Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-04-19
Mlistellaneous.
The Unseen Witness .

in the East India &cssISs.ant service,
was On her homeward passage. Her
crew were juhilant at the prospect Of
soon reaching home; but probably
no one aboard the ship was in better
spirits than the skipper's pretty
daughter. Mabel Stanford, who had
accompanied her father on this
voyage.
When, suddenly, like thunder
bolt from & clear sky, dark cloud
of wrongs and sulierihgs, 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
daughter nearly distracted with
grief.
Mabel Stanford was the general
favorite of that ships company
None could help liking and admirine
her pleasant ways; and she, all un-
conscious of the fearful web she was
so innocently weaving, did her best
to make the voyage pleasant.
Among Miss Stanford's most ard
ent admirers, and one whom she
seemed especially to favor, was the
second mate, young Fank Haywood
who loved her with all his heart.
1t was whispered among the =ere1'
tnat they would make fine match
but the skipper did not look upon the
would-be union in that light; and il
was generally understood that h,
would prefer the first mate, Warren
Gregg, who was also a suitor Tor his
daughters's hand.
Warren Gregg, the first mate, was
man not far from thirty, who had
followed the sea from his boyhood
and was considered first-class sea.
man. He was little below medium
height, with stout, thick-set frame,
and frank open features, which
greatly belied his true disposition.
This was his second trip as mate OF
the Americus; and though he had
succeeded in winning the good will OF
the captain, he was generally disliked
by the crew for his naughty and over
bearing ways. That he loved Miss
Stanford with all the ardor of which
he was capable, there was no doubt
and it is perhaps needless to say that
he looked upon the attention the man.
ly, handsome Haywood paid her with
anything but pleasure. In fact he
was mad with jealousy; and the OPP
portunity was only wanting for his
pent-up passion to break forth into a
torrent of hatred and vengeance.
However, he had SO managed to
govern his actions that no one dream
ed of the fierce mental conflict which
was racking his brain.
Affairs were at this state--Miss
Mabel o penly receiving the attentions
of Haywood, while her father and,
brother, were silently working to
bring about a different result, and
Greggs still trying to win her from
his rival, his passion growing fiercer
and fiercer as his case grew more
hopeless, till plans for revengeful
triumph went fitting through his
brain, ever ready to be tried in
case fair means should fail-when an
incident occurred which tended to
bring about an estrangement between
he captain and his daughters
wer.
Ut had been the aim of the unscrup-
mus Gregg from the first to bring
ahut quarrel between the captain,
orhis son, Lewis, and Hewyeod.
Ths he was continually embittering
theninds of both against the young
mat until at last his object was ac-
comlished.
Htwood and young Stanford had
an oen quarrel, brought about by
the shewd Vaccinations Of the first
mat, Mo had caused the hot headed
supecago to accuse the other OF
stealnga ring he had mysteriously
lost, thth, of course, quickly aroused
the taler of the latter, when hot
discufon followed that would nc
doubtaye ended in blows if some ot
the ere had not interfered.
The Ynpathies of the captain il
: this qurd were with his son; anG
those ofMabel with her lover, whom
, she die not consider at all t.
- blame. sl.st
:. 1t waslot far from the middle o
the nighfollowing the quarrel be
tween Hsgood and Stanford; ant
save the gtle moaning of the wint
: through ttrigging, and the ripping
y of the watsAAs the ship ploughed Oh
her course,ll was silent as death
when the hasman, peering out wit
straining ey into the impenetrabl
/. gloom Of thSlack expanse beyond
was suddenlyroused from the drow
siness that wastealing over him, b
hearing crytr help, and then
4 splash in theIater from off the le
- bow.
on He quickly t4ed to ask the snpel
cargo, who but moment before ha
re been standing lhis side, the caus
Or xuh xI.& 81