The Democratic advocate., 1878-07-27
Select Storp.
THE UNSEEN WITNESS.

THE UNSEEN WITNESS.
The ship Americus, engaged in the East
Indian merchant service, was on her home
ward 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 ac-
eompanied her father on this voyage.
When, suddenly, like a thunderbOlt
from clear sky, dark cloud of wrongs
and suferings, 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 favor
ise Of that ships company. None could
help liking and admiring her pleasant
ways; and she, all unconscious of the fear
ful web she was SO innocently weaving, did
her best to make the voyage pleasant.
Among Miss Stanfords most ardent
admirers, and one whom she seemed es-
pecially to favor, was the second mate,
young Frank Haywood, who loved her
with all his heart.
Il was whispered among the crew that
he would make a fne match; but the skip
per did not look upon the would-be union
In that light; and it was generally known
that he would prefer the first mate, War
rem Gregg, who was also a suitor for his
daughters hand.
Warren Gregg, the first mate, was
man not far from thirty, who had followed
the sea from his bOyhood, and was con-
sidered a frst-elass seaman. He was a
little below medium height, with stout,
thiek-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 viii of the captain,
he was generally disliked by the crew for
his naughty and overbearing 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 he 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 for bis pent-up passion
to break forth into torrent Of hatred and
vengeance.
However, he had so managed to govern
his actions that no one dreamed of the
fierce mental conflict which was raeking
his brain.
Affairs were at this state-Miss Mabel
openly receiving the attentions of Hey
wood, while her father aud brother, the
supercargo, were silently working.tO bring
about different result, and Gregg still
trying to win her from his rival, his pas
sion growing fercer and 6ercer as his case
grew more hopeless, till plans for revenge
full triumph went fitting through his brain,
ready to be tried in case fair means should
tail-when an accident occurred which
tended to bring about an estrangement be-
tween the captain and his daughters lover.
Il had been the aim of the unscrupulous
Gregg from the first to bring about quar-
rel between the captain, or his son Lewis,
and Haywood. Thus he was continually
embittering the minds Of both against the
young mate, until at last his object was
accomplished.
Haywood and young Stanford had an
open quarrel, brought about by the shrewd
Vaccinations Of the first mate, who had
caused the hotheaded supercargo to accuse
the other Of stealing a ring he had myster-
iously lost, which of course quickly aroused
the temper of the latter, when hot dis
cussion followed that would have no doubt
ended in blows if some of the crew had
not interfered.
The sympathies Of the captain in this
quarrel were with his son; and those OF
Mabel with her lover, whom she did not
consider at all to blame.
1t was not far from the middle of the
night following the quarrel between Hey
wood and Stanford; and, save the gentle
moaning of the wind through the rigging,
and the rippling of the water as the ship
ploughed on her course, all was silent as
death, when the helmsman, peering out
with straining eyes into the impenetrable
gloom Of the black expanse beyond, was
suddenly aroused from the drowsiness that
was stealing over him, by hearing a cry
for help, and then splash in the water
from of the lee bow.
He quickly turned to ask the supercar.
60, who but moment before had beer
standing BY his side, the cause of the noise
when he saw that the young man wa.
gone.
Then the truth instantly flashed through
his mind and he shouted in a startling
excited tone
MAN overboaIdr r
IL seemed but an instant from the Civ
ing of the alarm, before the captain and