Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-09-15

way Tom and me does ?"
"Perhaps Miss Selden and 1 don't
want to make up" said Surrey, amused
in spite of himself.
Oh, Tom and me always does. The
Sunday book says love your enemies
you know it does.
Miss Selden awoke that night with a
dreadful sound in her ears. Was Mr..
Surrey consoling himself with
those dirge-like airs at dead of night,
or was it the shout of angry waves be-
sieging the ship, the sound of voices half
drowned by the blast, of winds chorusing
in the rigging, of feet hurying from
stem to stern? Had they been boarded
by pirates, struck reef, or sprung a
leak? She-dressed hastily ana opened
her state-room door. Mrs. Bruce was
already up, wringing her hands and
pacing the saloon.
81 always said SO; kneaO we should
go to the bottom sooner or LATER" she
cried. ooh, Serena, you'll never see
Calcutta, nor any body! And there's all
your trousseau Il never do any one any
good-and that splendid peacock silk
that was so becoming-and to think he'll
never see you in it--and 1 going from
Dan to Beersheba to match the trim
mings |"
-going-down?" asked Sc
rena, steadying herself and her voice
with an effort.
"Any minute, for all know. I can't
find out exactly what's happened, but I
know the Fairy has become unmanage-
able, and she's drifting about at her own
sweet will. We might as well have a cat
at the helm. The three men who went
to sea in bowl aren't circumstance to
us. They've cut away heaven knows
what, and there was noise like the crack
of doom just now, which must have been
a mast"
Where-is-Mr. Surrey ?"
Il don't know. Swept overheard, for
all [ can say. Mr.. Bruce would have al
lowed me to go to the bottom in my
sleep, [ do believe. He never so much
hs called me. Well, Mr.. Surrey" as that
gentleman appeared, "this is nice situ-
alton for Mr.. Bruce to drag his innocent
family into, isn't it? Don't mind me-
Comfort Serena, if you can. If he who
has promised to love and cherish leaves
me at such crisis, what can I expect of
a stranger? Will the ship hold together
till sunrise, do you think ?"
"Tve no doubt of it." he answered,
crossing Serena. At that instant there
was sound as if the heavens themselves
rolled together like scroll; the ship
quivered at every fibre, and seemed to
crack at every beam. Mrs. Bruce threw
up her arms and uttered prolonged cry.
" L think we have struck, said Mr.. Sur
rey, solemnly. "I'm afraid our days are
numbered Miss elden-Serena-ha t
we better take Amy's advice and make
up? Ii may not live in the light of
your countenance, you will not deny me
the privilege of dying with you ?"
For an instant it seemed to him that
her figure swayed toward him, that she
trembled and half turned to him, with
an unwonted softness in her gaze, and
then she had drawn herself up proudly,
and had left him with outstretched
arms, alone.
1t proved that they had collidel
with merchantmen, bound homeward
from India with a cargo of jute and
gunny-bags; but while the Fairy was
found to be in sinking condition, the
Comet. being q heavier vessel, had sus-
tanned but slight injuries, and was en-
abled to put about to the rescue of crew
and passengers. 1t was a ghastly scene
that followed, photographed indelibly
upon Miss Selden's memory; the awe
struck faces of the rough men who were
lashing little Amy upon Mr.. Surrey S
shoulders; the Intellectual fare of lights
against the twilight of dawn the boil
ing sea which tore the hfe-boat into
chips; the slippery cable across which
she toiled to the Comets side, hand over
hand, now suspended above some death
ly ocean chasm, now almost shrouded in
the spray of its angry waves.
81 shut my eyes tight" said Amy,
afterward, "and Rugged Mr.. Surrey.
Il was awful dark and lonesome. Have
we got to do it again? Do we always
stop that way?"
"Heaven save usp calculated Miss
Selden. 81 don't believe but I should
slip into the sea and have done with it,
if it were to do over;" and she leaned
back indolently in her seat under the
canopy which Surrey had improvised,
being on deck for the first time otter
days of illness, the reaction from excite
ment. "What are you reading Mr..
Surrey ? l really begin to be persuaded
that am still denizen of this breath
ing world, and to take an interest in my
species.
"I am reading the Calcutta Daily
and it's like newspaper issued the day
before the food. 1t tells us things we
didn't know, to be sure. but which are
old stories at the same time"
"We are finding a new road to the In
dies, like Vasco de Cana, only it isn't o
short cut. What is there new in Calcut.
ia, or rather what is there old ?"
"I see that my old classmate, Ned
Lombard, has forsworn himself and mar.
ried-a Begun princess, for all 1 know.
That won't interest you, though. Here's
an interesting account of the reception
of the Prince of Wales, and Are YOU
faint, Miss Selden2 Shall take you be.
low?"
"I must see the Calcutta Daily first,
please;" but the letters all swan before
her eyes. "Who did you say was mar
ried 4? Your old classmate? Who?"
, "Only Ned Lombard. You knew O.
him, didn't you?"
! married. Ned Lombard married
Yes-I-knew-him. If you could give
! me your arm, Mr.. Surrey the ship il
pitching badly, is it not? I was going
: to Calcutta, you know. to marry-Mr
! Lombard. suppose he has treated mi
very badly, but l can't feel as sorry as
ought. l may as well tell you, Mr.. Sur
rey, that it is six years since I saw hin
/ out of sight-out of mind-and the,
say that absence conquers love-. That
; some excuse for him if not for me- Tina