The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-07-05
A FALL FOR LIFE.

-1HilG II. Bur1tItdD, an VIDE 1trdE2
FALL FOR LIFE.
The merchant ship Druid, from Bonn
bay for London, lay becalmed off the
west coast of Hindostan, between Goa
and Efangalore, where the Chants
Mountains were seen towering in savage
grandeur thousands of feet in air, with
wild torrents leaping down the rocks,
flashing through the dark green shrub
berry, and rushing with the din of thun
der
"If the wind does not rise before to-
morrow morning we will have to anch-
or" said the captain TO Robert Winfield,
a handsome young naval lieutenant on
leave of absence from the frigate station
ed at Bombay. 81 don't want TO lay the
ships bones on the coast, nor do | like
to get too near it. l have heard bad
stories of the natives there; at any rate,
| believe that almost every Hindoo is a
thief and murderer by nature"
Belle Upton. daughter of Major Upton,
who was Oh his way home from his India
regiment, on sick leave, heard the words,
and, shuddering, drew closer to her in
valid father.
A quick glance was exchanged be-
tween her and the young naval lieuten
ant, whose reassuring look seemed at
once to dispel her fears.
Major Upton, noticing the glance,
frowning, said to his daughter, Come,
Belle, let us go below"
Winfield had been suitOr of Bellies
since she came 10 visit her father at
Bombay, some months before. The girl
favored him, but not so the major, who
wanted her to choose a wealthy lover.
Belle was beautiful, with form of
unrivaled grace, brown eyes, a clear,
pearl-white skin, with little color, and
dark golded hair that fell in ripping
masses over pair of magnificent shoul-
ders. The lieutenant watched her ad-
miringly until she disappeared in the
cabin.
"No harm shall beElll her, no. while /
live" he thought, as he now glanced un-
easily towards the coast. ave have arms
aboard, have we not?" he added aloud to
the captain.
GAY, ay, sir; but it is not likely we
shall be attacked We are full two
leagues from the coast, and before we are
near enough to be boarded breeze will
spring up, L have no doubt"
A few hours later night closed around
The ship. Tn. sky was covered by thick
clouds which obscured the moon and
seemed to b.token that breeze would
spring up before long.
Meanwhile the ship having drifted a
thought the captain very careless not to
have more than his one lookout posted
forward-on so dark a night.
Before eleven o'clock the quarter deck
was deserted by all save the officer Of
the watch, a lazy fellow who was now
stretched on the carpenters chest half
asleep, while the watch forward, as Win
field (who stood leaning over the rail
amidships) could perceive by the light of
lantern in the fore rigging lay reclining
on the hatch, some of them snoring.
Not feeling sleepy, the lieutenant re-
solved to go aloft on the mizzen topsail
yard and watch for the first sign of a
breeze. Arrived ON the yard, the gloom
was so intense that he could not see the
waters below, although he still gazed in
that direction. "Was it reality or imag-
inationl" He thought he could detect
the dim outline of something shooting
around the ships stern.
He was about descending, when, the
moon parting the cloudsa flood ofsilvery
light was poured down on the ship and
water, revealing a sight that filled the
young man with horror-a scene sosud
den and unexpected that his heart
seemed to stand still.
While he was aloft Belle Upton had
come out on the quarter deck, and now
stood with her back to the rail, about two
/ feet from it, her head bowed as ifin deep
thought, so that her beautiful white face
shone like polished ivory in the bright
moonlight. Then unseen, unheard by
the young girl, a Hindoo, with long
1.-the body naked to the waist, had clam
bered I'D the side from a large canoe
containing half dozen of his compan
ions, and had contrived to glide, serpent
like, or the outside of the ship until he
had gained a position directly behind
her. when he drew large dirk, which he
was now on the point of plunging into
the snowy neck of the fair passenger, ,tha
she might not give an alarm!
The lieutenant's hand clenched The
ward like q wise, as he beheld the young
lady's peril. He must save her-ht
would save her, he thought; yet, how
was it to be done? To give an alarm wa
;; only TO hasten the girls doom; to de
scend, no matter how quickly, by mean
of one of the back stays,would be no use
as she must perish before he could reacl
the deck and attempt TO stay the deadl.
, hand.
There was no time to lose. In thre'
seconds the dirk would descend, and th'
girl would be killed at one stroke, so tina
the murderer's companions, who had al
ready begun to ascend the vessels side
t could pounce on the drowsy male occu
l pants of the deck, and, Staying them
make themselves masters Of the ship al
, most before warning could be given
Like lightning flash, the instinc! o
love, the resolution to save Belle in som'