The Washington herald., 1906-11-02


progress that by the evening he guessed
he was Well within the track Of steamers
trading with Naples and Genoa.
Al day the sea had continued calm, but
az rightfall "a gentle breeze spfang up,
blowing from the north. Crsssngnam.
however. WAS by that time completely
and not daring To- rig the
sail. he lay down in the bottom of the
boat, and soon zen asleep, allowing his
frail bark 90 drift 8t the mercy OF the
elements. Providence was kind. however,
ana repaid him hravely f0r his confidence.
Hour after hour sped by, aEd although
two steamers passed by almost within
hail. Cressingham slept as sweetly as ever
ne had done or shore. lulied by the peace
ful motion and by the balmy north wind.
lie awoke while il was stiH dark, and,
shipping the mast, steered now southeast
An hour before dawn great NOrd Deut-
scher Lloyd crossed his bows within half
"a mile, running noT'-gor' west, "a blaze 0f
lights from stem % truck of her vast
bulk
Cressinghan sent up TO heaven shout
a.Ier shout fog help, but hc was far be
ycnd hail and Was compelled helplessly On
watch her steam away into the darkness
az fourteen knots an hour. That morning
hc b.eaklasted on water. for his pro-
visions had run cut. and for the next six
hours he sailed slowly obIiquely along
toward ,ne Italian coast. BY noon he was
very hunsrg and growing anxious, bat IN
the early evening he deserted with JOY un-
speakable the smoke Of a steamer in his
wake that seemed to follow him deliber-
ately, He ran 20 his masthead a kcrchief.
the only color.d cloth In his possession
(which Desire had used as a wrap fer his
provisiOusJ. and, putting about. he waited
for the rapidly approaching steamer with
heart ia mouth. The lookout sighted him
while yet a mile of, but CTessingham not
knowing that and frantic with excitement.
stood ~ and commenced 20 shout and yell
and wave bis handkerchief ike "a ma
MAC. Nearer and nearer the steamer
came. until ne could read the name upon
her bows, Alessandria, and then she
stopped.
Crcgsingham shipped his mast ana TcWed
TO her side with the speed Of thought then
catching the rope which was thrown To
him. hc climbed On board with the agility
Of q squirrel 60 ind himself in the midst
of q lot Of chattering Italians who piled
him with n THOUSAND questions. Mean
while the vessel recommended her jour
ney, caTelessly abandoning the boat which
had served Cressiugbam so faithfully and
we'll
The captain Of tie Alessaudria proved
TO be a Freedman who. Immediately he
was made aware that his guest was gen
tilhOmmo' and wealthy 10 boot became
excessively solicitous for his comfort and
provided Cressingham not only with
cabin, but q very welcome change OF
clothing. Cressingham informed him that
he had tried 10 cross from Elba TO PiOm-
bino in an cDeu boat iu consequence Of a
wager, bat had fallen asleep and so lost
his bearings This story the captain
seemed to md no difficulty in crediting.
for hc merely shrugged his shoulders and
murmured something in an undCrtoue
about the mad English.
In his turn ho informed CresSingham
that he was taking cargo Of general
merchandise from Genoa 20 the island Of
Coco. and offered for q consideration OF
ten pounds 10 cali IN and land him AT
Tuapani II he 50 desired. CressinEham Of
fered him his whole store OF ready money
twenty-five pouuds-if he would proceed
straight 10 naples. bat this Capt
FriOchc refused 10 do. and the young man
dared not tempt him with Jewels, for the
mans face was not progressing. and his
crew appeared as blaCkguardly set 90
cut-throats as might bg found In Europe
II was not that the Euglishmau valUed SO
much the precious stones which hC had
stolen from Attala, but be thought that
if the captain by any chance could learn
that he possessed 50 great q treasure he
might feel tempted TO huTl him overheard.
and the crew were all creatures who
looked as though they might be bought
body and soul for few scudi.
He was compelled therefore 20 rest salts
fed with Sicily. but be felt sure that from
there he could make his wa to Palermo
and Naples in time 20 save the King OF
Italy. for il was set only July -, and he
had siill seven days Of grace.
He landed safely az Trapani an hou-
after daylight on July "A. parting from the
Alessandria without regret Evening
/ found him at casteliamarc, and after "a
good dinner he pressed on by post horses
tthe mail having long gonel 20 Palermo,
which city he reached q little before dawn
on the morning of the &th-the convey
auces which Of necessity he had been com
PEELED to use having proved 80 wretcheC
| that IL had taken him including stop
pages, twenty hcuis To traverse a distance
In all OF something under forty miles.
Cressingham proceeded at once to the
Hotel Benevento on the Piazza CoTbOne.
a place he had often put up at In his
younger days when Yachting in the Med
iterTanean. There he learned that q
steamer was scheduled to start for NapOli
that evening at o'clock. He booked his
passage and repleuished his wardrobe, and
was able TO board the steamer dressed /,
gentleman once more.
He arrived at Naples by II O'Clock on
the morning OF 5he 18th, and driving 10
the Hotel d'EUrcpe at once wrote and dis
patched by mounted messenger a letter 20
King Humbert. I'm which he covertly re-
minded his majesty OF the occasion when
he had made his acquaintance under the
auspices of Perigord, and begged for an
immediate audience, stating also his inten-
| ton to proceed 10 the royal palace NJ
noon. as his business was vitality impOr-
tant
| Cressingham was. OF course, prepared IL
be regarded with suspicion, considering
the fact that Prince Carlos had fastened
on his shoulders the blame of abdueting
and eloping with Madame Viyella. How
ever. he did not experience the least
doubt but that he could speedily correct
all false impressions. and IL was viii
| a light heart and elated bearing that by
Set out an hour afterward from the hotel
He was received at the door of tho
palace by a gaudily dressed officer. who
\ gave an astonished start on learning tht
visitors name, but lie was very polite &c
| Cressingham. ana at once led him into au
empty ante-TOom and begged him to wait
/ CTessingham took n chair beside q win.
/ dow that looked out on the gardens, anG
biithely hummed an air from la Cigale d
which he had heard a barrel organ mur-
dering while passing through the streets
of Naples on his journey TO the palace.
/ He watched with some amusement tht
movements of a perky brown cock-spar.
row on the paved courtyard below. wher
q hand was laid upon his shoulder ana q
soft Italian voice spoke whisperingl,
these words: ''Sir, you are my prisoner
Put up Your hands above your head, anf
/ DO not make another movement. or vol