The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-08-05

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night the future appeared 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
a glowing mass of golden trimmed
clouds on the horizon, when to my in
finite amazement she suddenly burst
into tears.
Darling, what is the matter?" /
exclaimed in an agony of apprehen-
sion.
"Oh, Alfred, have just heard such
n dreadful story from my father. /
shall never be happy again. We can
never be married now"
"Never be married?" I calculated
aghast. "Why?"
because my father is "a criminal.
Oh, / feel so miserable. 1 think 1
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" she sobbed
violently.
At that moment I was so mad that
felt half inclined to go down and
tear the old scarecrow out Of his berth
by the cuff of the neck and demand
what he had done to cause my darling
such poignant grief. But 1 didn't
Instead l drew her to my side.
"Tell me all about it," 1 said sooth-
ingly.
well, my father, as you are aware,
was an agent in one Of the banks in
Arlington, Victoria, and it seems he
embezzled large sums of money be-
longing to the bank to speculate with.
OF course, he meant to replace it before
the audit, when the deficit would have
been discovered. But he lost it, and
that is why he fled the country"
"Is that all?" said l, with a sigh of
relief. "It's bad enough, certainly,
but fail to see that in itself it forms
sufficient barrier to our union"
"But 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 ar
rested on landing"
Nothing more likely" I thought.
But remarked casually, "Has he any
plan to suggest"
Eyes, oh, yes, if You will only assist
him. But it seems too terrible to con-
template. He says it is his only
chance to escape"
"What is it, then?"
"That he should die and be buried
at SEAL she responded, with a per-
ceptible shiver.
II don't understand"
''He proposes to feign death. Then,
after lie 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 abettinS felon to escape
would be disastrous. I resolved to
have nothing to do with such Grim
inal proceeding, but look of entreaty
from those fearful eyes made me falter
in my resolution.
'For my sake" she murmured,
pleadingly, 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 man
commit when in love!
Next day it was reported that Bran
don was seriously indisposed. 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 en-
tered his cabin. He was lying in the
under berth, pale and motionless as
death. l felt the body; it was cold and
rigid. If this were not death, he sim
ulated it to perfection. / sent for the
sailmaker, who sewed the body up in
my presence. When the task was
completed ! dismissed him, and, Sc
curing the cabling door inside with
sharp knife ripped open the stitches.
My hand shook painfully. What if he
were really dead?
/ confess to experiencing n singular
feeling of relief when the man opened
his eyes, and the resuscitated Bran
don sat up. l administered some
brandy, which helped to revive him.
He quickly and noiselessly dressed
himself. Then he produced from
trunk dummy figure which he had
previously prepared and weighted,
and inclosed it in the shroud. This
he sewed up with his own hands. Not
word was spoken by either of us.
When all was completed L stepped out
to reconnoitre. Seeing the coast clear,
/ signalled him, and he crept 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 An
thony Brandon. Officers and men and
passengers stood round me with heads
uncovered as | read from the Book of
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