The daily gazette., 1879-10-01
IT'S an I'LL WIND.
BY P. w.

uCdNy bdIc, WHICH IOT }uhuy nOuio Dhu |
been seeu brewing to windward, came
driving down toward the vessel.
"Shall we have bad storm, papa ?"
inquired Winnie Melton-a beautiful
young girl Of seventeen, as she shrank
cOsely to the side Of her fatber-Mr.
Melton, who stood with her OH the quar-
ter-deck OF the ship.
The two had taken a passage aboard
the Reindeer at the Sandwich Islands,
where Mr.. Melton, with Winnie, his on. |
ly child, had been to visit an agent on
business. lie had taken his daughter |
with him, because she had expressed q |
wish to go, and he had thought the trip |
wou Id do her good.
"Better for me had never seen that |
GIRL" muttered the poor sailing-master,
Warren Cove, as he stood on the quarter, |
watching French vessel to windward,
which had been spoken few hours be- |
fore. Gas soon as the storm passes, l
will tell the captain l wish to leave his
vessel, and 60 aboard yonder ship. Bets
ter should tear myself away from the
girl at once, than remain to be tortured
by the sight of one whom / can never
h pc to make mine."
Warren had la:ely received an bonora-
BILE discharge from the ChllIan sloop-of-
war, st. May, and had taken passage for
home.
lie was fine-looking young fellow,
with clear, gray eyes, sun-embrowned
face, and form Injured TO hardship; for
he had led wild, rowing sort oflife from
his youth. -r..'
This fondness for wandering and ad-
venture had kept him poor, and that was
why he thought 1t was better had he
never seen Winnie Melton whom he low
ed at first sight.
The rich brunette complexion, the
round plump form, the 1.-the, willowy
waist, the musical, unaffected voice, were
irresistible but it was the dark eyes TN
der arching brows, with their varied ex-
preston, now bright, merry, sparkling,
now shy and soft as a gazelle's; at one
moment uplifted, the next hidden by the
long, silky lashes-that caught poor War
ren's heart so promptly.
He had spoken to Mr.. Melton, who
liked him, and was pleased to hear him
relate some of his adventures.
Winnie, however, scanned to treat him
rather cOldly. She would sometimes
stand and listen to his conversation with
her father, bu. whenever he spoke to
her, she would answer briefly, and even
seemed little vexed. In fact, she
avoided him so sedulously that he at
last concluded she disliked him and re-
solved to speak to her no more, the con-
viction forcing itself on his mind that
she thought be was q mere fortune
hunter, and was attracted by htr
| wealth. 80.
There was one person, however, with
whom she often conversed; rich
young man, named Walter Fitzberg,
who was passenger aboard the Rein
deer, and whom Mr.. Melton had known
before.
GAY, he will marry her." thought
Warren, sand shall continue to be a
wanderer. i had intended to settle
down., but l could never rest were
she to become the wife Of another" =,
With intense interest Warren watch
ed the seamen, as they spcang to execute
the order to take in sail.
As Winnie put her timid question, he
could not help giving her reassurine
glance, as her father replied:
ayes, Winnie, think we shall have
severe storm, but the Reindeer is q
good ship, and will brave p
The vessel was soon under reefad
mainsail, close-reefed maintopsail and
topmast staysail.
With howl and shrek the storm
pounced upon her. The masts bent and
snapped, the rigging bellied in whistl-
ing, ropes and sheets writhed and slat-
ted about, the ship was whirled down
| on her beam ends, and sent driving
| along through the mad waters in a
perfect cloud of spray, humming thun
| der.
Standing on tiptoe, clutching her
fathers arm, Winnie was pretty pic
ture to look at. ....-
The lips were balfparted and tremb-
loose about the shoulders, the red
mantle fluttered on the wind, the
form was drawn up SO that the beauti-
ful'out.ne Of the waist was distinctly
revealed.
The captain was about advising his
passengers to go below, when trench
dous shock went through the ship.
ave are going down !" with white
lips shrieked the carpenter. He had
just been in the hold, and reported that
q whale or some other sea-mOnster had
come in contact with the ships bottom,
and there stoven hole.
"Clear away the boats !" shouted the
captain, IN clear ringing voice.
Warren sprang to assist.
The Quarter-bsat and the long boat
soon we're cleared away and lowered.
Ere they could be well provisioned, an
Ominous roaring sound was heard.
1t was the rushing of the water into
the hold!
Fitzberg, losing all control of himself,
sprang for the long in his his haste
almost knocking Winnie down.
The two boats were soon manned, but
ere Winnie could helped into them by
Warren Cove and her father, the ship
lifted her DO VS., then lurched heavily
preparatory to going down.
This parted the bOat.warps.
MIR. Melton had just sprung into tie
long boat, and with several sailors
stood ready to take Winnie, whom War
ran, in the main chains, was endeavor-
ing to pass to the boat. The lurch fright
ened the glrl, who slipped back on
deck from Warren's grasp, while he,
thus losing his balance, fell into the
boat.
"My child! Oh, G od my child scream
/ ed Mr.. Melton, holding but his hands,
his gray hair streaming on the wind.
Warren compressed his lips, made one
tremendous spring, and ciutched the
parted boat-warp, dangling over the
ships side. By this he drew himself to
| the deck of the sinking vessel.
She was plurgiug down; the young
man clutched Winnie, and endeavored
| a..,L N o,t for fha hOata hut the mai