Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-25

S
was, therefore, the more unrestrained. Ralph
didn't worship the sea, but he was a consci-
entious officer, and wouldn't let his love,
which grew fiercer and fiercer, interfere with
his duties. Besides, the captain took the
greatest pains about his fair charge, and kept
a sharp look out upon his fifth officer, whose
eloquent looks he considered to he in the
worst possible taste. An opportunity &C.
meal, when they met under shelter in a
friendly stateroom.
II never knew" said she, "that sailors were
so nice. Do you know, sir" she added, put
ting her hands upon his shoulders, "that this
uniform makes you very handsome2 I be-
ieve that's the only reasonyou're here at oil"
"A fool would not have caught her violently
to his breast, and kissed the passionate lips
and eyes which raised themselves to a level
with his. Ralph Rawson milford was no
fool.
II must go away" he whispered. "When
can we meet againa I shall be on watch to-
night, and shall wander UP and down think
ing Of nothing but you. Come on deck early
Tomorrow, and I shall be free"
mo" said she; "let me come on deck while
you are on watch. It will be a very dark
night, and I'll wear a dark frock. There will
be no moon-there was none last night. Do
let me come"
"Impossible, darling! The rules are Medic
and Persaic. No one can let you come on
deck except the captain. 1t would be ruin to
me if you came without leave. You wouldn't
like that, dear, would you?!
"Oh! very WELL" How maddening those
lips were when they pouted. ave 70 doubt
the captain will let me come up during his
watch, and I'll come then. How horrid you
are! I don't believe you care for me one bit.
There will be no one on this deck but the w
men watching with you, and they couldn't
see me. I came up last night and no one saw
me. Well-shall I come during your watch
or the captain's"
Nothing more was said-in words. Ralph
madly tempted, as he went forward, to
dance about and shout aloud.
It was a pitch-dark night, though the air
was clear of fog. The two lovers sat beneath
the bridge, and he told her in whispers all
about himself, and how fatal it would be if it
would be discovered that he had yielded to
her prayer and let her come to him on deck.
But what did anything matter while her soft,
smooth fingers twined and knotted themselves
in his, and her glory Of gold hair was the only
thing between her cheek and his shoulder?
Suddenly there was a great jar and a dull,
crashing report. Nellie crouched in the
shadow as milford sprang to his feet and
learned from the men on watch that the Para
gon had been run into. In a moment all was
confusion, or apparent confusion. The cap
tain, cool as if he had been taking his seat at
dinner, came on deck, and said in a loud,
calm voice to the terrified passengers:
"We have been run into, and the Paragon
is sinking. There is no danger to us person
allv. The sea is calm, and the boats are in
perfect order and preparation for such an &C
cident. In an hour we shall be on board the
ship that has run us down, which is waiting
for us close by" Then, under his calm and
careful orders, passengers and crew embarked
in the P~aragon's boats and in a very short time
the little flotilla was pulling away from the
disappearing liner. But the ship that had sunk
them was nowhere to be found! Favored by
the darkness, she had got away, without stop
ping to learn what had become of the Para
gon and her living freight.
Nellie and Ralph Milford were together in
one of the boats. 70 inquiry had yet been
made into the disaster; but the W. men on
watch, who were in the same boat with them,
said they had suddenly seen the lights of a
steamer close to them, n as they sprang
forward to hail her and give the alarm sho
had struck them, and when they recovered
from their momentary CONSERVATION she had
disappeared!
"You heart" said Nellie to the terror
stricken fifth officer, whose side she had never
leet-"they didn't see her till she struck us.
You must support their statement, OF you are
q ruined man. Your certificate will be ran
celed, and, oh, Ralph! if the truth should te
known, think of my everlasting shame! For
my sake, if you love me, ave my good name
and yours, and back up their story. You see
they are both agreed, and you were further
from where she struck us than they were"
The men repeated their story again and
again. Morning broke, and before any one
had had time to suffer very much a passing
steamer, bound on the same journey, picked
up the whole company.
The captain Intercepted tho mel on watch
and Mr.. milford as closely as possible. There
was no doubt about the facts. The Paragon
had been run down by a mysterious vessel,
tho name of which no one had observed, and
which had taken advantage of the darkness
to desert the ship she had run into.
A minute inquiry naturally was held az
Seringapatam, at the conclusion of which it
was decided-though in official language
that there was some mystery somewhere, and
a good deal more in the circumstances of the
collision than met the eye or ear; but that
there was no direct evidence rejecting upon
the conduct Of the fifth officer, who came
home from the inquiry a man about whom
nothing definite is said, but a good deal is i'm
piled, and in this unenviable state of mind he
found waiting for him Nellie, his affianced
bride, and a blue envelope.
The latter was from a firm Of solicitors,
announcing that his old uncle had died, leav-
ing him his sole heir.