The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-24
: BRANDONS DAUGHTER. Z
An Old Captains Story.
An Old Captains Story.


sang. An. those were happy days; it
was heaven while il lasted.
/ have scarcely mentioned her father
yet. The fact is. was so cngrossed
with his beautiful daughter that I
didn't pay so much attention to him
as perhaps | ought. At the best he
was a saturnne. LnsoCiable sort of
person, who seemed to prefer his own
company to other peoples. When not
in his own cabin. where he spent most
of his time. he was walking with his
hands Clasped behind him, apparently
in deep thought, in the waist of the
ship. Sometimes. when standing idlv
at the break of the poop. | have caught
myself wondering ii he had ever CON-
mitted a crime, the remem brance OF
which was weighing heavily on his con-
science | was destined soon to learn
more about him.
one evening, when about nine weeks
out, ! was sitting in the chart house
alone with my idol. The second mate
was stepping the rlanks outside, old
JobsOn was at the wheel away behind
us. and the watch on deck were loung-
ing about forward. Some days pre-
VOus to this / had had the temerity
to confess my love to her, and asked
her to be my wife. She had made me
inexpressibly happy by promising, SUBJ
ject to my obtaining her fathers con-
sent. This, after some demur. he had
granted, and that night the future ap-
peared very bright for me.
We had been sitting silent for some
time, too happy for words. gazing on
the setting sun as it disappeared into
d glowing mass of Golden-rimmed
clouds on the horizon. when. to my
infinite amazemert she suddenly burst
into tears
Darling, what is the natter" eS-
claimed in an agony of apprehension.
"Oh, Alfred, l have just heard such
a dreadful story from my father.
shall never be happy again. We can
never be married now"
Never be married." | calculated,
aghast. why"
Because my father is IA criminal
oh, feel so miserable think | shall
throw myself overboard!"
Alice, for heavens sake don't talk
like that. or you'll drive me mad. What
has he done?"
Something dreadful. Oh, don't speak
to me any more" and she SObbed yi0-
lently.
At that moment ! was so mad that 7
felt half inclined to go down and tear
the old sCareCroW out of his berth by
the cuff of the neck and demand Whar
the deuce he had done to cause MY
darling such poignant grief. But l
| didn't. Instead, | drew her to my side.
and kissed her tears away.
Tell me all about it," | said. sooth-
inGly.
We'll, my father, as you are aware,
| was an agent in one of the banks In
! Arlington, Victoria. and it seems he
| cmheZZled large sums of money be-
longing to the bank to speculate with.
| or course. he meant to replace il he.
fore the audit, when the deficit would
! have been discovered. But he lost L.,
I and that is why he fled the country." ."
! rs that ALL" said |, with a sigh of
! relief, ITS bad enough, certainly, but
I | fail 10 see that i'm itself it forms a
/ sufficient barrier To our union"
/ Pat that Is not the worst. My
( father is convinced that the police
! may have traced him to Melbourne and
! TO this ship. He declares he will be
arrested on lansing"
Nothing more likely" | thought.
/ But | remarked casually; Has he any
! plan to suggl st?"
Yes oh. yes If you will only assist
| him. Rut it seems too horrible to con-
! template. He says it is his only chance
! of escape"
What is it, them"
! THAT he should die and be buried at
! seal" she responded with a perceptible
| shiver.
| II don't understand"
He proposes to feign death Then.
/ after h. has been sewn 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 discov-
| cred, the consequences To me in aiding
aud abetting a felon to escape would
| BE- disastrous. ! resolved to have MOTH
| inE to do with such a criminal pro-
ceeding, but a look of entreaty from
those fearful eyes made me falter in
| my resolution.
For my sake" she murmured, plead
ingly, placing her fair white hand on
my arm.
Her touch thrilled me, / hesitated
/ no longer, but gave an unwilling con-
sent. All, what folly will not a man
commit when in love!
Next day it was repirted that Bran
don was seriously indsposed, l TOOK
| out the medicine chest as in duty
bound, and ordered the cabin steward
to attend him. Three days later Mr..
| Brandon was reported dead
When | WAS informed of this I On.