Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1870-12-30

play 10 LnlS aWIuI OutOurSt. u0 ve6Sei
drove on, creaking and groaning. mere
cookie shell on the pillows.
Mother Of Mercies I" walled the cap
tain. "It's all up with US. signores. I
cunt make out the Cape in this darkness.
We shall 60 on the rocks. St. Anthony
save usr
The seamen echoed bis cries.
The two young Englishmen, compre-
hending their peril. clasped hands in 81
lence.
For the next few minutes it seemed
that Pandemonium reigned.
Then noise like the report Of a cannon
suddenly doomed through the storm and
the darkness. The little vessel shivered,
and careencd upon her side.
She had struck upon rock.
A moment later crew and passengers
were struggling in the waters.
A few moments of bu6etings and toss
Jugs. of vain struggles and agonized. In
prayer, and then Jasper Low
der felt bis senses slip from him. and be-
came unconscious.
When be came to himself. he was lying
upon rocky beach Of the Sicilian shore,
sore, bruised, and weak as child.
He opened his eyes. The wind had
spent its fury. and now moaned along the
coast with desolate. despairing wall
The waves beat against the rocks.
Lowder struggled to his elbow.
Wrecked !" he muttered. Il am cast
ashore. while the others are drowned! Oh,
this is terrible! have lost my best friend
to-night!"
He moaned and wrung his hands.
He is dead, who would have done so
much for me, aud l so worthless am saved !!
All my hopes Of an easy and luxurious life
must be resigned now!"
At that moment be beheld dark OBJ
ject at little distance in the water. The
waves hurled this object against the pro-
jecting head Of sunken rock. At the
same instaot Lowder recognized it as the
body Of man.
He crept toward it. and the waters
dashed the body on the shore at his feet.
He put his hands on the face. How cold
and wet it was! 1t felt like the face of a
dead man Lowder's fingers came in con-
tact with the soft. silken mustacbe, and
be knew that the body was that of Guy
Tressilian!
OF tho Eve who stood on. the .sloop's
deck 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 his hand under the waist
coat Of his friend. but he could not per-
ceive the beating Of his heart. Despair
took possession of him.
.'Dead!'' he said shrilly. dead
Aud be would have done so much for me
if lie had lived! Aud his father and the
young girl he was to have married will
wait in vain for his coming! His place
at Tressilian Court is empty. Who can
fill it?'
1t seemed to him that some demon at
his side echoed the question: Who could
fill the place left vacant by noble Guy Tres
siliame
A thought came to himA-a thought so
strange and sinister that be shivered in
voluntarily. Again he felt Of Tressilian's
heart. 1t gave throb against his hand.
He passed his hand over Tressilian's head
and discovered gaping wound in the
skull The hair was. clotted with blood.
Putting his hand into his breast pocket.
Lowder, drew out his little waterproof
match-safe He opened it with trembling
fingers and struck light. The red flick
er danced on young Tressilians face.
How CHASTITY and terrible it looked =
The eyes were closed. the smile was gone.
The seal of death seemed set on the noble
features.
Lowder examined the wound. It had
been made by contact with the sharp rock.
and even Lowder perceived its terrible
character.
IF he is not dead. he soon will be, y
he muttered. His brain has received an
awful injury. He will never know who
he is again. He won't live till morning,
and he is perhaps dead already. He must
be dead y
Again it seemed to him as though some
demon echoed his words.
The match dropped from his fingers
into the water. For little while he
croucbed on the wet stones in silence. bat.
Ting it may be with the better and noblel
instincts of his nature.
At last. with sudden and abrupt steal.
thiness. bis hands stole into the breast
pocket of Tressilian and drew out bis pri.
vate note book. packet Of letters. few
trinkets. He secured these among bis owl
wet garments. Their possession seemed
to give him courage. and his face harden.
ed, and be knelt beside the body Of hi
friend and riaed his garments Of all tina
they contained. bestowing his plunder OF
his own person.
Then be took his own purse, his note
book. few receipts and triaes from hi
own pockets, and put them in the pocket
of Tressilian.
"It is done!' he whispered to himself
looking with wild defiant eyes through th'
darkness mo one is harmed. He i
deed. If be had lived. he would hav'
provided for me. As be is lying Or dead
Il must provide for myself. TITS Ike