San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-12

"The briggs wrecked and they're a
drownedr' he cried as we met him.
"Whatr roared our visitor.
If ever / heard exceeding great ioy
compressed into monosyllable it vi
brated in that one.
They're a. drowned and naething
savedr repeated my father. "Come
yourself and see."
We followed him across the Combera
to the level sands on the other side.
They were strewn with wreckage, brok-
en- pieces of bulwark and handrail, pan
cling of cabin and an occasional cask.
A single large spar was tossing in the
waves close to the shore, occasionally
shooting up toward the sky like some
giants javelin, then sinking and disap-
pearing in the trough of the great scoop
ing seas. Digby hurried up to the near
est piece of timber and STOPPING over it
examined it intently.
"By God" he said at last, taking in
long breath between his teeth, "you are
right. It's the Proserpine, and all hands
are lost. What terrible thing!"
His face was very solemn as he spoke,
but his eye danced and glittered. was
beginning to conceive a great repug-
nance and distrust toward this man.
SIS there no chance of any one having
got ashorey' he said. .
"Na, ma, nor cargo neither" my ia
Their answered, with real grief in his
voice. "Ye dinna ken this coast. There's
an awful undertow outside the Winners,
and it's a swept round to the Holy Isle,
Dell take it, if there was to be ship.
wreck what for should they mo- run
their ship agroond to the BASTARD O. the
point and let an honest nun have the
pickings instead o the rascally looms il
Arran? An empty barrel might float in
here, but there's no chance O. a sea
chest, let alane a body"
'Poor fellowsw said Digby. "But
there-we must meet it some day, and
why not here and now. I've lost my
ship, but thank heaven / can buy an
other. 1t is sad about them, though
very sad. warned Lamarck that he
was waiting too long with low barom-
eter and an ugly shore under his lee. He
has himself to thank. He was my first
officer-a prying, covetous, meddlesome
hound"
Don't call him names" said. Hes
dead"
"Well said, my young prig" he an
swered. perhaps you wouldn't be so
mealy mouthed yourself if you lost five
thousand pounds before breakfast. But
there-there's no use crying over spilled
milk. Vogue La galere! as the French
say. Things are never SO bad but that
they might be worse"
MY father and Digby staid at the
scene of the wreck, but walked over to
Corriemains to reassure Minnie's mind
as to the apparition at the window. Her
opinion, when | told her all, conceded
with mine that perhaps the crew of the
brig knew more about the stranger than
he cared for. We agreed that should
keep close eye upon him without letting
him know that he was watched.
But oh, Archie" she said, ''ye munna
cross him or anger him while he carries
them awful weapons. Yemaun be douce
and saft and no gainsay him."
laughed and promised her to be very
prudent, which treasured her little.
Old Fullarton walked back with me in
the hope of picking up piece of timber,
and both he and my father patrolled the
shore for many days without, however,
finding any prize of importance, for the
undercurrent off the Winners was very
strong, and everything had probably
drifted right around to Lamlash bay in
Arran.
1t was wonderful how quickly the
stranger accommodated himself to our
insular ways, and how useful hemade
himself about the homesteading. Within
fortnight he knew the island almost as
well as / did myself. Had it not been
for that one unpleasant recollection of
the shipwreck which ranked in my re-
membrance l could have found it in my
heart to become fond of him. His nature
was tropical one-fercely depressed at
times, but sunny as rule, bursting con-
tinually into jest aud song from pure in
stinct, in a manner which is unknown
among us northerners. In his graver
moments he was a most interesting COM
panion, talking shrewdly and eloquent
ly of men and manners, and his own in
Vulnerable and strange adventures.
have seldom heard more brilliant
conversationist. OF an evening he would
keep my father and myself spellbound
by the kitchen fire for hours and
hours, while he chatted away in desul-
tory fashion and smoked his cigarettes.
1t seemed to me that the packet he had
brought with him on the first night must
have consisted entirely of tobacco.
noticed that in these conversations,