The morning call., 1891-04-27
A STRANGE PASSENGER.

When my packetship, the Hermione, was
preparing to sail from Liverpool to New
York, was warned to take precautions
against receiving as passenger a certain
| Mary Youngson, who, while nursing a sick
| husEand-a man considerably her senior
had poisoned him to death, laid hold Of all
the money and valuables she could get, and
| then had made off. 1t was thought that she
would try to leave England on some out
ward bound ship-nost likely for America,
where she had friends-and therefore 1
sharply scrutinized the passengers, eight in
number, who were brought off to my vessel
In a tender AS they stepped aboard 1 was
relieved to perceive that none of them tailed
with the description 1 had obtained of Miss
Youngson, who, was told, was a beautiful
woman. over 80 years of age, about five feet
six inches in height and very slender, with
brown hair. dark eyes and clear COM
pleXIon. She had been born and educated
abroad, but her father had been an English
man, and an amateur actor, from whom she
had inherited remarkable capacity for de-
ceiving people as to her character.
Two of the female passengers who now
! came aboard were married ladies and of
dark complexion; there were also two young
women of about 81; one, Miss LortoD,
plain and stout; the other, Miss Merwin,
slender and tall, apparently not less than
five feet nine inches, with the most childish.
| innocent looking face for one of her age that
l ever saw. She had brown hair and eyes,
| small, baby-like features and smooth, glow
ing cheeks, which were constantly dmpled
with smiles. AS she slightly lifted her long
skirt, we saw that instead of shoes or boots
she wore ornamented huskins of some kind
of soft leather which made no noise when
| she walked. AfterWard we heard that she
wore them because she had lately sprained
her feet, and could not yet bear harder
leather.
From the first [ could see that my son
Tom, young man OF % and chief officer,
was greatly impressed by this girl.
He had always liked tall women, and any
thing ''babyish' in their looks or manners
particularly pleased him. Still, l was sur
prised at the end of one short week after we
sailed to learn that he had actually pro-
posed to her and been accepted.
''She is so artless, so ingenious, so free
from guile of any kind" said he, THAT you
can read her heart at once. We are to be
married on coming back to Liverpool, at
the house of her aunt. who Is expecting her.
With her usual childish frankness she in
formed me that although having small
fortune in per cents, left TO her by her
father, who was merchant, she is at pres
ent short Of cash, which would hinder her
| from purchasing on landing certain little
| articles she desired toward wedding outfit.
| ! was so touched by her shy, infantile way,
blended with timid distress at having to
tell ne this, that / at once went to my room
and procured the 5000 United States bond,
which, you know, lately bought with my
savings. and gave it to her, telling her where
she could get it cashed, and babe her take
out of it whatever she needed"
why, Tom, you don't say SOP" l cried.
rather startled.
"Of course" he answered. "Why not?
We are engaged, and it ought to be the
| 9h0nt mOngV matters If
| married"
He went below, and 1 sat long in the clear
moonlight, thinking it over as hasty, fool
ish piece of business. when suddenly was
startled by the cry OF the lookout forward.
sail, no! right ahead!'
The stranger-a large ship-but her helm
| apoIt, so / had no doubt she would pass us
safely enough; but, as she was going by,
her helmsman raising his wheel too soon,
her bow swung off and her jioboom caught
under my spanker-sheet, lifting the spar
ana swapping it off with crash.
There was noise and confusion as we
| worked briskly TO keep the Two vessels
apart and prevent further damage, in the
| midst of which several of the passengers
came running up. somewhat frightened, 10
find out what was the matter.
" 1t is nothing; we are oil right nOwP' l
cried, 10 reassure them, as the other ship
| swung clear OF US.
Miss Merwin had emerged from the COM
panion-way after the others; and as looked
toward her form, distinctly revealed by the
moonlight and one OF the lanterns, | stood
| stock-still in the utmost establishment, for,
as true as l am a living man, her stature
| now seemed at least three inches shorter
than had hitherto seen it!
/ was the only one who noticed her at that
| time, and on meeting my gaze she drew back
as quick as flash, and vanished in the
| cabin.
The strange phenomenon had witnessed
for moment almost took away my breath.
| My whole mind was fixed upon this one
thing and when my son came up, few
hours later on, to take the deck, L described
the singular change had noticed in Miss
| MerWin's stature.
He stared at me at first as If he thought
| me mad, then broke out into an in 'redul0us
laugh, saying that my eyes or the imperfect
light must have deceived me.
! / knew better, however, but finding /
could not convince him [ told him to wait
until the young lady should appear at
breakfast in the morning, when he might
| see for himself.
Two hours later the second mate came up
| to relieve Tom, who then went below. The
| officer, seeing me seated in reverie ON the
| quarterback, walked amdships, where he
| stood looking carelessly forward.
All at once, judge of my surprise when,
on raising my head | beheld leaning against
the rail near me person | had never seen
| befOre-a slender, middle-aged man, of
| rather low stature, with hair covering
nearly every part of the face excepting the
eyes, which glittered like fre-balls in the
| moonlight!
why, halloa! Who are you? Where
did you come from2" l cried
Pray, don't excite yourself" he coolly
answered. 81 am a detective. and got a. board
in the harbor through the coanlvance of one
of your crew. am not going to tell you
which one-who also supplies me with food.
| nave been all along IN the state-room next
to Miss Merwin's, with my carper-bag. Had
you looked in the room you would have seen
me, but you probably missed the key, or
thought it was lost"
| " hat is true; but"
Here is my warrant" he interrupted,
handing me paper. which, on reading it by
the lanterns light, perceived was a signed
document, apparently from the proper au-
| thorities instructing John Clews the bearer
a detective, to conceal himself aboard the
| Hermlone, and act as he might see fit in his
endeavors TO detect the murderess, Mrs.
YOungSon, who, it was suspected, was a
passenger in disguise aboard that vessel.
She is here, was his confident reply,
when remarked that there must be some
mistake. - l have not watched through the
hole bored in the partition for nothing"
"Why, man." Icried, aghast. "she cannot
be the guilty one. She is innocence itself
as artess as child. Besides she is very
tall and young, whereas | have been told
that the murderess was much shorter and
| nearly twice as old"
He laughed in way which to ME was in
describably disagreeable.
" 1t is not Miss Merwin l allude to-" he
said. You will remember thai the state
room of Miss Lorton is also next to mine"
"WhatP l exclaimed, almost as much
surprised as before. You suspect that
stout young lady who"
81 don't suspect" he interrupted; al
know her to be the criminal"
But she is young, plain and stout; the
accused woman was slender"
Bahp' he again interrupted "DisguiseI
That will explain all. 1t is easy for woman
of that kind to make herself look younger
and stouter than she really is. Should we
fall in with good Liyerpool-bound shin
shall arrest this woman and take her on
board of it with me. will 60 back TO nv
room now. You may or may not see me
again before we sight home bound craft"
With that he glided like sha dow into the
cabin.
Now, then, l had something to keen me