Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-06-09

3AOnAmuOs bhO lI1SuucucQ StIl iitt
helped the young Frepchman to ris,
from the deck, and was gently support
ing him toward the forecastle when tw,
Norwegians, called Christian and Oddo
relieved her of her charge, and lifting
him in their arms bore him away.
She stood looking till his poor, droop
ing head disappeared down the, gang
way, and then, hurrying around tn,
windward sides of the galley, tried tt
gain the cabin without encounterins
the man whose brutality made hin
odious in her eyes; but just as sh,
reached the main deck she saw Sher
wood with his own hands snap the irons
on Neptune's wrist, while his maudlir
assistant did the same for Frero.
Her heart beat high; she trembled
from head to foot; and, clinging to the
water casks as she passed along, she
gained the cabin-door.
The cabin was fitted up with unusual
elegance. Sofas of blue damask, blue
silken hangings, handsome mirrors and
well-cushioned fauteuils, rendered it O
really luxurious apartment.
At its upper end were two very large
staterooms, in which every appliance
for comfort aud pleasure were arrayed,
and where taste, ingenuity and wealth
had united to foil the exhaustion and
tedium of long voyage.
This unwonted splendor was readily
explained. The ship belonged to a
very wealthy merchant, who, with his
only child, took this long westward voy-
age, in the full conviction that it would
thoroughly establish his health.
As yet it had been unsuccessful in
this most important item. Mr.. Herbert
was so entirely an invalid that his af-
fectionate and unselfsh daughter hid
all the painful and alarming scenes to
which she was exposed, and never ap-
peared in his presence with a shadow
on her fair face.
To achieve this required not only a
most disinterested nature, but a cou-
rageous one, and Helen Herbert's was
truly the heart and soul of heroine.
Entering the cabin, her first glance
was directed toward her fathers door.
It was closed, sign that his morning
slumber had been prolonged-and she
rejoiced at the evidence of needed rest.
1t gave her time to quiet her own ex-
citement, and also to think of the poor
French sailor.
Once or twice she called her maid s
name, in low voice; but no one re-
sponded, and she concluded that Zil-
lab, pretty quadroon girl and tire
less firt, was showing off her graces as
usual for the benefit of the steward, a
mulatto from the Isle of France.
&c / cannot let the poor fellow suffer, "
she said, by way of encouragement to
herself, and Immediately walked up to
one of the small doors opening out of
the cabin, and tapped lightly.
It opened instantly, and dark, hand
some young gentleman stood before her,
who bowed profoundly.
Oh, DIR. Oonroy, pray excuse me p
she said, becoming confused the mo-
ment she found herself face to face
with the silent young physician. 81
am sorry to trouble you, I am sure, but
poor Pierre is i'll again, and I will be SO
glad if you will go to him."
Percy Conroy, the ships doctor,
bowed again to Miss Herbert, and in
her presence he was always strangely
reticent; but he strove to prove, by the
extreme readiness of his movements in
serving her, the deep respect which was
already expressed in his every look and
action.
She and he had not been strangers
before their meeting on shipboard. He
was young man of excellent position
in society, and they had met occasion
ally in fashionable life, when he had in
spired her with q decided admiration
for his manner and abilities.
But, to her pain and surprise, he re-
turned her outburs5 of cordial pleasure al
discovering him to be their fellow-voy-
ager with distant ard reserved respect
which had continued despite his devotion
to her father, whose untiring nurse, as
well as physician, he had constituted
himself.
This ceremonious treatment chilled
poor Helen's heart. She shrunk within
herself, abashed at his deferential ST
lence, and often sought her own state
room, after one of his distant but pro
found bows, with heartache. eager te
She did not note how, do as he mig ht
to conceal it, his color changed at sigh
of her, nor dream that silence only pre-
served the secret of his emotions in hel
presence.
"He avoids me. 1 am actually dis
agreeable to him." she often exclaimed
in burst of tears; and then added
with heavy sigh: "And yet he is Sc
kind-so very kind-to my dear father
/ am grateful to him. I cannot hell
that, am sure"
On this morning he was in such hast,
to obey her that he started at once
even without waiting to close the state
room door.
! As he left the cabin it blew back ant
lodged against the wall, leaving, for tn
| first time, open to Helen inspection
the little room In which he had spen
the greater part of their long voyage.
1t was neat and pretty as the cham
Der of a young girl. Everything was il
exquisite order, from his tiny library O
books to his still more compact case o
medicines.
A few small pictures were fastened t.
the wall. One was crayon sketch O
a fair, girlish face, with fluffy, goldel
curls, and a broad -brimmed hat, jus
such an one as she wore on deck to pre-
tect her from the sun.
There was familiar look about il
Had she seen the original anywhere?
The thought made her unhappy. Sh
dismissed it quickly. and cast her eye
on the stationary desk before ,7hich hi
armchair was placed.
1t was covered with books and chem
cal apparatus; but on it's top stood
Gould it be? No, mol her eyes deceive
her; and yet it really was her own dis
carded slipper
Its mate had slipped off her foot O.
deck, and been carried through a flow
ing scupper into the sea. While sh
stood merrily laughing at the misha
zillah had brought out another pail
which she put on. forgetting the cd