Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-27
bout to Chamber over when stopped

to think of it, there is no necessity Tor
your returning to the shore with me.
am sure you must feel that the dig
nifty OF her majesty's service demands
that you should remain in charge of
this vessel until the authorities at
Kingston can be informed of what has
occurred. You are leaving the ship in
opposition to your sense of duty, mere
~ out OF courtesy to me. But l won't
allow it. l viii go ashore with the
baby, and do you stay here till to-mor-
row. don't at all mind going alone,
and it will be comfort to me to think
that you are out here enjoying the dis
charge of an obligation which is not
the less dear to you because you hap
pen TO be on the retired list. Good
night,s
But the colonel had me on the arm
with grasp of iron.
IF it viii give you any satisfaction
to know that I have been and am
frightened pretty near out of my
Senses" said he, 'you are welcome to
the information. l would no more dare
stay here allnight alone than 5.
Oh, come on! Have you Yankees no
consideration for a chap when he's
DOWN.
MY dear colonel" returned r.
was just as much scared US You were;
all wished was to come to an under
standing. l don't believe that either
the British lion or the American eagle
will be a bit the worse for our spend
ing the night at your pen; so let us
shake hands and say no more about it,"
Since that night the colonel has been
less overwhelming and more compan-
ionable.
was up early the next morning, but
when I stepped out on the porch ]
found my host already there. He was
staring seward with blank expires.
sion, which remained on his face when
he turned to answer my greeting.
Look yonder!' said he, pointing to
the reef. Gone! She's gone. sir, by
Jovc! bag and scrip. Not chip of her
left"
looked, and neither on the reef nor
anywhere within the sweep of the
horizon could discern any trace of tho
mysterious vessel Of the night before.
Yet there had been no breath of wind
from then till now.
"she's gone" he repeated; "ana
Charles tells mo that the men have
been over there and say that there's
| nothing left Of her, either under water
or above it. Now, what do you make
of it?"
Colonel" replied, after pause,
''hnvc you got that baby still?"
"Indecd, have" cried the veteran.
Giles just dropped asleep, after get
ting good breakfast out of that
young Sally of mine, you know, who
ahcm Oh, yes I've got lin all
right"
Then we may take our own break
fast with free mind" said I. sit is
the way of ships to pass in the night,
and, for my part, think it was high
time for her to be off, don't your"
by Jove, my boy, that do" cried
the colonel, heartily; and, grasping my
hand, he led me in to breakfast; coffee
and rolls, and Q couple Of soft-boiled
eggs apiece. .
Just as we had finished, and were
thinking of retiring to our rooms to lay
aside our pajamas and start for the
beach, Charles modestly entered, bear
ing in his arms battered and water.
soaked fragment of old black plank,
with the half-effaced remains of some
inscription on it.
''De men find it on de beach dis
mo'nin', sah," he explained. "T'ink
it come off dc wreck, sab. Think you
might like to take a look at it, sab,
Massa Cun1, sah."
At the colonel's direction he placed
the fragment OH a chair, so that the
| light fell upon the writing. We set
ourselves to decipher it.
Looks to me like 'Vainquere,' eh?
| What do you make it?" said the
colonel, at length.
Il think it's La VALERIE an
swercd !. "Shc was one of Louis
Quatorzc's-er-court, you know"
81 fancy you've got it, assented he.
"And now l think OF it, La Valliere'
was the name of one of the ships OF
that scoundrcl DuCassc's tleet!'
Then that completes the chain OF
evidence. But don't you Think"
added, that, considering the circum.
stance, it will be just as well if we
doa't say anything publicly about this
affair. ! mean, better not e1Aer into
| details, and that sort of thing. Yop
see. we have no actual proof, even the
baby proves nothing, except to our
selves; and folks are apt to be skepti.
cal"
Il fully agree with you" returned
the colonel, earnestly. THE truth is.
l was going to suggest a little--eT--
prudence, myself. We know what we
know; and we don't want to be both.
cred with the questions and gucsscs ot
lot of asses who know nothing. by
the way, come in and have a look at
him. He's beauty, tell you! And
III lay you the odds he's no French,
man. Softly, now, or you'll wake him. y
We tip-toed in, and there he lay. pink
and soft, breathing gently, in his little
impromptu crib, with sable Sally grin
ming beside him.
Hes an Englishman, every inch of
| him. exclaimed the colonel beneath