Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-01-10
CHAPTER v.
THE SANDY KEY.

THE SANDY KEY
The ship is fast settling down. SIR said
Kingcombe, in the low deep tone that
marks brave mans hopeless resignation.
The huge black clouds were rolling rap,
idly off. vivid red and blue forks of light
ming still playing across them, as they were
swept away and torn into shreds by the
squal which had done its work Of destrne
ton. and lett the good ship Elizabeth the
sport Of the heavy swell that still raved
and foamed around her, her masts rent
away, her guns thrown overheard her crew
striving for footing on her slippery deck.
having exhausted the utmost Of mans fee.
ble strength in contention with the ele-
ments.
Lionel Stafford dashed back from his
brow his drench ed hair, locked out ON the
wide SEA, and answ cred, You have done
your duty well. my lads. Now each man
to his prayers
Then turning to the youth who stood
near him, with bowed shoulders, lips reso-
lutte even to sullenncss, and eyes wistfully
bent Oh that eastern horizon already
Frightening with the sudden morning light
of the tropics he held out his hand. say.
ing. Mark, this is the time for pardon
Il have nothing to pardon you. said
Mark almost repclling the hand. .Iwas
the tool and madman. You have borne
with me when another might have ironed
me. Would that casting me overheard
would rid you Of the curse have brought
on this voyage. and send YOU hOme-yOu
who alone are worthy Of her.
A sudden pressure frightened on his hand
AS he said the words.-a grasp that silent
" cancelled the account Of four year Of
gloomy. reserved insulordinatioa on the
one side. and needful. though forbearing.
maintainance OF authority on the other
Danger. disaster, sickness. combat. per.
plexity and disappointment. all had in turn
cast their shades on that snnlit field of goi-
den enterprise ON which Mark Lynch had
so madly rushed, nor was there the com
pensating sense of adventure and OF glory
that he had figured to himself IL the half
trading, half fighting voyages of discovery
Of the Spanish Main. Uader a cautious
and scrupulous man, a strict maintainer of
discipline the romantic adventures that had
infiained Marks fancy could not well take
place. aud the troukIes that had befallen
them-calms. fsvers, disservices from the
natives. misunderstanding with the Virgin
ian colonists, disappointments Of meeting
the Spanish carracks had served to EN-
bitter his impatient though silent nature,
1t was. for the most part, duller lite than
that at the home whence he had fled. and he
was resentful Of the captains determine
ton to fall on no peaceful! settlement OF
even the Spaniards, and to permit none Of
those descents on Indian villages which he
knew, by sad experience, were sure to end
in violence, provoked by unreasonable
greed Of gold. Mark shared in the mur-
inurs Of the sailors. and had nearly pur-
suaded himself that Statford's iuaction wa,
in order to balk him of the glory and rep
utati0n he would have won. Hc rejected
every attempt at a friendly advance, and
the farther he went from Anlise Ca,yto
the more he brooded over Stafford's treach
cry. till that affection for her that had laid
dormant at home was become q passionate
fame. He fumed and ragged at the many
delays that had prevented the return O
the Elizabeth. sometimes even attributins
them to contrivances on the captains par
to cause Amise to have time to forget hel
bridegroom, and even when a perception
Of his own error. reccollecti0n of Ra
leigh's warning Of the evils that an un
blessed son was said to bring on voy age
and even the discovery that the supersti
tion Of the sailors had begun to point Il
TO BE CONTINUED.