The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-08

here, sure enough, on land, in full sight
from the ship, was RED LIGHT, which
he could not mist axe for any other thar
that OF the lantern he had put in the cave
with the body OF his victiml
The lantern was not burning then !;
how could he account for its being lighted
now?
Was it not the result of a supernatural
agency to lead to the detection OF his
crime?
Perhaps-at the thought his blood
| seemed to turn to ice-the dead man
| himself had risen and lighted it.
A strange and horrible thought this
but the mate had always been supersti.
tious; and now conscience-stricken, and
terrified, his mind prey to weird sug-
gestions, he believed that it was judg-
ment on him, to add to his punishment,
that the corpse itself had lighted the red
beacon which was to lure him on to de-
struction.
All the men on deck were now gazing
toward the light. The second mate, otti-
Ger of the watch, called the captain, who
could, of course, come to but one con-
clusiOn-that which was held by all ex-
cept. the murderer-that Herman, tired
of being on that desolate coast where he
had previously concealed himself, was
now showing this lantern as signal for
his shlpmates to come and take him
aboard the ship. The skipper, therefore,
| ordered Hold to lower boat and 60 for
| the youth.
"No," gasped the mate. "Why not
leave him ashore? 1t would serve him
right for deserting."
"Nonsense. 1 must have him aboard,
If only to punish him; SO down with the
boat"
The mate stared at the speaker as If
transfXed to the deck, his face ghastly,
his eyeballs protruding.
| "Why, what ails you, man" cried the
captain, impatiently. "You look white
and scared. Come, down with the boat.
I'll 60 with you."
Vainly the mate endeavored to per-
suade the skipper to let Herman remain
\ ashore. The boat was lowered, and
with Hold and the captain was soon
speeding shoreward. When they gained
the beach, the mate, with trembling
limbs, obeying the captains orders, fol-
lowed him to the spot whence shone the
red light. There they beheld the dead
body Of Herman, sitting propped against
a rock, his glazed eyeballs rejecting the
glare OF the red lantern, which was
placed on a high, rocky platform near
him.
With wild, unearthly howl, losing his
| self.possession, the superstitiOus mate
fed from the presence Of his victim.
| The captain and his men soon discov.
cred the bullet mark in the temple of the
dead youth, and the sailors, connecting
this with the shot they had heard, al
once comprehended that Hold was the
murderer.
But how came the lantern lighted
| This was explained when the prints OIL
gigantic footsteps were discovered in the
snow near the spot, and it was also per
ceived that nearly every article OF cloth.
ing had been taken from the body.
Some wandering native had evidently
discovered the corpse, drawn 1T out OF
the cave, and finding in the coat-pocket
tin box of matches, which Herman had
always carried, had, the better to see
his plunder, lighted the lantern, the use
| of Which he understood, as the Patago.
| mans occasionally visit the vessels of
the coast. On going away he had left
| the lantern burning, probably to guide
him back to the spot, which he intended,
perhaps, to revisit toward dawn, hoping
by the light Of day to discover more
plunder.
The body of the murdered youth was
| buried ashore next morning.
| The mate, almost beside himself with
| terror, confessed his crime when &C
| cused of it, and was put in irons. Ht
became insane, q few months later, while
awaiting his trial in the calaboose a
Honolulu. Bessie Hall was not alive tc
hear OF her lovers fate; she died OF hear
disease few months after he went Il
sea. 4h