The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-10-19
CHAPTER III.
LESTER ESCAPES AND HEARS FROM
HOME.


We left David Lester on his lonely
island, planning his escape, with a
ship in sight from his elevated point
where he was at work. He waited til
night and until "A priestIOf the idolatrous
temple came to chain him i'm his dun
geon, where they nightly confined him
and then suddenly leaping upon the
priest, he bore him to the floor, chained
and gagged him, disguised himself in
his priestly robes, stained his face
! brown with dirt, went to the shore
where the canoes We're lying, entered
! one of them, and padded out to sea in
the direction in which he had seen the
ship.
He padded for hours with all his
strength, and had gone so far that the
lights of the island could not be seen.
and yet no ship had been found; and
now the wind was rising and "A storm
was threatening.
"Oh, God ! Am | forsaken ?'i he
cried, in an awful anguish, seized with
fear that the wind would take the
ship from him. "Alust | perish here ?''
AT that moment when hope was DIV
ing, he beheld u sight that turned all
his wild woe into yet wilder ecstasy.
There, to the northward, was the
ship, standing directly towards him,
and not half a mile away.
YES, there she is!n he shouted
'She is coming this way. | am saved
saved ~
He raised his arms to heaven in mute
thanksgiving and sobbed aloud, the
glad tears streaming down his worn
and haggard cheeks.
The ship came nearer and nearer
He redoubled his wild shouts, his
heart and soul in his voice.
An answering cry came suddenly
from the ships deck, and she drew
steadily nearer-swerved from her
course slightly, and rope was thrown
from her deck, falling into his canoe.
lie seized the rope in desperate eager
ness, and "a group of sailors leaning
over the ships side drew him aboard.
In an instant more the ship had re
sumed her course, and was moving in
stately fashion before the breeze.
safe at last" murmured Lester.
leaning against the bulwarks, weak
ana nerVeless as an infant. Oh, the
gladness of this hourn'
Poor man lie did not dream at
that moment that his adverse fate was
even then relentlessly closing around
nm; that he was on one OF his own
shlps-the Cyclone that that ship was
commanded by IA bitter foe in league
Win Colonel Nichols, who, on recogni-
zlhg him, would without remorse, con
sign him again to the mercies of the
Pacific III his Indian canoe.
On inquiry Lester learned that the
vessel was the Cyclone, and in the light
OF the cabin lamp recognized her Can
tain. Tearing OF his priestly robe, and
wiping the stain from his face with its
coarse folds, he exclaimed:
Captain Sales, don't you know me %,
david Lestcr!h cried the Captain.
turning ashy pale, and grasping his
stationary seat rs though lie had reciv-
ed II shock.
Lester wiped his brows andsat down.
the captain taking seat opposite him
lie had SO much TO ask, that his emo
tons choked his utterance, and preven-
ted him from observing the look of
deadly hatred with which the CAPTAIN
regarded him. But lie finally piled his !
questions fast, and learned that his |
wife yet lived, that his daughter AMY |
had grown into u lovely girl, and thai
both wife and daughter had lonp
lnourned him as dead. Healso learned |
Of his wife's poverty.
Colonel Nichols settled up the firm
affairs" said the Captain, reseryedly |
ana there was nothing left for Mrs, |
Lester, she has been living on his |
bounty these two or three years Wheu |
your Interest in this ship was sold. |
bought it, The Colonel owns the other
half"
But this is base fraud! exclaimed
Lester. The Colonel has been untrue TO !
The trust l reposed on him. 1 have had
suspicious of his integrity during nv
long exile, but l have never dared to
entertain them. III make matters
straight on my return. can prove nv
claims and bring him to Justice, The
iastardly villain! My poor Margaret
md he groaned.
Testers threat concerning Nichols
eemed to stir up all the malice of the
Japtain's nature. lie beheld his inter
~ in the ship, fraudulenlly acquired.
hreatened, and he hated still more the
awful owner whose right in the CveIoae ,
e had usurped.
III report speaks truly he said, !
j RS. Lester need not be called 'poor.j {
'olonel Nichols has long been paying
er attentions, and when / left port I
We months ago, the story was that i
ley were engaged. The Colonel told .
10 himself that he loved her and meant 8