The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-06-22
BY HUGH WILSON AND H. I. WARDLAW.

ing. Contrary to expectation, not
word of comment, not even a look Of
INSTRUMENTATION, had followed the arrest
and ironing of the ships favorite's-the
quick, tlashing-spiriteG mate, and the
handsome young Dane.
GIVE got the dogs under" said the
boastful and loud-mouthed Malcolm, al
the supper-table, with a Bullying air.
"Thcrc was a couple or sailors came
to the captains door at four bells. They
had a paper in their hands," said Shell,
ton, the second mate, who looked
serious, and seemed to Helen to be quite
sober for the first time since they had
rounded Cape Horn.
"Bah" cried his superior, in a tone
of intense disgust. "The idiots had
drawn up q rcmonstrance; but it will
be the last job of that sort they'lltry.
tore it up and threw it in their faces?
Helen, looking up, suddenly met the
stewards eye while he was busily wait.
ing on the speaker. It's expression was
simply murderous, and his eyes glared
like a basilisk's. In amoment it changed
and a mask seemed to have been pulled
over his features; but the rcmem
brance of the look chilled her blood,
and filled her with vague, distracting
fears.
Her father was unusually weak, and
needed more than ordinary attention
that evening. 1t was quite late before
she had done waiting on him and he
fell into q peaceful dozc.
Leaving Zi]lah 10 watch him within
call, she stepped out again on deck,
anxious to learn poor Pierre's condl-
ton from one of the sailors.
1t was quite dark. She moved 80
silently, wrapped in a gray mantle, that
she reached the n,ainmast unobserved
by two sailors, who were cautiously as
cending, one after The other, the steps
at the side of the galley-door, ON the
roof of which, exposed to the blazing
sun of a tropic sky, the petty tyrant,
Malcolm Sherwood, had chained and
ironcd the objects of his fury all that
day.
They were there yet, bound in a
kneeling posture, side by side, and they
leaned eagerly overt converse with the
two men who moved stealthily toward
them.
Helen listened in breathless terror;
her own and her fathers safety hung
on their words, for a growing dread
within her soul had taken form, and was
now either to be dispelled Of realized.
Coming within the shadow of the
almost MINDLESS sail, her ear strained to
agony lest she should lose q word, and
her eyes fixed with q fearful fascination
on the coarse forms that seemed to de-
eide her destiny, she waited, dreading,
yet eager to hear.
The two bound men spoke in sharp,
incisive tones; the two free ones listened
and agreed. .
An awful compact had been made and
attested. 4 few hours would see it
fulfilled. All, it was true, too true,
then. Her instincts had forewarned
her, and her worst fears were about to
be verified.
She pressed one hand on her heart,
the other over her eyes, and called her
courage and cunning to her aid; for
Helen Herbert was in the midst of mu-
tineers She had heard their plans dis
cussed, and knew that in five hours law.
less madness would reign aboard the
Albatross, as a fitting successor to
months of brutal tyranny, and that her
maid was in the plot, and the willing
conquest of Francois, the Mauritian
steward, while she was to fall to the
share of Manuel Frero, the young
Spaniard, the future commander of the
AlbatroSs.
She stood so long in the cool, silent
darkness, gathering her frightened wits
that it was we'll her form was slender
and her cloak gray, or she would have
been discovered.
\ \
DR.. Percy Conroy had visited the
captain that evening, and finding o
threatened attack of fever, persuaded
him to abate his libat;ons and join him
in the cabin at a game of cards.
It was thus engaged that Helen found
them both, and though her manner was
a little nervous, she looked so charming
when she said she had q boon to beg,
that old Sherwood, once famed for gal
lantry, yielded at once.
1t was the freedom Of the two prison
ers whom Malcolm had, she said, for
gotten.
While the captain gave orders for
their liberation, she went to her fathers
statcroom and filled two glasses with
wine. Into each of these she poured a
strong sleeping potion, and quietly
slipped out with them to meet the mutt
neers.
Every pretty woman knows her power.
Helen calculated largely on hers
with gentle words of sympathy and
kindness she soothed the savage mood
Of Manuel and Neptune, and with CRATE
full respect they drank her health in the
glasses they drained, allowing her to
till them again and again.
When they retired, and she returned
to the cabin, she quickly locked the
door behind her, and, first of all ex.
torting from the captain a signed par
don for the offenders, she told the story
of their wrongs, as only a reused woman
can.
Day by day she had endured to see
her fathers ship the scene OF basest
cruelty and mcanest persecution. Houl
by hour she had shrunk more and more
from the ~ungoverned coarseness and in
science of Malcolm Sherwood.
MY father is ill, and mine is 9
friendless position" she said, bursting
into tears.
Percy Gonroy's face was very pale its
changing expression betrayed many
powerful emotions, n Of the strongest
being Il sensitive pride and reserve,
which at last gave way with q sudden
burst of feeling.
"Miss Herbert, if I dared-if might
presumed would be only too happy to
devote my whole life to you," he cried.
She turned to him with streaming
eyes, but with q light that like a rain
bow spanned her tears.
"Oh, Dr.. Conroy, help Captain Sher,
wood to gain his command OF his men
t1uNIAe Hill 10 pdlCou o,NiJ oh.' 49," va
toHish them at once by his decision and
his clcmency; help him to save us all in
this real peril, and rapa will owe you a
lifelong gratitude; while IL"
Sue sobbed and covered her face with
one hand; but the other was held per:
suadiugly toward him. He seized and
kissed it fondly.
"First these two, Frero and Neptune,
must be secured" he said.
Il think they are perfectly quiet fol
the night" Helen said, gently.
And she narrated the way she had
taken to quell the mutiny, or at least
gain time on the mutineers.
1t proved effective; the sudden and
prolonged siumber of the leaders de.
ferred tie attack. Captain Sherwood,
reused to his duties, deposed his bully
ing nephew and took command in per-
son.
The plan proposed by Helen worked