Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-03
A Fall for Life.

A Fail Tor Lire.
The merchant ship, Druid, from
Bombay for London, lay becalmed of
the west coast of Hindoostan, between
Goa and Mangalore, where the Ghauts
Mountains were seen, towering in saw
age grandeur thousands of feet in the
air, with wild torrents leaping down
the rocks, flashing through the dark
green shrubbery, and rushing with the
din of distant thunder.
If the wind does not rise before
tomorrow we will have to anchor"
said the captain to Robert Winfield,
handsome young naval lieutenant on
leave of absence from the frigate sta
toned at Bombay. ~ don't want to
lay the ships bones on the coast, nor
do l like to- get too near it. 1 have
heard bad stories of the natives there /;
ut any rate, believe that almost every
Hlndoo is thief and murderer by ma
ture."
Belle Upton, daughter of Major Up
ton, who was on his way home from his
In6A regiment, on sick leave, heard
the words, and, shuddering, drew
closer to her invalid father.
A quick glance was exchanged be-
tween her and the young naval leuten-
ant, whose reassuring look seemed at
once to dispel her fears.
Major Upton, noticing the glance
and frowRing, said to his daughter:
Come, Belle, let us go below"
Winfield had been a sutton of Bellies
hn 10 se;k hap Ga. -
Bombay, some months before. The
girl favored him, but not so the major,
who preferred her to choose wealthier
lover.
Belle was very beautiful, with form
Of unrivaled grace. brown eyes, o clear,
pearl-white skim with little color, and
dark golden hair that fell in ripping
masses over pair of magnificent
shoulders. The lieutenant watched her
admiringly until she disappeared in
the cabin.
"No harm shall befall her, not while
! live" he thought, as he now glanced
uneaslly toward the coast. eve have
arms aboard, have we not" he added
aloud, to the captain.
Ay, 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. have no doubt"
A few hours later night closed round
the ship. The sky was covered by
thick clouds which obscured the moon,
and seemed to betoken that breeze
would spring up before long.
Meanwhile, the ship having drifted o
league nearer the coast, the lieutenant
thought the captain very careless not
to have more than his one lookout
posted forward on so dark night.
Before eleven o'clock the quarter
deck was deserted by all save the officer
OF the watch, lazy fellow who was
now stretched on the carpenters chest
half asleep, while the watch forward,
IS Winfield (who stood leaning over
the rail amidships) could perceive by
The light of lantern in the fore rig
ging, lay reclining on the hatch, some
of them snoring.
Not feeling sleepy, the lieutenant
resolved to 60 aloft on the mizzen-top
sail yard, and watch for the first sign
OF breeze. Arrived on the yard, the
darkness was so intense that he could
not see the waters below, although he
still gazed in that direction. Was it
reality or imagination? He thought
he could detect the dim outline of some.
thing shooting around the ships stern.
He was about descending when, the
moon parting the clouds, q food of
silvery light poured down on the ship
and water, revealing sight that filled
the young man with horror-a scene
30 sudden and unexpected that his heart
seemed to stand still.
While he was aloft Belle Upton had
come out on the quarterback, and now
stood with her back to the rail, about
two feet from it, her head bowed as if
in deep thought, so that her beautiful
white face shone like polished iyory in
the bright moonlight. Then unseen.
unheard by the young girl, Hindoo,
with 1.-the body naked to the waist.
had clambered up the side from large
canoe containing half-a.dozen of his
companions, and had contrived to glide.
serpent-like, on the outside of the shin
until he had gained position directly
behind her, when he drew a large dirk.
which he was now on the point of
plunging into the snowy neck of the
fair passenger, that she might not give
an alarm
The lieutenant's hand clutched the
yard like a vice, as he beheld the
young lady's peril. He must save her
he would save her, he thought; yet
how was it TO be done? To give an
alarm would only hasten the girls
doom to descend, no matter how
quickly, by means Of one of the back
stays. would be no use, as she must
perish before lie could reach the deck
and attempt to stay the deadly hand.
There uas m fima fo loco T. IL.