Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-03

fellow drown!
Damn you! lay forward. or I'll shoot
you In your tracks" cried the captain IN
a rage.
I could plainly see Douglas culver with
suppressed anger, he made one step to-
ward the captain. recovered himself by
q powerful, effort. walked forward and re-
sumed hts work.
We Jaw Melville swim In the ships
wake for a few minutes, then the water
nea. him was. cut by several black fms
RAPIDLY approaching him. a short strug-
cle I'm the water and our late snipmate
had found a sailor's grave.
The next day VIC took the southeast
trades, and IN a week we had weethered
Cane ST. Rouue and were almost In sight
OF the South American coast. I had been
Alongside scraplng and painting
the chaln-platea. and was slopeing
qotindlv in my bunk when n hand was
laid lightly on my arm. ] awoke Instant
". and BY the dim light OF the fore
castle Lantern could inst distinguish the
handsome face OF Douglas bending over
me
Hist, Keep quiet / only want To sav
n few words. but they are for your ear
alone. and / must gay them quickly.
can't stay IN this ship any longer; II
do. Twfl surLv Use control Of myself
when some poor fellow Il being W-treat-
FL and God only know what viii happen
,ban. ba4lIes I have other reasons that
7 cannot ttl YOU. ! arr ~ofng 20 tax @ the
stage that hos fortunately been left over
the side md try 10 reach land.
The current gets homeward along
here and we are not many miles
or. and even II fail % reach
fl death IS preferable - life IN
this shin. want Won 20 take
this racket and guard Il carefully with
vour life r. need be. II you don OF hear
from me in one year. tcke the Wrapper
of ana forward the packet 10 the address
on The inside cover. n you do boar FROM
me. pledge me your word o. honor
that YOU win destroy this packet with
ont looking at the address
I heartily gave the desired promise.
Now Willie, good by. and COD bless
you
re eavo my hand n f%orvont grasp an1
rogs.d uoislessly out on the dark deck.
when our watch was mustered on deck
n c'eht bells iu me mid watch, tie al
scnce Of Douglas was discovered. DlH-
CONT search was made FOR him. but. OF
course. he was not found The search
resulted in the discovery trat the stag"
oqs gone and also a boal-eall, three oars
and every scrap Of clothing ana other
property that Douglas had on board.
After q long and very stormy passage
during which tho ship su9telncd very go
rious damage while rounding Cape Horn,
We ut last arrived at Singapore. Here
I foud nothing from Douglas. Several
week passed and still no tidines Ample
time had eiaus-l fof zoe 90 near
from him. and the foIr that he had
found a waterv grave, which | had
long entertained. became almost a
certainty. st Last we were unloadod,
and were TO sail the next morning In
ballast for Rangoon 10 load rice for Liver
pool. Sometime before midnight the cap
tain came on board with the pilot who
TO take us to SEA IN the morning. lie gent
his steward for m& and went to the
cabin.
"Winic" said the captain, "here is some
mail for you"
/ took the package he handed me. and,
with beating heart. went forward 10 tho
forecastle. By the dim lantern l examined
the packet. 1t had an English stamp and
a Scotch postmark. II was sealed with
groen wax on which l could plainly trace
the impression Of a crest with the device
OF q bleeding heart surmountcd by q
crown with the motto. Forward
/ opened the packet. II contained n
signct ring. with the m~OnoEramc 81.
D." cut in the blood stone, willie. from
J. D." engraved inside. and the following
note:
-Four days after leaving the "Red
Jacket" 1 was picked UP by a fishing boat
and taken 10 PernRmbucO. l IA Ic-
turned 10 Scotland. | viii not do you the
injustice Of reminding you Of your promise
10 destroy the packet ! gave you without
renewing its cover. Il D.
The next day when out OF sight Of land
l threw the packet into the sea.
l have never since seen or heard of my
mysterious friend. nor could | DO any
more than conjecture as 10 what caused
n son Of the proud Earl Douglas, q dcscen-
dant Of kings. to ship before the mast on
hn American merchantmen.