Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-03

| Lifelong 10 the 1aSc1naIlOu Oh an 1lIu-
sion, which her Imagination under the
stimulus of recollection conjured up
for her, Molly was about to meet her
husband, he was there on board, await
| ing her, he would wave his hand to her
the moment he caught sight of her and
she would throw herself into his arms.
With this, his name trembled on her
lips, she called him, he replied, repeat
ing her name again and again.
A slight outcry from her child broke
the spell, and she looked to see that it
was really the Flying Cloud they were
approaching, and not the Dreadnaught,
between her and which the broad Pacific
was rolling its many, many leagues.
Another ship will be there in place
of this, some day!' she murmured, turn
ing her gaze upon Mrs. Barker.
"Yes, dear Molly" replied Kate, land
| it will be John who will be standing on
deck to receive u.s."
Mrs. Barker understood very well
that a vague anxiety oppressed her
cousins heart when she Intercepted
| the future.
1t had taken the steam launch a quar-
ter of an hour to cover the two miles be-
| tween the wharf at San Diego and
Point Iona. The passengers made
| their way to the landing from which
the Flying Cloud was lying scarcely
| cables length away.
There was one of the ships boats ly-
ing at the foot of the stairway in charge
| of two sailors. Mrs. Allaire made her
| self known to them, and the men an
| nounced themselves in readiness to row
| her over to the ship. A few strokes
were sufficient to do this, and Capt
Willis having recognized Mrs. Allaire
| stepped to the gangway to receive her.
| The captain conducted his guests to
the quarter deck while the mate con-
| tinued the necessary preparations to
get the Flying Cloud at her dock in the
city.
Capt. Willis" said Mrs. Allaire, ''I'm
informed that you spoke the Dread
naught."
Eyes, madam" replied the captain,
land I'm able to assure you that she
was in good trim, as have already re-
ported to Mr.. HOLSTER"
"And you saw him, you saw John?"
"The Dreadnaught and the Flying
| Cloud passed each other close enough
| for Capt. Allaire and me to exchange
few words"
"Yesi You have seen himp' said
Mrs. Allaire in an undertone to herself,
as if the keen eyes of love had seen
vision of the Dreadnaught projected
from the captains face.
Mrs. Baker then asked several ques-
tions, to the reply to which Mollie lis
tened attentively, although her eyes
were turned seaward-toward the
distant horizon.
t'On that day." continued Capt. Will
lis, 1.-THE weather seemed to be very
| favorable, and the Dreadnaught was
scudding along with every sail set.
| Capt. John was on the quarter deck,
| glass in hand. He had shifted his helm
to come alongside of me, for couldn't
| change my course, being already so
close to the wind that my sails were al
most tapping"
1t was evident that Mrs. Allairc did
not understand the precise meaning of
| these terms made use of by Capt.
| Willis, but she was sure of one thing
that the man standing in front of her
had seen John, had conversed with him,
for one instant.
"As we passed each other" said the
captain, ''your husband waved his hand
to me and shouted: Everything is going
| all right, Willis; the moment you reach
San Diego give my love to my dear wife
Then the two ships separated and soon
| passed out of each others sight,
''What day was it that you fell in with
the Dreadnaught?" asked Mrs. Allaire,
march 23," replied Captain Willis,
"at twenty-five minutes past eleven
| n. M
Mrs. Allaire was so particular about
these details that the captain sent for
| the chart and designated the exact
point at which the two vessels had
passed each other. 1t was las degrees
| longitude west from Greenwich, and 20
degrees north latitude. In other words,
seventeen hundred miles west of San
Diego. If the weather should continue
favOrab and there was every reason
to believe that it would at this season
of the year, Capt. John would surely
make quick and agreeable passage
across the waters of the North Pacific.
And, further, as he was to find cargo
awaiting him at Calcutta, his sojourn
in the capital of the Indies would be
very brief and his return to America
would be accomplished without any
delay.
At this moment the mate made his
appearance on the quarterback and in
formed the captain that they were
ready to get under way. The sailors
standing on the forecastle were only
awaiting the signal to break anchor
Capt. Willis offered to send Mrs. AL
laire ashore unless she preferred to re-
main ON board. In that case she could
cross the bay on the Flying Cloud and
so reach the city. 1t would take about
two hours for the ship to make her
docks.
Mrs. Allairc would have been very
glad to accept the captains invitation,
but she was expected at luncheon at
twelve. She felt confident that Kate,
after. what the mulattress had said,
would be very anxious to reach home
by the time her husband did, and she
therefore requested Capt Willis to put
them ashore so that they might be in
time 10 catch the steam launch.
The necessary orders were given, and