The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-01-31
A SINGULAR EPISODE.

BY Edgar FawCett.

| not alone on the wooden bench. Death.
all the while, crOuched beside her,
tempting her"
THE captain" my new acquaintance
went on, "is furious. Our voyage TO
Glasgow will not be brief one and he
has determined 10 bury her at once
to-night-before the passengers get
wind Of her death"
| Bury herr / gasped.
"Don't you underestimate Throw her
into the sea, cased In "A pine box, with
some stone or leaden weights that will
instantly sink IT,"
But her friends in Glasgow" i hur-
rled. might not such an act prove
TO them the severest OF trialsr
"No evidence has been found that
she possesses any friends either In
Glasgow or elsewhere. She came on
board with only two small portman-
teaus and a steamer trunk In these
not trace of her Identity has been
| gained"
"But still" | began.
Monsieur Guijean cut me short.
81 know what you would say. To
| fling her into the sea like this Is n
| horror My friend, the second officer
| is grinding his teeth. But he can do
nothing. The captaln-you've seen
! him, with his red whiskers and burly
| frame, and his arrogant Scotch scowl
is imperous and also impervious
| The funeral Of one may dignity II by
such namcJ will take place at mid
! night. / am sworn to secrecy by the
| second officer, though ] told him |
might break my word to you, because
of the interest that poor creature has
reused in you"
INTEREST," | groaned. Say, rather
| Unreasonable pity! Think" | went
on, what IN anguish this brutal burial
may cause to parents, sisters, broth
crs-possibly to some one of nearer and
dearer rclation-who may now be
awaiting her arrival in Scotlandw
Monsieur Guijean nodded.
"The second officer has pleaded with
the captain in just those terms. But
he Is not only n boor of vulgarity. He
Is also a bigot Of grossest supersti-
ton"
Superstition
"Yes, in this way: He believes that
| TO carry corpse on the ship will bring
| IL i'll luck
"And he cannot be reasoned out of
this follyY
Can the despotism Of cyclone be
reasoned cut of it's savagcry? He will
| have IL so; that is all. If you are on
| the lower deck at midnight you will
see the burial. | shall be there. The
captain may not like it, but he will
not presume to oppose your presence
! otherwise than by one of his grim
| scowls"
| Within a few minutes Of IL the
preparations had begun. My heart
thumped against my side, as ! stole,
in the company of Monsieur Guijean
TO n certain dim lighted portion of the
lower deck Six or seven sailors were
standing about a long pine box. A few
passengers, all men, had already gath
cred here, having learned the grisly
news, Heaven knew how. The sec
ond officer stood near the captain, his
head bowed. The captain with sup
pressed wrath and disgust, was muir
muring to him certain gruff words
which | wholly failed To catch. In an.
other instant he gave the sailors a
commanding gesture. Three of them
went nimbly forward and loosed n
broad segment of the taffrail. Soon
| between ourselves and the vast starlit
ocean there spread an open space
across which the least chance stumble
might have tossed. you into eternity
Then came silence. All was ready
"Horriblew heard Guijean whisper
in my ear The swash and rustic OF
the tranquil water, plowed by oul
speeding ship, gave to the stiffness M
accent OF awe.
The captain raised his hand. A mar
near me turned away with an audibl,
sob. Four sailors lifted the box. Al
they did so long. soft. voluminiou'
groan issued from IL. The men, abou
to tumble it into the sea. dropped /
with a sudden crash.
II will not be east overheard lik,
this. Carry me 10 the friends who wal
| for me- l implore it-l command IT,!
These words, clear and infnitcl,
b plaintive. came from the box on whicl
, all our eyes were fixed. From two u
three OF those assembled broke a hor
{ rihed cry. For myself | clutched tn
| arm of Guijean In an agony of alright
a. But he almost shook my grasp ava,
r and hurried To- the captain.
staggered backward. Through th
{ bewilderment of the horror next RI
call seeing the captains white fac
! glistening with sweat. while some one
b IN sailor. doubtlessl rained axe stroke
i upon the wooden box. Presently
a reeled forward again. Everybody wa
I peering into the shattered Golfer, an
a I peered likewise. Some one ha,
brought lantern. and its rays fell fu
!. upon the woman within. The doctC
h of the ship had stood among us a
% the time. He raised In his arms a
IT prone shape Its eyes were closed; 4
limbs were stiff. The face. IL marb
rt sculpture. could not have been dealt
II lier.
And yet-she had spoken! IL mu
have been she. for we had all hear
he her. The doctor parted from her brea
IS the garments which clothed IL, nj
ID rested his ear against her heart.
III "Dead-absolutely dead" he mu
tered "Not N sicn of life-nOt ii