The morning call., 1893-04-16

ways with biting sense of the blindness OF
Tie human mind, OF our ncapacity to see
one minute ahead of us. The moon at this
hour was rising, and the lunar dawn lay in
slreak OF din red along the eastern
seabuard. | do not remember the hour;
1t was not yet eight bells, in the west
was tast-waning flush. for we fioated IN a
part oil the ocean where the night crosses
Ihe sea IN stride. Not breath of airi
The waters stretched fiat as a surface of
polished ebony and only at intervals there
ran sl5hlnE sort of movement through the
sea which sent a delicate stir through the
canvas. and set the dew raining from aloft
IN little patteTing showers. In the south
there was much lightning; the leap of the
violet sparks flashed up the battlements and
ragged browS of a mass of electric cloud.
Ihe water reflected the play, and some
times little note of distant thunder came
hummlng across the glass-smooth surfRcr.
Elsewhere under the brightest of the stars
hung tremulous wakes of silver fire.
Even now, early as 1t was. the mighty
shadow OF the ocean night was majestic and
awful with the wild flaShful eOlOring OF
iighinlninS 10 the south. and the dustlike
multitude Ofstars over three gloomy spires
of our ship. and the rising moon, rusiy-red
and imperfect, aud distorted as though
Hitting heavily through some noxious belt
OF African river vaDOr.
What l saw, however, was quickly en-
braced by my sight; having put the gentle
mems coffee upon the Skylight. burst not
linger.
The steward found me plenty to do till a
quarter before 9; then went to my cabin
to refresh myself with a wash. When l
came into the cuddy again 1 found the
lamps turned down and heard a sound of
many feet in motion. / stepped into the
recess and found nobody there. 1 walked
little way forward along the gangway alley
and looking uD at the poop saw the guard
drawn in line near the rail. The awning
was furied and the moonlight sparkled on
their firearms, and the bayonets glanced as
the lightning leapt In the south.
A division of convicts were in the in
closure standing In dusky groups, and at
every mans feet stretched his shadow, with
scarcely move of the clean black line of il,
so repOsefuly did the ship sleep. | saw
crowd of seamen on the forecastle ana heard
women's voices. and guessed that the wives
had gone forward TO view the eclipse.
The moon was now bright; you could dis
tinguish faces by her beam; l went slowly
along the gangway-alley looking hard at the
prisoners, and when about midway, | saw
man standing alone with his arms folded
and his eyes fixed on the moon. Ii was Tom.
L stopped; must tell you that bis fore and
aft barricade which was designed as con-
yenience more than as prison barrier, was
not above five feet high, and formed of
strong wooden rails, sufficiently wide apart
70 disclose the figure. l coughed and then
Tom saw me.
l advanced very slowly in the direction of
seemed 10 look at the moon, and when l
warilY turned my eyes upon the incl6sure
Observed that Tom had advanced as | had
and was abreast of me, though he had
drawn nearer to the fore and aft barricade.
Ny heart beat quick, for If l could speak
to him now 1t would be the first time since
that day when / had WHISPERED as passed
and VIXEN he had discovered that l was on
board.
walked little way further This car
ried me out OF sight of the poop unless any
one should coma TO the bead of the port
poop ladder and stare along the alley. The
yards were braeed forward and the corner
of the foresail lay between me and tho
moon and plunged that part of the deck
where | again halted in shadow / saw that
Tom had walked with me on the other side
Of the barricade, and when l stopped he
stopped zoo. so close that had he sighed |
should have heard him. The shadow that
was upon me was upon him and stretched
athwart the deck, darkening the two galeys
and the great mass OF longboat, but under
the yawu Of the foressil the forecastie
whitened out In the light with the siivered
figures OF many persons upon 1t, and be-
yond hung the jibs, falling like streaks OF
snow to the bowsprit and jlbbooms. Outside
the shadow in the inclosure the moonshine
lay like frost upon the planks, and the
shapes Of The convicts in their pale apparel
showed like figures in yellow wood; they
moved or stood n groups; here and there
was lonely figure. The nearest group to
where ] had come to stand was at dis
tanee of about twenty PAGES, close against
the fore and aft barrcades. The yet-ds-
tant Lightning flashed upon.the canvas, and
high as the royals which crowned the tow
ering fabric Of clothes the sails flashed and
faded in tho electric play as though to the
revolution At some gigantic, violet-tinted
lantern.
| kept my'back upon Tom and seemed to
be looking upward at the sky; he stood with
his right side toward me gazing aft as though
he needed me not. We spoke swiftly under
our BREATH
''How is It with you, TOm?"
This cooiness, and freshness, and moon
Hight; it is heayen after the hell below. NY
brave heart, my beloved girl, how is 1t with
yon?"
We'll, am happy. am with you. Our
time Is coming. In our new home all this
will be no more than horrid dream"
"a dream!' said he, with fereeness In
his whisper. cit is no dream to be ruined
and TO have ones heart broken. They have
made devil of me. am no longer ft for
you. You don't know my heart"
"Whatever you are / am. If they have
made you devil will be devil. too. 1
am yours and one with you ana live for
nothing but for you. Ask me to set this
ship on fire tonight and I'll do it."
AYE, yours Is tie true woman's spirit
have no right to such love. 1t is too