People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-05-14
"And no trace was ever found Of

II
"But about this visitors book. You'll
swear they took it with them? See,
there's not a stain of salt water upon
It"
No. there isn't; but I'll swear young
Mr.. Blake had it in his hand as he went
from my door"
said: "Mr. Job, I've kept you al
ready too long from your dinner. Go
and eat. and ask them to send in some
thing for me. Afterwards twant you
to come with me and take look at
my yacht that is lying just outside Of
the haven"
As we started from the shore Mr..
Job, casting his eyes over the Siren,
remarked: That's very pretty yawl
Of yours, sir" As we drew nearer he
began TO eye her uneasily.
"She has been heightened some five
or six feet" said; "she was cutter to
begin with"
Lord help u.s." then said Mr.. Job, in
hoarse whisper. "She's the Queen of
Sheba. I'd swear TO her run anywhere
-sy, or to that queer angle of her
hawse-holes."
A close examination confirmed Mr..
Job that my yacht was no other than
the lost Queen Of Sheba, length
ened and altered in rig. II per-
suaded me, too. | turned back to
Plymouth, and leaving the boat in
Cattwater, drove to the Millbay station
and took tickets for Bristol. Arriving
there Just twenty-four hours after my
interview with Mr.. Job, ] made my way
to Mrs. Carlingford's lodgings
She had left them two years before;
nothing was known Of her where
abouts. The landlady could not even
tell me whether she had moved from
Bedminster, and so | had to let the
matter rest.
But just fourteen days ago l received
the following letter, dated from a
workhouse in one of the midland
counties:
DEAR SIR: l am dying woman and shall
probably be dead before this reaches you.
The doctor says he cannot give me forty
eight hours. II is angina pectoris, and suffer
horribly at times The yacht you purchased
OF me is not the Wasp but the Queen Of
sheba. NJ husband designed her. He was a
man OF some property noar Limerick; and he
and my son were involved in some Of the Irish
troubles between 1881 and 1884 1t was said
they had Joined one OF the brotherhoods and
betrayed their oaths. This am sure was not
true But It is certain we had to run for fear
OF assassination After o year in Liverpool
we were forced TO fly south TO Port William
where we brought the yacht and lived for
some time in quiet under our own names
But we knew that could not last and had taken
measures 10 escape when need arose. Ny
husband had CHANGED while at Liverpool upon
an old yacht dismantled and rotting In the
Mersey, but OF about the same size as his
own, and still. Of course upon the register
he bought her OF her owner, Mr.. CARING
ford and stranger, for a very few pounds,
and with her-what he valued far more-her
papers; but he never completed the transfer
OF the custom house. His plan was, II pressed,
10 escape abroad and pass his yacht OF as the
Wasp and himself as Mr.. Carlingford. All the
while we lived at Port William the Queen OF
shebs was kept amply proyisioned for o voy-
age OF OF least three weeks. when the ne
cessity overlook US quite suddenly-the name
Of q man, Mcguire, In the visitors book OF a
small inn Of Penleven. We left Penleveu at
dusk that evening and held steadily up the
coast until darkness Then we turned the
yachts head. and ran straight across for Nor
LAX; but the weather continuing fine for q
good fortnight four first night OF sea was the
toughest in oil this time), we changed our
minds, cleared Ushsnt and held right across
for Vlgo; thence, after revictualing. we
cruised slowly down the coast and through the
straits finally reaching MalFga. There we
staid and had the yacht heightened. Ny hus-
band had sold his small property before ever
we cams to Port William and had managed 10
invest the whole under the name OF CARING
ford. There was no difficulty about letters Of
credit At each port on the way We had shown
the Wasps papers. and used the name OF
Carlingford: and at Lisbon we read in an Eng
lish newspaper about thr supposed cspsiZing
OF the QUEEN OF Sheba still we had not only
10 persuade the officials at the -arious ports
that our boat was the Wasp We knew that
our enemies we're harder 10 deludc. and our
next step VIA 70 make her as unlike the
Wasp or tie Queen Of Sheba as possible. This
we aid BY lengthcning her and altering her
rig But 1t proved useless. as had always
fesred 10 would. The day after we sailed from
Malaga, SSpanish-speaking seaman, whom va
hsd hired there % extra hand, came aft % II
70 speak 10 my husband who stood ct tho
wheel), and, hating pace or two from him.
lifted Q revolver, called him BY name and
sAot him dead Before be could turn.
my son hsd knocked him senseless, and Ii
smother minute tumbled him overheard We
buried my husband In the sea, next day. We
held on. We too alone, past Gibraltsr-I steer
Ing and my son handling all the sails-snd ran
% for Csdiz There We made deposition OF
our Losses. inventing . story 70 sccount for
tasm, sHd my son took the train for Paris. for
We knew that our enemies had tracked tho
yacht, and there would be no escape for him II
he olung 10 her. / waited for SIX days. and
thsa engaged Q crew and worked the yacht
back 10 F. IhAve never since set eyes on
my son; bot hs IA alive. and bis hiding Il
known 10 myself and 10 one man only-s mem
Der Of the brotherhood. who surprised the so
ores- To keep that man silent spent all my
remaining money; 70 quiet him had 70 sell
the yacht; and now that money, too, Is gomez
and an dying In workhouse. God help myl
sonl fdeceived you, and yet think did you
70 grea, wrong. The yacht ! sold you was my
own, and abe vas worth the money The 1e-
ures on the beam we're cut there BY my hus-
band before We reached vigo, 70 make the
yacht correspond with the Wasp's certificate.
II I have vronged you implore your pardon.
Yours truly CATHERINE BLAKE"
Well, that is the end of the story. II
does not, | am aware, quite account
for the figure l saw standing by the
Sirens wheel. As for the Wasp, she
long since rotted to pieces on the
waters Of the Mersey. But the ques-
ton Is: Have l right TO sell the
Siren2 I certainly have right TO
keep her, for she is mine, sold TO me In
due form ny her rightful owner, and