Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-01-05

1
d became unconscious.
f When he came to himself, he was ly-
l ing upon .ocky beach. of the Sicilian
/. shore, sore, bruised and weak as child.
4 He opened his eyes. The wind had
d spent its fury, and now moaned along
: the coast with desolate, despsiring
t wall. The waves beat against he rocks.
Lowder struggl d to his elbow.
Wrecked" lie mutter, d. II am cas-
j, ashore, while the others are drown.
ed! On, this is terribleI have lost my
best friend to-night!
He moaned and wrung his hands.
, "He is dead, who would have done so
much for me, and so worthless arp
saved! All my hopes of an easy and
I luxurious life must be resigned nOw!"
At that moment he beheld dark
, object at a little distance in the water.
. The waves hurled this object AGAINST the
? projecting head of a sunken rock. At
! the same instant Lowder recognized il
, a. The body of a man.
, He crept toward it, and the waters
d1shed the body on The shore at his feet.
he put his hands on the face. How cold
and wet it was! II felt like the face of
a dead man! Lowder's fingers came in
contact with the soft, siiken mustach :,
and that lie knew that the body was
that of Guy TreSsilian!
or the five who had stood on the
sloop's deck a haif-hour earlier, these
two alone were lett. 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 Des-
pair took possession of him.
4 sEluaHtf1 l.o ch,,lI,r s.naoit Il
he would have done so much for ne If
he had lived! And his father and the
young girl lie was to have married will
wait in vain for his coming! His place
at Tressi,ian Court is empty. Who can
| fill it?h,
1t seemed to him that some demon at
his side echoed the question: WHO could
III the place left Udcont ty noble Guy
! TTessitidns
A thought came to him-a t!iought so
strs nge and sinister that h. shivered
voluntarily. Again Ee felt of Tres
silian's heart. It gave no tbrob against
his hand. He passed his hand over
rressilian's head an discovered a gap
ing wound in the skull. The hair was
clotted with blood.
Putting his hand into his breast pock !
! ct, Lowder drew out his little water
iiOCi Ilc OpfDSu IL Will
trembling fingers and struck light
The red flicker danced OH young Tres
silian's face.
How CHASTITY and terrible it locked
lThe eyes were closed, the smile wasI
gene. The zeal of death seemed set on
the noble features.
Lowder examined the wound. 1t had
been made by contact with the sharp |
rock, and even LoWder perceived its |
terrible character.
''if he is not dead, he soon will be,u
he muttered. His brain has received |
an awful injury. He will never know
who be is again. He won't live till
morning, and he is perhaps dead already.
He must be deadn'
Again it seemed to him as though
some demon echoed his words.
The match dropped from his fingers
inuo the water. For little while he
crouched Oh the wet stones in silence,
battliug it may be Nth the better and
nObler instincts of his nature.
At last, with sudden aud ABRUPT
stealthiness, his hands stole into tie
breast pocket of Tressilian and drew out
his private notebook u packet of letters,
a Iew trinkets He secured these among
his own wet garments. Their posses
sion seemed to give him courage, and
his face hardened, and he knelt cside
the body of his friend and rIfied hisi
garments of all that they Contained 1
his pluDder on his.own person
Then he took his own purse, his noie-
book, a few receipts and trifles from his s
own pocke 8, and put them in the pock-
cts of Tressiian.
"It is done!" he whispered to himself,
oOking with wild defiant eyes through
he darkness. NO one is harmed. He
5 dead. ri ne had lived. he would have
lead, must provide for myself. This
LIKENESS 6etween us a0iU make n7y fortune.
His friends will be spared territ le
grief, and IL shall live at last! For
une gives ME chance TO gain name
md wealth at one lucky stroke!" ,
AS if TO give himself no chance for -
repentance, he arose to his feet and
urned his searching glances in an in.
and direction. A light, as from ct
age window, glimmering faintly
through the thick haze, caught his gaze. 7
Raising his voice, he called loudly:
HELP! Ho, there! helr!"
The wind had abated, and his cries j
ang out through the night with start
ing distinctness. The light he had cen
moved and disappeared. A minute later
cries reached Lowder's ears,
md he heard hasty sters, and saw the
approaching light Of a lantern, borne :,
loft by man. urraise,l arm. y
This way!" shouted Lowder. I'VE
re wrecked on the rocks! For the love
# Heaven, hastenW
The bearer of the lantern, attended
y male companion, came running 10
Inn, and was soon at his side. The
antern bearer was Il rough Sicilian fish =
rman, n grade above his cl,.ss. Ills
was also Sicilian, but evi-
lently Of somewhat higher Degree
Both were all excitement, astonishmentl
md sympaj jhy.
In AS few words AS possible Lowder
old the story Oh the shipwreck, and
allied attention to the condition of Ills
loble young employer.
Il think he Is dead." he said, in
hoking voice. larry him up to your
sbin. Let everything be done hat
All be done to save him. / will pay
'ou Sell for any kindness to him. Poor
elbow! He was my travelling com -
'anion. L loved him as if lie had been 70
ny brother instead of only my hired OF
.ttendant! Poor Jasper.'
Tie two Sicilians lifted the helpless II
Orm of poor young Tresslian, and car
led it between them toward their cot
age. Jasper Lowder followed them,
'ewailing his loss. The above we pub
ish as a specimen chapter; but the con. 81
of this story will be found
'nly in the n. Y. Ledger. Ask for the
lumber dated January 7th, which can
'e had at any news oflice or book store
f you are not within. reach of news .
'fficc, you can have the Ledger mailed al
o you for one year by sending three y
Iollars to Robert 5onner, publisher, $50 ~
William street, New York. The Ledger O,
'ays more for original Contributions
han any other periodical in the world. 4,
t will publish none but the very, very .