Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-08-22
TIE UNSEEN WITNESS.

TIE UNSEEN WITNESS.
The good ship Americus, engaged
in the East India merchant service, was
on her homeward passage. Her crew
were jubilant at the prospect Of soon
reaching home but probably no one
aboard the ship was in better spirits
than the shippers pretty daughter,
Mabel Stanford, who had accompan
led her father on this voyage.
When. suddenly, like thuuderbolt
from clear sky, dark cloud Of
wrongs and sufferings. which had been
hanging over the ship, broke upon
them in all its terrible power, sending
broken hearts and death into their
midst, chilling the hopes of the crew
and driving the captain and his daugh-
ter nearly distracted with grief. +
Mabel Stanford was the general "a
vorite of that ships company. None
could help liking and admirlng her
pleasant ways {; and she, all uncon-
scious of the fearful web she was SO
innocently weaving, did her best to
make the voyage pleasant.
Among Miss Stanford's most ardent
admirers, and one whom she seemed
especially to favor, was the second
mate, young Frank Haywood, who
loved her with all his heart. q
1t was whispered among the crew
that they would make fine match ;
but the skipper did not look upon the
would be union in that light and it
was generally known that he would
prefer the first mate, Warren Gregg,
who was also sutton foe his daugh
ter's hand.
Warren Gregg, the hrss mate, was a
man not far from thirty. who had fol-
lowed the sea from bis boyhood, and
was considered a frst-class seaman.
He was little below medium height,
with stout, tbick-set frame, and
frank, open features, which greatly
belied his true disposition.
This was his second trip a. mate of
the Americas, and though he had sucr
ceeded in winning the good will Of
the captain. he was generally disliked
by the crew for his naughty and overs
bearing ways. That he loved Miss
Stanford with all the ardor Of which
his nature was capable, there was no
doubt and it is perhaps needless to
say that be looked upon the attention
the manly. handsome Haywood paid
her with anything but pleasure, In
fact he was mad with jealousy, and
the opportunity only was wanting fol-
his pentup passion to break forth into
a torrent Of hatred and vengeance.
However, he had so managed tc
govern his actions that no one dream.
ed of the fierce mental conflict which
was racking his brain.
Affairs were at this state-Misi
Mabel openly receiving the attentions
of Haywood, while her father and
brother, the supercargo, we're silently
working to bring about Z dlfferen,
result. and Gregg still trying to win
her from his rival, his passion growing
6ercer and fiercer as his case grew
more hopeless, till plans for revenge
full triumph went fitting through his
brain, ready to be tried in case fail
means should fail, when an incident
occurred which tended to bring ahou,
an estrangement between the captain
and his daughters lover.
1t had been the aim of the unscrupu.
lous Gregg from the first to bring
about quarrel between the captain
or his son Lewis, and Haywood. Thus
he was continually embittering the
minds Of both against tho young and
handsome mate, until at last his OBJ
ject was accomplished
Haywood and young Stanford had
an open quarrel, brought about by the
shrewd vaccinations of the first mate
who had caused the hot headed 81.
percargo to accuse the other of stealing
a ring he had mysteriously lost, which
of course quickly aroused the temper
Of the latter, when a hot discussion
followed that would have no doub,
ended in blows if some Of the crew
had not interfered.
The sympsthies Of the captain il
this quarrel were with bis son. ant
those OF Nobel with her lover, whou
she did not consider at all to blame.
1t vas not far from the middle o
the night following the quarrel DO
tween Haywood and Stanford, and
save the gentle moaning of the win