News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-02-20
A MIDNIGHT MURDER.
BY W. CLARKE Russell,

L mad scarce uttered these wore
when, through the silence that follow
ed, and through the whole length an
breadth Of Tie brig, as it seemed TO III
there rang cut so wild and shrlll a CT
of anguish that the like of it | coul
never imagine deliverable by huma
lips. You would have sworn it was
woman's voice, and had not Mis-
Grant been by my side / must hav
thought it was she--the only one @
her sex on board-who uttered it.
"Grcat heayens!" | cried, "wha
has happened?"
Captain Broadwater started to hi
rec at The sound, but then appeared I
oestrlcken helpless. for he stood starin
with sort of cape in the set of hi
hps toward the companion ladder
Miss Grants face was full of conster
nation, and she kept her eyes fixed o.
me with wild look of CONSERVATION
in them. ] listened, expecting to hea
q second cry.
There was a sound of swift runninI
overhead, sharp, angry shout in th
voice of the boatswain; q minute afte
the chief mate came staggering dow
the ladder with his hand to his side
his dark face dreadful TO see with tn
CHASTITY colOring upon it. He stoot
lie You could have counted ten a
the foot of the ladder, swaying, hi
left hand upon his heart, his RICH
hand extended, his ashen lips inartic
ulately moving; then dropped withou
a groan, and lay mOtionless.
A voice holloa'd on deck. | coul(
not catch the words, but it was eaev t.
recognize Gordon's tone, and it seemed
to me that he was bawling for assis.
tance from the wheel or close to il
The light burned duly in the cabin
lantern; l turned the mesh high thai
we might see what was the matter
with the mate, and then went ND to him,
He lay OH his side. and when | looked
at his face could not question that he
was dead.
His left side was dark in the lamp
light with the saturation of blood, and
already there was large dusky patch
slowly sitting out, like ink upon blot
hng-paper, over the sand .colored
planks on which the man rested. His
head was uncovered, his eyes half
closed, his lips had not yet had time to
soften down out f the rigors of their
grinning twist of agony and terror:
the CLEAN of his white teeth was as
though he snarled, spite of his living
still. Broadwater appeared to have
been bereft of reason. A professional
danger might nave found him equal to
its confrontment. But here was some
thing wide OF his experience, Sudden
violent shock-a frightful menace too,
for it was impossible TO say wIsa.
greater tragedy vet lay secret behind
this first and most bloody one.
'.Captain!' | cried, su ldep 2, an
sshere is murder-murder, do you
hear, sir? If your crew have not mu
tinted, what else should this signify?
There is no leisure at sea, sir, for Cog
CLING. For Gods sake go on deck,
man. and find out what's the matter?"
Had l run at him with pitchfork,
the act on could not have started him
more effectuaIly than my speech.
"Goggling! who's a-gogglingT' he
roared. 'sBy this and by that" and
here he beloved out a whole volley of
curses, .Ithe man who's done this thing
will swing for it, From my own
yard-ar he shall swing for it, though
theirs ne'er pair of hands ON board
but mine to run the villain aloft
Murderl Murder aboard of me
Why, what do they hope to do:'
He made for the companion-.addeT
with fury in his looks and gestures
but at that instant down Numbered the
second mate, with his face as white as
its dark tincture of weather would
suffer it to be, as wild in his manner
as a demented man; so distractedly
agitated that his quick, distressfu
breathing broke up his words as they
rolled hoarsely from his lips.
"Captain! captain!' he cried
..there's been a murder done. The
mate-ay, there he lies-stabbed, sir
stabbed by the half-blood Charles!'
"Wh.re is he?" beloved Broad
water, who had come to stand or
seeing the boatswain. but who now
gathered himself together afresh for
spring on deck.
"Ho.d, sir!" cried Gordon, "hold
hear me out. For God Almighty
sake deal with them as though an il
word now should turn 'em all into wild
beastst Mr.. Musgrsve-sir-you'vt
been TO sea. You know that wher
sailor-men are ripe for mischief the
sight and smell of blood will change
the most peaceable of them into devils
Tell the captain this, sir. beg him tC
listen to me. sir, or thcre'll be not
life of one of us now here collected
as'n stand the chance of that flame
fhere if you was to try and blow i
out"
"Captain," said /, half wild will
the thoughts such talk as this put into
INV head, as looked for an instant a
Miss Grant to mark what effect tho
fneoherent CONSERVATION of the boat
swain produced upon her, "you mus
listen TO this man. He has something
to tell YOU. There are three of us;
have weapons of my own, and you
will not be without A ms" And witt
that | grasped him by the arm, with
oui K sense of satisfaction coming t.
me. somehow or other, out of the Zee
of tie mass of muscle my fingers
gripped, and showed him toward
locker. He sat down, with his face a
dark as the stain on the cabin-deck
without speaking, with fixed glare o.
his little eyes at Gordon, and kind Of
sufFoeated heaying of his breast.
"Now. GordonI" l exclaimed.
"Captain," lie said, "this is how i
happened. Charles, the half-biood
was at the wheel. When you wen
below, the mate"-here he turned hi
ewes with sickly roll upon the body
and a sharp catching of his breath
"came up to me, and talked of tn
craft that had nearly run us down. Ill
smoke i'm a passion, gave me hard word
told me | had no eyes. wasn't fit t.
take charg. of the deck, and swor'
cruelty that he'd reckon his own eye
SIGHT 10 have been blasted if he'd hav'
missed the shadow long afore the!
showed the binnacle-light over the side
We argued, and fell as hot as he
After long spell of jawins
he went forra'ds, and L heard hin
talking to some of the men there
His words went with a snap In them
hitter, Lard words they was, sir'-'
sirnt too fl rec for flesh and blood
and the men took courage, l suppose
from the blackness and gave it hin