The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-30

darling such poignant grief. But
didn't. Instead ] drew her to my sid'
and kissed her tears away.
"Tell me all about it," said l sooth
ingly.
''Well, my father, as you are aware
was an agent i'm one of the banks o
Arlington, Victoria, and it seems hs
embezzled large sums of money belong
ing to the bank to speculate with. o
course he meant to replace it before th,
audit, when the deficit would have
been discovered. But he lost it all
and that is why he fled the country
''Is that all?'' said /, with sigh oI
relief. ats bad enough certainly, but
fail TO see that in itself it forms d
sufficient barrier to our union"
'But that is not the worst. My faith.
er is convinced that the police may
have traced him to Melbourne and tC
this ship. He declares he will be ar.
rested on landing"
Nothing more likely | thought.
But remarked casually, "Iias he any
plan TO suggest"
AYES, OH, yes, ifyou will only assist
him. But il seems too horrible To con-
template. He says il is his only chance
to escape"
"What is it them"
"That he should die and be buried
at sea-" she responded, with percep-
tible shiver.
"I don't understand"
ale proposes TO feign death. Then,
after he has been sewed up for burial,
we must find the means to liberate
him and substitute something else"
The daring audacity of the proposal
fairly took my breath away. If dis
covered, the consequences to me in
aiding and abetting felon to escape
would be disastrous. | resolve to have
nothing TO do with such criminal
proceeding, but look of entreaty from
those fearful eyes made me falter in
my resolution.
"For my saker' she murmured
pleadingly, placing her fair, white
hand on my arm.
Her touch thrilled me. | hesitated
no longer, bat gave an unwilling con-
sent. All, what folly will not a man
commit when in love,
Next day it was reported that Bran
don were seriously indisposed. took
out the medicine chest as in duty bound
and ordered the cabin steward to at
tend him. Three days later Mr.. Dram
don was reported dead.
When | was Informed of this, | en-
tered his cabin. He was lying in the
under berth, pale and motionless ~
death. felt the body. 1t was cold
and rigid. II this were not death, he
simulated il To perfection. L sent for
the sailmaker, who sewed the body up
in my presence. When his task was
completed, dismissed him, and secur-
ing the cabin door inside, with a sharp
knife ripped open the stitches. My
hand shook painfully. What if he
were really dead?
l confess to experiencing a singular
feeling of relief when the man opened
his eyes, and the resuscitated Brandon
sat up. / administered some brandy,
which helped to revive him. He quick
ly and noiselessly dressed himself.
Then he produced from an American
trunk dummy figure which he had
previously prepared and weighted and
inclosed il in the shroud. This he sew
ed up with his own hands. Not a
word was spoken by either of US.
When all was completed, l stepped
out to reconnoiter. Seeing the coast
was clear, signaled him, and he erept
swiftly across the passage into his
daughters cabin, where he concealed
himself.
In the first dog watch of the same
afternoon the bell commenced to toll
its solemn knell for the funeral of
Anthony Brandon. Officers and men
and passengers stood round me with
heads uncovered as / read from the
Book of Common Prayer the beautiful
and impressive burial service. God
forgive me, it was an awful mockery.
1 don't know how / got through with
it. Afterward / heard it commented
that | was much affected during the
service. Heaven knows l was, but
twas with guilt and fear.
After the funeral Brandon returned
to his own cabin, which was kept con-
stantly locked, and the key of which l
retained in my own possession. With
my connivanee Alice smuggled food to
him from day to day.
About two weeks afterward, while
proceeding up the channel under all
sail, we were hailed by tug. Antici-
pating danger, / slipped down the
eompanionway and conveyed Bran
don TO my own cabin for concealment.
When went on deck again, was just
in time to see see stout, We'll groom
ed party c!ambering over the vessels
side. Without any preliminaries he
brusquely demanded:
"Got passenger of the name of
Brandon on board?'
al had, stranger; / had"
He gaZed at me inquiringly.
"Come below, sir" said /.
AS We descended he explained that
he was detective sent in pursuit of
Brandon, who had absconded from
Australia with a considerable sum of
money and valuable negotiable securi-
ties. When he had produced his war
rant, | ordered the mate to fetch the
logbook. Under date the 18th January
he read this entry:
''Buried at sea in latitude 81 degrees
40 minutes N, 33 degrees l6 minutes
w. Anthony Brandon, cabin passen-
ger. Cause of death unknown"
He muttered something under his
breath which was quite unintelligible
to me. Then he demanded to see
Brandon's effects. / led the way into
his cabin. He ransacked every trunk
and portmanteau. but not vestige of
paper or anything of value did he dis
cover. The expression on his face