Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-05-24

and he had not been on board half an
hour before he had asked Maurice all
manner of unanSwerable questions about
himself, his destination, his objects in
travelling and dozen things besides
How to meet this broadSide of interroga-
tiveS Maurice knew not, for his character
was straightforward and unimaginative.
He told lies awkwardly on the
other hand, if he kept silence the result
could only be to stimulate his friends
inquSitiveneSS still further Finally he
attempted a compromise by informing
Dupont that for certain good and sutfi-
cient reasons he preferred not TO specify
his exact intentions just then, but that
after they had arrived in New York he
would willingly tell him all he cared to
hear.
! Dupont. who had all the Imagination
that Solange lacked, was gifted also
with the power of effectively Disgusting
his feelings and designs when he deemed
il expedient to do so. He accordingly
/ profeSsed 10 be satisfied with the others
ultimatum; but, at the same time, pri-
vately made up his mind TO get at the
bottom of the mystery, whatever it was.
And very likely he would have succeed
ed, but that destiny chose another way
to bring about the issue.
While the Santa Lucia was still
thousand miles distant from her port,
sailing over smooth seas, with light but
rather Battling winds, the second mate
fell i'll, and the captain, after inyestiga-
ting hiScondition, returned to the deck
with grave face. The mate remained
shut up in his bunk for two days, dur
| ing which time there was great
! deal of more or less outSpoken
speculation among the the ships
company as TO the nature of his
| illness. The captain. in answer 10
all inquiries, responded that the mate
was suffering from a bad attack Of in
digestion and would be all right in a day
or two But on the third day Dupont,
who was always the first to discover
everything, told Maurice that the dis
ease the mate had was yellow fever.
Twelve hours later the mate was dead,
and then the truth was known to every
one. Before sunset seaman had
caught the infection, and that night
/ three others were seized with the peSti-
lence.
There were twenty-five persons on
| board when the ship left st. Elmo; at
the end of week after the fever APP
pearcd only fifteen were left alive. The
captain, Dupont and Solange were the
most active in nursing the sufferers.
| The two first had seen yellow fever be-
fore. and Solange showed the handinesS
and adaptabiiity of an old campaigner.
These three were also the only
ones who escaped the panic that
is among the most effective pre-
diSpoSing causes of the disease. As
fast as the men died they were stitched
up in their hammocks and buried in
the sea. No one who had been at
tackled recovered, but at length the
epidemic seemed to have run its course,
and for two days there were no fresh
cases.
Then, when all seemed well, Solange
himself was Smitten. He struggled man
| fully against the fatal grasp Of the fe-
yer, but in vain.
When he realized that his time had in
deed come, the anxiety caused by the
! thought of the peril to which his recent
mission was thereby exposed had the
effect of worSening his disorder. His
mind was in no less pain than his body;
he had set his whole soul upon fulfilling
the emperOr'S command, and he could
look upon his illness in no other light
than crime on his own part. He had
undertaken a duty-as important a one
as had ever been intruSted TO soldier
and he was about to fail in it. The en-
peror never hearing from him, would
suppose that he had been unfaithful and
had Welded to Il base temptation. 1t
was more than probable that the whole
future OF France might be compromised
bv his failure. He writhed in helpless
agony at the reflection. And every
hour-every minute-he grew worse,
and knew that fate would be too much
for him.
Dupont meanwhile faithfully tended
him; the lank, red haired adventurer
displayed ali the tact and cleverneSS OF
/ a woman He always spoke cheerfully
to the sick man, and mis- genius for tell
| inc amusing stories seemed TO grow with
| the demands upon it. Nevertheless,
/ Dupont knew that the chances of his
! friends recovery were infniteSimal, and
he perceived that he had something on
his mind. Dupont had previously made
I'D his mind that he would tindout what
| Solauge'S mystery was, and he awaited
developments.
One evening, after long silence, So
lauge spoke:
How far are we from Panama, Fran
cois?'
"Stil two days at least, if the wind is
fair, mon brave"
"Sacre!-I shall never last ii OUT"
"Never lose heart! You will be all
right in a day or two"
II shall be at the bottom Of the ocean.
All. l know it, l have tried my best,
but it is no use. The emperor will curse
me for a Scoundrel"'
The emperor" repeated Dupont,
looking up.
Did I say the emperor Bob! my
mind wanders."
Listen to me. Maurice, said Dupont,
bending over. "Your mind is not wan
dering, but there is a weight upon it. l
have seen it all along; it has retarded
YOUR recovery. Come, am your friend,
am mot? If l were as you are l would
confide in you. l don't know what
worries you: but, if did, might be
able to help you. And if can you
don't doubt that l Which? Come,
free your soul, my lad, and your body
will be all the better for it,"
IF were sure that l must die
muttered Solange, heSitating.
you are sick man: but have told
YOU the only chance for recovery, said
Dupont, Struggling his shoulders. "One
believes in Providence, ISuppose? Well,
is it not Providence that has sent your
best friend 10 your side at such mo-
ment?"
The dying man fixed his eyes upon the
speaker. Francois" he said, 'if tell
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