The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-12-31
CHAPTER I.
A FATEFUL CATASTROPHE.

November day, and sky and waters were
black with the gloom of the sudden and
furious tempest, before which small sail
ing vessel was sailing under bare poles
Her build and rigging proclaimed her Sar-
dinian. She was The Gull, Captain Varino
master, on her way from Cagliari to Pa
lermo.
She had on board two seamen, and two
passengers.
These passengers were Englshmen, who
had procured passage on The Gull to Pal
ermo, whence they intended to embark by
steamer to Marseilles, the following day.
While the Captain and his assistants
were attending to their duties, and express
ing apprehensions as to their safety, the
two Englshmen stood apart leaning against
the low bulwarks, and surveying the wild
scene around them.
These men were both young, apparently
of the same age, about three and twenty,
but evidently they were not of the same
station in life.
| One, the more striking of the two, was
aristocratic in his bearing TALL slender and
handsome, with 4 frank, smiling mouth,
pair of fearless blue eyes, set under a wide
and massive forehead, and tawny hair blow
ing back from his face. Noble, generous
and kind hearted, he had an adventurous
/ a
| He was Guy Tressiian, the only son and
heir of Sir Arthur Tressilian, Baronet, of
! Trcssiian Court, England.
! His companion presented a remarkable
resemblance to him, being also tall and
slender and fair, with tawny hair and mus
tache. but he had not the frank smile, the
bright, fearless look, or the joyous spirit
that characterized young Tressilian. Young
as he was. he had seen much of the dark
side of life, and his experiences had been
such as to develope in him some of the
worst qualities of his nature.
| He was Jasper Lowder, Guy Tressilian's
hired travelling companion and bosom
| friend.
The meeting and connection of the two
| had touch of romance. Young Tressilian
had spent four years in German univer-
Sity, whence he had been graduated with
honor. On leaving the university in ODE
| diencc to his fathers written command, he
had undertaken a tour of the countries
inclosing the Mediterranean Sea- in COM
| pany with one of his late tutors. This
| gentleman being unexpectedly promoted to
a professorship, abandoned Tresslian at
Badan, leaving him to find another travel
ing companion.
| On the evening of the very day after this
dcscrtion, as Guy TreSsilan was sauntering
| through the streets of Baden, he had been
assaulted by trio Of his own countrymen,
all more or less intoxicated. 1t was appa-
rent that they took him for mother, and
intended to wreak vengeance upon him.
! Without allowing him to speak, they forced
him to defend himself. Guy was getting
the worst of the conflict, when stranger
came running to his assistance, and in a
| few moments the two had put the ruffians
| to flight.
This stranger who came so OPPORTUNITY
| to Guys assistance was Jasper Lowder.-
His resemblance to young Tressilian awak-
ened in the latter a romantic interest. He
questioned Lowder, learned that he was
| poor and alone i'll the world, and took him
with him to his hotel. Believing that the
similarity of features indicated similarity
Of tastes and natures, he engaged Lowder
rs his travelling companion, and the past
year they had spent together more like
| brothers than like employer and employed.
] This storm is regular Levanter," said
| Lowder, clinging with both hands to the
! bulwarks. Do you think the craft will
stand it, Tressilian? ?"
son, yes" answered young Tressilian,
wiping the salt spray from his face. 1.-THE
| Captain knows the Sicilian coast perfectly
In two hours or less, we shall be in the bay
of Palermo. In three hours we shall be
domiciled in the best rooms of the hotel
| Trinacria, with the best supper which
| Messrs. Ragusa can furnish. And tO-mor-
row. at noon,' he added, 'we shall embark
for Marseiles in 4 Messagerics steamer"
And from MarSeilles y0u will proceed
to England and to Tressilian Court said
! Lowder with some bitterness. 'And L
| what is to become of me? ! have had a
year of unalloyed happiness and now comes
back the drudgery, the hopeless toll, the
anxictics of the wretched old life. You
! picked me up at Baden, poor adventurer
seeking to gain living by teaching Eng
fish, and the same destiny is open to me
now.
Tressilan turned his handsome face upon
his companion in surprise and affectionats
reproach.
"Jasperr' he exclaimed, "you talk
strangely Do you suppose l have called
you friend and brother SO long, and loved
you so well, to lose you now? | meant to
| have written to my father concerning you
! and your future, Jasper, but his sudden
recall, received yesterday, causes me to
return home without writing. | shall tel
egraph from Marseilles that you will come
| home with me. And you will, will you
| not? You will not abandon me, my friend ?
l will charge myself with your future.
will see that you obtain the position to
which your talents cntitle you. You have
no les to keep you on the Continent ?''
4 strange expression passed over Jasper
l. owder's face.
mo, | have no ties" he said huskily.
and you will go home with me?''
| 'tNhat will your father say to my com
ing?" demanded Lowder. 'lIe will think
| your generosity Quixotc He will dismiss
from his house the hired companion who
( dares to resemble his SON.
a sudden lurch of the little vessel, a
wave sweeping over the deck, interrupted
| the sentence.
You wrong my father" said Tressilian,
his blue eyes kindling, when the vessel had
rightcd. He is the noblest man in the
world. lie will welcome my friends as
his own. You will love him, Jasper, as
| do, when you know him."
"IIe doesn't seem very affectionate,' y
remarked Lowder. "You have been away