Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-22
VOLUME XVI.

If III resentment of what the captain had
done, and her voice carried a sound of scurn
to that lunctiUnary's ear as she corrected
his mistake
beg your pardon, sir it is as well to
be correct. Mrs Clytton, not Nj iss Gore
beg yours, ma'am," replied the cap
tain. . had understood you were the Ma
.jOr's daughter"
| Nouchsafng no explanation, Mrs. Clyt-
ton turned away, drawing her flowing
| black-and- white muslin gown aroun d her
slight and stately form, and carrying with
her the remembrance Of stern face when
IN repose, but of wonderful attractive one
when a smile illuminated 1.-THE face of
MIR. Valencia She was accosted by the
maid
W hat do you want Simms Z"
If you plea e, ma'am, Miss Auta is
waiting to know which of the two berths
| you would be pleased to choose 7"
| Mrs. Clytton descended to he cabin, one
with two berths i'll it. A young lady, quite
as elegant i'll form as herself, but with a
face of little beauty save what lay in its
fair blue eyes and its sweet expression,
stood there, patiently waiting.
" Geraldine, will you be so kind as to
choose your berth p
(Which is the most comfortable ?"
Il think that one it seems more airy
than this"
III take it, then" said Mrs Clytton.-
And the younger lady meekly began to put
her own things upon the other.
For a few days there was no great ap-
proach to intimacy, Mr. Valencia holding
himself aloof He was deferred to in every
way, the new passengers found ; and per-
haps if there was one thing held in more
reverence on board than Mr. Valencia him
self it was Mr.. Valencias ebony chest that
he kept secluded in his cabin, and before
which handsome curtain was generally
drawn 1t was of curious value i'll itself,
that chest with its elaborate carvings and
the adjuncts Of silver.
The Cores had left their only son in
grave in Madeira, whittier they had gone a
year before, hoping to prolong his life. So
much depended on it. Had he lived but
two months longer he would have come i'll
to large fortune, and could have willed it
to his family. He died, and it went from
them and the Major was returning to En-
gland bitterly disappointed man return
ing to poverty and debt, and all sorts of
this coming money for years, and had lived
accordingly. Mrs Clayton, his only
daughter, had been wife for six months
only, and had been back under her fathers
roof, a widow, these three years. She was
FIVE and-twenty now, and had no fortune
whatever, but plenty of pride Auta Gore,
an orphan and the Majors niece, lived with
them she possessed about a hundred a
year, ninety of which the Major and Mrs.
Gore took, leaving her the rest for clothes
and pocket-money. Tolerated as depen-
dant more than relative, poor Auta had
been taught the lesson Of humility, and had
learned 1t effectively.
Certainly the ship did not appear to be
IA lucky one Contrary weather pursued it
after quitting Madeira, .jnst as it had pre-
viousy; violent head-winds one day, utter
calm the next ; and the voyage promised
to be unusually prolonged. 1t seemed to
Mrs. Clytton, who was remarkable
shrewd observer, that some sort of dissat-
isiaction reigned amidst the sailors which
was not allowed 10 transpiTe beyond them
selves. Meanwhile an intimacy sprang up
between the Cores and the Anglo-Spaniard.
rather remarkable from his previous cold
ness They were together always he
paced the deck with one or other of the
young ladies' generally Mrs. Clytton--at
his side, or sitting under the awning in the
autumn sum- while he told them tales of
Brazilian life. And Geraldine Clytton had
begun to think the wealthy Don worth her
notice The hidden treasures of that chest,
filled to its lid with diamonds and Jewels,
hUated before her i'll dazzling vision by
night and by day. Simms had craftily
thrown out delicate questions on the sub
iuct to the servant, Vincent, and he respOn
ded without reserve They were almost
priceless jewels, he affirmed necklaces,
rings, armets, all fit for queen one tia
ra of diamonds was said to be worth eight
thousand pounds. Geraldine Clytton turned
half faint with delirious hope as she gath
cred this, and made up her mind, III the
consciousness Of her irresistible charms, to
be George Valencia's second wife. Nor for
himself did she care but to be the mis-
tress Of such gems she would have we'll
nigh bartered her soul The chest was of
curious shape, beautiful as it was, very
long and narrow and Mrs. Clytton some
times saw the sailors look askance at it,
more in dread than admiration. That some
mystery, and not pleasant one, was con-
nected with it in their minds was evident,
and she wondered greatly. Did they fear
temptation? Not SO she. :" | would give
all am worth to lift the lid !" she passion
ately murmured. gazing in at it one day
from the cabin door, as it stood revealed
behind the undrawn curtain. And I'd
not 60 anigh it to be- made skipper to-mor-
row." shuddcred a passing sailor, in whose
hearing she had unwittingly spoken.
Have you been long i'll the Rrazils?" ?"
asked Major Gore one day, as they were
all, except Mrs. Gore, who suffered from
sea-sickness, sitting on deck, Mr.. Valencia
leaning over the side in his customary man.
ner, while he watched the waves.
"Ten years"
"Ten years of exile A short while,
though, to make fortune in which you
have done, | believer"
"A larger fortune than shall know how
to spend" said Mr. Valencia 1--WE were
originally Spaniards ourselves, and have
connections still III Brazil, so that | went
ont under good auspices. The lady ! mar
ried was also very rich"
" She must have died young. You can
not I've more than forty"
IN, +b;rt,, NV. I dara COW Io,E f,rty3