i Madame Midas
i
tty rrjtu Ham
4f b
-
CHAPTER XXVIII. (Continued.)
Kitty Marcburst heard aJl thin evidence
fa dumb horror. She now knew that after
ruining her life thii man wanted her to
die a felon's death. She arose to her feet
and stretched out her hands In protest
gainst him, but before she could apeak a
sjrord the place seemed to whirl round her,
And ahe fell down In a dead faint. This
went catixed treat excitement in court,
nd many began to assert positively that
he mast be guilty, else why did she faint?
Kitty was taken out of court, and the el
imination was proceeded with, while Mad
ame Midaa ant pale and horror-atTiirk at
(be revelations which were now being
(Bade.
Vandeloup further deponed that the
fettle Kitty took from hia desk waa quite
full J and, moreover, when the other bottle
which had been found in her room waa
ehown to him, he declared that it waa aa
nearly aa possible the an mo sise aa the
offssing bottle. So the inference drawn
from thii waa that the bottle produced
fcelng three-quarter empty, aoine of the
.poison had been used.
The question now arose that, aa the
.guilt of Miss Marchurat seemed ao cer
tain, how waa it that Selina Kprotta waa
poisoned instead of heT mistress? But
thle waa settled by Madame Midaa, who,
being recalled, deposed that Kitty did not
know Sclina slept with her on that night,
and the curtains being drawn, could not
.possibly tell two people were in the bed.
Thia waa all the evldeno obtainable,
and the coroner now proceeded to sum up.
The Jury retired, and the court waa
-very much excited. Every one waa quite
-certain' that Kitty waa guilty, but there
Wi a strong feeling against M. Vande
'avup aa having been In aome measure the
-cause, though . indirectly, of the crime.
But that young gentleman, In accordance
-with hia uaual foresight, had left the
sMurt and gone atraight home, aa he had
wish to fac a crowd of sullen faces,
apd perhapa worse. Madame Midaa aat
UU in court awaiting the return of the
Jury, with the calm fact of a marble
sphinx. But, though ah suffered no ap
gjearanen of Buffering were seen on her
aline face. She never bad believed in
fcuman nature, and now the girl whom ahe
&ad rescued from' comparative poverty
and placed in opulence had wanted to
fll heT. With clasped banda, aching
feart; but passive face, ahe aat waiting
Car the end. " ,
The Jury returned In about half an
fear and there waa a dead alienee aa the
foreman stood up to deliver the verdict.
He jury found aa folio we:
That the deceased, Selina Jane Sprotts,
-Bed on the 21et day of November, from
e effecta of poison, namely, conla, felo
niously admlnlatered by on Katherine
Marchurat, and the jury, on their oaths,
my (hat the aaid Katherine Marchurat
feloniously, willfully and maliciously did
-Border to aaid deceased. .
That evening Kitty waa arrested and
aged In the Melbourne Jail, to await her
4r!al on a charge of willful murder.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Of two vlla it is alwaye beat to choose
aJbt least, and aa M. Vandeloup had to
boos between the loss of hia popularity
r hia liberty, h chose to loae the former
toatsad of th latter.
At last the torture of wondering how
such Kitty knew waa too much for him.
1 n determined to go to the Melbourne
and Interview her. Bo he obtained
a order from the authoritie to see her
and prepared to start next morning. II
nt the servant out for a hansom and by
4k tlm It waa at the door M. Vandeloup,
ftsol, calm and well dressed, came down-
r pulling on hia gloves. Th first thing
saw when he got outside waa Pierre
waiting for him with hia old hat pulled
4own over bie eyes, and hia look of aullen
assignation. Gaaton nodded coolly to him
'fad told th cabby he wanted to go to the
.' Melbourne gaol, whereupon Pierre slouch-
4 forward aa the young man waa prepar
t log to enur th cab and laid hi hand on
tVl arm.
"WJL". aaid Vandeloup, In a qnit
voice, In French, shaking off the dumb
an' arm, "what do you want?".
Pierre pointed to the cab, whereupon
taf. Vandeloup shrugged hia ahouldera.
"Surely you dou't want to com to th
gaol with me," he aaid, mockingly, "you'll
.fet there soon enough."
Th other nodded and made a atep to
rrd th cab, but Vandeloup pushed him
feck.
"Well," he muttered to himself, "IU
feve to humor him or he'll be making a
aenH you can't come," he added aloud,
sBsrc x lerre sun reiuseu to go away.
. Thia conversation, or rather monologue
-was carried on In French, so th cabman
-and th servant at the door were quite ig
sjorant of iu purport, but looked rather
astonished at the conduct of the dirty
tramp toward such an elegant looking gen
tleman. Vandeloup aaw thia and there
far determined to end the scene.
"Well, well," he aaid to Pierr in
Wench, "get in at once," aud then th
lamb man entered the cab, he explained to
th cabman in English : "Thia poor fellow
la a pensioner of mine, and a he want
fa ae a friend of hia In gaol I'll take him
ejrlth me."
Aa they drove along Vandeloup said
rhlng to Piorr. They went along in Bi
ce, and when they arrived at the ol
Vandeloup told the cabman to wait for
Mm and walked toward th gaoL
lou are coming Inside, I suppose," he
, snarpiy, to f lerre, who still slouched
Alongside.
Th dumb mam nodded sullenlv. Van
faktr emlled blandly and agreed to let
aim enter with him. There waa some
COculty with th warder at the door, aa
Ik peralaalon to see the prisoner waa
air mad out In th name of t. vn.
fonp, but after soma considerable trouble
tthey succeeded in getting in.
"My faith f observed Gaston, lightly,
a they went along to th cell, conducted
ley a warder, "it's almost aa bard to get
MM gaol as to get out of It.
"Why have you come her?" asked Klt-
f7 as he appeared in her presence.
"Becauwr I am your frtrsd," be an
and eeolly.
My friend !" ah echoed scornfully,
looking at blm with contempt ; "you ruin
4fji say life a year ago, now you have en
deavored to fasten th guilt of murder on
asaa, and yet you call yourself my friend;
H good story, truly," with a bitter laugh.
"I could not help giving the evidence
'I did," replied Gaston, coolly, shrugging
"fcis shoulders ; "if you are Innocent, what
.1 my will net saatter."
"If I am laaeoaat!" ah aaid, looking
sat hits steadily; "you vUUln, yea know
A an uutoosat
tmt -
She looked vacantly round the cell and
caught right of Pierre shrinking back Into
the shadow.
"Why did yon bring your accomplice
with you?" ahe aaid, looking at Gaston.
"Keally, my dear Bene," he aaid, laxity,
"I don't know why you should call him
my accomplice, as I have committed no
crime."
"Have you not?" ahe aaid, rising to her
feet and (tending toward him, "think
again."
"No, I do not think I have," he an
swered, glnncing keenly at her; "I sup
pose you want me to be aa black aa your
self?" "You coward !" she said, In a race.
turning on him, "how dare you taunt me
in thia mnnner? Ia it not enough that
you have Imperiled my life, without Jeer
ing at me thus?"
'Hah !" retorted Vandeloup. cynically.
brushing aome dust off his coat, "thia la
not the point; you Insinuate that I com
mitted a crime, perhaps you will tell me
what kind of a crime?"
"Murder," she replied, In a whisper.
"Oh, Indeed," sneered Gaston, coolly,
though his lips twitched a little, "the same
style of crime as your own? and whose
murder am I guilty of, pray?"
"Randolph Villiers."
"Who can prove It?" he asked, con
temptuously.
"I can !"
"You," with a sneer, "a murderess?"
"Who can prove I am a murderess?"
she cried, wildly.
I can," he answered, with an ugly
ook; "and I will If you don't keep a
quiet tongue."
"I will keep quiet no longer." boldly
rising and facing Vandeloup, with her
hands clenched at her aldea; "I have tried
to ahleld you faithfully through all your
wlckednesa, but now that yon accuse me
of committing a crime, which accusation
you know la false, I accuse you, Oaaton
Vandeloup, and your accomplice, yonder,"
wheeling round and pointing to Pierre,
who i shrank away, "of murdering Ran
dolph Vllliera, at the Black Hill, Ballarat,
for tbe sake of a nugget of gold he car
ried."
'Yon ar mad," said Vandeloon. In a
cold voice ; "this I the raving of a luna
tic; there Is no proof of what yon say;
It was proven conclusively that myself
and Plerr were asWp at onr hotel while
Mr. Villiers was with Barry at two
o'clock in th morning."
"I know that It waa proved." ahe re
torted, "and by aome Jugglery on your
part; but, nevertheless, I saw you and
him," pointing again to Pierre, "murder
Villiers.
'You aaw it," echoed Vandeloup, with
a disbelieving smile; "tell m how."
"Ah I" ahe cried, taking a step forward.
"you do not believe me, bnt I tell you it
la true yea, 1 know now who the two
men were following Madame Midas as
she drove away; on waa her husband,
who wlahed to rob her, and the other was
Pierre, who, acting upon your Instruc
tions, was to get the gold from Villiers
should ha succeed In getting it from Mad
ame. Yon left me a few minutes after
wards, tmt I, with my heart full of love
wretched woman that I waa followed
you at a short distance, unwilling to loae
sight of yon even for a little time. I
climbed down among the rocks and saw
yon seat yourself In a narrow part of the
path. Pierre that wretch that cowers
In th corner came down th path and
yon spoke to him In French. What waa
aaid I did not know, but I guessed enongh
to know you meditated aome crime. Then
Villler earn down the pnth with the nug
get in It box under hia arm. I recog
nised tbe box aa th one which Madajn
Midaa bad brought to our house. When
Villiers came opposite yon you spoke to
him ; he tried to pass on, and then Pierre
sprang out from behind the rock and th
two men struggled together, while you
seised the box containing th gold which
Villiers had let fall, and watched th
struggle. You aaw that Vllliera, animat
ed by deapair, waa gradually gaining the
victory over Pierre, and then you atepped
In yea; I aaw you snatch Pierre's knife
from the back of his waist and stab Villiers
in th back. Then yon pot the knife into
Pierre's hand, all bloody, as Villler fell
dead, and I fled away."
She atopped, breathless with her re
cital, and Vandeloup, pal but composed.
would hav answered her, when a cry
from Pierre startled them. He had come
close to them, and waa looking straight
at Kitty.
"Then!" he cried; "I am Innocent?"
"Yon I" shrieked Kitty, falling back on
her bed ; "who are you?"
The man pulled hia hat off and cam a
step nearer.
"I am Randolph Villiers!"
Kitty shrieked again and covered her
face with hor hands, while Vandeloup
laughed In a mocking manner, though hia
pale face and quivering Hp told that hia
mirth waa assumed.
"Yea," aaid Vllliera, throwing hia hat
on the floor of tITe cell, "It waa Pierr
Lemalre, and not I, who died. The strug
gle took place aa you hav described, but
he," pointing to Vandeloup, "wishing to
get rid of Plerr for reasons of his own,
stabbed him, aud not me, lu the back. II
thrust the knife Into my hand, and I, In
my blind fury, thought that I had mur
dered the dumb man. I waa afraid f be
ing arrested for the murdor, ao, aa sug
gested by Vandeloup, I changed clothes
with the dead man and wrapjied my own
up in a bundle. W hid the body and th
nugget In one of th old mining shafts
and then came down to Ballarat. I was
similar to Pierre In appearance, except
mat my cnin waa shaven. I went down
to the Wattl Tre Hotel aa Pierre aftr
leaving my rlotbea outside th window of
the bedroom which Vaudvloup pointed out
to m. Then h went to th theater aud
told me to rejoin him .there aa Vllliera. I
got my own clothes into tbe room, dressed
again aa myself; then, locking the door
so that the people of the hotel might sup
pose that Pierre slept, I Jumped out of
th window of th bedroom and went to
the theater. There I played my part as
you know, and while w were behind the
scenes Mr. Wopplea asked roe to put out
tbe gas in his room. I did so. and took
from hi dressing table a black beard, In
order to disguise myself as Pierr till
my beard had grown. W went to supper,
and then I parted with Barty at 2 o'clock
In th morning, and went back to th
hotel, where I climbed Into the bedroom
through th window and reassumed
Pierre's dress forever. It waa by Vand
loup'a advlo I did not go to th Pact ol us,
wMr my wir would hav recognised m.
Than I, aa th supposed Pierr. was dis
charged, as you know. Vandeisup, aping
friendship, drew the dead man's ealnrt
and Itought clothes and a box for me. In
the middle of one night I, still disguised
na Pierre, slipped out of the window and
went up to Hlnrk HMI where I found the
nugget and brought It down to my room
at the Wattle Tree Hotel. Then Vande-
, lonp brought In the box with my clothes,
j and we packed the nugget In If, togcthr
with the suit I had worn at the Wine of
J the murder. Following hia Instructions, I
came down to .Meloourne, ano mere dis
posed of the nugget no need to ask how,
aa there are alwaya people ready to do
things of that sort for payment. When
I was paid for the nugget, and I only got
right hundred pounds, the man who tm-lt-ed
it down taking the rest, I had to give,
six hundred to Vandeloup, aa I waa In
hia power aa I thought, and dare not re
fuse In case he should denounce me for
the murder of Pierre Iemaire. And now
I find that I have been Innocent all the
time, and be has been frightening me with
a sh.nlow. He, not I, waa the murderer
of Pierre Leruaire, and you can prove It."
CHAPTER XXX.
Madame Midas, now that Melbourne
was so hateful to her, determined to leave
It, and sent up to Mr, Oalton In orded to
confer with him on the subject. Calton
came down to St. Kllda and waa shown
Into the drawing room.
"It waa kind of you to come quickly,"
she said, In her usual quiet, self-contained
manner; "I wish to consult you on some
matters of importance."
"I am at your service, Madame," re
plied Calton, taking a sent and looking
keenly at the marble face before him.
"I am going to England," she said.
"After the trial, I presume?" observed
Calton, slowly.
"Yes," ahe answered, hesitatingly ; "do
you think they will they will hang tho
girl?"
"I can't tell yon," answered Caton ; "if
ahe ia found gnlty well I think she will
be imprisoned for life."
"Poor Kitty," said Madame, Badly, "it
was an evil hour when she met Vande
lonp." A sudden exclamation made him turn
hia head, and he saw Madame Midas,
white as death, staring at the open
French window, on the threshold of which
was standing a man medium height,
black beard, and a haggard, hunted look
in his eyes.
"Who is this?" cried Calton, rising to
his feet.
Madam Midas tottered, snd caught at
tbe mantepiece for support.
(To be continued.)
A 8TRANOE ROMANCE.
O ) Ross sta Ills Prtvmt Hi.
larslam Coloar.
Our favorite story I the on which
Mr. Clifford calls "The Romance of a
Scot's Family." George Ross, tbe son
of a poor tenant fawner in tbe Ork
neys, went ont In a whaler to the
China teas, entered tbe East India
company's navy, and ultimately took
to shipbuilding. When fortune came
to him be went back to Scotland and
carried off bis whole family to the
Cocoa Islands, which be annexed as his
own. Tbe tale of tbe colony which be
founded there la scarcely Inferior In
Interest to the history of fiamwak.
Ills aon was a dreamer, but his grand
son was a mighty man of his banda,
who turned the settlement of the Co
coa Malays Into a model common
wealth.
"They have developed much of the
Scotsman's love of order, regularity,
neatness and cleanliness all virtues
foreign to the race from which they
spring. Tbelr womanfolk, who tyran
nize shamefully over the men since
Georgo Ross has set his face like a
flint ngalnat tbe time-honored practice
of wife-beating. Indulge every Satur
day In a wholesale 'redding up' of
their houses, the like of which Is not
to be seen In all Asia. Their
sole lapse from virtue's way appears
to be that they are- apt to construct
and conceal from the sight of their
own rulers certain Illicit stills things
not unknown In tbe records of Scot
land, but startllngly Inappropriate to
a Moliammetan people wherein to
brew coeoanut toddy of an exceeding
Tlleness."
It Is said to think that the old Iso
lation Is likely to disappear, since a
cable station Is to be erectod on the
atoll, and strange men and ldens will
soon break In upon the Inland calm.
Every one must regret with Mr. Clif
ford the "loss of the simplicity and the
seclusion, which have been the tools
In the hands of nn obscure Scot's fam
ily wherewith to fashion something so
near In likeness to tbe perfect state."
London Spectator.
Mn Millions for Fake. Sevres.
French authorities have figured out
that every year more than $9,000,000
worth of fake Sevres porcelains are
manufactured, principally in Germany.
at Lelpnlg, Berlin and Ruhm, aud ti.-.t
there Is no way of stopping this falsifi
cation of a special kind of manufac
ture of which the French government
has long bad the monopoly. '
The trade mark of the Sevres porce
lains has changed with the successive
reigns and empires, that of the present
bearing the republican Insignia. For
this reason the German manufacturers
produce the fake Sevres porcelains and
place on each piece a mark of tbe old
en time, which Is no longer a trade
mark and thus cantutf be prosecuted by
ti e French government
It Is said that most of the German
product Is sold In America, and that
while you can buy a plate ef German
inudo Sevres In ParU for 60 cents, you
have to pay as much as $34 In lonuuu
and New York for th same stuff.
Am Bscttoa.
Knlcher Bummer reading, so-called
Is pernicious. Tbe average woman's
n adlng Is not productive of any prof
it Marryat Don't you believe that!
When she reads the bargain ads It's
productive of profit to the advertisers.
Philadelphia Press.
roaad tk
Hungry Hiker Dese here corpora
tions has no souls, Useleja,
Useless Urban Yer off, here, Hung ;
I felt s pair of dere hoots last ulgbt,
when I waa trown off dat freight car,
an' de soles was dere, all right, alt
right Toledo Bade,
Oa tka rir.
He Did you hare a nice vacation?
She Spleudid! Jack taught me to
flab.
, He Catch anything?
; She Yea, I caught Jackv VTahtB-
. ton Star,
LOVE AJTD rUTETDSHIP.
Lore la raging and tumultpona ocran,
Where wavo. in thnusmiid forma, leap fart and ilsh,
Friendship, a mountain lake, whore no commotion
F.ronks the blue Ininge of the solcjnn sky.
Lore darts from bcaron like lightning Friendship cxeerSi
A slowly breaking dawn, o'er hill nnd plHln.
Insatiate Lore demands, devour. grnpa, keeps.
Friendship gives all, nor axks for aught again.
-Bmanuel Gelbcl.
"Two hundred and fifty tlmusnnd
lollars, Jim?"
"Yes, that was her value ship and
' cargo."
I "Where did you fall In with lier?"
I "In tho middle of the North Atlan
tic, and gl.td enough were we."
"Naturally she meant money," I
Mid.
"Yon don't understand," replied the
old sailor, quietly. "At that time we
weren't thinking of ah-ripe we'd been
adrift eight days In nn open boat"
j "Tell me tho yarn, Jim," I urged.
I Ho had been rolling between his
band some tobacco, with which he
presently filled his pipe, nnd having
lighted It, lie began the narrative.
I "It was somewhere In the early 'six
ties,'" he aaid, "that I was outward
bound for Bnltlnioro, on bonrJ the ship
Knight Errant.
I "She wasn't n new vessel by a long
way, but for nil that, lie sailed fairly
well, and, what shellbncki consider
more Important, Blie was a dry-Kolng
old craft. To be sure, there was a
pell at the pumps every watch, but we
fek easy If It did not get worse.
"After leaving the Start we saw no
more land, but then the wind headed
as off, and for about five weeks It was
' a dead beat to westward. Of course.
no one found fault on that score, since
tbe more days the more dollars' Is
Jack's motto.
"At last the weather began to change.
, Heavy, Jagged-looking clouds swept
above the horlxon, nnd I heard the
'mate tell our 'old man that the ba
rometer was falling.
"Take tbe kites off,' ordered tbe
skipper.
"In came the royals and the fore
and mlzsen-top gallant sail, and flying
Jib. She waa beginning to He down to
It, and sprinkled the deck pretty free
ly. During the afternoon the wind aud
sea bad become still more lively, but
he was slogging aWt all she knew un
der a whole maln-top-gallant sail. Ev-
( ery thump of the seas she took square
n the bow, and always came up smll-
; Ing, with the fok'sle head smothered In
clouds of flying spray.
"That mate was a fellow to "carry
on.' He was trying to make a Dassaee.
d'ye see, and as the skipper never ln
i terfered with the canvas, the mate was
doing just.ns he plensed. He was stand
lng near me at the wheel, his weather
eye watching the 'gallant sail leech,
I id talking to her Just as If she were
a human: 'Go It, old girl you've got
a tidy keel, anyhow. Ease her a spoke,
j Jim,' as she gave a rough dive that
almost took the wheel out of my grip.
J '"Aye eye,' sold I, 'but she won't
; bear this much longer.'
'The chief put bis head down the
; cabin hatchway. 'Getting wore nil the
j time, sir,' "be said
"Then reef her down reef her
down,' replied tho 'old man,' who was
busy with some hobby In his work
shop, and, when once fairly started at
his lathes, left everything else to his
i ofllcers.
"Didn't It blow that night From
! supper time right through to midnight
we were reefing, stowing and getting
tackles aloft to ease the backstays and
braces, until all hands were nigh play
ed out and wet through, sluco no one
. dared to look at an oilskin. After that
wo had to get the storm-spencers out
of the sail-locker, and bend and set
them. It was no laughing matter to
hang on to those upright Jackstays In
; a heavy gale, and more than once I
j felt Inclined to let go, for the cold and
drenching spume was almost unbeara
ble, I "After we got the sheets hauled aft
the vessel seemed easier, but she was
t drifting badly to leeward, and pitching
heavily, for the cargo of coal waa just
as dead as pig Iron.
" That'll do the wotch,' sang out the
mate, and then our side took It In
turns to Jump below for dry dunnage.
"You should have seen that fok'sle.
The main deck seams were on the loose,
and leaking like sieves. There wasn't
a dry bunk anywhere the lee ooa
were nearly afloat
"Silent as 'figgcrheads the fellows
were sitting on the chests some smok
ing, the others looking wild. I knew
then that we were In for a dose of hard
times, but It was my own fault for I
bad shipped without even a look at the
old hooker, and all I said was, 'Barves
you right Jim I You were an old fool I'
"Upon reaching the deck the second
mate suug out to man the pumps, and,
after a longlsh spell at them, he fetch
ed the sounding rod, while the boy
brought along one of the binnacle
lamps. When the rod was hauled up,
and the light turned on It that sailor
man's face was a picture you bet I
"'It's all wet I' said he, In a half
alarmed, halt doubtful kind of way,
'and, by all tbnfs good. If the Hue
ain't wet, too!'
"He was new to the ship, like our
selves, and couldnt understand her lit
tle fallings.
"Oh.' he added, hastily, that can't
be.' And with that he put the rod un
der his arm, worked It rapidly fore and
aft till It was dry, aud then tried the
well again. On Its next appearance the
rod was wet as before,' but what the
mate said I ain't going to tell you,
Just then she gave a peculiar, lifeless
roll to leeward, and he and tbe boy
hot Into the scuppers, till Jack Car
ter and myself had to knock off pump
ing to render aid.
That heavy roll told Its own story
Juat aa truly as the sounding rod, Tbere
waa a sight of water below, nnd, al
though she was lying so heavily on the
lee bilge, there was still aumctent water
to cover the rod, and that meant at
least four feet.
" 'Wake hor up, boys let's get her
dry.' cried the mate, trying to look
bold, and maybe thinking we bad not
seen the tell-tale. 'Give us a song,'
fnld he; but It wasn't likely that any
one felt like n linnet or a lark over her
nest In the morning.
'The mate kept on talking and cheer
ing us np all the while, but when you
see n man Ilke that you can bet your
txttnni dollar lie's feeling ns yourself
If not more ao. Anyhow, thnt's n way
nil sailors have, and you can't rid 'em
of It to save your life.
"tTp nnd down, and np nnd down
went the pump brakes, till our t mis
ached again, and the deck was smoth
ered In bilge water every time the ves
sel reeled to windward. Such bilge
water !
"With the first straks of daylight
we saw the mess she was In. The
swishing of the water amongst the coal
was sieving out all the fine stuff and
driving It Into the well, till you would
have said we'd been scrubbing down a
coal mine. Four solid hours those
pumps kept heaving out their grimy
slush, and, when we were relieved, I
Just flopped down on the hatch-combings
coal muck or no.
"Some of the fellows were expecting
a cup of hot coffee to cheer them np,
"V0U SHOULD HAVE SEEK THAT FOK'SLE."
but the 'doctor' made no sign, so we
went below for a smoke. That fok'sle
was worse than any pig sty, and every
thing fetching to leeward as she rolled.
We roosted on the bunks as we were,
no one thinking of sleep, and nowhere
to lie If they had.
"As the light strengthened, the storm
seemed to stiffen, and she was laboring
so severely that we dreaded some ac
cident aloft Somewhere about four
bells six o'clock a tremendous sea
filled the deck, but as tbe bulwarks
gave out. It soon cleared off. All of a
sudden there was a sharp crack aloft,
and then we beard the chief singing
out wildly for all bands. Jack Carter
sprang upon his legs.
"'Boys,' said he, we'd best get on
deck. She's goln' to sarve us a trick,
so let's hove sea room, anyhow.'
"The skipper was already on the
poop and shouting like mad to ease the
helm. The foremast had been sprung.
Of course, If he wanted to save th
stick and all the headgear, there was
only one plan keep her away.
"We tore down the tarpaulin In the
weather-mlzzeu rlgglug, and she pay
ed off. The pumps were going all tbe
time, till help was needed to secure
the most. When that was accomplish
ed, the ship was carefully brought to
the wind, as close as was deemed advis
able, but It wasn't very long till we
discovered that the pumps were chok
ed. Indeed, from the amount of fine
coal already passed through them, the
wonder was that they kept clear so
long. Tbe spears were unshipped and
the boxes and chambers cleared, but
there was no possible chance of fur
ther ridding the vessel of water.
"Every hour she was becoming more
helpless and sinking deeper Into tbe
sea. The skipper and his officers had
a talk in the cabin, and after that tbe
word waa passed to clear the port life
boat for lowering.
"It was well that such precaution was
taken. About 4 o'clock that afternoon
the gale was at Its worst while the
seas frequently made a clean sweep of
the deck, but the bulwarks being for
the most part already gone, the ship
ment of water soon passed away.
"Some provisions and a keg of water
were passed Into the boat
"If you desire to see what a gale ts
like In mid-Atlantic, get on board a
western-bound sailing ship at tbe fall
of the year, and should you wish a
second dose of that experience, I am
much mktaken.
"Well. It was coming on dark, when
a terrific burst of wind, together with
a sea that gripped the old vessel un
der the westher bilge, beat her almost
uion her beam ends, and, what with
the weight of water to leeward, and
the shifting of the coal, why, the
Knight Ftrant never again rested on
au even keel. I saw four men swept
overboard by that catastrophe, and It
Is a fact that the back wash of the sea
carried them safely on hoard again.
That escape heartened them a deal.
They just shook themselves Ilk so many
water-dogs, took a fresh bite of baccy.
and were soon, slug lug out with the
beat
"How the lifeboat was saved seemed
a miracle. As the ship heeled to port
It did as take many seconds till the
nttst craft was afloat Jack Carter
was In her stern sheets, and the yell he
gave to cut tbe bowtackle was a cau
tion. I did not need nn order, for be
fore tbe cry came I cut the fall, and,
by sheer desperation, we pushed her
clear of the massive Iron stanchions,
which, in another moment, would have
splintered her In atoms. But even then
she was not out of danger.
"It stands to reason that no spars
ever mnde could withstand such a
strain as was placed upon ours. The
top-gallant masts carried away at once,
end until their gear was cut no one
In that boot knew which way to look
for the wrecksge floating alongside.
Three of us sprang on to the spars,
and, heaving all we knew, Just fended
her clear of danger. By and by the
wreckage drifted to leeward, and we
felt ensler. Mind you, there wasn't a
moment lost
"We could always keep close to the
ship, for she was sagging down on us
all the time, and Just as a big sea
burst over her weather side the skipper
yelled for 'all hands leave ship.'
"Rising, and falling, nnd surging,
fore and aft, the boat sheered as close
as we dared let her. One by one tbe
men jumped, the last of all being the
skipper. , I felt main sorry for him,
bnt he kept a stout heart through It all.
Chaps like me can always get a berth,
but It Is different with a skipper.
"It was almost dark by the tlmo we
left the ship, and then our work was
nil chalked out to live or sink.
"What became of the vessel we never
knew. Our thoughts nt that time were
occupied with more pressing dangers,
and In the swiftly descending darkness
we lost nil trace of the wreck. One
thing Is certain she had not mnny
moments to swim. Her main hatch was
half submerged when we left, ami there
can be no doubt she sank almost Imme
diately.
"All that night we fled before the
ses. Whenever we topped a wave our
close-reefed sail bellied ont with a
Jump, and we strained at the oars to
keep her clear of danger, for If once
caught by those terrible seas, all wonld
be over.
"I could not describe that first night
In the boat To understand the situa
tion, you'd nave to be there, and from
mj heart I truly hope you may never
see tbe time.
, "By tbe merest fluke we slid from
the broken water and tumbled Into the
bollows, where the silence and calm
were awful, and overheard a mass of
low-lytag, flying clouds. Not a word
spoke the men, but their salt sore eyes
never blinked while watching those
white-crested monsters, rising astern,
and Instantly obeying every order from
the "old man.'
" 'Steady,' now pall all P
"And ' out rrpped tbe sail overhead,
and the boat was surrounded with
seething foam. How we watched for
the dawn! . Those hours seemed ages
of anxiety and still we lived!
"'It's coming, men!' cried the skip
per, cheerily, as, an topping a sea, the
eastern horizon was touched with a
dull, gray light snd many Hps aaid,
solemnly, Thank God!'
"After that things; seemed more hope
ful, and the crew began to talk. -iae
food and water wer served out, but
tbe discovery that th'e gale had broken
put new life Into us. 'iThe sea still ran
high, but tbe skipper 'ordered half the
hands to cease work, and directly after
wards the 'watch below' were snoozing
like rabbits.
That day and the next were passed
In safety, for the sea slowly went
down, till the boat was slipping along
easily, but never a vessel idld we bight
We'd been blown a long wWy south and
out of tbe track of ships. (
"On the third night It commenced to
blow again, and somewhere near mid
night as we judged, two of the bands
suddenly began to shout 'A sail! A
sail !'
"Sure enough there loomed against
the sky the outlines of a vessel under
all Ball, and with one voice te hailed
her. We were to leeward, land the
breeze was strong. She never heard
us, and you may, perhaps, tinder stand
our feelings when again left alone upon
that sea!
"Next day It was blowing hsnd, and
we were forced to run. By thajt time
the food and water were well nigh
gone; but while there's life there's
hope, and so all kept a stiff uppdr Hp.
"During tbe next couple of daws we
bad one biscuit apiece, but tbe seventh
day out so to speak, saw all the 'grub
and water gone ; but not one whisper of
discontent was heard. During that
night the wind abated conslderc ibly,
and we had some sleep. At dayb: eak
the sea waa comparatively smooth, and
It was on that eighth day after leaving
the wreck that there happened one of
tbe moat remarkable boat races I errer
knew.
"As the light strengthened our ra
of vision became more extensive and
suddenly a great shout iwokp the
watch below. W sprang tip, th! nklng
of collision, or land, or, indeed, any
thing other than tbe reality.
"About two miles on our star board
bow tber lay a semi-dismantled ship,
deep In the sea, and evidently I Quite
helpless. .
"For her th skipper Instantly ssapd
S conrse, and all eyes eagerly awfalted
soma sign of life on board the fit ran
ger.
" 'She's abandoned,' said the mute.
"'What la she?' Inquired the
per.
"'French,' replied tbe chief.
" 'I believe so.'
krp-
"But Immediately after tbe words
were spoken the mate yelled fit vb wake
tbe dead, and pointed towards it large
vessel lying about three miles under
our lee, whll between her a
Frenchman waa a large boat
rapidly towards the wreck. I
Tbe excitement of the ma
Intense. J
nd the
pulling
te was
" 'Look at that boat men !' c Vied he.
'If those chaps get aboard tbAt dere
lict we'll lose as fin a sal-t-age as
ever dropped across our baws'e. What
say ye? it Is only a matter of half
an hour's hard pull.' j
"With a hearty compliance we dou
ble-banked tbe oars, while bArth mates
helped all they knew, and even the
old man became highly xctlted In the
contest
The strange boat waa sJipplog aiaug
t a ears pace; but you must reroeaH
ber that twenty-five nieu were crowded
Into ours, and only about half those
could find room to pull, while our oppo
nents were flying light and hadn't been
starving on one biscuit a day.
"'BulJy, boys! Stick to It cried
the mat. 'We'll all be happy to-morrow
snd there's plenty of grub on
board the Frenehee. Easy starboard
pull port.'
"Andwlth that the skipper took ns
along In tbe ship shape style.
"In a moment tbe mate was on ber
deck cheering and laughing like a boy
Snd singing out to tho strange crew
that we were much obliged, but dkfnt
require tbelr services.
"I firmly believe tbey thought we
were gliosis, till the mate began to
yelk You see, they couldn't under
stand where we had come from, so sudden-like,
there being no vessel visible,
only theirs and the prize. Anyhow,
tbey asked so many questions that we
were obliged to reply ; snd then tbey
went away, singing out about 'Smart
Yankees!' and other rubbtHh, till tbe
mate fairly laughed at them.
That Is how we won a prize of
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
and I don't suppose such a windfall
Is ever likely to come my way again."
"But bow did you get ber home,
Jim?" I asked.
"nome!" cried he. "We didn't go
home, but took her safely Into Ber
muda, and from there found a passage
home In a stoamer.
"She was a Frenchee, homeward
bound, with a valuable East India car-'
go. With care and several spare spars, ,
we rigged some Jury-masts and took -her
safely to an anchorage, as I said.
"Of conrse, there was a deal of law
over the salvage; but nt last the case
was fairly settled. I got a tidy bit for
my share, and with that I set my wife
up In a little grocery store, where she
finds a deal to occupy her time, while
I'm et sea." Golden Days.
TO PROTECT THE ALLIGATOR.
Legislator and Ofllclala f Florida
Active to Save Ulna.
The legislature of Florida and most
county and city officials have taken up
th legal cudgel In behalf of the allr-
gator Inhabiting the beautiful strwnw
of the State. There was a time when
they were everywhere captured or shot
and dragged away with Impunity. Tbey
were becoming extinct when ooznmnnl
ttes took up the alligators' battle. Ik
was argued that with the 'gator klDedi
off, Florida's streams wduld lose mnetoi
of what makes them picturesque to the
tourist
So ft waa made Illegal In most parts
of the State to kill or capture a parti W
or full grown alligator. The "gators)
seem to be aware, too, of what has!
been done In their behalf. Now theyi
will permit you to row or they wlIJ
stand for your launch passing oloaa
alongside as they lay sleepily sunning
themselves on the bank of a stream.
And they scarcely deign to turn tbelr
huge heads and cast an eye In your di
rection as you glide along. The wild
duck la protected on Tampa Bay andT
on other large bodies of the waters of
i
Florida , by similar legal enactments.
Yet In some large streams of the State
the alligator Is a prey of those who
would seek their capture.
They are taken uninjured mostly at
night time. A bull's-eye lantern Is
used. Its rays are turned full on the
alligator, who slowly but surely fol
lows the light until be can be lassoed;
pushed ashore and tosned Into a wag
on to be hauled away and sold as 4
zoo, museum or circus attraction.
XTTKLUX WAS THIRSTY.
Dtssh Tkree Backets of Water Be
fore Ha Had Esoifh.
Dere wui three ob dem up to his do'
one night an' blowed de whistle, says
Sally Royce Weir In tho Metropolitan
In Reminiscences of tbe Kuklux Klan.
Uncle Zeke he peeped out an' when ha
saw who dey wuz he 'fuze ter open;
den dey rid closter an' banged on d do
wld de butt ob dar pistols: His old
woman she tol' blm to open de do' and
not make no 'spute 'bout It, or dey'd
kill him. So he open de do', an' he
trembled so he couldn't hardly stau up.
Den de fust ghost he say he mighty
thirsty, an' he tell Uncle Zeke to bring
him some water from de spring. He too
scared to 'fuze, an' he bring him de big
cedar bucket full an' his best dipper.
De ghost took'en de bucket an' frew de
dipper on de ground ; den he raise It to
his mouff an' drank, nn' drank, an'
drank, den be han' It back, an' he say
to bring blm some mo' right quick ; Un
cle Zeke, he scared so bad be couldn't
hardly walk, but he bring It full ag'ln,
and bless de Lord, Miss Bertha, he dun
drink dat up like he done de fust one,
an' be han' It back an' tell him to get
some mo' as quick as he can.
Uncle Zeke he ain't hardly able fer
to go to de spring dls time, an' be ain't
strurcely got de strength to bring It ; but
dat ghost he drink every drop up, an
dat made three buckets be done drink.
Uncle Zeke he scared so bad now be
hatter set down, an' when de gbuet ban
de bucket back that time, be ktnder
sigh contented and full, an' he say to
do odder, 'I wns killed at Caicka
maoga, an' haven't had a drop of watav
since,' den dey rid off, an' Uu te Zeki
be say he guess be had bis call."
Oaald Hot Stop Hia Sperck.
On of th Justices of tbe bupiesM
Court tells of a young lawyer rn the
West who waa trying bin first case k
fore Justice Harlan.
The youthful attorney had evident)
conned his argument till he knew rt
by heart Before be had proceeded ten
minutes with his oratorical effort, th
Justice had decided tbe case in his
favor and had told him so. Desptte
this, the young lawyer would not reaae.
It seemed that he bad attained such a
momentum that he could not stop.
Finally Justice Harlan leaned fbav
ward, and In tbe politest of tones sakl.
"Mr. Blank, notwithstanding your ss
gmnenta, the court has concluded to
decide this case In your favor."
We, the people, are very fod at
believing we are running things when
we ar not
When a man begins to lose his herr
th less be has the better It asffxs te
him.
V
