Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-15
In tho ,-,Sb both Tho hrpshu Wood fro

and the solitary lamp had been extin-
guished: consequently the cavern, with
the exception OF n glimmcr of daylight
Mt the end next the sea. was in dark
ness.
The faithful little fellow who had
rendered Ernest such good service,
dragged him close TO the rocky wall of
the cavern. and there the two covered
until the rush was past.
AS the soldiers came back the young
squire called out, in a feeble tone. for
nelp.
"Hullo. there's a niger alive said
n who heard him, as he brought his
bayonet ready to give a final thrust.
Ernest saw the glimmer of the faint
light upon the steel.
For heavens sake. desist.' he cried.
Il am an Englishman.'
AT that moment the officer in charge
of the avengers came up. and TO him
ernest told his story. not forgetting to
ensure protection for tie z lad
who bad saved his life.
it was a marvellous. nay. an almost
incredible story he had to relate: but
his manner and mode of speech con-
WINGED the officer that he spoke the
truth.
But he was still too weak to walk;
and The question arose as TO how he
was to be removed from the cavern
A rude litter was hastily constructed.
and, by meal of ropes. Ernest was
raised to the level of the earth. closely
followed by the faithful negro lad.
who appeared to have conceived a real
affection for him.
After two days Ernest found himself
,n a H...It IA,t a-Ar n -. g. Il.
furnished room, the windows of which
looked across the broad expanse of
water known as Carlisle Bay.
His first inquiries were for England
bound ships, but respecting them he
could receive no satisfactory intelli-
geLce
There was no fixed time for their
sailing. and there appeared to be a
great deal of doubt as to how long he
might have to wait for a passage
home.
AS he lay in his chamber he anathe-
matiZed his misfo.tunes.
From the hour in which he left his
Aunt Agatha's house, after receiving
from her the jewels, nothing but mis-
haps had occurred.
1t seemed as If fate had. indeed, de-
termined TO put obstacles in the way
Of his union with May Rivers. But
his affection for her never wavered-
she was ever-present in his mind. and
her image was craven too deeply on
his beart TO be easily effaced. 1t was
well for him, perhaps, that she did not
know how much she who mhe loved
so well was in need of him.
Had he known the troubles and dan
gers which beset her on every side
could he have but guessed her misery
and agony of Spir1t-he would have
chafed until the fever might have re-
turned. and he. perhaps. would have
found a grave in a foreign land. with
no friend TO soothe him in his last mo-
ments-no loving hand to close his
eyes-no gentle mourner TO follow him
to his last home.
The negro lad to whom he owed so
much was his only friend-and him he
determined to take with him to Eng
land. He purchased him from his own
or. rechristened him Caleb. and fitted
him out as his pwn servant: in return
for all of which. the poor black lad
was at Il loss how best 10 show his
gratitude.
He followed his new master about
like a dog. and was never so happy as
when fulfilling his commands.
For many weeks after Ernest Hart
rey had recovered his health and
strength. he had TO wait before he
could obtain Il passage in a homeward-
bound ship; but, after n long. weary
time of expectation and hope deferred.
the good ship Silver Crescent, bound
for Plymouth, put into Carlisle Bay for
repairs, and in her the young squire
and the black seryant-slave M longer
obtained berths for passage to Eng
land.
No words can describe the JOY with
which Ernest Hartrey turned his back
upon the LAND that was hateful to him,
nor how gleefully he hailed the idea of
returning to his darling May; and
when the anchor vas raised, the sails
set. and the Silver Crescent left the
harbor with a fair wind, his spirits
rose SO that Caleb wondered what
could have caused the great change i'll
his masters amer.
He laughed. and joked ard sang with
the mcrriest on board-for he was now
fairly on his way to her he loved, and
in whom al his hopes were conferred.
His trials and troubles were ut an end.
or nearly so; and in a few weeks he
WOulu DE Ill EnEIaHu 10 HHu MAY
What would he find her?
The wife of John Gridley?
Or would he have to search for her
in the ~graveyard-to look upon the
newly-erected tombstone. and read
how. at the age of twenty years. May
Rivers had been cut down by the An
gel of Death?
Such thoughts as these, however,
luckily never entered his head.
He only thought of her charming.
pretty. merry and blooming. as he had
seen her that day upon which he told
her of his devotion to her, and learned
from her trembling lips that she re-
| turned his love with all the power Of
her affectionate little heart.
On sped the Silver Crescent, dashing
| the spray from beneath her bows; and
for every fresh bound over the waves
of the Atlantic Ernest Hartrey's heart
gave a corresponding leap. for it took
him so much the neare TO her whom
ne loved better than all the world be-
side.