The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-09-15
CHAPTER ".
LESTER ESCAPES AND HEARS FROM
HOME

LESTER ESCAPES AND HEARS FROM
HOME.
We left David Lester on his lonely |
island, planning his escape, with a
snip 10 sight from the elevated point |
where ne was at work. He waited
till night and until a priest of the
IdolatfOus temple came to chain him
IN his dungeon where they nightly
confined him; and then suddenly
leaplng 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 were
lying, entered one of them, and pad
died 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 storm
was threatening.
" Oh, God Am I forsaken?" he
cried, in an awful anguish, seized
with fear that the wind would take
the ship from him. Must l perish
here2
At that moment when hope was
dying, he behold a sight that turned
all his wild woe into yet wilder costa
sy.
There, to the porthward, was the
ship, standing directly towards him,
with all sails set to catch the rising
breeze, and not half mile away.
Yes, there she is" he shouted.
" She is coming this way. l am saw
ed-savedP'
He raised his arms to heaven in a
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 a rope was
thrown from her deck. falling into
his canoe.
He seized the rope in desperate
eagerness, and q group ofsailors lean
ing 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 lastP murmured Lester,
leaning against the bulwarks, weak
and nerveless as an infant. "Oh, the
gladhess of this hour"
Poor mani He did not dream at
| that moment that his adverse fate
was even then relentlessly closing
around him; that he was on one of
his own ships-the Cyclone; that that
| ship was commanded by a bitter foe
in league with Colonel Nichols, who
on recognizing him, would without
remorse consign him again TO the
mercies of the Pacific in his Indian
canoe.
On inquiry. Lester learned that the
vessel was the Cyclone, and In the
| light of the cabin lamp recognized her
Captain. Tearing off his priestly rob be,
| and wiping the stain from his fac
with its coarse folds, he exclaimed:
Captain Sales, don't you know
me?"
David LesterP' cried the Captain,
turning ashy pale, and grasping his
stationary seat as though he had re-
ceived shock. l.
Lester wiped his brows and sat
down, the Captain taking a seat OPP
posite him.
He had so much to ask, that his
/ emotions choked his utterance, and
/ prevented him from observing the
look Of deadly hatred with which
the Captain regarded him. But he
finally piled his questions fast, and
| learned that his wife yet lived, that
/ his daughter Amy had grown into a
lovely girl, and that both wife and
daughter had long mourned him an
| dead. He also learned of his Wife's
poverty,
The Colonel Nichols settled up the
firm affairs, said the Captain, reserv-
eddy, and there was nothing left for
Mrs. Lester. She has been living on
his bounty these two or three years
When your interest in this ship was
sold, l bought it. The Colonel owns
the other half"
" But this is base fraudp ex-
| claimed Lester.
The Colonel has been untrue to the
trust reposed in himl / have had
suspicions of his integrity during my
long exile, but / have never dared to
entertain them. I'll make matters
| straight on my return. l can prove
my claims and bring him to Justice
the dastardly villainl Ny poor Mar
| garrett" and he groaned.
Testers threat concerning Nichols
seemed to stir up all the malice of
the Captains nature. He beheld
his interest in the ship, fraudulently
acquired, threatened, and he hated
still more the lawful os7ner whose
right in the Cyclone he had usurped
" If report speaks truly" he said
Mrs. Lester need not be called"
poor" Colonel Nichols has long been
| paying her attentions, and when / left
/ port, five months ago, the story was
that they were engaged The Colonel
told me himself that he loved her,
and meant to marry her. No doubt
by this time they are married.
This cruel thrust struckIhome to the
poor husbands heart, and uttering a
great cry he fell forward with his
face upon the table, while the Cap
tain regarded him with look of
mingled hatred and exultation. The
New York Ledger containing the
continuation of this story is for sale
at all the bookstores and news depots.
Ask for the number dated Sept. Is.
and in it you will get the next install,
ment. The Ledger has the best sto-
/ TIeS of any DaDer in the world