The Banner-Democrat., 1898-06-18

TAI girl was standin.
:, M|I on the starboar,
+ WAN side of cutter
III ma\ rigged smack. He
T MAA\ gaze was fixed upol
EHaIH5MHj a small black objec
.MZz/H9zAlMHENIN that danced on tn
.1sSs.llH1 choppy waters
SSzs- boats length ahead
SgS9S@- A young seaman
was stationed q
the helm. He was dividing his atten
tion between the girl and the blacl
object.
"Ready?" said he.
"Ayv'
She had barred her brown, rounded
arms to the elbows and adjusted hel
red cap that held in check her un
ruly hair, and she now bent over The
bulwark, her hand outstretched il
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 Iwonder if there's anything
inside?'
"Stop bit, Lottie; we'll soon see. u
Stephen Armstrong fixed the tiller
and then sat down upon the deck at
Isottie's side. The splendor of the
sunset fell slantingly upon their
eager faces. The man looked at 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.
cts 1etter!" said Lottie, peering
over Armstrong; shoulder through
the glass. "Why don't you break it ?a
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 a red-bearded 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 a-lyin, drove ashore
in dense fog on the East Saltwin Sands.
with fresh breeze a-blowing from the
southeast She was drove on to these
sands at 4.3O 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 solemnlymakes
him my sole heir. In tho cupboard OF the
aft cabin he'll find pile of golden sover-
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 me at last.
"BEN TARBuoK. Captain"
Armstrong stared at his sweetheart.
Lottie Sanderson, in blank amaze
ment. For moment he was unable
to utter word. At last he whispered:
TITS 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 tacking 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:
"Belay there, Redshawl Harbor
lights"
The night had nearly closed in.
AS soon as the smack had 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, aud entering lane behind
the sheltering sand dunes, presently
came in sight of cottage where light
showed in the window as if to welcome
them.
'Lottie," said the seaman, 'sthe
Warren farms for sale. was Just
a-thinking what snug home it'd be
for me and you"
s'Ah, that was grandad's once" said
the girl, ''and now come to think of
it, granny prophesied years ago that
the farm would be mine some day; and
she's wonderful gift o. prophesying,
amt she, Steevie?"
Lottie had slipped her hand caress-
ingly into Steevie'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 n well-furnished kitchen.
where fire gave out cheerful blaze.
An old woman was crouching In an
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 male all haste to
lay supper, the Young compile ex-
changod q glance and nod
s'Granny" the seaman began, "I've
brought you BIZ q pewD--styangs