The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-04-30

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t.es=ze.s- boats length ahead.
SS:s -. A young seaman
~ss= was stationed at
the helm. He was dividing his atten-
ton between the girl and tho black
object.
"Ready?" said he.
cay"
She had barred her brown, rounded
arms to the elbows and adjusted her
red cap that held in check her un-
ruly hair, and she now bent over the
bulwark, her hand outstretched in
readiness to seize the floating thing
as the smack skurried by.
"A black BOTTLE" she cried, and the
next moment she had it in her grasp
and was holding it aloft, the water
dripping from her arm. "Look,
steevie! wonder if there's anything
inside?"
"Stop bit, Lottie; we'll soon see. y
Stephen Armstrong fixed the tiller
and then sat down upon the deck at
Lotties side. The splendor Of the
sunset fell slantingly upon their
eager faces. The man looked OF the
bottle and then at the girl.
"It's tightly corked," said he.
Then he held it up between his
bright eye and the golden light.
'It's letter." said Lotto, pearing
over Armstrong; shoulder through
the glass. "Why don't you break it,"
\ He struck the bottle against the
bulwark and slip Of paper fell upon
: the deck at their feet At this mo-
ment the edge of the tarpaulin that
lay across the bow was cautiously
raised and red.besrded man looked
: out at them with drowsy eyes.
The girl picked up the crumpled
slip Of paper, hurriedly unfolded it,
and read as follows:
"In another half-hour I shall be
drowned. Here I'm Allyn, drove ashore
In dense fog on the East Saltwin Sands,
With fresh breeze ALLOWING from the
southeast. She was drove on to these
), sands at 4.90 a. m, about low water. The
tide Is rising now and breaking over my
craft, and I'm alone aboard The man
what finds this document solemnly axes
him my sole heir. In the cupboard Of the
aft cabin he'll find pile OF golden soyer.
eigns. For I'm an old miser-God pardon
me-and I've boarded my thousands for
no earthly good. A just punishment has
fallen upon mo at last.
"BEN TARBUcK, Captain"
Armstrong stared at his sweetheart,
Lottie Sanderson, in blank amaze.
Inent. For moment he was unable
to utter a word. At last he whispered:
'.It's the Phantom Tug-hush!" and
he glanced toward the tarpaulin. "No
word to anyone and our fortunes
made"
He buttoned up the scrap of paper
in the breast pocket Of his pilot coat,
and cast the broken bottle overheard.
Then he resumed his place at the
helm, and the smack went numbering
on its lacking course toward the shore.
The man beneath the tarpaulin lay
seemingly sound asleep until the
smack neared the entrance to Saltwin
harbor, when Armstrong shouted:
Delay there, Redshaw! Harbor
lightsn.'
The night had nearly closed in.
AS soon as the smack bad run into
the small harbor and brought along
side the stone quay, Armstrong went
ashore with his girl, leaving Redshaw
aboard. They made their way through
the town, and entering lane behind
the sheltering sand dunes, presently
came in sight of a cottage where light
showed in the window as if to welcome
them.
'Lottie," said the seaman, "the
Warren farms for sale. Twas Just
a-thinking what snug home it'd be
tor me and yoL".
"Ah, that was grandad' s once" said
the girl, "and now I come to think of
it, granny prophesied years ago that
the farm would be mine some day; and
she's wonderful gift O. prophesying,
sin't she, Steevie?"
Lottie had slipped her hand caress.
ingly into Steeyie's arm, and now
talked of all the surprising things they
would accomplish if this dream Of
wealth were only realized.
Presently they reached the cottage
door, and Lottie, raising the latch, led
the way into a well-furnished kitchen,
where fire gave out cheerful blaze.
An old woman was crouching in m
armchair beside the hearth. She
turned her blind eyes searchingly to-
ward them. Lottie ran forward, and
bending down greeted her tenderly.
As Armstrong took his seat at the
table, where the girl ma lie all haste to
lay supper, the young couple ex-
changed glance and q nod.
Granny" the seaman began, .sI'ye
q a = "