The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-12-05

4
captain Of the schooner emerOcd sro.,
the cabin and approached the soi,,arv
figure on deck
"Ah, Tom" he began. jocoselv.
counting the starr. or thinking over
your past sins?'
NO CAPT. you're wrong about the
Stars. Tor haven't cast an eye aloft for
the last half hour-brt Is for the past
yes. was begin ming to think over that.
little. often think over it-somc-
times I'm pleased with the recol &C ton.
and then again wish il had been
somebody else that had Como through
what Bill and have. and not u.s.
why, man, what Is II that you and
your mate have dono that you dislike
70 recall 70 mind? I've known YOU both
Tor nearly twenty years. and though I
say II TO your face. never saw two
squarcr men on salt water in my whole
| life.-
| We'll, cap'n. think we have done
pretty near what is right since YOU
sailed IN our com pany. but shortly
afore you fell in With Us there was some
thing that happened which both Bill
and l would give all we are worth il IL
hadn't! Although I'm beginning to feel
that 4 might have been for tho best. as
II brought forth what little there was
Of good in the characters Of two men,
| II have always believed that there
was a page in your histories which
would prove Of deep interest. but one
which you have hitherto carefully
guarded. Now, II il is not asking too
much. beg tnat you will make con-
hdant Of me. and accept tho word OF a
sailor that will never reveal the Sc
cret--
At this Tom hesitased. ere he began:
Cap. although Bill and never said
that what happened that day wc
wouldn't talk about. yet we have mutu-
ally kept siler; on the subject more be-
cause II wasn't real pleasant Tor either
OF US to think Of than because we were
ashamed to let the world know what
COMPOUNDED fools we made OF ourselves.
Yes. cap'n. Ill tell you. Ii was way
back in 65 when Bill and were work
Ing together on a wreck just inside OF
Chesapeake bay. between Cape Henry
Light and Hampton Roads.
I'VE had come down from New York.
and were pretty spruce young chaps in
those days. Now. it seemed. although
neither one OF us knew il. that we were
both thinking considerable OF the same
girl. We had been aboard or wreck
ing schooner, about tic size OF this one.
for nearly two weeks when ono Sunday
! Was oyerhauiing my things in the
forecastc, and was Just taking out a
picture Of the little one that Id left
up home. Bill came along. and. looking
over my shoulder. says 'Hullo. cEsm.
Who have you got there?
"Says !, as honest as could be, hand
ing him the picture: That's the woman
! hope will be my wife some day
"'Your wife" says he. as be took the
photograph. Ny God. That's Nancy
Stewart" and glancing up saw Bill
staring at the picture with his face as
white as new gafI-tops1. Then thrust
ing tho likeness into his pocket. he
Kissed through his clenched teeth: No.
Tom Baxter. She never will be your
wife, and. turning. he .sprang up the
steps out Of the forecas'le before could
stop him.
"As you may imagine, / was boiling
mad. and surprised as we'll. followed
Bill on deck and saw him sitting on q
water cask with both hands up to his
face. approached him. and. touching
him on the shoulder. asked as gently
as could for the re turn 81 the picture.
AS he looked up to me. the cx Expression
OF his countenanec was that Of a maniac:
his features were distorted with either
anger or anguish. know not which.
'''Comc. come--l said. after pause.
during which my chum glarcd vacantly
at me. Give me back the photo
graph.
The answer l received was blow.
and down went as though shot with
Bill on top was considerably stronger
than he in those days and soon got the
best OF the affair. held Bill down on
deck with one hand 1t his throat and
with the other pulled the picture from
his pocket, but III aoing so IL was torn
in two and only secured one-half. At
this instant our shipmatcs separated Us.
and for the rest OF that day we avoided
each other as niue h as possible.
''On Monday morning. as we were
dressing our selves side by side as usual.
ready 70 60 down q work. could hear
Bill muttering under his breath. and
just as his tender was sore wing on the
facc-picce TO his helmet. caught q
most malignant look upon his features,
but he uttered no threats aloud.
my companion had scarcely reached
the bottom ere l was in the water and
rapidly descending. had made up my
mind TO give bill as wide q berth -
possible during the day, and began my
labors stripping of the copper from the
wreck we'll aft, while he was amid
ships.
''Wc had been down perhaps half an
hour. and | was commencing to feel .
little more at ease, when all at once
heard . slight tapping on my copper
helmet, and a hand was placed upon my
shoulder. had been kneclinr but
quickly rose TO my feet and. turning.
saw Bill standing before me; but his
aspect sent chill to my very heart
lie was extending towards me knife
the blade Of which he touched with one
finger. and then pointed 70 my weapon,
x.htrh luutr IN 81 ~ Anl<