Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-01-29

on my uaDleJ gazing Win an lrrepressl-
BILE curiosity, which I was unable to con-
troll, on the jewels which scintillated
with devilish luster before my dazed
vision. The door suddenly opened and
Captain McFarlane entered.
81 beg your pardon, doctor; didn't
know you were engaged" But before I
could close the box or reply his eye had
caught the simmer of the brilliants.
"Halloo !" what's here 2"
With a firm hand he closed the lid
and read the name upon the plate. In
nocent as I was, involuntarily stung by
the remembrance of what my thoughts
had been but moment before, I quailed
before his eye.
"I know all now-that man was poi
soned-consider yourself my prisoner :"
I endeavored to explain. I told every
thing as it occurred, and appealed to
the captain to believe the story, or at
least to await its reasonable confirmation
before acting on his rash conclusion. He
was incredulous. One concession I OBJ
tanned, and that was that all should be
kept secret till our arrival in port, and
that should not be publicly branded as
a suspected murderer before the crew.
A fortnight passed, weary fortnight,
during which I repeatedly endeavored to
shake the conclusion at which Captain
McFarlane had so hastily arrived. Sud
denly, without moments warning,
the captain fell sick. He was suffering
from low fever. I begged him to ac-
cept my service.
"Never; you shall not poison me,
too"
Days passed, and the captain got
worse and worse; he babbled in his de-
lirium of poison, of stolen jewels; and
night and day I watched at his bedside,
jealously excluding everybody who
might perchance overhear his rawlings
and rise up in judgment against me.
One day the crisis came. A few hours
would determine all. If he died was
ence more free man, free from the i'm
putation of a foul crime, free to carry
out my honest intention of fulfilling the
dead mans wishes, but also free from
the dread of exposure which to me would
be worse, as bare suspicion, than death
itself.
If the captain could but sleep, his life
would be saved. How easy to make
that sleep his last The devil was at my
elbow, the laudanum bottle in my hand
But at my sorest need the strength to
resist was given to me. I poured out
the proper dose, and advanced towards
the cot in which the captain lay. A
strange light was in his eyes. Rising
suddenly, and throwing the bedclothes
off his tall, lean, sinewy form, he half
leaped from the bed, and seizing the
box of diamonds, which he had through
out his illness never allowed from be-
meath his pillow, in one hand, he
shrieked:
"Never, never Will you allow me
to be poisoned like dog! Help! some
of you" The effort was too much;
clasping the box to his bosom he fell
back on his pillow-a convulsive shud-
der passed over his frame-he was
dead.
I don't pretend to analyze my feelings
at that moment. My reason well-nigh
deserted me. I did not stop to think of
the possible consequences. Snatching
the box from the relaxing grasp of the
corpse rushed from the cabin and fell
over Pete, who was just outside.
"See to the captain. He is dead"
and sped onward; but the powerful
man had his hand upon my arm.
doctor not go so quick-Mr.
Grierson dead, cap'n die, too-doctor
got his box of jewels. Give up that
box" and he seized me in his grasp and
struggled with me for the possession of
the box.
At that moment the strength of lion
was in me; I wrestled with my assailant,
and, freeing myself from his grasp,
made for the companion stairs. [ had
reached the deck, with what intentions
/ knew not, but Pete was again with
me, wrestling with the strength of q
demon for the possession of the prize.
Theship was rolling heavily in dead
calm, and, as We fell together, we slid
across the deck toward the lee soup
pers. With superhuman effort treed
my right arm, and, with all my force,
threw the box over the quarter r-deck
ratings. 1t flew open as it fell into the
sea, and in the moonlight the diamonds
fell like shower of falling stars into
the black water.
The man, seeing my movement, left
his hold of me, and sprang forward tc
catch the box as it fell. A heavy lurch
and I was alone on the deck.
The rapidity with which everything
had taken place seemed to have stunned
me, and deprived me of the power tc
utter even one cry for help. When
recovered myself it was too late-Pett
and the diamonds were gone forever
looked arouHd-the deck was de
serted, save by the man at the wheel
who, half hidden by the wheel house
had not seen the struggle.
Can I be blamed2 held my tongue
The captain was buried at dawn, anC
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