The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-01 00:00:00

'':CHE NIAItKE;TS,,

gp
METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.—M°:-.,,t 01
The cattletrade is quiet and without any great fea,'"sier,
Importance to note. Supplies were not large,anifoi
sufficient, There was a moderate show of English-her
an average supply of Irish, and an increased nu7.4-ation
Scotch. A quiet business was transacted, and riu-
s, t
were rather weak. The beat Scots and crosses soldi.a tu.-0!
to Is 105 per 81b. The supply of foreign stock was "
usual, and the çemand wAs quiet, on firmer terms.
„,„osi
Deptford 4 fair number was offered. In the sheeP hi7,o
thard was about the usual supply. The market was ra;jad
steadier, and prices were firm. The best Dor, ng,ppl/
half-breds sold at from 78 2d to 7s 6d per 81b. A fur late
was offered at Deptford. Calves and pigs sold at abcu
rates. The following were the quotations :—Coarge„,,anto 60
ferior beasts, 4s to 4s 65; second quality ditto, 411 id go
prime large oxen, Is 65 to Is ; ditto Scots,
6s 105; coarse and inferior sheep, 53 6d to Eis ; see"una'- to 76
ditto, 6s to Cs 65 ; prime coarse-woelled ditto, 03 0000
prime Southdown ditto, Is 2d to 7s 4d; large try id:
calves, 55 101 to as 4,d ; prime small ditto, 6s 4d to ,eg
large hogs, 83 6d to 4e; neat small porkers, 4s to 43 oo,'
per 81b. to sink the offal.
era.
METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET.—M-014141.
Thera was a large supply and rathe r be t ter demand for P
arab
beef and mutton, but in consequence of the unfav 0 so
weather trade generally very slow. Inferior beef, ;3?,,
38 85 ; tnirld.ing ditto, Sc 10d to dis 45
prime rge.4ol
48 6.1 to 4s 105; prime small ditto. Is to 58 2,1 ; etu 4,9 to
to 6s; inferior mutton, 3s 4d to 4s: • midrib() g ditto, us
Es ; nrime ditto, Is to Cs ; large pork, 3s fid to
small ditto, Is to 4s 4d per 81b. by the carcase.
; lay.a6l;
48

POTATO. 11/011
A moderate supply of potatoes were on sale, for
there was a fair demand, as lollows :—Magnum
to 110 a ; regents, 100 s to 110 s ; champions, SOS to
80s per ton

GAME AND POULTRY.
Pheasants, 2s to 35 6d ; hares, as to 4s; P deer
is Pd; grows, 2s GLI to 4s; black game, 25 3 key 4
15s to 21e; quails, is 3d to is 6d; plovers, 9d s vs,
88 to 14s ; geese, 4s to 93 ; ducks is 9( to 3
is ad to 2s ed ; and fowls, is to 25 3d eacu.
FIS lb 64'
Soles, is 9d to 33 3d per pair; slirs, 83 to ls Per „,,•1011:
£5 165 to 411 per score ; crimped ditto, 10s to 170 D.Avoyes:
var,loll::;grerir
oysters, 7s 6d to Zs per ICO ; lobsters, 12s to 209
whiting, 105 to 125 6d per box; mullet, 115 6d to 260 ol.sei,
spore; eels, 12s to 14s per draft; turbot, 8s to las 6d:o
smelts, is to 2s 6d per basket; smoked haddock, 251 loge
per barrel; trawl, ditto, 8s 6d to £2 12s 6d per bo3E;to
hook ditto, as to I,os each; and crimped skate, 2d
per lb

1
1

1

[ALLfiIGHTS RBSERVED.]

EVE A T fiß -TELT L;/

G. MAN VILLE FEN.
Author of if. ship Ahoy," "Dutch, the Diver," The
Foundry Belle," 4.c., #O.

' CHAPTER MY..
,
O e GUARD. -
HAD yuido urent been si -
tending, no
better 7ra ts could have b ade' for the
sa,fety of the 'little tentless camp -thaa had beer
planned by Grace Monroe.
For, feeling the possibility of tb return of the
party that had been chased away d,“ g the night,
a well-armed Tarty were :lead off to eep guard ;
while, before lying dove ryY -wiman pro ided
herself with something or ano er the shape
of a weapon, ready to handle in case of emer-
gency.
The canoes had been drawn up, as Mary aid,
right into a place of safety, though some of the
-women suggested that it would be better to leave
them close to the water, so that the savages might
take them; and Grace law :the fore4'. of this argu-
ment. But she ale° deementif Hasten would-set
a great value on the canoes as a means of prolonging
their existence on the island, and perhaps for secur-
ing their retreat by comnunieating-, with a passing
'vessel; and therefore, in spite of the danger of
having such fierce neighbours iia their vicinity, she
decided to keep them.
-
No sign of the fugitives had-been seen by the
scouting parties, sent out, neither was there any
trace of the flying party hovering about the island;
so when, at last, all the preparations were made,
such as were not to watch were told to lie down and
rest.
One and all declared:that they would not be able
to sleep; but, in spite of this, before half an hour
had gone by they were all sleeping soundly.
Mary Dance divided her time between see;ng that
her hospital patients were at ease and walking out
to where, on the sands, Grace Monroe walked from
sentry to sentry—these being doubled as the night
grew older and became intensely dark.
It was a strange position for a delicately nurtured
woman; but her life had been so full of adventure
of late that this new position was accepted as the
necessities of the case demanded; and Grace Mon-
roe, like her companions, was ready to fight in the
defence of the little party, even as, under abnormal
circumstances, women had fought of old.
They kept a most faithful watch, the strength of
which was directed towards the part where the
savages had fled. At the same time a good look-
out was kept to sea and along the sands.
Every ripple of the tide was listened to with
strained ears by those who imagined it might be the
sound of paddles; every sigh of the night wind was
interpreted into an inimical whisper.
But the hours glided on, and there was no alarm
worthy of the name, till towards midnight, when,
slowly and stealthily crawling along the earth—
coming from the very direction where such an
attack was not expected—the savages crept nearer
and nearer.
They had chosen the lava, over the crust of which
they cautiously approached, without making so much
as a rustle to announce their coming.
"There's nothing to fear to-night," said one
drowsy girl to another, as she leaned upon the
spear that had that morning belonged to a savage
warrior.
' $' The more need for careful watch over those who
gave their life's blood for us this morning, Janet
Hall," said a low, sweet voice.
"Oh, rm keeping strict enough watch, Grace
Monroe," said the girl; "but—oh!"
There was the sound of a blow; the poor girl
uttered a shrill cry, and fell backwards, stunned by
the blow of a club.
And then it was that theory ran from mouth to
mouth—
"The savages are come !"
As the girl fell, a dimly-seen figure made a rush
at Grace Monroe, who, in her fear, darted the spear
she also held right at her assailant.
It took deadly effect, in a way she little expected;
for the savage received it full in the throat, and fell
to the ground with a gurgling cry.
• On -all sides, as Grace drew back her weapon,
horrified at what she had done, there arose the sounds
of strife, yells, fierce cries, shrieks from the women,
and the noise of blows.
Then, before Grace could realise in her own mind
what was best to be done, the sounds ceased.
What did it mean? Had the women been driven
away?
The answer came in a hurried buzz of voices which
directly arose.
"No, they did not get' the canoes. Four men
came, and we beat them off."
"Where's Grace Monroe ?" said another voice.
"Here," she replied, stepping into their midst.
"We've beaten them off—we've beaten them off,
the wretches!" cried half a dozen voices. "But
where were you ?"
"Who gave the alarmrrfsaid another.
"Grace Monroe," said Mary Dance. 1" I knew
her voice."
"You are not hurt, are you ,said another
anxiously.
" No " said Grace faintly, "not in the least."
"What is it ?" exclaimed ,
Mary, hurrying to her
side.
"Oh, don't ask me," groaned the poor girl, a
woman in every feeling now that the excitement
was over.
"Yes, yes--what is it?" cried Mary.
"I've —rve killed one of the savages," she whis-
pered, with a shudder.
And, on a party of the women going cautiously
in the indicated direction, they found that it was
only too true; for the savage lay with his arm ex-
tended, quite dead.
Mary had remained with Grace, supporting her,
for the poor girl was terribly upset; and at the end
of a few minutes, after making quite sure of the
death of the savage, several of the women returned
$e where Mary and Grace were standing.
.Is—is he dead?" whispered Grace, hoarsely. ,
"Yes," wasithe reply.
--
Grace Monroe's exclamation was a long-drawn
sigh, as she fainted quite away, overcome by the
horror of the thoughts which oppressed her.
"It seems to me," said one of the girls, drily,
"that if Deborah Burrows had had it all her own
way we should have turned out a precious poor lot
in case of danger. I feel as sick as if I should faint
directly."
"One oughtn't to say so," said another, "but I
shouldn't like much of this work."
"We could have managed well enough if there had
been no attacks," said a fresh voice.
"Yes," said another; "but if one's going to take
the lead, one must take it in everything. What shall
we do if those men don't get well P"
"Are they so badly wounded?"
"y 65 so Mary Dance says. Oh, dear, wish we
were well out of this."
At this moment, in spite of Mary Dance's opposi-
tion Ralston came staggering out, to take part in
repelling any fresh attack that might arise.
He was so weak, however, that he was compelled
to sit down; and, after a time, as there was no new
alarm, he yielded to Mary's entzeaties, and went back
to his couch.
By this time Grace was thoroughly recovered, and
ashamed of her weakness; but, sick at heart at
what she felt to be a crime, she joined those who
were on the watch, expecting at every moment that
another attack might be made.
But the night passed without any fresh alarm, and
so briLlit a morning dawned that the terrors of the
past were to a great extent forgotten.,

()RAFTER XXXVI. -
A FRESH HOBROTL.

HErsTorr and Lis companions were far better In the
morning than might have been expected. Their
wounds were stiff e.nd painful, but there was no
fever, and the young doctor, after making the best
arrangements he could as far as his own wounds
were concerned, went the round of his patients.
Laurent was sitting up, waiting impatiently to be
tended, and 'Thello was lying crying at his hard
fate, and rolling his woolly.head about in the sand.
"I fight for de whole pep like ten thousand brav
men, and kill nearly all de enemy, and den dey
leave me to die ob my wounds."
06 What's the matter, 'Thello ?" said Helston,

coming up.
" Oh, Mass' Helston, sah, I berry glad gee you,
sah. I got dreffie pains in de head, and dey get
worse. De savage hab 'plit my 'cull, and I sure I
elan die."
"Nonsense," said Helston, laying a firm hand on
the bandage.
'Oh, Mame Helston mind, mind! You kill poor
nigger, sail. He berry bad."
" .Nonsense, man ! Them let me have off this

bandage."
Oh, ash, YOU kill dia ewe. You—you— Ob.
mind de bratUal I lulow de 'alai all 'plit."
"Now look here, 'Thello. You fought yesterday
like a brave man."
Sah, I did—that I did!" cried 'Thello, with the
big tesrs running down his cheeks. "But you 6-.14
fault wid mg, sah."
"Never mind about that now," said Helston.
"Perhaps we'll talk about it another time, when you
are well. But, as I was saying, you fought yester-
day like a brave man."
"Yes, sail."
"To-day you are behaving like a child. Are you
such a coward over your wounds ?”
"No, ash; Ino coward, sah. But look here,
ash. S'pose you get crack on de head from sab.
bage's club, what you do if you know it break yout
'cull, and de doctor want come and pull off de band-
age, and you 'fraid to lose your brains ?"
"Why, 'Thello," said lielston, laughing, " do
you mean to tell me you are afraikthat your skull
is cracked?'
"I sure oh it, Bah?'
"Nonsense, man!"
"But 'tis, sail. I know well 'fluff.'" You not ci,;l
de crack, I get de crack, and I feel him plain as
plain. De groat piece in him 'cull go creak, ccroak,
likc g 4410 4991. is de *DAP

"Nonsense, man; do you think the war club of
any savage in creation would crack that skull of
pours?"
" Sah," said 'Thello in a tone of intense disgust,
" dat dreffle ole joke 'bout nigger 'cull being tick I
It all nonsense, sah. Mine broke draft, and if you
no do somfin, I soon die."
"Well, then, let me do something," said
Heston, tailing hold of the bandage, removing it,
and strapping up the large cut upon poor 'Thello's
forehead.
"You tink de bone grow agether again, ash ?" he
said, anxiously.
'Thello ; I don't think there's any
dos about it, if you get up and take an effort. I
shbuld feel anxious about you if you gave way and
lay there. It will heal more rapidly, and the bones
of the skull assimilate at a far greater rate, if you
enter upon some active work, and keep your brain
busy."
"I tank you, sah," said 'Thello, as rialstomfinished
his task of securing the bandage round the black's
head, which, saving a formidable cat upon the
brow, was as sound as ever. "I tank you, akand I
hope you nebber make joke again 'bout de tiolmess
of nigger's head. I get up direaldy, oak And try do
some cookin'."

_
'Thello did as he had promised, while Holston
saw in turn to his patients—one and all of whore
were doing well, and gratefully thanked him for mg
ministrations. '
To his great joy, there was no wound amongst all
that he saw that threatened to prove seriou,, and
though he had to sit down and rest several Vines
during his round, he felt at the end far from ex-
hausted, and ready to take a lively interest in the
affairs of their little community.
liary;Dance, in a low voice, informed him that ths
dead savages, including the one slain:that night, had
all been buried deeply in the sand at low water mark,
where the action of the tide increased the depth of
sand at every flow.
"And their weapons ? " asked Holston.
"All distributed amongst the women—twenty-
nine spears and eighteen war-clubs," said Mary.
"The canoe's?"

" Both safe, with their paddles," she said. "It
was evident that the attack last night was to seize
those boats.'
"Yes,' replied Helston, quietly. "And now, Mary,
about the future. I fear we shall have to guard
against the attacks of these fugitives, and alma to be
on the watch for the cominc, of savages from some
neighbouring island to make a fresh attack."
The next two days were spent in watchful care,
to guard against the coming ef enemies; and every
night the sentries were doubled, but no alarms fol-
lowed. Scouting parties went out by day, too; but
still there were no alarms—not a sign, so far as they
could see, existed of the fugitive savages.
Still there was the knowledge that they were there,
and at any moment the hidden danger might spring
out; so the guard had to be as strong as ever.
The savages had, however, received so sharp a
lesson that they held aloof, having probably gone to
the extreme north of the island; and for days and
days they made no sign.
Meanwhile the wounded became rapidly 'conva-
lescent, and, in the intervals of providing food, every
effort was now made towards supplying the party
with weapons.
Those they had taken from the savages were of
course a great addition to the sharp-pointed stakes;
and, for the present, Helston advocated the use of
good heavy stones, slung at the end of a stout cotton
cord of about eighteen inches in length, these prov-
ing to be formidable weapons in the hands of active
women.

As soon, however, as it could be resumed, the ex-
ploration of the remains of the ship was continued,
though now not without the precaution of a strong
guard being always ready, and a good look-out being
kept by those in camp.
The first day's digging in the hold of the ship re-
warded the explorers with a quantity of iron, some
of which was literally burned away; bu,, a great deal
was improved by the action of the lava fire.
It was iron in thin bands, intended for working
up into barrel hoops; and its peculiar shape, when
cut into lengths, fitted it admirably for the working
into knives, spe ir heads, or swords.
The iron was naturally tough, but the fire had
tempered it so that it more resembled steel; and for
days to come, 'Thello, whose skull had according to
his own ideas closed up, was busy at an improvised
forge, where the fire was not yet cooled, working
away, cutting the iron into lengths, and fashioning
it into long knives or short swords, which, as fast as
they were made, were laboriously ground to an edge
by the women—sand thrown on the lava and sprinkled
with sea water forming their grindstones.
It was a long task; but Heston and Laurent
lending their aid on this urgent duty, every day's
close saw a number of women furnished with a ser-
viceable weapon, and at the end of a week not one
was left unequipped.
This being done, the next thing was to seek a
better supply of food; and to this end some of the
women were trained to the use of the canoes which
they soon learned to paddle, and by means of these
the fishing parties, who went out some little distanc-,
were able to get a much better supply of fish, and of
larger kinds.
The mining at the ship's hull still went on, and
as they went lower, and the rubbish was diligently
cleared away, cask was hit upon' and, after a
great deal of 1... )our, loosened, so that a stave could
be broken; when, to the great joy of Holston, 4
proved to be full of axes, evidently intended for the
Australian market.
These were looked upon as a grand acquisition;
and as the news spread of the find, the whole of the
little community came flocking up, each woman
eager to obtain and depart with a good, useful,
bright, hard axe in her girdle, while directly after,
a competition sprang up as to wile should produce
; the keenest edge. _ _
} Farther exploration laid bare bundles of spades,
and other garden and farming tools, which had
been placed at the bottom of the hold; while where
the digging had gone on in another part, to his
great joy, Holston found that they were the richer
by several barrels of pork and beef.
There were great rejoicings in the little camp
after these discoveries; and as Helston declared
that they must act as if about to live on the island
to the end of their lives, there were soon relays of
working parties busy, with crowbars contrived out
of some lengths of iron, chirping and loosening
pieces of rook, which were carried by others to the
place marked out as best for a large stone hut.
This soon began to grow into shape and strength,
for in the necessary details Helston found an abund-
ance of lime, ready made to hand by the volcanic
action on the coral that abounded in one part, where
the lava stream had made its escape into the sea.
Then, sand was plentiful, and thus the hut was well
cemented.
le, The difficulty seemed to be about the roof. This,
however, was met by laboriously clearing away. a
great amount of sand and laying bare the remaining
planks of the ship, many of which were completely
charred; but there was an abundance left of half-
burnt wood that answered admirably, and at the end
of a month a capital hut was contrived, well roofed
In; aryl a second, for the use of the men, well under
way.
Still they saw no sign of the fugitive Indians, and
the wa'.ea for them becoming very irksome, it was
to a considerate degree slackened.
Helston and Laurent agreed that they must be in
the northern part of the island, which must have
suffered less from the volcanic eruption than the part
where they were; and now he felt it to be a pity
that they had not examined that part by exploretion, previouslo settling where they were,
Deborah seemed to have become a machine—work-
ing readily at whatever she was set to, and seeming
to pay no heed to anybody.
I am growing quite hopeful of her," said He-
don one day to linty Dance.
" HApeful, sir—why P" was the re.ponse.
• "On account of her bJ.-ib. is iucban
Iltered woman."
"Don't trust her, sir," said Mary, "earnestly; "I
don't believe she has changed in the least, She is
Only waiting to break out again."
"Nonsense," said Laurent. "What, another out-
break of strong-mindedism F No. my good girl,
there's no fear of that
"I meant of her madness," said Mary, quickly.
"I hear her muttering terribly every now and then,
and I should not be at all surprised if she did some-
thing dreadfuL"
" You ate getting unnerved, Mary," said Holston

laughing.
And soon after he started off to meet onepf the
scouting expeditions.
For these were carefully kept up, lest:danger
should come upon them unawares, Helston's argu-
ment being that danger always:came when least
expected.
The party he went to join had GISCO Monroe for
its leader; for she took a very active part in any
of the daily duties, though Heston now seemed
farther off from her than ever.
The afternoon was delicious; and, taking more
notice of it than usual, Helston could not help
thinking how wonderfully nature had repaired the
devastations of the eruption, for the trees were
green again, the undergrowth had sprung up won-
der] ully, and the grasses encl bwboos were tall as

ever.
He had not gone far before he met the scouting
party returning before their time.
They had news.
"What is it, Grace Monroe ?" said he.
"There are traces of the Indians behind the hill,
dose to the mountain," said Grace, hastily; "they
MVO had a fire there within the last few hours."
"Let us get back, and be in readiness," said
14nd, after a careful survey of the ground, they
rimmed, and put the little camp on the alert.
Helston saw and said a few words to Deborah ao
they returned; but she only turned away, according
to her custom and he took no further notice much
as he blamed himself the following day for his want
of foresight, after his knowledge of the Wol3llail

-
character.
That night all the sentries were doubled, and
scouts placed in favourable positions in paira—Ffsl-
ston, Laurent, and 'Th.ello taking the most exposed
places.
But half the night passed without an alarm; and
when it did come, it was from within the (imp that
it was first suised. instead of from the outside,

"I might have known that the cunning wretchPc
would get by the scouts somehow," Helston
tered, hastily.
And, pulling his axe from his girdle he ran back
to where he had heard a cry and then a series of
shrieks arise.

"What is it—where are they "he ex-claimed as
he ran to a little knot of the women, evidently sur-
rounding a wounded girl.
"Hare she is, sir, here," cried half dozen
voices.
And bending down over the girl, he asked her
where she was hurt.

"Hurt, sir P—not hurt," said the girl, who was
half fainting. "I was on sentry with Grace Mon-
roe."

"Yes," half shrieked Helston, turning to go.
"And Mary Wilmot was there too."
"Yes—speak! speak!" said Helston.
"I had only walked a dozen paces away, to get a
better view of the san Is, when -1 heard a sudden
noise."

'Pray, speak quic ly," panted Helston, who knew
that something horn le was coming.
"I turned round suddenly," said the girl, hoarst,':,,
"but it was not the Indians."
There was no word spoken, though the girl paused
as if for a reply, and then, in a strange whisper, she
said:
"Deborah Burrows had crushed her head with a
stone ! "
"Whose P" cried a dozen voices; but Helston's
was not one of them. He2rnew what the girl would
say, and she said it—
"Gras. hionme's."

(2b 14 continued.)