The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-29

deck.
The captain screamed his orders To his
men, and for few moments disorder reign
ed.
"A nasty bit of weather." said Lowder.
.'And bad sky"
"Yes, but I've seen As bad" returned
Tre-silian. Eve shall make port all right,
never fear. We must be well on toward the
Cape di Gallo. And its only seven miles
from the Cape TO Palermo"
But the seven miles in this storm are
worse than seventy in good weather. Thee
coasts are dangerous, Tressilian.'
Lowder shuddered as he surveyed sea and
sky.
''But about your father, Jasper" said
Tressilian, who had become deeply interested
in his companions story. "What did he
do after your mothers DEATH"
II remained al the old lodgings' with our
single old servant 4 month or more, my father
visiting me several times, and expressing
anxiety As TO what he should do with me. \
week after my mothers death, he told me
that his brother was dead \ month later,
his father was killed by being thrown from
his horse. My father came into riches and
honors by these deaths. AT last, deciding TO
rid himself of me, he took me down to Brigh-
ton, TO my old grandmother. Her sons were
dead; she had given up keeping dodgers, and
was grown misery. lie promised her five
hundred pounds year to keep me, and TO
keep also the secret ofmy paternity, solemnly
promising to acknowledge me some day as
his son mad heir. The aid woman agreed to
carry out his wishes. She would have done
anything for money. never saw my father
again. went to school, grew up, and at the
age of twenty-one came into nv grand
mothers money, the fruits of wears Of saving,
she dying al that time. Ny father had de-
liberately Abandoned me. | did not know
where 10 seek him, if | had wished to. l
took my money and came abroad. | had
been two years on the Continent, and had
spent my little fortune when met you. The
rest you know"
"An odd, romantic story. But why did
your father abandon you?'
THAT he might be freed of encumbrance 10
make a grand marriage. From what nv
grandmother said at different times, con-
ciude that my father was in love with 4 titled
lady before my mothers death. No doubt
he married this lady. If he lives, this lady's
son may be his acknowledged heir. My
father has utterly disowned the son OF his
I first hasty, ill-starred marriage. | have a
fancy that | shall NEE; him some day." and
Jasper's brow darkened to deeper blackncss.
'.Howeyer ! stand no chance Of ever recely-
ing justice at his hands"
.'What Is your fathers name, Jasper
asked TressiIian
Lowder's face darkencd. lie bit his lip
savagely.
"What have told YOU about myself
learned from INV own observation or from
chance words of my parents and grand
mother Ny mothers maiden name was
Jeanette LOwder. At oar London lodgings
I my father bore the name of Lowder. |
don't know his real name, but should know
his face anywhere, although l have not
seen him in thirteen years. My mother was
actually married, Tressiiian, but ! never
heard my fathers name. The clergyman
who married my mother WIS dead; the wit
nesses also. Whcn my grandmother was
ding she tried To- tel me the story. She
. had put it Off too lon. All that | could
I understand # her mumhiingS was the name
b OF D,Ncr,ux. | shall never forget that
namc-'Uevereuxn Probably tina; was my
I father narre-Any own righ,iui name. But
As | should never find him if ! sought him,
and As he would rcp;Il>c me il did find
I him, stand no chance al inheriiing his
property. lie may bc dead. lie may have
/ other SOUS who have succeeded him. II IL
all mystery, but the prominent truth is,
that ! AM an oI'tc.iS;, poor, dis"wned, friend
I less"
/ lie leaned over the buIwark, the spray
dashing over his face violently
Tressilian's heart warmed To- him.
MY poor friendi' he said. "Must say
again you are no, friendle>s while | live
My father has influence enough To obtain for
You government appointment. This tan
gle may straighlen itself ont some day. But
if it don't, you are r,7-olute enough To make
your own happiness."
lie graspod Lcwder's hand, and looked
with warm hrigh; eyes, full of sympathy,
into Lowder's lowering face.
There had been Temporary lull in the
I Storm. Du; a- the two stood there, the tenn
( pest revive,l AMI SWEPT over the wild sea in
maddencd rage.
There was ne lime iur talking now. The
/ wind rose so high that words would scarce
/ IL have been distinguished The storm that
I lad gone before had bcen but play to this
awful ouibur,,. The vessel drove on,
/ cracking and gruanin;,, mere cookie shell
on the pillows.
/ .'Mother OF Ai.gci,>.' walled the. captain.
I ''lts all up with Us, signores. can't
/ make out the Cape in this darkness. We
/ shall 20 on the rocks. *. Anthony save
u.s.
! The ses,Inen echoed his cries.
/ The two voung Englishmei, comprehend
/ ing theft peril, clasped hands in silence.
For the next few minutes il seemed that Il
7 Iandemonium reigned.
Then noise like the report of 4 cannon
1 suddenly Doomed through the storm and the
I darkness. The little vessel shivered, stag
ccrcd, and careened upon her side.
She had struck upon 4 rock.
\ moment later crew and passengers were
struggling in the waters.
\ few moments of bulietings and tosSings,
of vain struggles and agonized, involuntary
prayer, and then Jasper Lowder felt his
| senses slip from him, and became uncon-
scio,is
When he came to himself, he was living
upon rocky beach of the Sicilian shore,
sore, bruised and weak as child.
He opened his eyes. The wind had spent
its fury, aud now moaned along the coast
with a desolate, despairing wall. The waves
beat against the rocks.
Lowder struggled to his elbow.
Wrecked he mu.tered. IL am east
ashore, while the Others are drowned. Oh,
this is terrible. ] have lost my best friend
tonight
He moaned and wrung lis hands.
lie is dead, who wHhld have done 50
much for me, and so worthless am saved.
All my hope Of an easy and luxurious life
must be resigned now"'
At tina, momen, he bcheId dark object at
little distance in the WATER The waves
hurled this object against the projecting head
of sunken rock. Al the same instant Low
der recognized it As the body OF man.
He crept toward it, and the waters dashed
the body on the shore 4, his feet. He put
his hands on the face. How cold and wei it
was, IL fel; like the face of dead man.
Lowder's fingers came in contact with the
soft, silken mustsciie, and he knew that the
body was that OF Guy Tressilian,
OF the FIVE who had stood on the .Ioop's
deck a half-hour earlier, these two alone
were LEFT. The Captain and his crew had
found their deaths among the cruel, yawn-
ing waters.
Lowder thrust hi, hand under the waist
coat of his friend, bu; he could not perceive
the beating of his heart. Despair took pos
session of him.
''Dead"' he said shriily. dead. And
he would have done 50 much for me if he
had lived. And his father and the young
girl he was to have married will wal: in vain
for his coming, His place at Tres-ilian
Court is empty. Who can fill it,"
Ii seemed TO him that some demon at his
side echoed the question: Who could hN the
place LIT raoant By noble Gay 1rcssiiiany-
\ thought came TO him-a thought so
= I