The morning call., 1893-02-12

as though was to share il? II they would
put me to work in the dOckyard by his side
how happy l should be. II they'd but lock
me up in that horrible hulk with him-but
they'll not be able 10 separate Us, VIII. On.
| have fine scheme. When he sails I'll
follow in the next ship. | have money aud
I'll establish myself, and I'll ask for
servant and bride and bride until get Tom,
and if fail am still near him. They may
give him icket-of-leave quickly. they
must give him a ticket-of-leaye in six years
If he behaves well. If-if-but oh. he'll be-
have wellI'
How your eyes flash! You're as red as
fire. You've got magnificent spirit. l
always said so. You're splendid woman,
and you'll make it right for both OF you
yeE."
rs my scheme wicked?"
NO, no."
SIS it wrong for woman who loves
man to be true to him to the grave. let
what will happen before death ?"
at is right" he cried
Uncle would have me break with Tom;
80 would aunt. Tom is first with me after
my God"
He capped his hands and hurrahed like a
boy. "Can see him?"
mot for another three months"
He struck his knee with his fist and
sm0thered a sea oath.
This sort of talk, however, was no very
CHEEKY welcome on my part to the poor lad;
so presently got him to tell ME about his
voyage, and how he liked the sea- and
when he was again to sail. and | then gave
| him five pounds which | had put aside for
him; his father, though a hospitable man.
kept VIII little short. / wished the boy,
after his long months at sea, 10 pass Jolly
holiday, and told him when he kissed and
thanked me that another five should be his
when that was spent.
Well 60 a-rambllng again. Marian" said
he. Those were fine times. You're white
with trouble. and some of those milk and
buttercup trips we used TO take will do you
good"
/ sighed and made no answer. He went
to Toms miniature and stood looking at it;
then began to talk again with eagerness and
enthusiasm about my scheme Of following
my sweetheart.
And why should you not go?' said he,
pacing the room. You're alone in the world.
and Toms first and everything to you.
Father and mother won't like your going.
and you'll be sorry to leave them, but they're
not your parents. Toms all-in-all. II l
loved girl as you love Tom she'd be all-in-
all to me. and I'd follow her while a stick
lasted till the plank grew as thin as a
sailors shirt. But there's this in my mind,
MarlGn-before you start IN pursuit you
must know where Captain Butler has been
sent to.
He'll know and tell me-"
suppose he should be sent to Hobart
Town and you make sail 20 Sydney beiiev-
Ing him there: you don't know how big all
that part of the world is. There's a story
OF an lrishmaD who bought a commission
In the Seventy-frst in order that he ght
be near his brother in the Seventeen. Have
you got an atlasP Hobart Towns mighty
long way from Botany Bay"
He'll tell me the settlement"
But suppose IL should be Norfolk ISL
and One of our Jacks knew that settle
ment. The frightiuleSt rufiians 20 there.
The sailor said that when the cOnyicts are
removed they're double cross irOned and
chained down TO the deck. EveTyb0dys
afraid of them. Now what would you do
there in n settlement of few troops aud
scores of horrible villains"
smiled and said, where Tom is sent, l
GO, and then starting up and flashing upon
him 10 my OLD hot-tempered impulsye fash
Ion, | cried, u know all about Norfolk ISL
and; shall know what 10 do. " viz" |
Sobered my voice and added, 81 have been
scheming for months all alone, dear; a the
while that my darling has been In jail have
been planning and planning. l care not
what the settlement be; let me have its
name and am ready"
VIII stayed an hour talking with me liz my
rooms. tie then made me put on my hat
and 90 for a walk.
From this time we were as often together
as though we had been brother and sister
and lived in the same house. His company
wonderfully eheered and supported me
above all for his seeing things just as did.
On his account | was more frequently at
my aunts than before his return from sea.
She and my uncle sometimes talked Of Tom,
but never now in a way To vex me. They
both knew my character; they witnessed
the faith and devotion In my face whenever
my swrethearts name was pronounced:
they had gathered with the utmost signii-
canoe from viii what my intention WAS
when Tom should be sent across the seas
ftsG hs,f,sa locS Of II,
deed, was my own mistress; / was Of age;
| was answerable TO no one. They knew
all this and held their peace, though both
OF them. and my aunt especially, were Sc
cretly very uneasy aud distressed by my
loyalty TO q cOnvlcr.
had told Tom that | would be near him
in person, and once / had mind to take a
lodging In Woolwich; but Stepney was not
too far distant 10 enable me to easily satisfy
my craving and fulfill my promise to be
near him often; moreover, | never knew
from day to day when | might hear that he
was 10 be transhipped and wished to be
ready to swiftly complete all my arrange
ments TO follow him. And that Is why |
remained at home in Stepney instead OF TAX
ing lodging near the dockyard at WOolwich.
though over and over again, sometimes
four and sometimes five times week,
would | hire boat and hang about the
Warrior hulk.
Mr.. Wolfe had got me the regulations of
the prison ship; | knew at what time the
convicts went ashore 10 their forced labor,
the hour they returned 10 dinner when
they returned again TO their tea or supper.
and at what time the matches were put over
them and padloeked for the night. Indeed
/ could say of the regulations and every
article in the list of the prison fare by
heart. and | lived in Imagination In the
hoTrid ana violent routine Of the ship.
| once had a burning desire to visit the
huge hulk at night, when all the people
were AT rest IN their hammOcks within her,
and the matches on. had plenty Of spirit
as young woman, and was. on the whole.
fearless young creature; but / own
shrank from trusting myself alone In n
wherTy at night on the Thames with one Of
the watermen of those times. | asked VIII
If he would accompany me- lie cheeriully
consented, and | arranged with q fellow at
Mapping to await us at Blackwell to save
the circuit OF Limshouse and Greenwich
reaches.
1t was night about the middle Of Septem-
Der, somewhat cold. but not intentionally
so. We reached the hulk and lay off her
somewhat close In, the waterman quietly
plying to keep his boat steady in the stream.
The sky was dim and the stars cleaned
sparely; there was just weight enough OF
wind TO run the water sobbng along the
bends OF the towering, m0t0nless old IA.
The shore was dotted with spots of light,
and under every one of them thread of
gold wavered like wrggling eel striking
for the depths. The deep hush of the night
lay sensbly as the darkness itself upon the
fiat marshes of Plumstead and across the
river where the Plaistow level stretched.
The passing ships went by silent as
shadows. Now and again a mans voice
would sound aboard one of them; I'd hear
the rumbliDg Of a yard suddenly let go, or
the rafting OF the hanks OF canvas leisurely
hosting. Here and there the grated ports
Of the hulk showed in square of dim light.
but even as | watched cear-tongued bell
ON board was twice struck.
mine O'clock" said viii, and as though
a cloud had passed over the huge fabric
every light went out; the white bands OF
the checkered sides seemed to hover out