The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-01-05
So 90 PER YEAR.

My mother was actually married. Tressil-
ian. but | never heard my fathers uame.
| The clergyman who married my mother
was dead the witnesses also. When
my grandmother was dying she tried 10
ell me the story. She had put il OF too
long. All that l could understand Of her
mumblings was the name of Devoeux.
| shall never forget that name, 'DEyE-
REUX Probably that was my fathers
name-my own rightful name. Bat rs
should never find him if | sough. him,
tud as he would repulse me ii nd find
him, | stand no chance of inhefiting his
| property. He may be dead. He may
nave other sons who have succeeded him
/ IL Is all q mystery, but the prominent
truth Is that am an outcust, poor, dis
owned and friendless"
He leaned over the bulwark. the snrav
'Ashing over his face violently.
/ Tressilian's heart warmed 70 him.
"My poor friend :" he said. "Must /
say again that YOU are not friendless while
live. My father has influence enough
to obtain for you a = vernment appoint
ment This tangle may straighten itself
out some day But if it don't, you are
| resolute enough to make your own happi-
ness"
He grasped Lowder's hand. and looked
with warm bright eyes, full of sympathy
into Lowder's lowering face.
There had been a temporary lull in the
storm. But rs 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 80 high that words would
scarcely have been distinguished. The
storm that had gone before had been but
play To this awful outhurst. The vessel
drove on, creaking and groaning, like a
mere cockle-shell on the pillows.
Mother of Mercies :" walled the cap
tain. "Its all up with Us. signores. |
emit make out the Cape in this darkness"
We shall go on the rocks. st. Anthony
! save us Z"
The seamen echoed his cries.
The two young Englishmen, compre-
bending their peril, clasped hands in ST.
lence.
For the next few moments it seemed rs
if a Pandemonium reigned.
Then q noise like the report Of n can
non suddenly hoomed through the,storm
and the darkness. The little vessel
.hlvered, staggered, and careened upon
her side.
She had struck upon a rock.
y moment later crew and passengers
we're struggling in the waters.
a few moments of bunetings and toss
ings, Of vain struggles and agonzed, in
voluntary prayer and then Jasper Low
Ter felt his senses slip from him, and be-
came unconscious.
When he came to himself, he was "
ing upon a rocky beach of the Sicilian
shore, sore, bruised, and weak rs a
hid.
lie opened his eyes. The wind had
,pent its fury, and now mOaned along the
coast with a desolate and desparing wall.
The waves beat against the rocks.
Lowder struggled TO his elbow.
"Wreckedl" he muttered. Il am
cast ashore, while the others are drown
II! Oh, this is terrible ] have lost
my best friend to night"
lie noaned and wrung his hands.
''He is dead, who would have done 40
much for me, and / so worthless am
saved All my hopes of nm easy and
luxurious life must he resigned now
At that moment he beheld Il dark OBJ
ect at little distance in the water. The
waves hurled this object against the pro-
Getting head Of Il sunkcn rock. At the
same instant Lowdcr recognized it rs the
oily of a man.
He crept toward il, and the waters
dashed the body on the shore al his feet.
He put his hands on the face. How cold
nd wet il wds II felt like the face Of
dead mani LOwder's fingers came in
contact with the soft, silken mus,ache.
and he knew that the body was 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
waistcoat Of his friend, but he could not
perceive the beating of his heart. De
.pair took possession of him.
"Deadl' he said shrilv. Dead
And he would have done 80 much for me
ii he had lived, And bis father and the
Young girl he was 10 have married will
wait in vain for his coming His place
At rre,silian Court is empty. Who can
ill it,"
1t seemed TO him that some demon at
ais side echoed the question Who can
I'll the place isn rocaat by noble Guy Tree
siliop y
A thought came to him--a thought 80
strange and sinister that he shiyered in
voluntarily. Again he felt Of Tressil
ian's heart. 1t gave no throb against his
hand. He passed bis hand over Tres
siian's head and discovered gaping
wound in the skull. The hair was clot.
Ted with blood.
Putting his hand into his breast pock
ct, Lowder drew out his little waterproof
match-safe. He opened it with tremb-
ling fingers and struck a light. The red
flicker danced on young Ires-ilian's face.
How CHASTITY and terrible it looked
The eyes were closed, the smile was gone.
rhe seal Of death seemed set on the no.
bic features.
Lowder examined the wound. il had
been made by contact with the sharp
rock, and even Lowder perceived IL ter
rible character.
q Ii he is not dead, he soon will be,
he muttered. His brain has received
an awful injury. lie will never know
who he is again He won't live til morn
ing, and he j. perhaps dead already nc
must be dead y
Again il seemed to him a. though some
demon echoed his words.
The match dropped from his fingers in
to the water. For a little while he
crouched on the wet stones in silence,
battling il may be with the better and
nobler instincts Of his nature.
At last, with a sudden and abrupt
stealthiness, his hands stole into the
breast pocket Of Tressilian and drew out