The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-04-08
Temple Bari
THE SEALED LETTER
IN FOUR CHAPTERS.
CHAPTER III.


eyes open las we say aboard ship, an
it was not surprising that the sudde.
cessation of all motion one fine morn
ing, about week after my intervie1
with the prisoners, sent me on dec
at once to see what had happened |
was nothing more nor less than deae
calm, the sea like sheet of glass, an
the sails looking as if they were glueC
to the masts; and, in answer to III,
inquiry, the first lieutenant at one
informed me that we had reached tn
first degree north latitude and tn
twenty-seventh degree of longitude
AS the officer read the entry from tn,
log in a monotonous tone, sharl
feeling of dread seemed again to pas
through me, as I remembered that the
time had now come when the sealed
letter must be opened, and all doubt
and mystery as to its contents forever
cleared up. AS [ have already said
the Directors never allowed the slight
est trifing with their orders, and ]
had not even the excuse of press OF
duty during such weather to afford me
a loophole for delay. As I paced hur-
riedly along the deck, I tried to raise
my sinking courage by arguing with
myself that Laura's Interpretation of
the mystery must be the right one;
and as my mind became more firmly
impressed with this conviction, went
down to my cabin, and, taking the
sealed letter from it's place of safety
behind the glass door of. the clock, [
gazed impatiently at the great centre
seal. My fingers were under the en-
velope, and | was about to tear it open,
when again tremor seized me, and |
hastily replaced it, muttering to my
self that there was no chance of the
ships moving before the evening, and
that my duty would therefore allow
me to postpone the opening for few
hours. [ avoided the young couple
during the day, but the hours seemed
to fly like seconds, and the time for
the setting of the sun was at last rap
idly approaching, which would proba-
bly, bring with it a breeze from the
westward [ dared wait no longer,
and rushing hastily into my cabin,
and without looking at the seals, tore
open the envelope. | read it through,
and then | rubbed my eyes for I
thought they were deceiving me. I
read it again and again, and then L
began at the last line and read it back
wards. [ felt my legs begin to totter
under me, and [ was obliged to sit
down; then twitching of the mus
cles of my cheeks commenced as I
glared at the letter, and | had to rub
them with some rum to put stop to
it. The one word duty seemed to
burn itself into my brain, and hastily
sluicing my head in the Watering, I
went on deck into the fresh air.
Laura was then looking almost
prettier than | had ever seen her,
dressed in a fresh white frock, with
bare arms. and her splendid hair flow
ing down her back. She was anus
ing herself with hook and line, with
which she was trying to catch some
of the seaweed that was floating
around the ship. She called to her
husband to come and help her, and |
watched them for few minutes with
out speaking; and then as I at last
caught his eye, | made him a sign to
come and speak to me. Looking up
at the moment, she chanced to detect
the gesture, and dropping the line she
seized her husband by the arm.
"'Don't go near him, she said.
Look how pale he is | am sure there
is something wrong.
''He soon quieted her and came over
to me; whilst she, leaning against the
mast, watched US, as we paced up and
down the poop, without speaking
word. | lighted cigar and tried to
smoke it, but it seemed bitter, and I
threw it into the sea and watched it as
it foated away. Suddenly | took him
by the arm, and as we recommended
our walk [ whispered in the ear
"'Tell me your story, my friend, and
what you've done to these dogs of Di-
rectors that seem like five bits Of
king. These lawyering fellows have
got a pretty strong grudge against
you. What's the meaning of it all,
and what have you done?'
He shrugged his shoulders, poor
lad, and said with a sort of bitter
SMILE
"'Not much, captain, God knows.
Three silly couplets, and very bad
ones, in a vaudeville. But they made
the people laugh, because they were
about the Directory, and that's ALL
'Impossibler said l.
"'It's true, | swear to you. The
verses were bad enough, as | have said,
but | was arrested on the 18th Fructi-
dor and taken to La Force. was
tried on the 18th and condemned to
death, and the sentence was afterwards
commuted to transportation.
"'Good heavens, these lawyers are
precious thin-skinned! Do you know,
my friend, that letter orders me to
shoot you, here?'
He made no reply, and he took it
very well for young man of only
nineteen years of age. He only looked
at his wife, and wiped away two or
three drops of perspiration that would
have fallen from his forehead. [ had
some on my face too-and other drops
in nv eyes for the matter of that: [
went on.
"'It seems these good citizens didn't
choose to murder you on dry land,
and thought no one would hear much
about it if it were done out here. It's
al awful affair for me, but | must do
my duty. The sentence of death is in
perfect form; signed, sealed, and
initiated nothing is wanting
HE made me bow, but his face
flushed up.
"'I have no request to make to you,
captain, said he, in almost his usual
tone of voice. I should not like to
stand between you and your duty.