Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-12-24
ed from my own observation, or from chance

ed from my own observation, or from chance
words of my parents aud grandmother NY
mother + maiden name was Jeanette Lowder.
Al our London lodgings. my father bore The
name Of Lowder. don know his real name.
but should know bis face anywhere, although
[ have not seen him in thirteen years MY
mother was actually married, Tres>ilan, but L
never heard my fathers name. The clergy
man who married my mother was dead; the
witnesses also. When my grandmother was
dying she tried to tell me the story. She bad
nut it off too long. All that could under
stand of her mumbling was the name OF DeVer.
eyx. I shall never forget that name-'DEVER
EUx , Probably that was my jather $ name
my own rghtfu name. But as should nev-
er Gnd him if / sought him, and as he
would repuse me il l did 6nd him, | stand no
chance of inheIilug his property. de may be
dead He may have other sons who have sue.
! ceeded him. 1t is all mystery, but the prom
! inent truth is that ! am an oucasr, poor, dis.
owned und riendess.
| lie leaned over the bulwark, tho spray DASH
| ing over his lace violently.
| Tressilans . heart warmed 70 him.
My poor friend !" he said. Must say
spain you are not iriendess while live. My
father has influence enoug b to obtain tor you a
government appointment. This taugle may
straighten itsef out some day. But if 1t don't
you are rcsoute enough 10 make your own hap
| plness.
| He prasped L,wder's hand, and looked with
warm bright eyes, full OF sympathy, into Low.
der's lowering face.
There bad been temporary lull In the
storm. But as the two stood there. the tenn.
set revived aud swept over the wild sea in
maddened rage.
/ L., olly Thn
wind rose 80 high that words would scarcely
have been distinguished. The storm that had
gone before mad been but play to this awful
outburst The vessel drove on, breaking and
groaning, mere cookie shell on the blllows.
"Moher of Mercies!" walled he captain.
Its all up with US, signores cant make
on the rocks. St. Anthony save US j.
The seamen echoed his cries.
The two young Englishmen, comprehendng
their peril, ciasped hands in silence.
For the next few minutes it seemed that a
Paudemonium reigned.
Then noise like the report Of cannon sud.
denly doomed through the storm and the dark
ness The little vessel shiVersd, staggered, and
careeued upon her side.
She had struck upon q rock.
A moment later crew and passengers were
| struggling in the waters.
A few moments of bafetings and tosslngs,
Of vain struggles and agonized, involuntary
prayer, and then Jasper Lowder tet his SEN
ses slip from him, and became unconscious.
| When he came TO himself, he was lying
upon q rocky beach of the Slclian shore, sore,
bruised, and weak as a child.
He opened his eyes The wind had spent
its fury, and now moaned along the coast with
desolate despariDg wall. The waves beat
""T.ooSStder strUeged to his elbow.
"Wrccked!" he muttered. II am cas-.
ashore, while the Others are drowned Oh,
this is terrible have lost my best friend to-
night -
He moaned and wrunE his hands.
| HE is dead, who would have done so much
for NE, and so worthless am saved All my
hopes of an easy and luxurious life must be re.
signed now j.
| AT that moment be beheld dark object at
little distance in the water. The waves hurl-
ed this object against the projecting head OF a
sunken rock. At the same instant Lowder
recognized it as the body OF a man.
He crept toward it. and the waters dash
cd the body on the shore at his feet. he
put bis hands on the face. How cold and
wet it was 1t felt like the face OF dead
man Lowder's fingers came in contact with
the soft, siIken mustache, and he knew
that the body was that of Guy Tressilian.
OF the five who had stood on the sloop' s
deck halt hour earlier, these two alone were
left. The captain aud his crew had found
their deaths among the cruel, yaWnlng waters
Lowder thrust his hard under the walstcoat
of his friend, but he could not perceive the
beating OF his heart. Despair took possession
of him. ,
he would have done so much for me 1t be had
lived And bis father and the young girl he
was TO have married will wait in vain tor his
coming His place at 'Fressillan Court Is
empty. Who can fill it p
! 1t seemed to him that some demon at bis
side echoed the question Who could fill the
plqce left vacant By noble Guy Tressilian ?
A thought came to him-a thought so
strange and sinister that he shivered involun-
tsriIy. Again he felt of Tressian' 8 heart. 1t
cave no throb against his hand He passed
his hand over TressiIian's head and discovered
gaming wound in the skull. The hair was
clotted with blood.
Putting his hand in bis breast pocket, Low
der drew out his little water proof match'safe.
He opened it with trem bling fingers and struck
Ipht. The red flicker danced on young
Tressiian's fpce.
How ehastly and terrible it looked The
eyes were closed. the smile was gone. The
seal of death seemed set on the noble features.
L9wder examined the wound. 1t had been
made by contact with the shay rock, and even
Lowier perceived its terrible character.
If he is not dead, he soon will be, be
muttered His brain has received an awful
injury. He will never know who he ls again.
He won't live till morning. and he ia perhaps
dead already HI must be dead !"
Again it seemed to him as though some de-
mon echoed his words
The match dropped from his fogars into the
water. For little while be crouched on be
wet stones in,siIence, battling it may be with the
better and nober instinct of his nature
At last, with sudden aud abrupt stealtbloess
his bands stole into the breast pocket of Tres
siian and drew out his private note book, q
packet OF letters, lew trinkets. He secured
these among his own wet garments. Their
posse.sion seemed to give him COURAGE, and