The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-12-31
CHAPTER l.
A FArEFUL CATAsTRoPHE.

A wild storm was raging upon /
the Mediterranean Sea, near the /
close Of dreary November day, !
and the sky and waters were black /
with the gloom of the sudden and |
furious tempest, before which
small sailing vessel was scudding |
under bare poles. Her build and /
rigging proclaimed her Sandman.
She was The Gull Captain Varino
master, on her way from Cagliafl
to Palermo.
She had on board two seamen,
and two passengers.
These passengers were English
men, who had procured passage On
The Gull to Palermo, whence they
intended to embark by steamer to
MarseilIes, the following day.
While the Captain and his assis-
tants were attending to their du-
ties, and expressing apprehensions
as to their safety, the two English
men stood apart, feaning against
the low bulwarks, and surveying
the wild scene around them.
These men were both young,
apparently OF the same age, about
three ard trenty, but evidently
they were not of the same station
ia life.
One, the more striking of the
two, was aristocratic in his bear
ing. tall, slender and handsome,
with frank, smiling mouth, pair
of fearless blue eyes, set under
wide and massive forehead, and
tawny hair blowing back from his
face Noble, generous and kind
hearted, he had an adventurous
disposition and q dan. .tiess cour
age.
He was Guy TIessillian, the on
ly son and heir Of Sir Arthur
Tressilian, Baronet, Of Tressilian
Court, England.
His companion presented re-
markable resem hlance to him, be
ing also tall and slender and fau,
with tawny hair and mustache, 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 develop in him some OF
the worst qualities OF his nature
He was Jasper Lowder, Guy
Tressilian's hired travelling com
panion and bosom-fr
The meeting and connection OF
| the two had a touch OF romance.
Young Tressilian had spent four
wears in German university,
! whence he bad been graduated
with honor. On leaving the uni
yersity, in obedience to his father )
written command, lie had uRderta-
| ken a tour of the countries inclCs-
! ing the Mediterranean Sea, in com
pany with one OF his late tutors.
This gentlemen being ur expected
" promoted to professofship,
| abandoned Tressilian at baden,
leaving him to find another travel
7 ling companion.
On the evening Of the very day
after this desertion, as Guy Tres
silian was sauntering through the
streets Of Bad en-, he had been as
saulted by a trio of his own coun-
trymen, all more or less intoSica-
ted. 1t was apparent that they
took him for another, 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 4 stranger came run
ming to his assistance, and in {
few moments the two he'd put the
ruffians to flight.
This stranger who came so Op
portunely to Guys assistance was
JASPER Lowder. His lesemb lanc'
to young Tressilian awakened il
the latter q romantic interest. II,
questioned Lowder, learned tina
; he was poor and alone TO the world
and took him with him TO his hotel
Believing that the similarity {
features indicated g similarity 0
tastes ard natures, he engaged
Lowder as his travelling compan
ion, and the past year they ha'
spent together more like brother
than like employer and employed
"This storm IS q regular Levan
ter" said Lowder, clinging Wit
: both hands to the bulwarks. I'D
r YOU think the craft will stand il
/ Tressilian 7"
0 "Oh, yes" answered young Tres
silian, wiping the salt spray frol
his face. "The Captain knows tn
Sicilian coast perfectly. In NV
hours, or less. we shall be III tn
> bay of Palermo. In three hour
8 we shall be domiciled in the bes
d rooms Of the hotel Trinacria, wit
the best supper which Messcr Rs
eusa can furnish. And to morrow
9 at noon," he added. ''wc shall en-
n bark for Marseilles in Message
g les steamer"
: "And from Marseilles you wi
. proceed to England and to Ire
= sillian Court said Lowder, wit
{ some bitterness. card I--wht
$, is to become of me? | have ha
= a year of unalloyed happiness, an
.g now comes back the druid gerry, Il
Of hopeless toll, the anxieties of u
ID wretched old life. You picked Il
up at Baden, poor adventer
seeking to gain a living by teac
!. ing English, and the same destil
- is open to me now
Tressiliau turned his handson
Il: