The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-05-26

DIS weak Will, ana Dy the time sue
had reached the convent her friendly
heart had launched him forth on a Ca
reer of noble seamanship which could
have led to nothing short of an admir-
ars berth.
But alas! When she softly spoke
his name at the cell door, there was no
answer. She passed in and peered
! about. The room was empty. He
was gone. Had he been frightened
out of his uncanny hiding place or,
tired of waiting and hungry, had he
stolen away and made sure of his es-
cape from her unwelcome counsel aud
his own honest duty? Soberly and
slowly she walked back to the hotel.
Late that night the custom house
guards and fishermen lounging on the
quay were startled from theft drowsy
talk by boyish figure in white which
brushed past them and hurried to the
end of the wharf. His clothes were
dusty and stained, he breathed heav-
lily, and the eyes that glanced anxious
ly out over the black water to the ship
lying so quietly on its bosom were big
with fear.
Yes; there were still lights shining
out from the captains portfolios. Oh,
if he could only report to him and not
to that stern, pitiless executive officer!
He turned and gazed back past the
group of men and the sleeping city to
the hills from whence an unconquer-
able impulse had driven him, but
where still lay the escape for which he
longed. But then returned the words
which had been ringing in his ears all
day-from them there was no escape
"brave and loyal and true to his fiagr
Should ne be that single one who
proved unfaithful?
A flush covered his thin cheeks, and
following his last and best impulse he
turned quickly to the men and was
soon seated in the stern of little boat
which was taking him to a punish
ment honestly deserved, but bravely
met.
As the boat swung up alongside the
ship figure leaned over the railing
above and the officer of the deck called
out:
''Is that Cadet Blake?
"Aye, aye, sirp' answered Theodore,
stepping quickly up the gangway and
saluting.
"a trfle late, sirr' sneered the Off
Ger. "The captain left orders that if
you returned tonight you should re-
port Immediately to him."
"Aye, aye, sirn Saluting again,
the boy turned, with thankful heart,
toward his captains quarters. A pun
ishment, softened little by the cap
tain's compassion for the boys thin
cheeks and haunted, weary look, was
meted out to him, and patriotism re-
sumed its sway in his heart.
1t was no wonder that the next
morning when, seated proudly in the
stern of the captains gig in company
with the American consul. Dorothy
approached the Victory to pay her
first visit to a schoolship she was aston
ished at beholding the face of her "de-
serter" beaming down at her over the
bulging side of the great vessel, nor that
Ter establishment changed into utter
bewilderment when, after a delightful
hour spent in being shown about the
ship, she stepped on the gangway to
descend into the gig which waited to
take them ashore, the captain of the
Victory, with twinkle in his kindly
eyes, bowed low and saluted her as "a
fellow officer"
"For," he explained, "some of our
greatest naval captures have been
made on dry land"
Then she knew that Cadet Blake had
told him the whole story.-Grace L.
Johnson in Youths Companion.