Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-01-04

The two young Englishmen, COM
pretending their peril, elasped hands
in silence.
For the next few minutes it seemed
that a Pandemonium reigued.
Then a noise like the report Of a
cannon suddenly doomed through the
storm and the darkness. The little
vessel %shivered, staggered, careened
upon her side.
She had struck upon a rock.
A moment later crew and passen-
gers were struggling in.the waters.
A few moments of buffetings and
tOssings, Of vain struggles and agon-
lied, involuntary prayer, and then
Jasper LOwder felt his senses slip
from him, and became unconscious.
When he came to himself, he was
lying upon n rocky beach OF the Sicil-
ian shore, sore, bruised, and weak as
a child.
He opened his eyes. The wind had
spent its fury, and now mOaned along
the coast with a desolate, despairing
vail. The wave beat against the
rocks.
LOwder struggled to his elbow.
Wrecked % he muttered. 81 am
cast ashore, while the Others are
drowned Oh, this Is terrible! ] have
I lost my best friend tonight :"
He mOaned and wrung his hands.
"He is dead, who would have done
50 much for me, and / so worthless
am saved! All my hopes Of an easy
and luxurious life must be resigned
nown
At that moment he beheld a dark
object at a little distance in the water.
The waves hurled this object against
the projecting head OF 8 sunken rock.
At the same instant LOWder recog-
nized it as the body Of a man.
He erept 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 il was! It 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 W a that OF Guy Tressilian.
OF the five who had stood on the
slOOp's deck a half hour earlier, these
two alone were left. The captain and
his crew had found their deaths
among the cruel, yawning waters.
Lowder thrust his hand under the
waisteOat OF his friend, but he could
not perceive the beating of his heart.
Despair took possession OF him.
"Dead!n he said shrilly. Dead!
And he would have done so much fol-
ne if he had lived! And his father
and the young girl he was to have
married will wait in vain for his com.
ing! His place at Tressilian Court Is
empty. Who will I'LL Ii ?i
1t seemed to him that some demon
at his side echoed the question: VIZ
can I'll the place let UdcdRt 6y Robl,
|, Guy T~resSiidR?
4 A thought came TO him-a thought
so strange and sinister that he shiYer
: ed invOlunt2rily. Again he felt O
Tressillan's heart. It gave no thrOl
against his hand. He passed his hanC
over Tressilian's head and discovered
a gaping wound in the skull. TIL,
hair was clotted with blood.
Putting his hand into his breas
pocket, LOwder drew out his it'll
waterproof match-safe. He Opene,
r it withitrembling fingers and STRUCK
a light. The red flicker danced 81
/ young Tressilian's face.
How CHASTITY and terrible il looked
+ The eyes were closed, the smile wa
t gone. The seal Of death seemed Sc
e on the noble features.
. LoWder examined the wound. /
had been made by contact with tn
sharp rock, and even Lowder per
Il ceiyed its terrible character.
"If he is not dead, he soon will be,
he muttered. His brain has receiv
ed an awful injury. He will neve
know who he isagain. He won't liv
till morning, and he is perhaps deaI
already. He must be dead!H
e Again it seemed TO him as thougl
s some demon echoed his words.
? The match dropped from his finger
into the water. For 4 little while b
b crouched on the wet stones in silence
battling it may be with the better an
!, nObler instincts OF his nature.
e At last, with sudden and abrup
r stealthiness-h his hands stnla into tn
breast pOcket Of Tressilian and dreI
:. out his private notebook, a packet O
D letters. & few trinkets. He secures
o these among his own wet garments
. Their possession seemed to give hin
courage, and his face hardened, an
he knelt beside the body Of his frient
: and rifed his garments OF all the
] contained, bestOwing his plumber OF
r his own person.
D Then he took his own purse, hi
notebook, a few receipts and trihe
: from his Own pOckess, and put then
] in the pockets of Tressilian.
} at is dOnel" he whispered TO him
2 self, looking with wild defiant eye
r through the darkness. mo one i
harmed. he is dead. If he haC
lived, he would have provided 70.
me. As he is dying or dead, 1 mus
: provide for myself. This likeness be
: tlOeeH as DiN make my fortune. Hi
friends will be spared a terrible grief
and II shall live at last. Fortune
! gives me a chance to gain name anC
) wealth at one lucky strOkep1
As if to give himself no chance fOl
repentance, he arose to his feet anC
turned his searching glances in an in
land direction. A light, as from ;
cottage window, glimmering family
through the thick haze, caught hi
gaze.
Raising his voice, he called loudly
, Help! HO, there! helpii'
: The wind had abated, and his erie
{ rang out through the night with start
ling distinctness. The light he haC
!, seen moved and disappeared. A min.
/, ute later, answering cries reached
Lowder's ears, and he heard hasty
steps, and saw the approaching lighl
| OF a lantern, borne alOft by a man:
7 appraised arm.
"This way!" shouted Lowder. 1--WE
are wrecked on the rocks! For the
love Of Heaven, hasten!m
The bearer Of the lantern, attended
by q male compAnion, came running
! to him, and was soon at his side. The
lantern bearer was a rough Siciliau
fisherman, q grade above his class.
BIS companion was also SielIian, but
evidently Of somewhat higher degree.
Both were all excitement, astonish-
ment ana sympathy.
, In as few words as possible LOWder
told the story Of the shipEreck, and
called attention TO the condition o.
his noble young employer.
81 think be is dead!n he said. in a
choking voice. Gary him up to
your cabin. Let everything be done
that can be done to save him. I will
pay you well for any kindness to him.
Poor fellow! He was my travelling
companion. loved him as II he had
been my brother instead Of onlv NV
hired attendant Poor Jasper! S
The two Sicilians lifted the helpless
form Of poor young Tressilian, and
carried it between them toward their
cottage. Jasper LOwder followed
them bewailing his loss. The above
we publish as a specimen chapter;
but the continuation Of this story will
be found only in the y. Y. Ledger