Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-08-22

from nome, and the lots or English
girls we know. Hey for the maids OF
merry, merry England. Wouldn't it
be grand if we got to Hong Kong IN
time for tie wedding?"
Nv hats the owners name?" I asked.
"Lord Gilmour. A jolly young chap.
Has grand shooting and great place
somewhere near Glasgow
81 want to see you minute, Paddy IS
looked around and Bescoby was at
my elbow. He was strangely pale. and
his eyes wore a wild and unnatural
expression.
Paddy" he said, as he stood 1T one
of the starboard ports, there is some
thing awfully wrong. 1 know this
Lord Gilmour. It was at his house l
staid. 1t was there l met Nora. And
he was attentive to her, 1 remember,
but she did not seem to care about him.
And now she is on this yachting cruise
with him. And ne is engaged to some
one on board. Oh! Paddy, know
there is something wrong!''
Nonsense, belay all that stuff"
said cheerily. "If Nora is on board,
which is not proba BILE, there are other
Irish girls in the world, and 1T does
not follow that the Scotchman is en-
gagged to her.
Bescoby lost no time in confirming
his suspicious. met him on the bund
ashore few hours afterward, and he
told me that he had seen one of the
yachtsmen, and got the whole story
from him.
The false Nora was soon to become
Lady Gilmour, and she had thrown her
midshipman lover completely over
board.
81 met her, Paddy" the poor fellow
said land she smiled at me and shook
hands, but it was as if 1 was a pleasant
acquaintance and nothing more Lord
Gilmore was quite friendly and spoke
Of the shooting and invited me on
board. I had only one chance to speak
you forgotten?' And she laughed and
said with the air of a. woman of the
world: You silly boy; 1 want you to
forget all that nonsense But it is all
over now. I will never see her again.
Never, never!''
''Bosh," said I, Shaping him on the
back; you'll get over all this. Why,
that girl that saved my life in Liner
ic<, and who swore was the only man
she ever loved was married aweek aft
"a w al u " q wealthy ndO
the impudence to send me her wedding
cards.
But all this well-meant consolation
had no effect upon my friend, and 1
was glad when we got underway and
pointed for the Straits of Sunda. Bes-
CODY went about his duty in dull,
mechanical sort of way, and even the
fellows who used to persecute him
most had respect for his dependency,
although they knew not the cause. He
never mentioned the name of his false
sweetheart again, and l avoided all
reference to the subject.
I was in the second hour of a deli
cious sleep a few nights afterward
when some body grasped me violently
by the arm and shook me.
'Rouse up, sir; rouse up" cried Cog
Thompson, hurriedly. II think there
is something wrong with Mr.. Bescoby.
He is aloft on the mizzen royal, and 1
sent one of the boys after him, and the
boy came back and said he was talk
ing to himself and muttering some
thing about ST. Elmo's light, and 1 am
afraid, sir, that he is out of his mind"
While was hurriedly putting on my
trousers the marine told me that that
first on the main truck, and that
another ball of fire had rested for a
moment on the end of the mizzen royal
yardarm. The minute Mr.. Bescoby
saw this he had rushed aloft and laid
out on the yard. Filled with appre-
hension came on deck and started
quickly up the weather rigging
There was a heavy swell on and the
ship was rolling considerably. L
stopped at the mizzen topmast cross
trees and sung out, softly:
Hello, Bescoby! Lay down here for
moment. I've got something to tell
you"
He did not reply, but kept talking TO
himself, SO 1 began the ascent of the
topgallant rigging. AS the ship rolled
heavily to Leeward I saw his figure
outlined against the duslxy sky, and I
heard him say in a peculiarly dull but
distinct monotone:
81 have found the light at last, Nora.
have kept my part of the promise. Is
your spirit near me now?"
Again the big ship rolled to leeward
and the end of the royal yard was lift
ed up to the clear patch of sky. But
there was no one there. Poor Bescoby
had either sprung or fallen overheard.
I shouted to the quartermaster to put
the wheel hard down, and as the ship
came shaking up in the wind jumped
to the top-gallant backstay and slid
rapidly to the deck. The boat was at
once. lowered awav and then another