The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-08-18

Her touch thrilled ME. hesltated no
longer. but gave ah unwilling consent.
An. what folly will not man commit
when III love!
Next day It wds rcbqrted that bran
don was seriously indisposcd. I'took
out the medicine chest us in duty bound,
and ordered the cabin steward to attend
hlm. Three days later Mr.. Brandon was
reported dead.
"hen | was informed of this l en-
tered his cabin. He was lying in the I'M
der BERTH pale and motionless as death.
i! felt the body; it was cold and rigid.
To- perfection. | sent for tho sailmaker,
who sewed the body up in my presence.
When his task was completed dis
missed him, and, securing the cabin door
inside, with sharp knife ripped open
the stitches. My hand shook painfully.
What ii he were really dead?
l confess to experiencing Il singular
feeling of relief when the imam opened
his eyes and the resuscltated Brandon sat
helped to revive him. Flo quickly and
noisplessly dressed himself. Then, he
produced froni nh, Amrrlcqh trunk Il
DUMMY figure WHICH lie had previously
prepared and weighted, aid Enclosed it
in the shroud This lie sewed up with
his own hands. Not Il word was spoken
by either of u.s. When all was complet-
cd stepped out to rcconnoiter. Seeing
The coast clear, l signalcd 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 it's
solemn knell for the funeral of Anthony
Brandon. Officers and men and passcn-
gers stood round mo with heads uncov-
cred as | read from the Book of Com
mon Prayer the beautiful and impressive
burial service. God forgive me, it was
an awful mockcry. don't know how I
got through with it,, Afterwnrd I heard
during the service. Heaven Knows
was, but twas with guilt and fcnr.
After the funeral Brandon returned to
his own cabin, W hich wis kept co'lstaut-
~. loo k!pi, and The ky Of which | RE
tanned lii my vwii l)dSstsslOn. With my
coilit;iiice Alice struggled food to him
FROM day to day.
About two, weeks afterward. Wliiler, pro-
cteding up the chaiilicl Qidfr all sail, we
were hailed ~ tug. Anticipating din
ahi chhi tXt,l Eruh.loll to my own cabin
for ;cbilreallnent. When ! got Oil deck
again was just III tint, 10; Stu Il stout,
wel-Grboh,el 'l,uriY climbtrihs Ovtr the
vessels, side Without any prclimi-
naries lie brus1uely demanded.
Got passenger by the name of Bran
don on hoard?'
Il had. stranger: l had"
He gaZed ut me in1riringly.
Come below, sir" | said.
AS we descended he explained that he
WAS a detective III pursuit Of Brandon.
who had absconded from Australia with
i considerable st,m Of money aud valua-
bic negotiable securities Whom he bud
produced his warrunt. l ordered the mate
to fetch the losbook Under date the
18th of a ~ s h. rad "a tbs , sntry IN
utes w., Anthony Brandon. cabin pas
scnger. Cause of death unkii6wti."
breath Which was quite qiiinttii{sibit to
me. Then he demanded to see Bran
don:s effects. | led the way into his
cabiH. l II rails lcked every truiik and
porthhi,ate!lls bill Hot Il vi'stige bf pa
per or anything Of val,it did lie tliscov-
or. The EXPRESSION on HRS face when
he left the sh!., some hours later was
not particularly ilclsaiit,
Which, we ;|riived ii, the dock 1T Ion
don | Struggled Mr.. Brandon ashore in
one Of his daughters trunks, after they
had been searched by the customs Off
Ger. No one III the ship ever suspected
the truth. Their secret remained alone
with me.
1t Was arranged that Alice and l should
be married quietly before setting out on
my next voyage, and our honeymoon was
to be spent on the bosom Of the deep.
When we parted that night : he promised
to communicate with me when her fl-
ther had secured some. quiet retreat in the
country. She kept her promise. Here
is the letter. I have preserved it all
these years. 1t has neither superscrip,
ton nor signatures:
Dear Old Captain: Many, muny
thanks for all your kindnesses. NV
husband and for Mr.. Brandon is MY
husband, though it wis hot KNOWN il,
Arlington-will Never fhrget thehl. pr.ly
forgive the deceit WE found it expedient
to practice Oh you It'll order TT carry out
| our plans. We Dire in fairly af1ueHt cir
cumStances. for my, husbhld did hot lose
the motley i'll Speculation, as l thought it
necessary to tell you. Dear captaih, |
kh0w | cain rely upon yous for Ydr OWL
sake: hot to, inform the authorities about
my husband AS be did at sea. we ex-
pect to live securely; unm6lcsted by tht
bahk officials or the police: Goodby for
ever
And that was the end of my romance.
no, l never heard anything more about
them. Whether they lived to enjoy their
ili-gotten gains or whether they didn't
cannot tell. But this 1 do know, she
was the first woman that ever fooled me,
and, by heaven, she was the last l new
er gave another the chance-Tit-Bits.
OFFENSIVECARCOEs ON BOARD