The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-21

"There is not much wind, 1t is true, said
he; 'but the light breeze is quite sufficient
for sc small craft"
"0h, delightful r exclaimed Cecil.
But Miss Vane hesitated.
| "Auntie would be nervous Ii we were late
forour early dinner" she said.
| 'But at what time do you dine then, Miss
| vene p inquired the major.
| sAt two o'clock, Major Ross
| ooh, there Is ample time then" returned
| the major, looking at his watch. "It is but
| just five minutes differ eleven. Suppose. we
sail out into the Downs, among those splen-
Just the thing, assented Capt Dynevor.
And there is huge emigrant ship lying at
anchor close In. Do you see her, Louise that
lasge yessel With the white hull That is the
last night from the river. She is outward
| bound for Sydney, and am sure that sight
of her crowded decks would greatly interest
and amuse the ladies'"
| Half q dozen sturdy, sunburnt boatmen speed
| lily launched the little yacht. Some biscuits
| and bottle OF wine for the ladies were pro-
cured from the Eetland Arms; the snow white
owner steering her, the tiny bark took her
| way Stewards. A single boatman accom-
panied the party.
Major Ross and Wilfrid Dynevor, 1t must
| be understood, were not recent acquaintance
Of the Vanes. They had known Mrs. Char
/
been constant visitors at the elder lady's town
house Besides which, as has been already
stated, Capt. Dynevor's brother was about to
be married to Louise Vane. SO there was not
that feeling of restraint among the little party
that would have been experienced had they
been almost strangers to one another.
| Wiafrld, as was natural, more especially
made his brothers fiance his care. So Cecil
| ly anything SO rapidly conduces to friendly
| intercourse between the sexes as association
at q picnic or boating party
And Cecil, as she stood by Major Ross side,
and watched his skillful manipulation, with
his nervous, supple brown fingers Of the
wheel of the little vessel, whilst, at the same
time, he amused her with much lively repair
tee and anecdote, began to discover that he
was by no means 50 sold" and embarrassing
and sedate as she had hitherto supposed.
The Major could be a remarkably attractive
man II 1t SO pleased him. And nobody, to
haveglanced at Cecil's animated face, as she
gaily chatted with him.. could have accused
versation. In fact, Cecil herself, although she
| had made the assertion to her sister that q
man OF the majors age seemed so old to girl
Of nineteen, was, nevertheless, precisely one
of those girls who are always more attracted
by men considerably their seniors than youths
| OF their own age.
The loving but volatile nature was con-
sciOus OF the want OF strong arm, clear In
| tellect and warm heart on which to rely. Be-
sides, The major was, in reality, but six-and-
thirty. Cecil began to think that II she lost
her wager, and the major proved invulner
able, she should be unhappy for life.
I said to Louise she Thought, The viii set
down everything I say and do to mere vanity
and the empty desire OF captivating another
heart"
Poor Cecil! She already repented of her
rashness, and instantly registered a vow that
| she would make no more such wagers. AS for
the major, whether he had or not overheard
the young ladys bet with her sister, it was
Impossible g, to discover coy , from his demeano n
was with Cecil as he might have been with
any other lady. He pointed out to her all
| surrounding objects of interest But there
was nothing OF tenderness in his manner, nor
did his conversation once trench on that de-
batable land which separates friendship from
love. Cecil caught herself more than once
wishing that her. companion would not be
quite so cool and collected"
gigantic emigrant ship, the City Of Melbourne.
1t was not difficult for persons of such social
position as Major Ross and his party to gain
admission to her decks, and very much
ley scene displayed thereon. At length, how
ever, the "Hme and tide that wait for no man."
warned them that they must, however reluct-
antly, take their departure shoreward.
ALI persons who have seen the far-famed
Downs, from Deal Beach, when the roads are
well aware that q large number of steam tugs
are constantly passing up and down amongst
the moored vessels, seeking for employment;
that employment being to tow homeward-
bound vessels on their way up the Thames, or
outward bound vessels in the contrary direc-
ton.
All the little party save the major himself,
had safely re-embarked In the Tarantula,
grant ship, one Of these tugs passing too
close to her, In order to hail her In the hope of
q job, caused such q swell that, as the MAJORS
foot touched the half deck of the little yacht,
she was dashed with great violence against
the side of the leviathan vessel and immedi-
ately capsized.
It was as the contact of walnut shell with
q large copper cauldron. Boats were imme-
diately lowered from more than one Of the
surrounding vessels, and those of the Taran-
tula's party, besides the boatman who accom-
panied them, were speedily picked up.
But where was Cecil?
''Great heaven!" exclaimed Louise vane,
as, trembling. with excitement, she stood on
the deck Of the City Of Melbourne. "My
sister has been sucked under the bottom Of
the shipr'
For moment Major Ross himself thought
so. In that moment as by an electric flash,
in spite of all his studied and stoical indiffer-
ence, the lost girl was incomparably dearer
to him than all the world beside. In the in
tensity of agony he felt-as we all do feel at
SUCH IuOmeuUS-IOW UOuDly, CTeDly GEAR Is
the loved one we seem to have lost forever.
He stood on the deck of the emigrant ship,
all his energies literally paralyzed for the
space OF single minute. Then the magical
instinct of love-love that clings to hope even
when hope itself Ia gone-showed him frag-
ment OF something white entangled in the
1t was Cecil, whose light summer dress had
been caught in the cable!
In that instant, Ernest Ross was overheard,
and swimming to the spot amid the loud
cheers Of the crews of the surrounding
vessels. But, oh, herror As he seized the
gave way, and she sank?
A groan of sympatlizing pity burst stimuli
taneousy from all Interpretations of that har-
rowing scene.
But the next moment the still, deadly-white
face rose to the surface The beautiful, dark
locks had become unbound in the struggle for
md