The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-05-06

truth soon enough" muttered the
wretched man.
Not long after. the dim light Of COM
ing dawn struggled through the gloom.
A solemn look rested on the faces OF
the sailors. Every eye was turned
toward the miserable captain
All at once, from the steerage,
emerged slender youth.
The captain stared, aghast-
Then he started back with terrible
cry. II soas jack Wilton he sac-the
cabin-boy whom he thought he had
pushed overheard on the previous night
He rushed up to the boy and caught
him by the arm, while the astonished
seamen all came thronging aft.
'sWhat does this mean? Speak!
Speak," he gasped. 81 pushed You
| out of the long boat into the sea, and
here -
"What? Oh, Mr. Bartoni What?" in
terrupted the youth, turning as pale as
death. "You don't mean ="
Speak out! Speak out, tell your
roared the skipper, trembling in every
limb. Il say thought pushed you
overheard. You were asleep, as !
| thought, there on the lookout, and -
Ill" stammered the youth. mo,
it was not /. My sister came and said she
scould take my place. She insisted, and
putting on my hat and cloak, SO that
no person might guess it was she. she
! sat down in the boat and sent me below
to sleep. You said you pushed her into
the sea, but, of course, you are jesting.
You do not mean it."
'What have / donc?" screamed the
miserable man, almost frantic II see,
nowl 1t was my oien ,rifs pushed over.
boardi'
He leaned against the rail for sup.
port. He wrung his hands and tore his
hair.
but she is not lost! No, not" he
shrieked, almost beside himself "Ma.
bel, Mabel, come back to mel" he
| added, in plaintive, despairing voice.
stretching out his hands over the wild
| waters.
HE is going mad" said the mate.
But at length the captain became
| calmer, although his face was az
CHASTITY as that of the dead. He wore
ship and rctraced his course toward the
island When within mile of it. he
ordered boat lowered.
He had it manned and was pulled tc
the beach.
A group of wild islanders stood there.
81 want my wife!" cried the captain.
'Wife? What mean?" inquired one
of the savages, who could speak little
English
''She Tell overheard last night, but
she was good swimmer, and think
| she must have reached the beach" said
the skipper, confidently.
But the native shook his head.
'She is here! am sure of it," in
sisted the captain.
Mad! Madr' muttered the mate, who
had accompanied him.
All that day the skipper searched
about the island for his wife, but nc
sign of her could be found.
The moment he reached the ship,
Barton was taken down with raging
fever
For many days he lay in delirium.
When he recovered, he was mere
wreck of his former self; but his mind
had recovered from the shock it had
received.
He could now talk in a rational
manner about his wife.
''She is lost! Lost! But will soon
join her." he said, mournfully. 81 am
not long for this world"
His conscience gave him no rest.
His hand it was that had sent her into
the dark waters! True, it was an ac-
cident; but it was his violent temper
that had caused it.
In due time the ship reached Java,
the port of her destination.
The vessel was not long anchored
when the skipper went below and took
from pantry some prussic acid, with
which he intended to put an end to his
wretched life.
He mixed the poison in cup and
was about raising it to his lips when q
light. beautiful form descended the
companion steps. He turned, still hold.
ing the cup, to behold most unex.
pected vision.
For a moment he stared wildly, as II
looking at a ghost
1t was his wife-his own beautiful
wife-he saw before him.
A wild cry escaped him, and the two
rushed into each others arms.
Then from the deck there rose q
cheer that made the vessel shake from
keel to keelson and seemed to split the
very skies.
The crew had seen Mrs. Barton
when she came aboard from a shore.
boat, and were now expressing the
wild JOY that thrilled them all.
Explanations were soon made by the
happy wife.
The moment she struck the water, on
that night when she fell overheard,
she had walked, and, instinctively throw.
ing out her arms, she had clutched the
boat-mast, which had fallen with her.
To this mast she chung.
Her skill as swimmer assisted her
in keeping her position.
She was carried past the island. By
that time the storm had subsidized and
the moon shone. Ahead of her, APP
preaching, she beheld small
schooner. It passed SO near her that
by shouting, she attracted the attet.
ton of the crew. A boat was lowered,
and she was picked up, halt senseless
As soon as she could speak, she tod
her story. But she could not make