The morning call., 1893-03-26

love must vent itself in some desperate be-
traying manner. Girl as l was. | found
curse in my heart for the barbarity that
weighted my sweethearts ankles with iron,
and q curse for the law that had suffered
two damned villains to swear his liberty,
fortune, happiness away, and make Il
broken hearted convict of him.
drank little coffee in the pantry with
my fellow-servant, but ate nothing. The
German supposed was fretting over hav-
ing run awav and good-naturedly tried to
cheer me. However, as the time passed,
my spirits improved for now l knew be-
yOnd all doubt that Tom was on board and
he also knew beyond all doubt that l was
with him, and 1t c0mfOrted me to reflect
that without any further explanation he
would understand why 1 had made no
attempt to bid him farewell at Woolwich.
And still l was anxious. He would soon
discover by observing me as passed to and
tro that had been put 10 menIal work unfit
for the lady OF his love, for the girl OF his
heart. for a woman who had been greatly
INDUCED, who knew nothing of hardships
whose means were ample for one of her de-
gree. | feared his spirit would chafe and
fret over the thought OF my being a common
helpsr In the cabin, cuddy-deck scruOber,
ships sculery-bOy, ana that to deliver me
from these degrading Offices he might be-
tray me, tell the story of our love and ex-
actly reveal my condition, not doubling, |
dare say, that Captain Sutherland would
then charge me for my passage and use me
as a passenger And indeed | should have
been very willing TO be passenger. to pay
any exorbitant sum for that privilege
had the thing been cOntriyable. now
that I was on beard. But could it have
been managed? No. Because whether l
revealed myself as a woman with a
secret which nothing could make
| her avow, or whether l owned my sex and
frankly declared that l had followed Tom
| because of my love for him, in either
| case the stern and suspicious doctor would
! either obllge me to land at any port we
| had occasion to water at. or compel the cap
tain TO pass me into the first ship that would
! receive me.
! found an opportunity after the cuddy
breakfast things had been cleared away to
| write letter to Tom. | wrote in MY cabin,
and used the pencil and paper my cousin
| had given to me. While | wrote | hadFn OF
| felt SO tranquil In spirits, so easy, nay, so
| happy in my heart for months. Tom was
near me. Nothing but death OF ocean
| calamity could separate us till we arrived at
Tasmania, and then l should be in the same
| land with him, with opportunities that |
| could not now imagine; this writing was
| like talking to him. and the sweeter because
1t was secret; no governor would first read
my letter.
l wrote very small, in pencil, that might
| put much into narrow compass. ! told him
! OF the arrangements L had made before
| leaving home, why | had dressed as a bOy
| why had hid myself in this convict ship
| instead of following by a passenger vessel
| l gave him my reasons for desiring to con-
| tlnue as boy and wound up by begging
| him 10 keap up his heart TO be sure we
would be happy yet in the new land, and l
implored him to feel sasy as TO my situa-
| tiOn, my duties being light my berth COM
Portable, and my associates civil aud oblig-
ing.
l folded this letter into the smallest
square l could pack II into, and put ii into
my waistcOat pocket ready to Convey TO
Tom at some such another opportunity as
had befallen that morning. But as it
turned out the weather changed that day,
and for four successive DAYS il blew hard.
with ineessau rain, which often flashed in
whole sheets Of water betwiXt the reelng
masts, and not convict appeared on deck
except the messmen al meal times to pass
the food below.
During one of these wet and bowling days
when the ship, under small canvas, was
swinging over the hills of pallid water,
stood IN the recess under the break OF the
poop. My work was done; l had stepped
out to look at the snip before going to bed.
The vessel rushed through the night in
darkness. and the night itself Law black as
ink around the sea with a little fantuess
I over our maStheads asthough there was a
| moon there. l was about to go to bed when
| VIII came of the poop, and distinguishing
me in the light that lay on the cuddy win
| dows he screwed himself into q dark corner
and called. l went down the slope of deck.
II have been talking about you to the
| chief mate" said he. II have told him
| that BY an accident | have found nut VINO
| you are. | said your mothers name was
! Marlowe, and that your father in his life,
was n client of my fathers. Mr.. Bates
snppOses that your mother married cousin
of her own name. l told him that knew
that you were th oroughly respectable, and
that you had left y9Gr home because your
stepfatheT led you dogs life"
What was the good of your telling him
all thts~ said l. feeling very angry, though
l controlled myself. But | know how it'll
end; ynU'll talk aud talk till you betray me
and then that odous doctor will take the
first opportunity tn turn me out Of the ship ;
all that l have suffered and passed through
will 90 for nothing, and | shall lose sight Of
Tom and perhaps he separated from him
forever" and now / fit as if l must cry.
Don't talk Ike a fool, honey" said Will,
Il IN not going to betray you. | want TO 20
on he elping you as | heLed you from the
start but as l ought never TO have helped
you. How are you going to get any clothes -?
Think! Don't talk of the SlOp chest.
You're not on the articles; there'll not be a
farthing coming 10 Won; you've been
searched and, as YOU said yourself. it's out
OF the question you should produce money
now. VIII the captain trust a stowaway? !?
Of course not. So there's no slOp chest so
far as you're concerned. Yet how long
dye think those clothes Of yours are going
to hang upon your body, scrubbing and
messing about In them as you are all day
long? Aud when wear has turned them
into Irish pennaDts what are you going to
do for a shift of duds? Why, you must
come to me. of course. But how can l help
you il don't know you some such way as
to Justify me in taking an interest in you ?
Now 10 you see what | would be at?'' cried
he, giving me soft playful chuck under
the chin
Yes l understand now. l ask your par
don. You are clever and look ahead"
We'll. that's all right" said be, "and
now | shall be able TO give you shift Of
linen and to mode5tly rig you out. Most of
what's in my chest was given TO me by you.
Nobody can say word when it's under
stood that your father was client of the
old mans. Itil raise you in the general
esteem also. So say what you will, I've
done you q good turn this blessed night, and
now get to ted away out of this filthy
yowling. Look how sweetly it rainsI And
I've still three hours TO stand"
With that he made spring on to the
poop ladder and disappeared.
CHAPTER