The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-01-12
CHAPTER /.
rArFFuL CATASTROPHE

CATASThOIhE'
A wild storm was raging upon the Medi-
terranean Sea, near the close of dreary No
vember day, and sky and waters were black
with the gloom of the sudden and furious
tempest, before which a small sailing vessel
was scudding under bare poles. Her build
and rigging proclaimed her Sandman. She
was The Gull, Captain Varino master, on her
way from Cagliari to Palermo.
She had on board two seamen, and two pas
sengers.
These passengers were Englishmen, who
had procured passage on The Quito Palermo,
whence they intended to embark by steamer
to Marseilles, the following day.
While the Captain and his assistants were
attending to their duties, and expressing ap-
prehensions as to their safety, the two English
men stood apart, leaning against the low bull
warks, and surveying the wild scene around
them.
These men were both young, apparently OF
the same age, about three and twenty, but
evidently they were not of the same station in
life.
One, the more striking of the two, was
aristocratic in his bearing, tall, slender, and
handsome, with frank, smiling mouth, pair
of fearless blue eyes, set under wide and
massive forehead, and tawny hair blowing
back from his face. Noble, generous, and
kind-hearted, he had an adventurous DISPOSE
tion and dauntless courage.
He was Guy 'fressilian, the only son and
heir of Sir Arthur Tresslian, Baronet, of Tres
silian Court, England.
His companion presented remarkable re-
semblance to him, being also tall and slender
and fair, with tawny hair and mustache, but he
had not the frank smile, the bright, fearless
look or the joyous spirit that characterized
young Tressilian. Young as he was he had
seen much of the dark side of life, and his ex-
periences had been such as to develop in him
some of the worst qualities of his nature.
| He was Jasper Lowder, Guy Tressilian's
| hired travelling companion and bosom-friend.
The meeting and connection of the two had
touch of romance. Young Tressilian had
| spent four years in a German university,
| whence he had been graduated with honor.
| On leaving the university, in obedience to his
| fathers written command, he had undertaken
| a tour of the countries iDclosing the Mediter-
ranean Sea, in company with one of his late
| tutors. This gentleman being unexpectedly
| promoted to a professorship, abandoned Tres
| silian at Baden, leaving him to find another
| travelling companion. .-
| On the evening of the very day after this
deserton, as Guy Tressilian was sauntering
through the streets of Baden, he had been as
saulted by q trio of his own countrymen, all
more or less intoxicated. 1t was apparent
that they took him for another, and intended
| to wreak vengeance upon him. Without al
lowing him to speak, they forced him to defend
|
conflict, when stranger came running to his
/ assistance, and ia n few moments the two had
put the ruffians to flight.
This stranger who came so opportunely to
| Guys assistance was Jasper Lowder. His re-
| semblance to young Tressilian awakened in
the latter romantic interest. He questioned
| Lowder, learned that he was poor and alone in
the world, and took him with him to his hotel.
Believing that the similarity of features ind-
Gated similarity of tastes and natures, he en-
| gagged Lowdcr as his travelling companion,
and the past year they had spent together
more like brothers than like employer and
employed.
"This storm is regular Levanter," said
Lowder, clinging with both hands to the bull
warks. "Do you think the craft will stand it,
| Tressilian 2"
"Oh, yes" answered young Tressiliau,
| wiping the salt spray from his face. 1.-THE
captain knows the Siclian coast perfectly. In
three hours we shall be domiciled in the best
rooms of the hotel Trinacria, with the best
supper which Messrs. Ragusa can furnish.
And tomorrow, at noon, he added, "we shall
embark for Marseilles in Messageries steam
er."
And from Marsei'les you will proceed to
England and to Tressian Court" said Low
der, with some bitterness. "And what is
to become of me? l have had year of un-
alloyed happiness, and now comes back the
drudgery, the hopeless toll, the anxieties of
the wretched old life. You picked me up at
Baden, n poor adventurer seeking to gain a
living by teaching English, and the same des-
tiny is open TO me now."
rressilian turned his handsome face upon
his companion in surprise and atiectionate re-
proach.
"Jasper!" he exclaimed, "you talk strange
ly. Do you suppose have called you friend
and brother so long, and loved you SO well, to
lose you now? | meant to have written to my
father concerning you and your future, Jasper,
but his sudden recall, received yesterday,
causes me to return home without writing. /
shall telegraph from Marseilles that YOU will
come home with me. And you will, will you
not? You will not abandon me, my friend 2
! will charge myself with your future. l will
soc that you obtain the position to which your
talents entitle you. You have no ties TO keep
you on the Continent"
A strange expression passed over Jasper
| Lowder's face.
"No, / have no ties, :" he said, huskily.
"And you will go home with meg"
"What will your father say to my coming !''
demanded Lowder "He will think your
generosity QuiXotc. He will dismiss from
his house the hired companion who dares to
resemble his SON"
A sudden lurch of the little vessel, a wave
sweeping over the deck, interrupted the sen
tence.
"You wrong my father" said Tresslian, his
blue eyes kindling, when the vessel had
| righted. she is the noblest man in the world
| He will welcome my friends as his own. You
will love him, Jasper, as do, when you know
him."
"He doesn't seem very aflectionatc," re.
marked Lowder. "You have been away from
your home for five years, and he has but just
recalled you"
Young Tressilian's cheeks flushed, as Low
der saw in the lurid glow that momentarily
lighted up the tempestuous scene.
"You know, or can guess, the reason, JAS
per-" he said, with something of an effort
"My father has ward, the daughter of an
old friend. All hear that wind shrek! The
gale is increasing"
"Yes," assented Lowder. "And the ward
is Miss Irby-the golden-h haired Blanche OF
whom you have talked so much, and with
whom you have exchanged letters?"
ayes. My father formed project to have
me marry Blanche. He did not wish us ia
grow up together, lest we should learn to re
gard each other as 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 10 continue worthy of his limo
cent ward, and to keep my heart pure for her
have done so, Jasper. l have never vel
loved any woman. And yesterday received
my fathers summons to come home. He has
recalled me after five years of absence.
know the wish that lies nearest his heart. He
wants me to return and marry Blanche
shrink from the proposed marriage. l dread
going home. And l dread offending my deal
father, whom love better than any woman
1t is hard, Jasper, to revolt against the hopes
and plans of a kind and generous father, whosC
| very love for m pallspS him 10 urnp ON this