Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1870-12-29

oho hau pu' IL OH 100 long. AL that
could understand Of her mumblings was
the name of Devereux. shall never
forget that name-DEvEREux!' Proba-
bly, that was my fathers name--my own
righttul name. But as should never
find him if 1 sought him, and as he
would repulse me if I did find him, |
stand no chance of inheritiug his prop
erty He may be dead. He may have
other sons who have succeeded him. It
is all mystery, but the prominent truth
ls that am an outcast, poor, disownsd
and frendiess."
Tie leaned over the bulwark, the spray
dashing over his face violently.
Tressiian's heart warmed to him.
"My poor friend p he said. "Must
| say again you are not friendless while
| live. My father has influence enough
to obtain for you governments appoint
ment. This tauglc may straighten it.
self out some day. But if it don't. you
are resolute enough to make your own
happiness.
He grasped LowdeI 8 hand. and look
ed with warm bright eyes, full of sym
pathy, into Lnwder's lowering face.
There had been temporary lull
in the storm. But as the two stood
there, the tempest revived and swept
over the wild sea in maddened rage.
There was no time for talking now.
The wind rose so high that words would
scarcely have been distinguished. The
storm that had gone before had been but
play to this awful outburst. The vessel
drove on, creaking and grooming, mere
cookie shell on the pillows.
"Mother of Mercies |" walled the
captain. sits all up with us, signores.
l can't make out the Cape in this dark
ness. We shall go on the rocks. St.
Anthony save US T"
The seamen echoed his cries.
The two Englishmen, comprehcnding
their peril, clasped hands in silence.
For the next few minutes it seemed
that q Pandemonium reigned.
Then a noise like the report of can
non suddenly doomed through the storm
and the darkness. The little vessel
shivered, staggered, and careencd upon
her side.
She had struck upon rock.
A moment later crew and passen gers
were struggling in the waters.
A few moments of buffetings and
tossings, of vain struggles and agouized,
involuntary prayer, and then Jasper
Lowder felt his senses slip from him,
and became unconscious.
When he came to himself, he was ly-
ing upon rocky beach Of the Sicilian
shore, sore, bruised, and weak as u
child.
He opened his eyes. The wind had
spent his fury, and now moaued along
the coast with a desols,e, despairing
wall. The waves beat against the
rocks.
Lowder struggled to his elbow.
Wrecked" he muttered. ~ am
cast ashore, while the others are drown
ed Oh, this is terrible l have lost my
best friend tonight p
He moaned and wrung his hands.
"He is dead, who would have done so
much for me, and I so worthless am
saved !! All my hopes of an easy and
luxurious life must be resigned now"
At that moment he beheld a dark OBJ
ject at little distance in the water.
The waves hurled this object against
the projecting head of sunken rock.
AT the same instant Lowder recognized
it as the body of a 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 contact with the soft, silken
mustache, and he knew that the body
was that of Guy Tressilian
OF the five who had stood on tho
sloop's deck half.hour earlier, these
two alone were left Tho captain and
his crew had found their deaths among
the cruel, yawning waters.
Lowder thrust his hand under the
waistcoat of his friend, but he could not
perceive the beating of his heart. De-
spair took possession of him.
dead" he said shrilly. dead +!
And he would have done so much for
me if he had lived And 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 Tressilian?
A thought came to him-a thought SO
strange and sinister that he shivered in
voluntarily. Again he felt of Tressilian's
heart. 1t gave no throb against his
hand. He passed his hand over Tressil
ian's head and discovered gaping
wound in the skull. The hair was clot-
ted with blood.
Putting his hand into his breast
pocket, Lowder drew out his little wa.
ter-proof match-safe. He opened it with
tramblinO finuers and struck n liUht