Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12

tered they quivered and slowly opened.
Their glance. dark and penetrating, rested
on us for an instant, and then they closed
once more. A faint sigh stirred the lace
upon her bosom, and she lay still.
By her side lay an infant, not more than
a few weeks old The little creature rested
on it's back; its plump little legs and arms
were kicking and brandishing in air. Its
eyes We're tightly shut; but as we stared
upon it they opened, and it uttered
| quavering cry-the cry Of baby just
emerging from sleep and in want or It's
natural nourishment.
BLESS my SOUL" faltered the honest
colonel "Bless my soul! A live baby, in
the midst of all this!'
was already cold and there was no pulse.
Her beautiful face changed even as we
stood there; it became pinched and cadav-
erous. The figure seemed to sink into it
self and wither up. 1t was if she had
been miraculously preserved during I'M
known years. until her infant should be
saved. But the infant-he was real and
substantial; he did not dwindle and VANISH
before our eyes. The colonel, however,
! seemed to fear that he would, for he
caught him up in his arms and pressed
him to his manly but tender old heart.
ut makes me feel like a man again to
get hold of it," quoth he, in a shaken voice,
while two tears ran down the side or MS
warlike nose. Here's real piece of warm
flesh and blood at last, after all this infer
l,al hobgoblinry. Do, for mercy's sake, let
us get out of this before we get turned in
to mummes and hobgoblins ourselves
looked again at the mother. what
fate had been hers! Who was she? How
came she hither? Had her eyes, indeed, be-
held us before she died, or was that an IL
fusion of our bewildered senses? What
had her life been on this accursed vessel?
Who was the father of this child which
she had cherished till the end? All. well,
1t Is the doom of man to ask questions
and to guess at the answers. what DO we
"Yes. we had better CO." said l. "The
sooner that baby has some woman to look
after him the better. His mother will rest
here one night more. and We will return
in the morning. May she rest in peace,
whoever she vast!
We mounted the deck, the colonel bear
ing the baby, who took the change in his
circumstances very composedly. 1t was a
relief to breathe the free air again. The
| moon had risen higher, and now shone
| quietly over the deck and the dusky heaps
| of mortality that lay upon 1t seemed no
more than shadows of the past. We
| crossed over the spot where the fallen
| ratlines hung from the bulwarks. and the
! colonel was about to Chamber over when l
| stopped him.
Colonel Enderby." said. NOW I come
| to think of it, there is no necessity for
your returning to the shore with me. !
| her majesty'S service demands that you
should remain in charge of this vessel I'M
til the authorities at Kingston can be in
| formed of what has occurred. You are
leaving the ship in opposition to your
sense of duty, merely out of courtesy to
me- But l won't allow 1t! 1 will go
| ashore with the baby, and do you stay here
! till tomorrow. 1 don't at all mind going
alone, and it will be a comfort to me to
| think that you are out here enjoying the
| discharge of obligation which is not
the less dear to you because you happen
to be on the retired list. Good night!'
But the colonel had me on the arm with
a grasp of iron.
'If it will give you any satisfaction to
/ fright
ened pretty near out of my Senses" said
he, you are welcome to the informa-
night alone than Oh come on!
| Have you Yankees no consideration for
chap when he's DOWN."
MY dear colonel" returned I. II was just
as much scared as you were; all wished
was to come to an understanding. I don't
believe that either the British lion or the
American eagle will be bit the worse for
our spending 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 companionable.
1 was up early the next morning. but
when 1 stepped out on the porch l found
| my host already there. He was staring
| seward with blank expression, 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 Jove! bag
and scrip. Not a chip of her left
| I looked. and neither on the reef nor any
could l discern any trace of the mysterious
vessel of the night before Yet there had
been no breath of wind from then till now.
| shes gone" he repeated land Charles
tells me that the men have been over there
and say there's nothing left of her. either
under water or above it. Now, what do
| you make of it?'
Colonel" replied after pause 'hayc
you got that baby still?"
| "Indeeds l have" cried the veteran
Hes just dropped asleep, after getting a
good breakfast out of that Sally of mine.
you know. who-ahem! Oh, yes-Tve got
| him all rightv
"Then we may take our own breakfast
with free mind.'' said I. TT is the way Of
| ships to pass in the night, and. for my
| art. think it was high time for her to
! be off, don't your
by Jove. my boy, that dor cried the
colonel, heartily: and grasping nv hand.
he led me in to breakfast; coffee and rolls,
and a. couple of soft-boiled eggs apiece
Just as we had finished and were think
| ing Of retiring to our rooms to lay aside
our pajamas and start for the beach,
| Charles modestly entered, bearing in his
arms battered and watersoaked 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',
sab" he explained. 'Tink it come off de
wreck sab. Think you might like to take a
look at it, sab. Massa Cun1 sah.'
| At the colonePs direction he placed the
fragment on chair, so that the light fell
upon the writing. We set ourselves to de-
| cipher it.
| Looks to me like 'Vanquere,' Ell: What
| do you make of it?" said the colonel at
| length.
| II think it's La VALERIE" answered L
| ''She was of Louis Quatorzes-er-
| court you know"
Il fancy you've got it, assented he "And
! now l think of it, La VALERIE was the
name of one of the ships of that scoundrel
| DuCaSsa's fieetH'
Then that completes the chain Of evil
dence. But don't you think" added, that
| considering the circumstances it will be
| just as well if don't say anything pub
| licIy about this affair." l mean better not
| enter into details, and that sort of thing.
You see. we have no actual proof; even the
| baby proves nothing. except to ourselves;
and folks apt to be skeptical.'
| II fully agree with YOU" returned the