The herald., 1894-03-20
A COXSWA.IN'S DEED.

at ISi-CQaG HIS never ySb DtoIA tOiu.
Every officer and nan who belonged
to the Chrysolite on that disastrous night
recollects, of course, that, while endeav-
oring in the darkness to storm the fort,
the captain fell, and that when our peo'
pie were driven back headlong to tha
boats he, with many others, was miss
ing. Every one remembers also that
when on the following morning the Chi
namen were shelled out of the place and
the blueiackets and marines again land
ed Captain Bellamy was found lying,
not where he had fallen. but couple
of hundred yards to the right, sheltered
on the side of the enemy by thickstone
wall
Ills left leg was smashed at the knee
by jingal bail, but around his thigh
was bluejacket's silk handkerchief,
neatly applied in such way that nickel
tobacco box placed beneath it effectively
compressed the femoral artery and
stopped the bleeding. Itwas well known
that both box and handkerchief had be-
longed to james Larch. the captains
cozswain whose dead body, with half a
dozen bullets through it, was found ON
the onemy's side of the same wall. Cap
tain Belamy himself acknowledged from
the first that be owed his life solely to
Larchs devotion and skill. Yet the
whole story has never yet been told.
Captain Bellamys recent death puts me
in possession Of his private journal, and
SO enables me to tell the tale.
When the Chrysolite was commission
ed at Portsmouth for the China station,
Captain Bellamy took house at Hong
Kong, and in due course Mrs. Bellamy
and her only daughter, Violet, followed
him thither. In tho second year of the
commission the Chrysolite was at Hong
Kong for several successive months, and
during that period the ladies came on
board nearly every day. There were
picnics on shore and water parties ahoat,
and if not on the Chrysolite then in the
house, or in the boats, or on the various
expeditions. James Larch, the captains
coxswain, was in continual attendance
upon Miss Violet and her mother. Vio-
let Bellamy was then barely is. In
England she had led a somewhat dull
life, and at HongKong she lost no time
in redressing the balance, of her exist
ence, which was by no means dull there.
1t was NOS perhaps her fault that ev-
cry officer of the garrison and Of thd
squadron was either in love with her or
was prepared to be, for she gave no spe-
cial encouragement to any one. On the
other hand, she discouraged no one. The
larger the number of her admirers the
greater was the enjoyment which she de-
rived from the situation. Among them
she was like child in q room full of
toys. Some she damaged, some she
smashed irretrievably, but without the
slightest malice or wickedness. She sim
ply had never realized the powers and
responsibilities of a very pretty face and
figure, supplemental by high spirits, un-
tiring activity and abundant health, and
although she spread ruin around her she
never for an instant intended to do harm
to anybody.
There were many who9uffered. Com
mander Corcoran of the flagship, Major
Browleigh of the Royal Bucks, Staff
Surgeon Bennett of the Bridport, Lieu
tenant Maplin in command of the Borer,
and at least half dozen sublieutenants
and midshipmen, besides army subal-
terms and civilians, were turned upside
down by Violet Bellamy. And if these,
who only encountered her at social func-
tions, were so seriously upset. it is little
20 be wondered at-when we recollect
that human nature is not confined to the
classes-that James, Larch was also over
balanced.
His associations with her were, though,
In one sense, more distant and more
purely conventional than those of any
gentleman in the colony, of privileged
character. He helped her to mount when
she went for ride, he wrapped her
cloak around her when she left the ball
room, he carried her hundred times
from the ships boat to the shore, or vice
versa, lest she might wet her feet. Her
breath had famed his face, her light
form had rested in his arms, and while
he never by word and seldom even by
look betrayed his feelings he neverthe-
less steadfastly, and with all his being,
worshiped her.
Larch was a young and smart petty
officer. AS such he had promising ca
reer before him, and no doubt he would
have been wise had he strictly minded
his own business and endeavored to be
content with the sphere in which it had
pleased Providence to place him. But,
like many of his betters, he went down
before Violet Bellamy.
1t was ut the beginning of the third
year of the commission that the Chryso-
lite was suddenly dispatched to Tsi-
Chau. There had been riot and a mas
sacre there, and Captain Bellamy was
ordered to teach the local mandarins
severe lesson.
One morning the Chrysolite arrived
off the place and sent in certain de-
mands. which, unless complied with in
bree hours. were to be enforced by
means OF the resources of civilization
The three hours elapsed, the demands
were not granted, and with absolute
punctnality the Chrysohts began to shell
tho fort from her G inch B. L. guns.
The Cinnamon laid low and did not re-
ply with so much ss single shot. Mis-
led by their silence, Captain BeEamy
after dusk had fallsn led ashore much
~eaker landing party than he would