Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1897-09-04

and calling Julia and her brother into
the morning room told my tale
Before Begin" said steInly, ~
want to say one thing. This story l am
in honor bound not to tell to the report
ers Can you promise me that it shall
never pass these walls?"
Eyes, 4" they said. They would prom
ise
''Then," said, Sin the first place l
did not return in the Etruria."
why. Harry!' Julia cried in aston
ishment. "You said you did"
Eyes" l said, 1--WE are sometimes
compelled to deceive the crowd" And
l felt meaner than any cur.
Another thing must tell the report
ers and owners of the Ella, and that is
that l did not 60 abroad in that vessel.
But, Harry, darling, you did. -
Eyes, yes, hut wait until l tell my
story. We had been out about eight days
when terrible storm came up"
Il thought it was the eleventh day."
my brother-in- law said.
GO 1t lasted until the twelfth day."
returned. 1.-THE ship was driven this
| way and that, and, as you know am
| not good sailor, was wretchedly i'll.
l could hear masts breaking and screams
and cries, and then the order for every
one to come on deck and the order to
man the boats, but l was so i'll rather
hoped | should go to the bottom, so I
lay still in my berth. In the morning
the storm seemed to have abated, al
though there was a terrific swell on the
ocean. l crawled up on deck and found
that l was on deserted ship, and it
was slowly sinking.
Il ran up and down and presently
found a small boat, which lowered
over the side. The ship was so far down
in the water now that there was no diff
ficulty in my leaping in, notwithstand-
ing the great swell The next wave
took me far out of reach of the sinking
ship. and almost before l could realize
it was i'll that tiny craft, alone among
the terrible. mountainous waves. l had
not had time to think of food, and there
was not even a drop of drinking wa
ter in the boat. I could contemplate
fate but horrible starvation. l did not
think should drown, as the water was
growing stsller every hour, At last
lay down to sleep. 1 must have SLEPT
several hours, for when / awoke the
waves were rolling under the sun, anC
almost upon me was a large, handsome
schooner yacht.
They had seen me, and even as
looked they were sending boat out.
81 imagined, Of course, that it wa
| tho 1,1ooCnra Enof IF Itch, n,
American plutocrat until / had board
ed her and been taken into the cabin
Instead Of the magnifcence of private
yacht found plain rough cabin pilet
with cases Of goods and cigars. 1t wa
palpable, plain, undisguised smuggler
"The man to whom it seemed was t.
be submitted was a big, handsome
blond fellow, with heavy frown, bu
| most pleasant smile.
"He began business at once as soon a
the sailors left us.
) "'Who are you?' he asked.
} 81 told him.
Il am not very glad to see you, h
said quietly.
"'That's strange, I said. I am aw
fully glad to be here
Mr. Duane, the man said, 'yo,
J consider an oath binding. presume
:" I do.
: Well, now,' he said, taking
greasy, worn old Bible off the table,
shall have to ask you to swear on thi
, book that if we take you to shore yo7
will never tell how you were saved
, otherwise we shall be compelled to pu
you adrift again.
, "And swore. do not consider that
g am violating my oath in telling 20
! this, as it will prevent painful misun
, derstandings. Sooner or later it mus
0 come out that l did not arrive i'll tn
Etruria. Other people can think a
they please, but you''-
j, My wife kissed me.
: ''The smugglers landed me at pr
7 vate yacht wharf out of New York, an
| came On home.
. "And did the voyage cure your in
somnia, Harvey, dear?" Julia asked.
, Eyes" said Il think it is cured
! That has been several months age
but never take up a paper without
deadly fear that there may be news Q
!, some survivor of the Ella. Maybe
! didn't go down. What am going t
do then?