Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-10-22
CHAPTER Ill.

LISTER ESCAPES AND HEARS FROM HOME
We left David Lester on hi lonely H.
lan,l, planning his escape. with ship IN
sight from the elevated p0in, where he
was at work He waited I'LL night and
until a priest OF the idolatrous temple
came 10 chain him t. his dungeon, where
they nightly confined him; and then sud,
denly leaping upon the priest, he bore
him 10 Ia, Hoor, chriuedand gagged him,
disguised him in his prie>,iy ruoeS, stain
ed his face with dirt, went % the shore
where the canOrS were lying, entered
one of them, and padded out 10 sta IN
the direction In which be- had seen the
ship.
He padded for hours with all his
strength, and had gone 20 tar that the
lights from the island could Hot &c seen.
and vet no ship hsd been found and now
the wind was rising and storm was
threatening
.sOh. God Am forsakcn :" he crici
in an awful anguish. Siezcd with fear
thai the wind would take the ship from
him. Must perish here ?"
Al that moment when hope was dying,
he beheld sight that turned all his Wild
woe into yet wilder ecsiacy.
There, 10 the uorthward, was the i ~.
standing directly towards lin. with al
sails set 20 catch u rising breeze, and
not half mile away
'Yes there she j.. he shouted. "She
is coming this way IN >S,rd-Savedr'
He raised his arms Ia heaven in mute
thanksgiving aud SUhbed aloud. the glad
tears streaming dow "a his worn and bag
gard cheeks.
The ship came nearer and nearer.
He reduuhled hi Wild shouts. his heart
and soul IN hi> voice.
An answering CRY came suddenly from
the ships does, and she drew steadily
nearer->werN from her course slight
~, and a rope Was thrown from her deck d,
falling into MS canoe
He siezed the rope with de.P'rG' ca
gerneSs, aud a group rt sailors ic; ug
ever the ships sio,. q ~ him abu.I,
In an instant NOR, te ship had re TIM.
ed her course. and " = moving IN i trb
fashion before the Dog, &c.
safe =, lat mu uvred Lester. lean
ing against the hr marks, weak and
nerveleSs - Sn intan. ''Oh. the giaGErsS
OF this hour "
Poor man He not dream Al nat
moment that hi, adverse tate WAS eu
then relenllessly e., ing around N;
that be vas on one @ hi own >hiIS- he
cyclone; that that >tip Wa, comma ed
by bitter foe in aagut with Co. tel
Nichols. who. on zee gnizh = him. y Id
without remorSe CO. ign MIN aSai 10
the mercieS OF the Pacific in his In IN
canoe.
On inquiry Lester armed ,hat the -
SCI was the CgcicA and In the Egl OF
the cabin lamp reco izvd her Capt IA.
Tearing ol his prizes robe, and VII .ng
the stain from his ace with lis coarse
folds, he exclaimed
Captain Sales. don't VOC know ne p
David Lester cried the Captain.
turning ashy pale, and graSping his sta
tiOnary seat Is though he had received q
shoes
Lester wiped his trows and sat down,
the Captain taking a seat opposite him.
lie had 50 much Ia ask, that his emo
tons choked his utteIauce. aud prcyeat-
Ell him from ob>,riny The lock oil deadly
hatred with which the Captain regarded
him. But he finally piled lis questions
So fast, and learned that his wife We, liv-
ed. that his daughler Amy had grown in
To lovely gll, and that both vile and
daughter had long mOurncd him IA dead.
He also learned Of his wiIe'S poverty.
Colonel Nichols settled up TN firm
affairs" said the Captain rcservediy.
land there was nothing left for Mrs Les
ter. She has been living on hi> 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 fraud - exclaimed
Lester. The Colonel has been untrue
TO the trust reposed in him. have
had suspicious OF his integrity during nv
long exile, but have never dared 10 en-.
terrain them. Ill make matters straight
on my return. can prove my claims
and bring him 70 justice, the dastardly
villain! Ny poor Margaret and ne
groaned.
Testers threat conce ming Nichols
seemed 10 stir up all the malice in the
Captains nature. He beheld his interest
IA Inc snip, irauduleutiy acquired, threat
ened, and he hated still more the lawful
owner whose right in the Cyclone he had
usurped.
"lfrep"rt speaks truly" he said, Mrs.
Lester need not be called poor Colon
81 Nichols has long been paving her Ut
tentions, and when leit port. live months
ago. the story was that they were engag-
eel. The Colonel told me himse If that be
loved her and meant To marry her. No
doubt by this time they are married.
This cruel thrust struck home d the
husbands heart. aud altering q great cTy.
be fell forward with his lace on the table,