Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-09-18

NNSoS 0AAN ~" Y uHSA Az l SAo Va"
my only hope lay in the early appearance of
Branksome. Twas convinced now that he
was not on board tho yacht, and that his
name had been merely used for the purpose
of Turing me into the cunning trap. But he
had promised to see me soon. He had said
he was coming to Scarborough. 1t was GER
tain hat business would bring him on board
the Golden Hawk, and then l might hope
that he would hear of the outrage which had
been committed upon me and would come to
my rescue.
It is needless to speak Of the unutterable
tedium of the first hours which I spent in my
gloomy prison. When 1 had to some extent
recovered my equanimity I made a careful
inspection of the place, hoping that l might
perhaps find, if not some way Of escape, at
all events the means of communicating with
those on board the yacht.
The cabin was about thine feet square, and
almost the first thing I discovered was that
the walls were lined with sheet-iron. 1t was
lighted by means of a funnel some four feet
in length, which ran upwards at q sharp
angle, and at the end of which was a thick
circular plate of glass. 1t was clear, there
fore, that my cell wall was at some distance
from the side of the ship. This little win
dow, which shed the dimmest of light into
the cabin, was fixed, but tho air in the place
was by no means bad, and it was clear, there
fore, that it was ventilated in some fashion
which l could not discover.
For a moment my heart beat more quickly
when l found hat there was q second door
to the apartment, in addition to that by
which l had entered it. Iopened this door
and found that it led into small bath room,
provided, 1 presumed, for the use of the
dukes sons when his grace found it necessary
to subject them to the discipline of the pun
ishment cell. This little bath room, which
was plainly but completely fitted, lay be-
tween my prison and the side of the vessel,
and it was dimly lighted from the passage
by means Of which entrance to the place
was obtained. When I made this discovery
I remembered having noticed on my first
visit to the yacht that the walls of this
passage also were lined with iron. 1t was
clear to me at once that there was no escape
in that direction.
Everything appeared to be scrupulously
clean: nor could it be said that-allowing
for deficiency of light-my quarters would
lave been at all bad if 1 had occupied them
voluntarily. l had seen many an officers
cabin in our big ironclads which was not to
be compared to this either in spaciousness or
in the convenience of its furnishing. For
when my eyes had become accustomed to the
prevailing twilight gloom, I had ascertained
that very fair provision had been made for
the comfort of the unlucky wight who was
destined to occupy the place. The couch
which occupied one side of the room was
capacious enough to form a commodious
bed, and though the cushion was no doubt
hard, it was not harder than many on
which l had slept voluntarily in the past.
"A small chest of drawers, above which hung
a glass in which, when I looked into it, I
saw nothing but q CHASTITY blur of white
the indistinguishable reflection of my face
stood near the door; while at the opposite
end was a folding stool and the table to
which Flinter had drawn my attention.
He had not deceived me in one respect.
| There was, as he had said, an abundant
supply of "good ~victuals" on this table. It
was covered with a white tablecloth, and I
could see a loaf of bread, a dish on which
were neatly arranged u number of slices of
cold beef, a bottle Of claret, another of
water, together with salt and other or
binary accessories of the table. 1t was at
least evident that my captors had no thought
OF carving me. Nay, l made a discovery
that positively caused ME for a moment to
think less bitterly even of tho rlftian Flinter.
On a small shelf above the table there was u
! well-flled box Of cigars-Larranagas of the
finest brand.
Clearly, then, though l was II prisoner,
there was no intention of subjecting me to
any ill-treatmenr beyond that which was
needful to keep me in close confinement,
This conviction finally satisfied me that 1
had been correct in my conclusion US to the
Ieal reason of my abduction. l was the
CnpfIVyn IF fhn p,,tIliO,,oi,o, l.% r -...-I
his guest, and he had not forgotten some, at
least, of the laws OF hospitality in his treat
ment of me.
sat down upon my bench after this long
and careful survey q. my prison and again
tried to think steadily, calmly and clearly
of my situation. My investigation had salts
fled ME that there was no means of escape
from within and little if any chance Of being
able to communicate with those persons on
the yacht-if such there were-who wore
not privy 10 my abduction. I was struck
by the almost entire absence Of sounds from
without, and was more than ever convinced
that some special means had been taken for
the purpose of procuring the isolation of the
cell. No sound of trampling feet on deck,
no cries from tho sailors, no whistle of wind
in the rigging reached my ears. l might
have been at the bottom of a coal mine so
far as any knowledge, either by sight or
sound, of what was passing in the outer
world was concerned.
How long I had remained buried in gloomy
thought, wondering how and when this
strange adventure was to end, and what
good purpose Mauleverer really hoped to
serve by treating me in this lawless fashion, !
cannot say. Suddenly, however, I heard a
sound which made me start to my feet,
trembling from head to foot with a new
excitement. l was fond of the sea, and had
made many a voyage in my fathers COM
pany. did not need, therefore, to be told
what was the meaning of the noise which
now penetrated even the dreary silence of my
cell 1t was that deep. mufled throb which
marks the first revolution Of the engine on
board a steamer.
listened with all my senses on the alert,
and very quickly l found that nv ears had
not deceived me. Slowly at first, and then
with increasing speed, the dull throbbing Of
the engines was continued, and almost sim.
ultaneously l heard the rattle of the cap.
stan, and knew that the anchor was being
weighed. I hardly dared to allow my own
mind to grasp the real significance OF the
sound l stood there, almost breathless,
my ear fixed to the door of my cell, during
minutes which seemed hours. But only toe
soon there was the fullest confirmation Of
my fears. To the throb of the engine was
now added the harsher grinding of the shaft
! OF the screw. while verv soon other evil