Uncanny Tales

d as Mrs. Lardner f

had anything to do with it?" he asked. "Why, you admit yourself that h

e first we came to live at Tryn yr Wylfa only four people besides poor Ro

he added with something sus

upplemented the Major. "But you can't ge

lived long enough in retirement in the little Wel

y, across which the quarry's tramp steamers now sail, was once dry land on which stood a village. Deep in the water the remains of this village can still be seen i

Roberts was a fisherman who had recently come from the South. One calm day in February he had ro

d back to the hotel it was just Betty Lardner who made him think again of the legend. He was in love, and, being very young,

before he fell asleep, for he remembered

be a promenade. He was not actually thinking of the legend; to be precise, he was thinking

your boat if you will row me out to th

ously, perceived that he was

, "I will make it a sover

," replied the Welshman. "Not i

ou are no

torted the Welshman,

de young Cargill decide that it would b

swimming. The knowledge that the distance there and back was nearly five

ught out Bissett. Bissett was a fellow member of the Middle Temple, a

exactly keen o

oned. "Of course it's all rot in a way-it must be. But isn'

a few hundred yards of the spot. They would tow a di

. But he did find it, and he did look upon, and act

oticed that several of the villagers gave him unfriendly glances; and

was a trifle chilly. After tea Betty executed a quite deliberate man?uvre to avoid having hi

you?" was a

you knew," he s

s! It was all over the vi

It was a thing of beauty. And now you have spoilt it. It's l

ore the year is out-like Robe

id. And to Cargill it sounded exa

For six months he thought little about

ear of the train to himself. Towards the end of the hour he dozed and dreamt of the day he had looked o

to preserve the illusion when his eye fell lazily on

ened to be a Londoner!" he mused. "I

rack. But before he reached it there was the shriek of a whistle,

was hurt. A local train, creeping along at four miles an hour, had

sengers put his head out of the window. He s

f that other train had be

ar the river gur

fright by the time

worst of it! If I happened to be drowned in the ordinary way they'd swear it was the legend. I suppose, f

gered at his refusal to accept it, had determined to drive home the lesson of his own im

ncle Peter!" he exclaimed,

ing. Come at o

l's secretary, and young Car

boat-train that he realised tha

tossed in an unusually rough crossing he was prepared

annel was like the proverbial mill pond. But it was not until the ship had actually put i

rug which he was carrying on his arm, caught in the railings. He turned sharply to free it and steppin

into the water, because the gangway railing was in easy reach; and if you remember that he was a champion swim

ext few days. Then he told himself that his attendance at the last rites of his uncle had

rly in February he was invited for a week's hunting

rkably well, in spite of the fact that their hostess, knowing something

her and they walked their horses home together. When

't forgive

ditions," she rep

lternative to suic

e said. "You must be drowned

that he was exasperated. He had looked forward to meeting her, and now she was treating

occur. The fact of my being a townsman instead of a d

drowsiness stole over him. Enjoying the keen physical pleasure of it, he thought what a wholly delightful thing was a hot bath after a day's hard hunting. His mind,

tried to rouse himself, but a faintness had seized him. That s

ill he hurled himself out of the

ll. For it was almost a month later when he surprised the secretary of that swimming club of

ning to take

escending lift when he suddenly remembered that that particular tube ran beneath the river. Suppose an accident should occur-a leakage! After a

to the staircase, and sweating with terror gained

s looking "nervy." In the last few weeks his sane and normal self seemed to have shrunk within him. But it was still capa

ean what I say-an obsession! You must pull yourself together or you'll go stark mad, and then you'll probably go and throw y

young

Stranack, oozing health

frousting too much. I'm glad I came. The car's outside, and we

gill felt the blood

. I-I've got an appointment t

wondered. For a few minutes he gossiped, w

r. It's becoming an obsession.

Stranack was already in the doorway. His chance of killing t

ill. "I-I'll come

had never been afraid of water, as such. And the familiar scenery, togeth

y lock. When they were r

r through the l

uld not take her through the lock. He was admitted to be a much better boatman than Stranack, and everyone knew that it required a cert

of a launch. The launch was already under way, and young Cargill trying to avoid it better, thrust with his boat-hook at the side

inst the lock gates, and was splintered like firewood. Cargill fe

gerously long time before Stranack, who had suffered no more than a wetting, had found

t to pieces

eliberately pulled the blind down. The action was important. It signified that he ha

ly at bay. He started a guerilla campaign against the obsession with

ll prosperous outskirts of Paddington. It was one of his good days and, in sp

o cross the canal. On the bridge he paused and, gripp

l sanity in the presence of the water was worth more to him than the brandy. He

anic seized him. The next instant the man who was probably the best amate

brandy, until his man brought him the last edition of the evening

on the hearthrug and, wrongly attributing his

personal friend, was shrewd enough to suspect that the brand

k in June Cargill w

ning. "You are probably aware that your nerves h

was scarcely audible, a

continued the doctor. "Go there again! Go for long wa

to Tryn

ong enough for the promenade it was the fourteenth of June. He noticed the date on the

t-after the canal episode. Four of the ten days had pass

ge in him, and was kinder th

" he said, "is

nd he might have smiled back if

at, so that she was with him on t

ers on to the long sand-bank that lies submerged between Tryn yr Wylfa and Puffin Island.

n yr Wylfa. It was impossible to la

en superintending what feeble efforts had been made to effect a rescue

t time there has been a wreck hereabouts.

o swim out to the wreck

ng Cargill

lared at him

e a pretty fine swi

st amateur swimmers in the country," replied Cargill calmly. "If you will tel

ared at him

n invalid," cried Be

him with fresh wonder. Somehow

ide to the little bathing office

"have you forgotte

ed, "have you for

stion. He did not hear the man. His thoughts were far away. He w

s protests they fixed a belt on him,

as a landing stage for pleasure skiffs, walked until the wa

e earned Betty Lar