Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-01-05
CHAPTER 1.
4 rArsruL CATASTROPHE.


gloom of the sudden and furious tempest, before
which a small sailing vessel was scudding under
hare poles. Her build and rigging proclaimed her
Sa-dinian. She was The Gull, Captain Varino
master. on her way from Cagliari to Palermo
She had on board two seamen, and two passen-
gers. r,,hnr ,ho b.d
nrocnred passage on The Gull to Palermo, whence
fhey intended to embark by steamer to Marseiiies,
the following day.
While the Captain aid his assistants were at
tending to their duties and expressing apprehen,
sons as TO their safety, the two Englishmen stood
snart. leaning against the low bulwarks. and sur
We wing the wild scene around them.
these men were both young. apparently OF the
same ave about three and twenty, bat evidently
they were not OF the same station In lie.
One, the more striking Of the two, was aristo-
with frank. smiling mouth, pair Of fearless blue
ewes. set under wide and massive forehead, and
tawny hair blowing back from his face. Noble,
generous and kind hearted. he had an adventurous
disnOsition and dauntless courage.
he was (;uy Tressiliau, the only son and heir OF
Sir Arthur Tressilian, Baronet, OF Tressian Court
His companion presented remarkable rescEa.
bIsnce to him. being also tall and slender, and
fair. with tawny hair and mustache. but ne had
not the frank smile the .e n vi
siI;an 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 quail
'ies " nas Iasner Lowder. Guy Tressians hired
travelling companion and bosom friend
The meeting and connection OF the TWO nad
touch Of romance Young Tressilan had spent
four wears in German university, whence ne haa
been graduated with honor. On leaving the UNI
yersitv, in obedience to his fathers written com
mand he had undertaken tour Of the countries
inclosing the Mediterranean Sea, in company with
one of his late tutors. This gentleman, being I'M
expectedly promoted to professorship aban,
doned Tressilian at Baden, leaving MN 10 ma
another travelling companion .
ON the evening of the very day after this deser-
tion as Guy Tressilian was sauntering through ire
streets OF Baden he mad neen sssame Sess ~ n,o mo
Gated IT was apparent that they took MIN Tor
another and intended to wreak vengeance upon
him. Without allowing him to speak, they iorced
of the conflict, when stranger came running 70
his assistance, and in a few moments the two had
put the ruffians to flight 60
assistance was Jasper Lowder. His resemblance
to Young Tressilian awakened In the latter 70,
mantle interest He questonea Lowaer aea teil
him with him to his hotel. Believing that the
similarity of features indicated o similarity OF
tastes and natures, he engaged Lowder a. ms lrav
cling companion. and the pact year they had spent
together more like brothers than like employer
and employed
This storm il a regular Levanter." said Low
der, cingng with both hands 70 thg DniWark ~
.Oh, yes" answered young Iressilian wiping
the sail spray from his face. 1.-THE Captain knows
the scan coast perfectly In two hours or bn less
we slnll be domciled In the best rooms OF the ho-
tel Trinacria, with the best supper which Messer
Ragusa can furnish. And tomorrow, at noon"
he added I'VE shall embark for Marseilles in a
Messageries steamer
And from Marsefles you will proceed to Eng
land and to Tressilian Court" said Lowder with
meg / have had year of unalloyed happiness, and
now comes back the drudgery, the hopeless toll,
the anxieties OF the wretched old life. You picked
me up at Baden, a poor adventurer seeking to gain
a living by teaching English, and the same destiny
Tressilian turned his handsome face upon his
companion in sprse and afiecon ta1t reproaen
Do you suppose i have called you friend and
brother so long, and loved you so WELL TO lose you
now? meant to have written TO my father con
corning YOU and your future Jasper, but bis sud
den recall received yesterday causes me TO return
home without writing. shall telegraph from Mar
seilles that you will come home with me; And You
friend? Twill charge myself with your future.
will see that you obtain the position to which your
talents entitle You ion have no ties to keepyou
strange expression passed over Jasper Low
mo. have no ties" he said, huskily.
"And you will 90 home with mey"
"What will your father say to my coming?" de-
manded Lowder. g He will think your generosity
Quixotic He will dismiss from his house the
hreu companion WI" u"iee W 'ossn'o'S ~"
son "
sudden lurch of the little vessel, wave
sweeping over the deck, interrupted the sentence.
$ You wrong my fathery' said Tressllian, his blue
ewes kinding when the vessel had rghted. . He
Il the nobiest man in the world He will welcome
my friends as his own. You will love him. Jasper,
as do when you know him."
lie doesn't seem very affectiOnate," remarked
Lowder. "You have been away from your home
for five years, and he has but just recalled your"
Young Tressilian's cheeks flushed, as Lowder
saw in the lurid glow that momentarily lighted up
the tempestnous. scene.
..You know, or car guess, the reason, Jasper
he said. with something OF an effort. " My father
has ward, the daughter of an old friend. All!
hear that wind shrek! The gale IL incrensng., $
=. Ye~,r arsented Lowder - And the ward j.
Miss Irby-the golden-haired Blanche of whom you
have talked so much. and with whom you have ex-
changed lettersi"
yes MY father formed project 10 have me
marry Blanche. He did not wish US to grow up
together, lest we should learn to regard each other
AZ brother and sister. When Blanche came to live
at the Court my father sent me to Germany. The
night before left home, he called me into his
library and told me all his hopes and plans for my
future. and entreated me IN continue worthy Of
his innocent ward, and TO keep my heart pure for
her. have done 80, Jasper. have never yet
loved any woman. And yester lay received my
fathers summons to come home. He has
called me after five years of absence. know the
wish that lies nearest bis heart He wants me TO
return and marry Blanche. shrink from the pro-
posed marriage. ] dread going home. And /
dread offending my dear father, whomI love bet
Ter thaa any woman. 1t il hard, Jasper, to revolt
against the hopes and plans Of a kind and gener-
Ons father, whose very love for me causes him TO
urge on this marriage!"
1T isY" said Ilowder, dryly, and with strange
.inile full OF sneerng bitterness "My experience
has been widely different from yours, Tressilian.
Did ever tell you Of my father."
No. took 1t for granted that he IL dead"
Perhaps he Is don't know" said Lowder,
with reckless laugh. But II he is living, he Is
: scoundrei. Don't start, Tressilian, at my, I'M
alial speech. Wait till you hoar my story. / am
IN q desperate mood tonight. This storm stirs up
al the bad within me. Az nearly as can discover.
my father was the younger son OF proud old
county family
"You do not know, theaf' asked Tressilian,
pressing his companions hand.
2 this Ny mother was Of humble station, pretty,
epder, appealing ways. She was the daughter OF
widow, residing at Brighton, The widow my
grandmother, kept ding house and my father.
gay, dashing young fellow, came to lodge with
her AZ might have been expected, he fell In love
With his landlady's daughter. He offered the
1onng girl marriage on condition that the union
should be kept secret until his affairs Frightened
md he chose to divulge II. The young girl loved
lin. Her mother was ambitious and pennrious.
The result was the lover had his way, and married
he daughter Of his landlsdy quietly almost Sc
,retly. Then he took his bride to London, 70 |
'heap and obscure lodgings, where, year later,
vas born"
The wind for moment drowned his voice. As |
presently lulled, he resumed recklessly and with
passionate bitterness: |