The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-15
a STRANGE PASSENGER.

When my packet ship, the Hermione,
was preparing to sail from Liverpool for
New ork was warned to take precautions
against receiving as passenger a certain
Mary Youngson, who, while nursing her
sick husband-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 she would try to leave England
on some outward bound ship-most likely
for America, where she had friends
and therefore sharply scrutinized the
passengers, eight in number. who were
brought off to my vessel in a tender. AS
they stepped aboard i was relieved to
, preceive that none of them tailed with
the description L had obtained of Miss
Youngstown, who was told, was beauti-
ful woman, over thirty-five years OF age,
about five feet six inches in hight and
very slender, with brown hair, dark eyes
and a clear complexion. She had been
born and educated abroad, but her father
had been an Englishman and an amateur
actor, from whom she had inherited
remarkable capacity for deceiving 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 twenty-one-one
Miss Norton, 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, glowing cheeks,
which were constantly dimpied 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 Afterw ard 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, a young man Of twenty-five and the
chief officer, was greatly impressed by this
girl.
He had always liked tall women, and
anything "babyish" in their looks or man.
ners particularly pleased him. Still. |
was surprised at the end OF one short week
| after we sailed to learn that he had actually
| proposed 10 her and been accepted.
''She is so art ess, so ingenious, so free
from guile of any kind" said he, 'that
to be married on coming back toLiverpool,
at the house OF her aunt, who is expecting
her. With her usual childish frankness
she informed me that, although having
small fortune in per cents. left to her
by her father, who was a merchant, she is
at present short of cash, which would
hinder her from purchasing, OF landing.
certain little artic es she desired toward
wedding outfit. / was so touched by her
shy, infautile way, blended with tim;d
distress at having 10 tel me this that | at
once went to my room and procured the
| fve-thousand-dollar I. s. bond, which
you know | lately bought with my saw
ings, and gave it to her, telling her where
she could get it cashed, and bade her then
take out of it whatever she needed"
why, Tom, you don't say SOP" cried,
rather startled.
'Of course" he answered. "Why not?
We are engaged, and it ought to be the
same about money matters as il we were
married"
He went below and sat long in the
clear moonlight, thinking it over as
hasiy, foolish piece OF business, when
suddenly 1 was startled by the cry OF the
lookout forward.
"Sail, no. right ahead~
The stranger-a large ship--put her
helm aport, so had no doubt she would
pass US safely enough; but, as she was 60
ing by. her helmsman raising his wheel
too soon, her bow swung off and her jib-
boom caught under my spanker sheet,
lifting the spar and swapping it of with
crash.
There was noise and confusion as we
worked briskly TO keep the two vessels
apart an prevent further damage, in the
midst OF which several Of the passengers
came running up, somewhat frightened,
TO find out what the matter was.
1T is nothing; we are all right now"
l cried, 20 reaHsure them, as the other
ship swung clear OF us.
Miss Merwin had emerged from the
companionway after the others, and as |
looked toward her form, distinctly re-
vealed by the moonlight and one of the
lanterns, stood stock stilf in the utmost
establishment, for, as true as l am 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 aflash and vanished
in the cabin.
The strange phenomenon l had wit
messed for a moment almost took away my
breath. Ny whole mind was fixed upon
this one thing, and when my son came up,
a few hours later, to take the deck, des-
cribed the singular change l had noticed
in Miss Merwin's stature.
He stared at me at first as if he thought
me mad. then broke out into an incre-
dulous laugh, saying that my eyes or the
imperfect light must have deceived me.
/ knew better, however; but, finding I
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 Inc seated in a reverie
on the quarter deck, walked amidships,
where he stood looking carelessly for
ward.
All at once, judge of my surprise when
on raising my head, l beheld, leaning
against the rail near me, person l had
never seen before-a slender middle aged
man, of rather low stature, with hair COW
ering nearly every part of the face except
ing the eyes, which glittered like fire balls
In the moonlight
"Why, halloa! Who are you? Where
did you come from?" [ cried.
pray don't excite yourself" he coolly
answered. Il am a detective and got
aboard in the harbor through the conni-
vance of one of your crew. am not going
81 4on f.h IL