Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-06
MR.. NELSON'S WILL.
BY a. RIDER HAGGARD.

name was Thomas, Il guess that you and
the youngster will be about ready to va
cate these apartments; so, if you please, I
will send you off to the ship, the Harpoon
that's her name-of Norfolk, in the
United States. You will find her well
favored with oil, for we are about full to
the hutches; but, perhaps, under the cir
cumstances, you viii not mind that Any
way, my Missus, who is aboard-having
come the cruise for her health-and who
is an Englishwoman, like you, will do all
she can to make you comfortable And I
tell you what it is, Miss, if I was in any
way pious, I should just thank the AL
mighty that happened to see that there
bit of flag with my spyglass as L was
sailing along the coast at sun-up this
morning, for had no intention of putting
In at this creek, but at one twenty miles
along. And now, Miss, if you will go
aboard, some of US will stop and just tuck
up the dead gentleman as well as we can"
Augusta thanked him from her heart,
and, going into the hut, got her hat and
the roll of sovereigns which had been Mr..
Nelson's, but which he had told her to
sake, leaving the blankets to be brought
5y the men.
Then two of the sailors got into the little
boat belonging to the Kangaroo, in which
Augusta had escaped, and royed her and
Dick away from that hateful shore to
where the whaler-a fore and-aft schooner
was lying at anchor. AS they drew near
she saw the rest Of the crew of the Har-
pooh, among whom was a woman, watch
ing their advent from the deck, who,
when she got her foot upon the companion
ladder, one and all set up a hearty cheer.
In another moment she was on deck
which, Notwithstanding its abominable
smell of oil, seemed to her the fairest and
most delightful place that her eyes had
ever rested on-and being almost Rugged
by Mrs. Thomas, q pleasantlooking wo-
man of about thirty, the daughter of a
Suffolk farmer who had emigrated to the
States. And then, of course, she had to
tell her story all over again; after which
she was led off to the cabin occupied by
the Captain and his wife land which
thenceforth was occupied by Augusta,
Mrs. Thomas, and little Dick the Captain
shaking down where he could. And here,
for the first time for nearly week, she
was able to wash and dress herself proper
ly. And oh, the luxury of It'll Nobody
knows what the delights of clean linen
really mean till he or she has had to dis
pense with it under circumstances of pri-
walton; nor have they the slightest idea of
what difference to ones Well-being and
comfort is made by the possession or non
possession of an article SO common rs o
comb. Whilst Augusta was still combing
out her hair with signs of delight, Mrs.
Thomas knocked at the door and was adj
mitted.
"My, Miss, what beautiful hair you
4I,a4 Sc Io1 -I,o 4
in Arbitration; land arms, tool never
saw such armsllwhy, whatever is that
upon your shoulders?"
Then Augusta had to tell the tale of the
tattooing, which, by the way, it struck
her, it was wise to do, seeing that she thus
secured a witness to the fact that she was
already tattooed on leaving Kerguelen
Land, and that the operation had been OF
such recent infiction that the flesh was
still inflamed with it. This was the more
necessary as the tattooing was undated.
Mrs. Thomas listened to the story with
her mouth open, lost between admiration
at Augustus courage and regret that her
beautiful white shoulders should have
been ruined in that fashion.
"Well, the least that he'' (alluding to
Eustace) ''can do is to marry you after you
have spoiled yourself in that fashion for
his benefit" said the practical Mrs. Thorn
as
"Nonsensel Mrs. Thomas" said Angus
Ia, blushing till the tattoo marks on her
shoulders looked like blue lines in sea of
crimson, and stamping her foot with such
energy that her hostess jumped.
There was no reason why she should
give an innocent remark such q warm re-
ception; but then, as the reader will no
doubt have observed, the reluctance that
some young women show to talking of the
possibility of their marriage to the man
they happen to have set their hearts on, is
only equaled by the alacrity with which
they marry him when the time comes.
Having set Dick and Augusta down to a
breakfast of porridge and coffee, which
both of them thought delicious, though
the fare was really rather coarse, Mrs.
Thomas, being unable to restrain her cur
iosity, rowed off to the land to see the huts
and also Mr.. Nelson's remains, which,
though not pleasant sight, were I'M
doubtedly an interesting one. With her,
too went most of the crew, bent upon the
same errand, and also on obtaining water,
of which the Harpoon was short.
AS soon as she was left alone, Augusta
went back to the cabin, taking Dick with
her, aud lay down on the berth with a feel
ing of safety and thankfulness to which
she had long been stranger, where very
soon she fell sound asleep.
CHAPTER xII.-SOUTHAMPToN QUAY.
When Augusta opened her eyes again
she became conscious of violent rolling
motion that she could not mistake. They
were at sea.
She got up, smoothed her hair, and went
on deck, to find that she had slept for
many hours, for the sur was setting. She
went aft to where Mrs. Thomas was sit
ting near the wheel with little Dick beside
her, and after greeting them turned to
watch the sunset. The sight was beau
tiful one enough, for the great waves,
driven by the westerly wind, which in
these ATTITUDES is nearly always blowing
half a gale, were rushing past them wild
and free, and the sharp spray of their
foaming crests struck upon her forehead
like whip. The sun was setting, and the
arrows of the dying light flew fast and far
across the Rillowy bosom of the deep. Fast
and far they flew from the stormy glory
in the west, lighting up the pale surfaces
of cloud, and tinging the gray waters of
that majestic sea with lurid hue of blood.
They kissed the bellying sails, and seemed
to rest upon the vessels lofty trucks, and
then travelled on and away and away,
through the great empyrean of space till
they broke and vanished upon the hori-
zon's rounded edge. There behind them
miles behind Kerguelen Land reared
its fierce cliffs against the twilight sky.
Clear and desolate they lowered in an I'M
utterable solitude, and on the snowy sur
faces the sunbeams beat coldly as the