San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-19

You French sneak, / want bit OF
reckoning with you'll"
Those are hard names, captain" said
Baptiste land don't like themw
"Oh,, you don't, Ell? Well, you shouldn't
deserve them then. don't like having O
crawling Frenchman coming up here and
stealing away the woman l had intended
to marry. That's what you did"
capt. Corlett, you ie."
"For calling me liar, take that And
for playing dirt on me take that-and
| thatp
In moment there was a scuffle up in
that little room under the lantern-and
the next thing | heard was a splash in
the water.
thought il. time to interfere, but as /
ran the boat aground Corlett jumped in
and showed off. AS Iopened my lips to
speak1he shouted in a terribly excited
manner:
Don't you ask any questions, and don't
you say word on ship board. or I'll shoot
you without warning"
confess that during that evening
was a coward and was afraid of the cap
tain in his mad rage. We proceeded on
cargo, and started back light. In a week
=
was a squally night, though not very
rough, but dark as pitch. The tide was
running out and the wind was from the
west.
The captain had been drinking whisky
pretty freely all through the trip. and he
was in no shape to take the schooner,into
the creek even in the best of weather.
The mate tried to persuade him to keep
o,,teiJa until tho ,,nrp;Tn sNop covc bo
I'm running this vessel. I'm captain
here, and you fellows will do as tell you,
or III know the reason why" With
whisky in his head and pistols in his peck
cts, Corlett was dangerous customer,
and we prepared to make the best of a bad
job. We all knew that we were pretty
near the headland, but what puzzled the
boys was that no light was to be seen:>sl
had my own suspicious, but dared not
mention them.
Boys" said the captain, at last-a lit
tie sobered in his effort to make the
ereek-"guess we won't try to make it to-
night. Keep her off bit, and go easy
down the river"
At that instant saw light flashing
right ahead Of us. 1t didn't look exactly
familiar, but tive all took it for the light
house.
That's lucky" says the captain. 81
thought we were further off shore. Hard
a porti' he shouted. "Well clear the
point in good shape now"
Meantime the wind had been gathering
strength and the water was much rougher.
We were now spanking along with reefed
Suddenly there came a crash. We had
he O;,4
land side of the lighthousel It was such
a shock that in ten minutes. the schooner
was breaking to pieces and sinking. Then
first to pick myself up on the low rocks
ward three CT the boys, which completed
missing
The mate told me to go up to the vii
lage for help, while he and the others
stayed by the vessel. In five minutes l
came up to the light which, had deceived
us all and caused the wreck. 1t was a
large bright lantern, in the hands of
Lizzie-Hector BaptftSte's wife
Lizzie" / cried, "for heavens sake,
what is this? Do you know what you
have doneH"
She did not look her old self at all
She was pale and haggard and was
drenched with the spray from the surf.
NO" says She in a strange tone, not |
one bit like her old voice. No; what |
have done?"
why, girl" says, you holding ont
that lantern down the shore put Capt. |
Corlett out of his reckoning and he ran |
the schooner aground What's more, |
guess the captains drowned.
"Ah?' she says, with sort of sigh of
relief and satisfaction. Listen to me, !
Pierre. l intended to wreck Charlie Cor
lett's vessel. | know it was wicked. but
he was wicked and made me So He
killed my poor Hector-why shouldn't !
kill him3 l expected the schooner would
be here to night hoped it would So !
did not light up at the lighthouse. In.
stead l held this lantern up as high as
could reach, where knew it would fool
Corlett. You say he is drowned? Wen,
l am glad-that is what wished. Good
night, Pierre!"
AS she spoke-before could Interfere
she jumped, lantern in hand, from the
ledge of rock on which she stood into the
deep waters. rushed in after her as far
as dared in the swirling tide, and peered
into the darkness-but could see nothing
OF, her.
The next morning, except the wrecked
schooner, there was little trace of the
storm; and. in the bright autumn sun.
hgnt, there came floating along the creek
into the quiet settlement, carried by the
tide. two drowned bodies. One was Char
lie Conlett and the other was poor Lizzie.
I'm 20 years DID, sir, and I've, followed
the river all my life. passing Corlett's
cape thousand times-but can't forget
Ii Lcnn't fnrret Ii Dat rnit Eron prnrn