The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-07-14

wife in this obscure part of the ship. from
which she escaped only at night There
was no name upon the door of the state
room. The song to which | listened was
only series of phrases frequently inter-
rupted, at once sweet and sad. 1t con-
sisted Of parts Of verses, such as person
in a magnetic sleep mig ght recitc. | list
encd awhile with feelings of pity and
sympathy, and the song ceasing, turned
to 20 back, and almost stumbled into the
arms Of my unhappy friend, MclIlwin.
Have you heard the singing?' said he
And do you know who the unhappy wo.
man is p
Il breathed free, for he evidently sus-
pectcd nothing.
1T sounds continued he, like a voice
from another world. The poor woman
is insane, no doubt, but not hopocssly.
Believe me, cases like this have been
cured by little love dded to a little
devoted attention.
Let us 60 above, McElwin,' said /.
The first opportunity came, alas too
soon Harry Drake, with ring of sat-
elites and boon companions, frequented
the smoking room, where they gambled
all the day long. l seldom looked in
there, but, going by, on the afternoon Of
the day when we had listened to the in.
sane woman's song, heard a violent ex-
plosiop, loud words, and sudden silence
an1 then, to my surprise, recognized
McElwin's voice | burst in, and found
my friend in the midst Of the gamesters,
who stood in a circle around him and
Harry Drake, who had had a violent
quarrel, and | heard McElwin say, quiet.
ly DO you consider yourself slapped in
the face p
Yes said Drake. And here is my
card.
McElwin took the card in the tips Of
his fingers, Corsican turned pale. My
heart beat violently. After an internna.
bic interval McElwin glanced at the card
Harry Drake!' he roared, in terri
bic voice. You. You! You =
Myself, Captain McElwln,' replied
his rival calmly.
We are not mistaken. If McElwlr
had not thus far lenrnod brakes name
he had not been ignorant that McElwin
was his old rival, and had quarreled with
him Purposely
The next day, little after noon, Cap.
tain Corscan came, with an anxious face
to say that MELVIN had sent Drake.
seconds to him to arrange duel.
How did the quarrel begin p asked |
A gambling dispute-a mere nothing.
said the Captain. Drake recognized
McElwin, and the sight of that unhappy
man was a constant remorse for him he
longs to kill him
Shall we take DR.. Pitierge with US as
surgeon |?
BY all means Here they are.
The last words had reference to Drake's
seconds. who approached and salutcd US
They were men Of brakes own stamp
and Captain Corscan and myself made a
very stiff bow in return for the forid
salutations.
One Of them plunged into wilderness
of words about brakes "high tone" the
grievous insul, he had received. and much
other fine talk, which Corsican endured
as long as he could, aud then interrupted
the speaker by asking what arms Mr.
Drake had chosen, aud what time they
had Fixed upon
The result was that a meeting with
swords on the Great Eastern, at O'Clock
in the evening, was agreed upon as re.
suit Of our conference
In the afternoon, VIC came in sight o
Long Island The day grew warmer
the sky darkcned the southern horizon
was full of clouds, which slowly approach
ed the zenith, the air felt heavy, and suf
focatingly hot, as in July.
DO you want me to astoush you :?
said DR.. Pitierge, seating himself on deck
by my side.
'Astonish me, if you can, Doctor, re-
piled |.
Very WE'LL said he ; We shall have
storm--a tempest maybe-beiore the end
of our journey
In April = exclaimed l. Il admit
that the sky looks threatening, and three
months later | wonld believe your predic
ton, my dear Doctor but not now
The wind is southwest the barome
ter has fallen rapidly. and to low point
aud ! see signs all around that betoker
a tempest. The month of April make,
no difference We always have thunder
storms, here in America,i in mild winters.
We'll, Doctor, we shall SEE. You ar,
not afraid of thunder, hope p
Tn, storm was over head thick wal
of clouds was closing III around US tn,
dull atmosphere had II cottony look, Ma
ture was evidently about to fulfill III,
predictions of DR.. Pitierge. The ship
speed was slackeued the wheel, mad,
but three or four revolutions minute
aud at last stopped The pilot found, that
as the tide was ebbiug, it would be i'm
possible to enter New York harbor til
the next morning. The anchors wer,
let go, and the great ship came to full
stop.
AT six O'Clock, the steward gave lh
sigual for the final dinper; dinner OIL
which the charterers of the ship were t
lavish champagne in abundance upol
their guests. All parts Of the ship wer
at once deserted, except the dining.room
and the space in the rear Of the main sa
loon was entirely at our disposal. A
twenty minutes after six, after havinj
kept US ten minutes, listening to the grow
ling of the thunder, and watching the SIX
grow dark, Harry Drake and his second
joined us Both parties saluted. Drak
did not utte. a word, but cast upon Nc
ElwlR look iull of hatred and vengeance
Cor.icsn took The words from Drake
second, measured them. bent and teste
them, chose one aud ip moment more
the tWo duehsts were sharnlv pnpo0ef