Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-04-13


easy, too. the men began to murmur
among themselves, and, all | could do
for the capt'n was the capt'n, and ID
know him afore, as | say, he was be-
witched-they rode rusty, and could
see a storm was brewing. | made bold
to warn the capt'n, and to speak
bit of my mind as to what was rank
ling with the men, but, bless my eyes,
| might as we'll have whistled to hur-
ricane. He had got SO used to having
his very wink taken for law, that he
would credit nothing of it, but laughed
in my face.
"WelI, to make long story short,
it come to head, and, though [ did
prevail on 'em to spare his life, it was
all could do, and it was as much as
they would, for, when the time come,
they seized him in his cabin, and ne
fought like q thousand devils; then,
when he saw what was meant-they
sent him adrift in his own boat-he
Just stood up and cursed the little
Daredevil from fore to stern, with that
scornful glare Of his, that turned q
mans blood in his body.
Twelve hours after that storm fell
that beat all over [ saw, at sea or
ashore, and our craft went to the bot
tom, with every soul aboard but my
self.
Ellis curse maybe, didn't stick SO
tight to the spar as helped me; but I'd
fearful time of it; bruised and bat
tered, and more dead than alive, when
| was thrown upon the rocks, where |
laid for four and-twenty hours, with
just enough life to make me wish
had gone to the bottom, like the rest.
Starvation was the next thing, for not
thing in the shape of food could l..
find on the blessed island but a few
roots, that I did not know but they
might be poison.
''Nigh a fortnight I dragged on in.
this way, and was at last took off by
Dutch trader, that had suffered u
loss Of hands herself in the storm, and
wasn't sorry to pick me up.
And from her got another berth,
and another, but Satan's own luck
has chung to me, and I've made no
way but was downhill; and, from one
thing to another, | made my way up
to London, and was on as a witness
for friend of mine that had got into
trouble, when | saw you at the police
court a bit since and heard who you
was.
"You can't blame me, | think, mis-
tress, all things considered, that |
should do my best for to find you out
and larn how the land lay; | should
have done it sooner, but have been
laid up myself since.
fnp + n Nav
gate had been the scene Of his tenn
porary indisposition, He had, we
may well suppose, softened many
passages of his narration which relat-
ed to himself, for the most hardened
ruffian shrinks from full confession.
''You said you knew that he, Saul
Meghorn, was still living?" Nelly said,
as the brief history was concluded.
ooh, ay, / forgot to tell you it was
at Batavia [ came upon him. and
wasn't more scared to see him than
he was to set eyes on me, for he knew
the brig was lost and thought all had
persisted. OF course / told him how |
had striven for to be let go with him,
and had fought for it, but the fellows
would not let me go; but he scowled
at me and seemed so inclined to bear
malice, that | made myself scarce and
slipped my cable Of the ship which |
belonged to, and that was the very
same he was coming off to England
in the next voyage"
us he in England, uhen?" asked the
woman, still mastering the revulsion
the fellow inspired by the desire she
felt to learn all that might affect her
destiny
Oh, ay; no doubt of that, was the
reply; "but it matters not to me;
we've squared all accounts; enough, if
he could do me an i'll turn, he would,
for he never forgets-not he;" and the
fellow glanced at the trembling woman
from under his shaggy black brows.
"But now, mistress, I've been trudg-
ing the streets these ten days past,
and am footsore and aching to boot;
I'd be glad to know what is the lodg
ing you'll give me for the night.
~ can offer you none," said Nelly,
fearfully. I have said so-this is my
only room; my child will be home in
a short time; | would not even have
her see you here. If you insist on re-
naming, [ shah be compelled to call in
help"
"And have me put out, eh?', he
sneered, " and in ten days from farth-
est you shall be claimnd by your low
ing husband, who, be sure, marin,
hasn't given you up-not by any
means"
TO BE CONTINUED.
Sea-sickness on Shore.
Condolences are among the oldest
things in life. The other day tried