The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-30
FACE FROM THE DEAD.

hespeaker was Mr.. Maynard, quiet,
man, who shared with his
wife the enviable reputation of being the
most popular people on board. He had
been looking intently at the object
powerful telescope,
Done" was the immediate respone
Of the captain"
A boat was launched, and the mys-
terious derelict floating in mid-ocean
was picked up and brought to the yes
sci. II was indeed bottle.
Ladies' and gentlemen" said Captain
in a serious tone, at dinner,
''that bottle contained a story Of so ex-
a nature that l purpose,
with your consent, to read it after din
ner."
Every one readily concurred, and at
the close of the meal the captain unfold
ed roll of thin paper, and read as fol-
lows
"My name is Arthur Evans, and my
sole companion is my best and truest
friend, Evelyn Mortimer. We are ut
terly alone in rocky islet in the Pacific
Ocean. There is no chance OF escape.
There is no food to be had. Thank
heaven, we have found sufficient water
in the hollow of rock to allay our thirst.
Yet the agony of mind we have gone
through in our lives make this moment
one of indescribable sweetness OF
triumph.
Last winter, when in London l was
reeling down Wellington street Strand.
1t was about eleven o'clock at night. l
has been drinking with Charles Hayes.
He was a friend. We had been firm
friends. We both loved Evelyn Morti-
mer. She preferred me, and seeing this,
he had plotted my ruin, had let me 90
on to gambling and drink, and had taken
care that Evelyn should see me when
intoxicated. That night ] met them.
with Mrs. Mortimer, coming from the
theateT, and longed, even In my dazed
and muddled state, to speak TO Evelyn
II tried to do so, and she seemed anx'
ious to hear me, but he stepped before
her, and after few words had passed
between them, which could not catch
he confronted me, and said Miss Nor
timer refuses to hear you, and desplses
your miserable and shocking condition.
She bids me tell you never again to ad-
dress her He hisssed this into my ear.
"The message sobered me. believed
it for the moment to be really her mes
sage. l turned and fled, whittier l
knew not, realizing with terrible agony
my hopeless ruin, There was nothing
but death before me. No other cure ;
no other resource. l paused on Water
loo bridge and gazed down into the eddy
ing current. There, at least, was rest.
"a plunge, and it would all be over,
and the next minute the waters had
closed over my head. But as conscious
ness was passing from me, in that mo-
nent | heard Evelyn's voice, clear an
distinct Arthur l love you. l want
you'll am in danger The desire for
life returned. l wished to lve-not for
myself but to answer that call.
Il am good swimmer, and now that
the desire for life had returned, l soon
swan ashore, and, with intent, took off
coat, which contained my card-case,
and left it on the bank, l reached and
obscure lodging house, where slept off
the effect of the previous nights de-
bauch. When l awoke l called for tea,
and read in an evening paper of my own
suicide, and that though search had
been made, the body had not yet been
found.
shortly after, 1 learned that Mrs,
and Miss Mortimer were going to Aus
tralia, and that Charles Haves-after in
vain trying to persuade Evelyn to marry
him-had taken passage in the ship.
Il obtained the place of stoker on the
same vessel. The cry kept running in
my ears that she was in some danger,
and l might protect her. | was sober
enough now, and l knew the blackness
of this fiend's heart well enough to feel
sure that he would stop at nothing to
effect his purpose.
II had a great dread he would try to
do Evelyn bodily harm. He was her
second cousin, and in the event of her
death a considerable sum of money
would come to him. 1t was to possess
this money he wished to marry her.
Gone night dreamed l saw her with
a glass raised to her lips, and as she
drank her face turned pallid, and a
spasm of pain shot through her, The
dream was so vivid it woke me. The
night was sultry and the moon clear. l
rose from my bed and fastened along
the deck, so passed HAYES cabin.
Through a tiny hole in the curtain l saw
him. He was putting white powder
into glass of iced claret, and, opening
the door, he went towards the main
deck, followed and saw Evelyn sit
ting alone in the moonlight. Mamma
will be back, Mr.. Hayes in a few mo
ments,' she said. How close and OPP
pressive it is she added, YEARLY.
"'I have brought you some iced
claret, he said, holding out the glass to
her. l pressed forward, my pale face
with suppressed excitemet, and was
about to seize his hand. My body was
in shadow, and hidden, too, by a sail ;
but the moon was full on my face, l
saw his glance rect on me for moment.
He staggard, and the glass fell to the
ground and smashed into a thousand
atoms.
81 drew back, and so noiselessly were
my motions that Evelyn knew not that
any one had been there.
Chow stupid of me ! he said, recov-
ering himself.
I" 1T does not matter, she replied. 4
am going now. Thank you for your
thoughtfulness.'
81 had saved her life, l knew, but
what would he do next? The day fol-
lowing Hayes was searching high and
low for me, / don't think he knew if il
was an appartition or myself actually
in flesh, but felt sure the engine-room
was the last place he was likely to visit
so felt secure.
"But the shock had unnerved him
and his quiet, self-possessed demeano'
had passed away. Day by day he press
ed Evelyn to accept his suit, and being
strongly supported by Mrs. Mortimer, 1t
became more than difficult for her tt
withhold her Consent. And l saw heI
daily grow paler and more worn"
But what could / do ? feared that
il HAYES once discovered | was alive ht
would do anything to force her into 6
marriage, So l waited and watched
with an agonizing heart.
"The weather, from being fine and
clear, had become thick and heavy
Two or three day passed, during which
an impenetrable fog hug over the sea
we all longed for the sun, TO be able to
take our bearings,
early one morning the sun broke
through the clouds for a few minutes
L bhC "hO WV
position of the ship, remarked, Were
awfully out of the track, by Jove 7 As
he said this there was fearful crash
which shook the ship from stem to stern
and, before / knew what l was about
the water was rushing into the engine
room and extinguishing the fires. How
l managed to escape out OF that pit OF
death know not. l believe all who
were there, except myself, persisted.
When l got oD deck there were horrible
confusion and fright, but needed II
not. My eyes sought one person only,
"Soon / was rewarded. Evelyn was
standing, calm and beautiful, on deck
whispering CHEEKY words to her mother
while Hayes, pale and haggard, was
watching with fugitive interest the boats
being lowered.
"What 1 then saw take place is the