Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-11-10

he paid assiduous court to Sir Jasper,
with the hope of getting him to make a
will in his favor.
But the old baronet mistrusted him
and, partly with the object of baking his
expectations, partly with the desperation
of those who hope against hope, chung to
the idea that his son still lived.
Then Rufus would curse his lack of
courage in that he had never dared test
his powers Of lying SO far as to tell Sir
Jasper that he was present at the death of
the SO called Harry Denzil.
In default of the necessary will he had
drawn up q document on his own account,
duly signed with an excellent imitation
Of Sir Jasper's signature and attested to
by the forged signatures of kindred
spirits whom on one occasion he had
brought down to visit Sir Jasper.
Truly Rufus Denzil had plenty to think
of as he sat in the billiard room Of Mount
Royal and listened to the raging of the
storm without.
Boom!
He started from his chair and tore back
the curtains.
From the blackness over the sea q thin
red line Of fire crawled up to the sky.
"Great heavens! A ship on the
Hangerl' he whispered to himself.
Boom!
The crash of a second signal gun rolled
down on the wind.
Rufus Denzil's knees knocked together.
He was not greatly concerned for the
people on the ship, but his nerves were out
of order, and the idea Of the neal neigh
horhood of a catastrophe Jared upon his
system.
He gulped down a glass Of raw spirits,
then rushed out into the hall.
Sir Jasper was working his way into
his overcoat, Notwithstanding the en-
treaties of John Tregony.
LET him have his own way, Tregony,"
said Rufus, who had a lingering hope
that Sir Jasper might at last catch his
death of cold.
But he noticed with dismay that Sir
Jasper ran like a young nan as they raced
through the grounds toward the lifeboat
house on the beach.
sits a liner ashore on the Hanger!'
shouted some n
"God help themr' cried the wailing
voice of a oman "Now, doan't thee go,
Tom-doan't thee go out tonight
The lifeboat men hesitated. They knew
the hell Of waters that boiled on the
Hanger only too well, for it had claimed
toll on the lives of the brave lads Of Mount
Royal of every generation within the
memory of man.
Besides it was hard to contemplate
death, wet and cold, with three women
hanging around them.
Now, boys!' said the butler, coolly
pulling on a suit of oilskins over his black
tail coat and white expanse of shirt front,
who's a-comin for a sail with John
Tregony? Single men first, please, and
doan't all speak at once!"
Then II fishermen whose names began
with "Tre" elected to face death by
drowning rather thar to allow themselves
beaten by a butler man, even though he
were a Tregony.
Sir Jasper wanted to go, too, but two 6
foot fishermen took him gently, and with
many apologies, by the collar Of his coat
and thrust him into the shelter of the
%boathouse.
"Noa, noa, Sir Jasper. Let the young
sters have a chance O. distinguishin them
selves" said they in tones that betrayed
their pride in their brave old lord.
The lifeboat slid out into the white mist
Of the sea and was gone.
Half an hour elapsed, while the women
wept quietly under the lea of the boat
house.
Then a mighty roar of joy went up
from the crowd as the massive bows of the
lifeboat plunged out of the darkness and
ground upon the beach.
One by one the forms of women and
children were handed out.
Bring them up to the house!'' said Sir
Jasper, picking up the insensible form Of
q small boy and striding off through his
strawberries.
notwithstanding his age, he distanced
every one and with o limp figure in his
arms strobe up the steps into the hall.
He laid the boy on the table, then
started back with a cry.
MY boy! my boy! Come home at
lastr'f
Then the older servants saw that the
i white face upon the table was that of the
Master Harry who had reigned tyrant alb
solute Of Mount Royal 80 years ago. Pres
emily the boy sat up.
He expressed no surprise at the old gen.
tleman who was crying and kissing his
hands. He said that his name was Jasper
Denzil, and that his papa and mamma
were in the lifeboat. He guessed that they
had had a mighty near squeak. The
name Of the ship was the Empire State,
and he guessed that his bicycle was a
total loss, since the ship was piled up on
the rocks.
"Who is your papa?' asked Jasper in a
shakv voice as he fond1v atroked the hOv's