Richland beacon., 1880-04-17


decks, where prisoners are kept and
guarded by marine.
1t was soon known that Paul Edwards
had obtained an introduction to the
young Spanish beauty whom he saw at
the theater, and that her charms had
tempted him to desert. A silipmate of
his, named W S., had pointed
cut the place where Paul was concealed
though not before a native called
Poola had come on board and given
such information as led to the capture
of the unfortunate lover. This Paola
was the tall Spaniari of whom l have
spoken, who came Of in his canoe, and
who Bill Regan suspected was after
blood money" He had given the in
formation which led to Paul's capture,
and had received his reward in Spanish
dollars, and THAT was the "blood money"
of which the Captain Of the maintop had
spoken.
Paul and several other offenders were
soon tried by court-martial, and Paul
was sentenced to receive three dozen
liishcs with the cat-o'-nine-taiis for de-
| scrtiOn.
Paul received his punishment, and,
sithongh he never WINGED, it was evi-
dent thas he would not soon forget
hose who had betrayed him.
Paola lived near the shore, in mud
walled house, to which was astached a
small garden. His mates Of the r'sin-
top noticed that whenever Paul cast mis-
eyes in that direction he slowly shook
his head and gritted his teeth.
On the Fourth of July we fired nG-
tional salute; French frigate in the
harbor ran up the American flag, and
also fired salute in honor of our indie
pendence.
As soon as the smoke cleared away a
commotion was observed on the shore !;
several persons were seen running III
land from the beach; and the quarter
master, upon looking through his spy
glass, announced that Paoh's house
had been overthrown, or, as he ex
pressed IL, had been Knocked into the
shape of cooked hat"
The officer of the deck then took the
spy-glass, and, after looking through il
moment, said that the people on
shore were looking of at our frigate.
and shaking their heads in a manner
which denoted that round shot from
one of our guns had done the mischief.
"Third cutter away!" was the order
given, and an officer went on shore -
ascertain whatever he could in regard
to the affair. He soon returned with
the intelligence that shot had struck
the house of Paola, knocked away one
corner of it, and smashed the dinner
pot which had happened, at that mo-
ment, to be boiling over pan of char
coal.
But that was not the worst Of It. The
beautiful Spanish girl who had won
the heart of Paul Edwards Was coming
toward the beach at the time, probably
in the hope of seeing or hearing some
thing of Paul; and the shot, after pass
ing through Paola's house, struck her
full in the breast and killed her out
right. The people on snore conld not
decide whether the shot came from our
frigate or from one of the FrencEman's
guns, rs both salutes were fired nearly
together.
Some of our men were inclined to
iauch when told that Paola's house
had been knocked over by round
shot: but, when The additional infOrma-
ton was gwen that the young Spanish
lady had been killed. all eyes were
turned grayely upon Paul, who seemed
thunderstrnck by this intelligence, and,
turning very pale, was unable to utter
u syllable.
Curses sometimes come home to
roost," said our FIRST Lieutenant, fixing
his keen glance upon the face Of Paul.
That somebody had put round shot
into one of the guns, when the salute
was fred, couid not be doubted; and
it was pretty evident that more than
one of our officers suspected Paul Ed
wards, az Paola was the man who had
informed against him and caused his
arrest. WHO ciSe Dut dul Cottiu nave
wished to injure Paola? But the death
of the Spanish girl was serious natter;
and the quarter-gunners, therefore, un-
derwent rigid examination.
As for Paul, he was a changed man.
All his liveliness forsoOk him; he ate
very little, end seemed to be forever
brooding over the untimely death OF
the fair Spanish girl.
But was that all? Had he not to en-
dure the sad reflection that in reveng.
ing himself upon Paola he had MUIR
dered the girl he adored?
Great pains were taken to discover who
put that shot into the gun; and it was
suspected that one of the quarter-gun-
ners was in possession of the secret; f.;
bnt. if SO, ne never revealed it. Sus-
nicion none the less rested upon Paul,
who became more and more gloomy and
emaciated every day, and life seemed
TO be burden to him.
Such was the state of affairs, when
one morning, the startling fact vas an
nounced that W s. had beer
found murdered in his hammock.