Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-13
CHAPTER VI.-Continued.


CHAPTER VI.-Continued.
There was another side to my confine-
ment, and I presently took thought on
that 1 swear that I was not thinking
of myself but of her. 1 was ever think
ing of her. could see dangers that be-
set her as perhaps no one else could and
my confinement added to her peril. She
didn't realize that, nobody aft on the ship
realized it, 1 did not see any present
way to make her understand the situa-
ton. I had not cared to alarm her be-
fore. and any attempt on my part to set
it forth now would be looked upon as
personal plea, and yet there was peril.
I imminent, menacing, about to break,
feared.
You see, the fact that we were treas
ure hunting had got about. Who told 1t
I could not discover. but the unusualness
OF our proceedings. the arming Of peace
full merchant ship, the Indebtedness OF
the articles, the clearing from Plymouth
for the South SEAS the absence OF any
great amount of cargo and the nign
wages promised had aroused suspicion 1
had not thought much OF the crew. ex-
cept of Pimball. We had shipped J"f
OF smart seamen, about the average In
quality and above the average in smart
ness i QeClOeQ
with nothing happening, but times were
good and ships were plenty and we had
sailed rather late in the season. and PIN
ball had signed some 1 could wish had
been left ashore.
Her presence on the ship. too, was q
mystery. Alone in the little Rose OF
Devon with thirty men. By evil rnishap
the maid she had brought with her had
died after a brief illness two weeks out.
Capt Matthews and I were for turning
han hut n
We had lost too much time already and
her all was embarked. We were now
ploughing the blue waters OF the Pacific,
and l. mate of the ship and the only
other officer to be trusted. locked up!
Pimball the boatswain. seemed to me to
be the least trustworthy Of the lot. did
not get over my initial dislike Tor him
at all!
gitude of the island. Suppose the men
| rose in mutiny! / ground my teeth In
rage. The men liked me well enough,
and had been particular to keep them In
for her sake that would have followed
| with blow had she not been there. Capt.
Matthews had complained once or twice
of my laxity. but I knew things that he
didn't and I had done what I deemed
| best for her. I pledge you my word that
I didn't care farthing for the treasure:
had never given 1t much thought.
grew to believe in it less and less as we
got farther from home, and If ! had
been stronger for my duty and weaker in
my love would have dissuaded her from
the voyage, following Master F1cklin's
lead.
Now that she was poor and alone ne
elected and forgotten, I had enjoyed
foolish dream that I could be COM
panion to her-a life shipmate!-for the
captain was a rough. plain old sailor.
What g. fool I was!-and yet it had work
ed in some way as had intended. We
ho6 in closer intimacy
the loneliness Of her position and my
faithful, and, until that night. most I'M
obtrusive. self-effacing devotion. I was
thinking too much of her to give my at
anyway, and I'd rather have had her
than all the golden argosies that ploughed
| the sea.
supposed it never entered her head
| that could presume to love her. conse-
quently she was less careful than she
| had been otherwise, and that very night
when had poured out my declaration to
| her she had had no words with which to
meet it. I thought her silence was con-
sent. I see now that 1t was amaze
ment. seized her in my arms like the
| brute she must have thought me, lifted
| her up and kissed her fair on the lips and
| blackguard. could have done no worse. 1
will never forget how she stigmatized me
brute, coward, low born" don't be-
lieve she had rallied at that scoundrel
she called me- Her safety, her life, her
honor demanded that be released. That
| was the paramount concern.
I listened-I thought I heard a football
in the other cabin. Could she be there?
| I suppose that had been locked up for
! perhaps an hour, aye. on the instant the
| bell forward struck three. We kept man
o'-war customs at her fancy. The sound
came to me family as listened. Half
| past 8. She could not have gone to her
berth yet. She must be there in the
great cabin. ventured to call.
What 1t cost me any man can imagine,
| and to humble myself to ask her mercy.
too! Stop, ought to apologize No gen
| tlernan-I do not mean the handles that
made love to her-but no real gentleman.
such as I. in spite OF my low birth and
rough breeding hoped I might prove.
would have taken advantage of her as
ing from me. Even had 1t not been
should have been compelled to make it
for her sake.
1 am a man of fierce temper. as you
have deemed, and as you shall see II you
go with US farther In this history, but
can control 1t on occasion, and I did it
now. I shook the door Of the cabin
gently at first. and then vigorously. and
swer. I beat upon it. I raised my voice
| I scarcely thought I could be heard on
deck. The wind was blowing, the sea
was heavy and the ship was pitching
wildly, the Stfalnlng, the creakLnS, tne
grooming Of the timbers would have pre-
vented such q noise as I made from at
tracing attention unless some one were
| in the cabin.
But all in vain. No heed was paid to
me, and yet I could swear that some
body was there. 1 don't know how ex-
actly, but I was conscious Of her pres
ence. Perhaps because was SO in love
with her that could always tell whether
| she was about. I can to this day. Many
| a time in after years she has stepped into
! the room where have been sitting, with
| out a sound. and has come to me and
| laid her hand on my shoulder, but have
| known long before she touched me that
| she was there.
It made me madden than before to go
| thus unheeded. I was on the point OF
giving over my endeavor, but the thought
| Of that peril in which she stood, and the
| fact that was removed from the deck
and a prisoner. made me resolve on one
more effort. She must be made to hear.
| and II to hear, to answer.
Madam" whispered, softly. and then
more loudly, Madam"
did not venture to say any other
name 1 called again, and yet a third
time and then for the last time with the
F,,Yl Of ri