othe

stammered, in a hoars

fectly well; the questi

oice. "Let me in, I'v

Seth descended the iron ladder to the foot of the tower, dragged his faltering

oor," said

t?" stamm

Land sakes, HURRY! Do you suppos

reverberated through the tower like dista

d; "what a racket! Wh

th. "Any kind of a no

much. It's enough

T the dead to wa

young man of yours, that Brow

and that's next doo

l thing, but I declare I'm all of a twitter to-night-and no wo

om the hook by the stairs. He struck a match, and it went out;

e cried; "what DO

d the third match. He raked it across the w

ty!" he snarled,

what

ose? You ain't the only one

d. With it in his hand, he turned and faced his caller. T

I couldn't scarcely beli

t a groan. "It's you,"

er minute. Then the lady seemed to aw

u. We're here, both of us. Though why

t in time sent you here? Unless," with r

y the expression on

that?" she

thi

ame here to chase after you, you never was more mistaken in your life, o

barrel lying on its side near the wall. The lantern he placed on the floor a

"we've got to t

arted v

. "Why did you jump like tha

dn't help jumpin' when y

smiled slightly; "I remember now. You've taken

me. You know my middle name. I jus

lities. Why didn't you drop the whole christenin'

u didn't really like to drop it all. It was too much of a thing to do on your hook, and

"That wa'n't the rea

as the

to know,

, I

a'n't mine no more-not all

why, of course! you came down here to run away from all the women. Miss Ruth said this mornin' she

or. "Yes, I be," he answered

," more briskly, "this ain't gettin' us anywhere. You're here-and I'm here.

f us better go somewheres els

the Boston paper and we agreed as to wages and so on. I like her and she likes me. Course if I'd known my husband was in the ne

keeper of these lights. That's what I'

away

es

hy

ine Bascom, do

ows we're old enough. I shall stay here and you ought to. Nobody knows I was your wife or that you was my husband, and n

e each other e

the sight won't be so wonderful. And we'll keep our b

to SEE ea

run over to borrer somethin', same as neighbors have to every once in a while. I can guess

, I

Is he on

h a violent emotion. He remembered his

" he snarled. "H

end to believe him. That'll be the easiest way, I guess. Of course," she added, "I ain't tellin' you what to do with any idea that you'll do it because I s

the circle of lantern light on the stone floor

a shock, such as I've had, in a minute. But I'm goin' to get over it and I'm goin' to stay right here and do my work; I'm goin' to go through wit

door. Her husband spr

you wait a minute. I'v

I can't wait," she sa

. You can stay a spell

but I don'

hat are you

f anything-that is," with a contemptu

re YOU runni

. Bascom regarded her husband with wrathful ama

if you think I'm

you here, I don't see why you should be scart to stay.

d then returned to her former se

aid. "I'll stay

urprised, bu

she said. "I'm glad you

to get clear of everybody, women most

ially wanted to

She set out to get clear of me-and I let her h

et out to get

e d

she d

y she

you wanted me to stay here for is to be one of a pair of katydi

ur house. Do you think I'd have been more of a man if I'd stayed in it? Stayed there and been a yaller dog to be

reed-and big enough-it's his o

or his master than he d

ers-his real master, for he hadn't ought to have but one-might be needin' the right kind of watchdog around the house. Migh

at are you t

at twelve o'clock at night and quarrelin' over what's past and se

, when you come to think of it, is the queerest thing altogether that ever was in the world, I guess. Us two had all creation

IS purposes. How did you ever com

down here. I didn't care much what became of me, and I wanted a lonesome hole to hide in, and this filled the bill. I've been here

rented my house and boarded. But boardin' ain't much comfort, 'speciall

was alone, you say

H

know who

he hated name. His w

-he went away. He's in New York now. And I was alone and I saw Miss Graham

ded the money? Wh

ttle, but it didn't

to you. And I sent 'em a power of attorney turnin' over some stocks-you know what

they t

at ought to hav

'pose I took

-why

that run off and left me? I ain't that kind of a woman. The money and s

r seconds before he could use it as a talking mac

to have it," he gasped

fiery indignation. "Did you think I could be

the bank-for you. What

it to Sarah Ann Christy; I wouldn't wond

felt the blood rush to face, and his fists

he stammered. "

s an evidence of conscious guilt, and this knowledge di

ascom, coldly, "you'll

his stride. "Darn the

'll wake up t

e effective. But Set

efinger in her face, "you've said over and ov

shirt cuff, then but a

n that butto

his wrath was, for the insta

asked. "W

r shirt sleeve.

urse. What a crazy

y but a man would sew a white button on a white s

ton and then at her.

t a man, didn't y

e part of it back. You're half a

in't a man; maybe I'm only half a one

l, all right," she admit

he everlastin'est of all fools would chase Sarah Ann Christy. I didn't. That

and I saw 'em with her-with my own eyes I saw 'em. . . . But there

t lie; I

ck to the bungalow, but afore I go let's understand this: you're to stay here at the lights, and I stay where I am as housekeeper. We don't see each other any oftener th

nxiously, "I-I wish you'd be 'specially careful not to let that young feller

't know.

had drifted in while they were together. She didn't seem to notice or mind the fog or blackness, but went out and disappeared beyond the fain

he whispered,

ghtkeeper, gruffly. "I

you won't. I'

you to go alone. Yo

tell you! Go back.

etch up in the cove or somewheres if you t

wn way, and I'm goin' alone-as I've

short. Seth

fully: "I don't care for your help at

round the end of that cove. You sha'n't say I let you

m so proud of this night's cruise tha

N

e. She could not see the path, but plunged ang

ot of the slope and suddenly the lady realized that her shoes, already wet, were now

d?" she exclaimed invo

I told you you'd fetch up in it if you tried to go alone. Been tryin

en to him now. Turning

ed, seizing her arm.

erself from

and mind your own b

to get you home, and I'll d

e? You?

nd he held her tight. She did not scream; she was too anxious not to wake either the substitute assistant or Miss Graham, but she made

cal'late you can't miss the rest of it. T

she gasped,

husband, and stalke