National Republican., 1885-04-25
THE oUANDoEG's SECRET.

"Steward," exclaimed tho chief officer
of the American bark Decatur, lying
just then in Table Bay, into which she
had put on her long voyage to Australia
for the purpose Of obtaining water and
fresh provisions, 'the skipper's sent word
OFF that there's two passengers coming on
board for Melbourne so look spry and
get those after-bcrths ready, or guess
the old man II straightcn you up whom
he does come along"
Soon afterward tho "old man" and his
passengers put in an appearance in the
bark's cutter; the anchor, short since sun
rise, was ho We up to the cathesds, topsails
sheeted home, and, dipping the stars
and bars" to the surrounding shipping,
the Decatur again, after her briefrest, set
forth OH her ocean travel.
John Leslie and Francis Drury had
been perfect strangers to each other all
their lives long till within the last few
hours; and now, with the frank conf
denco begotten of youth and health,
each knew more Of the other, his failures
and successes, than perhaps, under ordi-
nary circumstances, ho would have
comparatively young men; Drury, Aus
tralian born, a native of Victoria, and
one Of those rowing spirits one meets with
sometimes, who seem 10 have, and care to
have, no permanent place on earth's sur
face, the iUandergeist having entered into
their very souls, and taken full possession
thereof. The kind of man whom we are
not surprised at hearing Otto day upon
the banks of the Fly river, in a few
months more in the interior Of Tibet,
again on the track of Stanley, or with
Gordon in Khartoum.
So it had been with Francis Drury, ever
seeking after fortune in the wild places
Of the world; in quest, so often in vain,
of q phantasmal Eldorado-lured on, ever
on, by visions Of what the unknown con-
tanned. Chants wild and rocky had re-
echoed the report Of his rifle; his foot
steps had fallen lightly on the pavements
of the ruined cities of Montczuma, somber
and stately as the primeval forest which
hid them; and his skia had cleft the
bright southern rivers that Waterton
loved so we'll 10 explore, but gone farther
than ever tho naturalist, adventurous
and daring as he too was, had ever been.
At length, as he laughingly told his
friend, fortune had, on the diamond
| fields of klipdrift, smiled upon him, with
q measured smile, twas true, but still q
| smile; and now, after an absence of some
| ears, he had taken the opportune chance
of passage in the Decatur, and was of
home to sec his mother aud sister. from
whom he had not heard for nearly two
years.
Leslie was rather contrast to the other,
being as quiet and thoughtful as Drury
was full of life and spirits, and had been
trying his hand at sheep.farming in Cape
Colony. but with rather scanty results;
| in fact, having sunk most of his original
capital, he was now taking with him to
Australia very little but his African
experience.
A strong friendship between these two
was the result of but few days intimacy.
during which time, however, as they
were the only passengers, they naturally
saw q great deal of each other; so 1t came
to pass that Leslie heard all about his
friends sister. golden haired Margaret
| Drury; and often, as in tho middle
watches, he paced the deck alone, he con-
jured up visions to himself, smiling the
while, of what this girl, of whom her
brother spoke SO lovingly and proud.
ly, and in whom he had such steadfas
faith as woman amongst women, could
be like.
The Decatur was now, with q strong
westerly wind behind her, fast approach
ing tho latitude of that miserable mid.
oceanic rock known as the Island of st
Paul, whom suddenly q serious mishaI
occurred. The ship was running heavy
under her fore aud main topsails and q
foro topmast staysail, the breeze having
brought up worry heavy sea, when some
how-for these things even at board O
trade inquiry, seldom do get clearly ex
plained-ono OF the two men at the
wheel, or both Of them perhaps, let tn,
vessel "broach-to," paying the penalty o
their carelessness by taking their depar
ture from her for ever, in company will
binnacle, skylights, hencOops, &c., and
huge wave which swept the Decatur for,
and aft from her tafIrail to the heel o
her bowsprit. washing at tho samo tim
poor Francis Drury, who happened to b.
standing under the break of the poop, NJ
and down among loose spars, underneath
the iron-bound windlass, dashing hin
pitilessly against wood and iron, here
there, and everywhere, like a broker
reed, till when at last, dragged by Lesli
out Of the rolling, seething water on tn
main deck, the rowing, eager spirit seeme
at last to have found rest; and his friend
| 40 hO ehASSFhSN VIZ Aohh hhlI rum VI
the blood-stained forehead, mourned 70
him as for younger brother.
Tho unfortunate man was Bpeedil,
ascertained to be nothing but mass o
fractures and terrible bruises, such as n
human frame under any circumstance
could have survived; and we'll the sui
ferer knew it, for in brief interval @
consciousness, in moments respite frou
awful agony, he managed to draw some
thing from around his neck, which hand
ing TO his friend in the semi-darkness q
tho little cabin, while above them tn
gallo roared and shrieked, officers an
! men shouted and swore, and the timber
Of the old Decatur groaned aud creake
like sentient things-he whispered 30 10y
} that the other had to bend down close /
the poor dis6gured face to hear IL, "Fo
mother and Maggie; was 20
ing to toll you about-it, and
Goodbye p and then with on
convulsive shudder, and with the dar
: blue eyes still gazing imploringly up int
those of his friend, his spirit took IL
flight.
The gale has abated, tho courses ar
cleWed up, topsails thrown back, and th
; starry dag flies half-mast high AZ the
Commit his body to the deep, TO b
. turned into corruption; locking for tn
resurrection OF the body, Nhen the SO
shall give up her dead" A sudden, shoot