The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-20

Those pertinacious half-formed suspi-
cons. which Richards words had stirred
into new life were refuted; and yet. as
have said, could not shake them of.
try as 1 would. and argue with myself
as I would. that they were utterly ridicu-
lous and unreasonable.
Look here, Mr.. Richards" said L; ''if
you really are as positive upon this mat
ter as you say. / wish you would speak
20 Captain Vernon about IT.; IL might-and
no doubt would-help US very materially
in effecting the capture OF the pirate-brig.
We have seen the Vestale twice. and have
had so good an opportunity to note her
peculiarites OF structure and equipment
that we shall now know her again as far
of as we can see her. If. therefore, we
should ever happen to fall In with brig
the exact counterpart OF the Vestale In
all respects except as TO the matters OF
her figure head and the painting OF her
hull, I should think we may take II for
granted that titat-bEig will undoubtedly
be the pirate which destroyed the Juliet.
And you may depend upon II, my good
sir, that Il is that Identical craft that the
Vestale Is now seeking"
"Ye-es. very likely-quite possible" he
replied hesitatingly, and evidently still la
boring under the feeling of perplexity
I'D and passing his hand across his fore
head, as though TO clear away the men
tai cobwebs there, he added "Ill go and
speak TO Captain Vernon about II at
once"
And away he accordingly walked to car
ry out his resolve.
We stood on as we were going until
eight bells In the afternoon watch that
day. when the ship was hove round on
,r1 ta1I nj hQ ,ah or
st. Paul de Loando; our skipper having
come 20 the conclusion that the brig re-
ferred 10 I'm the Vestales signal WAS un-
doubtedly the craft which we had been on
our way back 10 the Congo TO look for,
and that as. according 10 the gun-brig's
statement, she was no longer there we
were now free TO proceed direct TO 81.
Paul to land the burnt-out crew as soon
- as possible.
we entered the bay-upon the shore of
which the town Is built-about 10 a. m. on
the second day after our last meeting
with the Vestale. and. anchoring In ten
fathon4s lowered n boat In which Mr..
Richards and his crew were landed, Cap
tain Vernon going on shore with them.
The skipper remained on shore until
o. m and when he came off IL was easy
to see that he was deeply preoccupied.
The boat was at once hoisted in, the mes.
senger passed. the anchor hove up, and
the Congo AS soon as the ship was clear
Of the Loando reef and fairly at sea once
more. Capt. Vernon summoned the first
and second leutenants to his cabin. where
the three remained closeted with him for
some time, indeed the two officers dined
with him: but. whatever the matter might
be, neither Mr.. Austin nor Mr.. Smellie let
fall a word as to it's nature. though II
was evident from their manner that IL
was deemed of considerable import
when | turned in that night / felt
1nA xsft aAIf hnG
outrageous suspicious, upon which | have
dweit so much in the last few pages.
seemed to be gathering new strength
every day in spite OF my utmost en-
deayors to disslpate them. and that, too.
without the occurrence or anything fresh
to confirm them. accordingly took my
self severely TO task subjected myself
ter square In the face; and the conclu-
sions 10 which i came were-first. that
had allowed myself TO be deluded into the
belief that the Vestale herself was the
craft which had committed the act OF
piracy OF which poor Richards and his
crew were the victims; and second. that
I had been an unmitigated Idiot for suffer
Ing myself to be so deluded.
on going thoroughly over the whole
question 1 was forced TO admit to myself
that there was not particle OF evidence
discriminating the French gunbrig save
what had manufactured out OF my own
too vivid Imagination; and clearly fore
saw that unless | could get rid OF. or, at
all events. conquer this hallucination, /
should be doing or saying something
which would get me into serious scrape.
And. having az last thus settled the uues-
tomas / thought-to my own satisfac-
tlon. I rolled over In my hammock and
went 10 sleep.
The breeze held fresh during the whole
OF that night: and the Daphne made such
good progress that by o'clock on the fol-
lowing morning we found ourselves once
more abreast OF Padron Point at the en-
trance to the Congo. Sail was now short
ened: the ship hove-to. and the men sent
10 their breakfasts: the officers also being
requested 10 get theirs at the same time.