Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-11-13
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
1t was not until late in the autumn
that Philip was reused from his dream of
love flor what, alas! is every enjoyment
of this life but dreamy by summons
from the captain of the vessel with whom
he had engaged to SAIL Strange as it may
appear, from the first day which put him
in possession of his Anime, Philip had no
longer brooded over his future destiny;
occasionally twas recalled to his memory,
but Immediately rejected, and, for tho
time, forgotten. Sufficient he thought u
to fulfill his engagement when the time
should come; and although tho hours flew
away, and day succeeded day, week week,
and month month, with the rapidity &C.
companying a life of quiet and unvarying
bliss, Philip forgot his vow in the arms Of
Anime, who was careful not to revert to a
topic which would cloud the brow Of her
adored husband. Once, indeed, or twice,
had old Poots raised the question Of Phil
ip's departure, but the indignant frown
and the imperious command of Anime
(who knew too well the sordid motives
which actuated her father, and who, at
such times, looked upon him with abhor.
rence) made him silent, and the old man
would spend his leisure hours in walking
up and down the parlor with his eyes riv.
eted upon the Bullets, where the silver
tankards now beamed in all their pristine
brightness.
One morning, in the month of October,
there was tapping with the knuekles at
the cottage door. AS this precaution i'm.
piled stranger, Anime obeyed the sum.
mons.
~ would speak with Master Philip
Vanderdecken, said the stranger, in q
half whispering sort of voice.
The party who thus addressed Anime
was little meager parsonage, dressed in
the garb Of the Dutch seaman Of the time,
with a cap made of badger skin hanging
over his brow. His features were sharp
and diminut!ve, his face of deadly white,
his lips pale, and his hair of a mixture
between red and white. He had very lit
tie show Of beard-indeed, 1t was almost
difficult to say what his age might be. He
might have been sickly youth early
sinking into decrepitude, or an old man,
hale In constitution, yet carrying no flesh.
But the most important feature, and
that which Immediately riveted the atten.
ton Of Anime, was the eye of this peculiar
personage-for he had but one; the right
eyelid was closed, and the ball within had
evidently wasted away; but his left eye
was, for the size of his face and head, Of
unusual dimensions, very protuberant,
clear and watery, and most unpleasant to
I 5ro'- Tnpn being relieved by no fringe Of
tnarkapIe was tne'feature, that when you
looked at the man, you saw his eye and
looked at nothing else It was not q man
with one eye, but one eye with man at.
tached to 1t; the body was but the tower
Of the lighthouse, of no further value, and
commanding no further attention than
does the structure which holds up the
upon examination, you would have per.
ceived that the man, although small, was
neatly made; that his hands were very
different in texture and color from those
of common seamen; that his features In
general, although sharp, were regular;
and that there was an air of superiority
even in the obsequious manner Of the lit
tie parsonage, and IN indescribable some
thing about his whole appearance which
almost impressed you with awe. Amine's
dark eyes were for moment fixed upon
the visitor, and she felt chill at her heart
for which she could not account, as she
requested that he would walk In.
Philip was greatly surprised at the ap.
pearance of the stranger, who, as soon as
he entered the room, without saying q
word, sat down on the sofa by Philip in
the place which Anime had just left. To
Philip there was something ominous In
this person taking Amine's seat; all that
had passed rushed into his recollection,
and he felt that there was q summons
from his short existence Of enjoyment and
repose to life of future activity, danger,
and suffering. What peculiarly struck
Philip was, that when the little man sat
beside him, a sensation of sudden cold ran
through his whole frame. The color fled
from Philips cheek, but he spoke not
Fora minute or two there was silence
The one eyed visitor looked round him,
and turning from the buffet, he fixed his
eyes on the form of Anime, who stood be-
fore him; at last the silence was broker
by sort of giggle on the part of the
stranger, which ended In:
"Philip Vanderdecken-he! he!-PhiliI
Vanderdecken, you don't know me?"
81 do not" replied Philip, in hall
angry tone.
The voice of tho little man was most pc
culiar-it was a sort of subdued scream
the notes of which sounded in your cal
long after he had ceased to speak.
lam Schriften, one of the pilots of the
Ter Schilling," continued the man; "ant
I'm come-he! he!''-and he looked hare
at Amine-''to take you away from love-
and looking at the buffets-'-hel he
from comfort, and from this Also" cried
he, stamping his foot on the floor as hi
rose from the sofa-''from terra firlna-
hel he!-to watery grave perhaps
Pleasant!' continued Schrirten, with q
| giggle; and with countenanoe full Of
| meaning he fixed his one eye on Phillip
| face
Philips first impulse was to put hi
| new visitor out of the door; but Anime
who read his thoughts, folded her arms Al
she stood before the little man, and eyed
him with contempt as she observed:
"We all must meet our fate, good Eel.
low; and, whether by land OF sea, death