The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-07-07
nv " ALEE AND HUGH WILSON.

MIS- lIitS. ou w liob Nio"
He broke out suddenly, and Kate
looked at HIM in terror, with 80
strangely violent and hoarse q voice
were the last words spoken. His ap-
pearanee, also, was altered his eyes
had turned rcd, as if they were blood
shot. As though he himself were
aware of this. he tnrncd from her ab-
ruptly and walked to the other side OF
thc deck.
The young girl no longer felt safe
with this strange man: his behaviour
struck her with chill, hardly to be
accounted for. Trembling from head
TO foot, she went below 10 her moth
, er.
"Whati is the matter, child?" cried
Mrs. Ellis in fright. How pale you
arc! Can you bear the rolling OF
the ship yct?'' 49, :.
"Oh, molhcr!" sighed Kate, "it is
not that. | wish you had granted
my request, and waited for another
vessel. was so afraid of this "
~ 0OllSD cEliu tthOltSt "0oAN A'~'
rolled Just as much rs this y
"It is not that [ say: mother. lon
know that in New York - you know
what passed. That Captain Powell
proposed TO me- .
"And very good taste of him, too
returned Mrs. E lis, compIaccntly
looking at her pretty daughter.
"Wl.at of that? You told him that
you were engaged; and there the
matter ended"
ayes, that ought to have ended it,.
tLougb it did. But his behaviour
seems so strange to-day that | am
afraid of him. Never leave nc: alone
on deck, mother; mind that. The
voyagrtwiIl be over some time,
SWhag nonscnse!" exclaimed Mrs.
Ellis. "Captain Powell is a gentle
man; and if he is pleased with your
pretty face, that is nothing uncom-
mon. He has shown his good feel
inys towards us"
"And placed us under an obligation
to him."
"Stuff!" returned Mrs. Ellis. at
makes him happy to know we arc
comfortable, and that is all the thanks
he wants Besides, we are not the
only passengers
Kate Ellis answered .hothing, bnt
as she looked drcamily out # the
portfolio, tho image Of the pale. ex-
cited man, with his glowing eyes, was
still before her, and she could not
banish it From this time she kept
close by her mother. ,.
Changes came in the weather: A
day or two of cam was succeeded by
q saIc. Fierccr and tiercer grew the
storm, until the bark was compelled
to le-to. During this period tho two
ladies remained in their roomy cabin,
and the captain kept his post on deck,
defended from the rain by his marin-
tosh and sou'-westcr. The FIRST mate
busted himself watching the steady
fail of the barometer and the sailors,
now altogether free from work, COT
ltctcd to smoke on the spars under
lee of the long boat.
They were talking in an undcrtone
about the captain His conduct had
excited their attention, and was puz-
zlins them.
"Wen, 1 can't think what it is he
has got in the wind" observed the
sailmakcr. "He is quite a different
man since the last voyage"
"uc has no rest" said another.
"Day and night he's on deck, always
pacing up and down, as if he were
paid BY the mile. And he eats no
more tLan bird only keeps to his
grog:"
in that" cried another. "Thats al
ways a..good sign"
II think" said the sal maker, she
is vexed that he gave up his room to
the woman. lie feels now like q llb-
brrly passenger"
faint that; I've knewcd him to
do it afore, cried the boatswain, who
had been a good while in the ship
''Thc skipper we've always polite
to'ards the ladies"
"Well, any way, he has got summat
queer on him. returned the saiimaker
And this was the conclusion arrived
at by all the men.
The calm gave place again to storm
ncceSsi,ating constant attention to
the ship. After three days severe
gale the weather cleared and the CAP
tain went below for rest. When he
appeared again he was very stern and
silent, speaking to none. Tho wind
went ronnd to the southwest, so as to
be dead ahead, and the vessel had to
take northerly course.
But even the passengers could not
help noticing that the captain was
more changed from day to day. His
face had assumed an unnatural white
ness, lis eyes shonc with peculiar fire
and>yet rough word never crossed
his ips Kate Ellis herself had lost
fear of him. and felt gricved that she
had done him injustice. She now OF
ten came deck alone, either TO read OF
to watch the changcfnl play Of the
waves. he seldom spoke to her. anc
then only on Indifferent subjects; bu'
even on these occasions he usually
broke off suddenly and went below
] as though he were doing violence tc
himself in speaking at all.
Itshould have been mentioned thai
at this tine the chief mate was sick