The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-08-17

out leave. You wouldn't like that,
dear, would your"
"Ohl very WE'LL" How maddenine
those lips were when they were. pout,
ed! "I've no doubt the captain will
let me come up during his watch, and
I'll come then: How horrid you are
| don't believe you care for me one
bit. There will be no one on his deck
but the two men watching with you,
and they couldn't see me. care IN
last night and no one saw me. Well
shall ! come during your watch or the
captain's?"
Nothing more was said-in words.
Ralph was madly tempted, as he went
forward, to dance about and shout
aloud.
1t 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 were 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 d great jar and
dull, crashing report. Nellie crouch
ed in the shadow as Nutford sprang
to his feet and learned from the men
on watch that the Paragon had been
run into. In moment all was con-
fusion, Or apparent confusion. The
captain, cool as if he had been taking
his seat at dinner, came on deck and
said in q loud, calm voice to the ter
rified passengers:
eve have been run into and the
Paragon is sinking. There is no dan
ger to us personally. The sea is calm
and the boats are in perfect order and
preparation for such an accident. In
an hour we shall be on oard the ship
that has run us down, which is wait,
ing for us close by" Then, under
his calm and careful orders, passen-
gers and crew embarked II the Par
agon's boats, and in a very short
time the little fotilla 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 stopping to learn what had
become OF the Paragon and her. liy-
ing freight. --.&---
Nellie and Ralph Nutford were to-
gether in one OF the boats. No inqui-
ry had yet been made into the disas-
ter; but the two men on watch, who
were in the same boat with them, said
they had suddenly seen the lights OF q
steamer close to them, and as they
sprang forward to hail her and give
the alarm, she had struck them, and
when they recovered from their mo-
mentary CONSERVATION she had dis
appeared!
"You hear!" said Nellie to the ter
ror-stricken fifth officer, whose side
she had never left-"they didn't see
her till she struck us. You must
support their statement, or you
will be a ruined man. Your certificate
will be Cancelled, and, oh, Ralph! if
the truth should be known, think of
my everlasting shame! For my sake,
if you love me, save 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 be-
fore any one had time to suffer very
much q steamer, bound on the same
journey, picked up the whole compa-
ny.
The captain Intercepted the men
on watch and MIR. Nutford as closely
as possible. There was no doubt
about the facts. The Paragon had
been run down by mysterious vessel,
the name of which no one had OBJ
served, and had taken advantage of
the darkness to desert the ship she had
run into. The home voyage was salts
factorilv accomplished, and Ralph and
Nellie, the former no longer hampered
by duties of navigation, had ample
of carrying on their
love affair which had been accompan-
led by such an overwhelming catas-
trophe. Nutford easily succumbed to
Nellie's soft casuistry, for to own his
neglect of duty would be ruin to his
career and hers, and would render
their marriage which was to him
foregone conclusion, an absolute i'm.
possibility.
A minute inquiry naturally was
held at Seringapatam, at the conclu-
sion 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 was no direct evidence
rejecting upon the conduct of the fifth
officer, who came home from the in
quiry man about whom nothing def
and in this unenviable state of mind
he found waiting for him Nellie, his af-
famed bride, and a blue envelope.
The latter was from firm of solicit
tors, announcing that his old uncle
had died, leaving him his sole heir.
''Thank God!" he exclaimed. poor
old gentleman, he has done me a
good turn at the moment / re-
quired it most. Nellie-sweethear
Il am a rich man. Tomorrow /
throw up this profession, which, if l
cared little about before, Iloathe now.
This day three weeks, darling. we will
be married, and then we'll go abroad
for six months. Does this suit your
views?"
The answer of the young person
addressed has not been recorded; it is
sufficient for us to know that, two
later, Nellie-Mrs. Ralph Nut
ford-was installed in an exquisite
little apartment looking out upon the
Champs Elysees, and her husband,
who had been down to the Riviera to
look out for a permanent habitation
for himself and his bride, was hasten
ing back to her in a first-class car
riage on the Paris Marseilles railway.
In the corner opposite to him sat
an American, who, with the affability
of that free-born race, had entered
into conversation with him, and the
had turned upon the
shipping at Marseilles.
"You seem to know thing or two
about boats, stranger, observed the
American.
"Well, ought to, seeing that 1 was
connected with an American line for
some years"