Year: 1878

ready for sea, received information that the customs officer in charge was in some way or other to be tempered with, the seals on the ships stores broken and the twenty-six thou sand cigars under seal run ashore as soon as it was dark. I immediatel ordered four men namely, James Archer, John Brown, William Flynn, and John Plucknett- into the Swift and pulled down to the San Giovanni, myself steering; and she being then about 8 mile to the westward of Dockyard point with her an chor hove short ready to trip before she tend ed on the first of the ebb

 It was dark before we made her out.

 We were coming up on her starboard quar- ter, and saw boat (net one of her own, they were all painted white, and this one was black and British built) by the starboard main chains '"The cigars are in that boat, l thought, and 1 said to the men,, ''Give way, men, give way with will"

 My men gave way with will, and l kept the Swift heading for the starboard mizzen chains of the barque.

 When we were about three cables length astern hailed the barque. She did not an swer A man came and looked over the taf- farel and heard an order given on deck. Her sails were now beginning to draw, and as | did not like to lose any time kept head on to her stern.

 As soon as we were about cables length off hailed again. Still no answer When we were half a cables length I sang out once more. Said we were revenue officers and told them to come round and let us board.

 'What do you want the ship to stop for ?" asked the man at the tafferel whom now knew quite we'll and who was not one of the crew of the San Giovanni Batista.

 'Whose boat is that alongside?"

 ''The Vice. ConsuIs."

 'Send the customs officers in charge aft."

 'Hes gone ashore in the pilots boat"

 ''It's not time for either pilot or the GUS toms officer to go ashore yet. Who's taking the vessel out p

 '"Tho channel pilot"

 Foot by foot we drew up on the barque un- til at last we were right under the stern. l sang out again.

 If you won't come about heave us line. '"

 "Ay, ay!" cried the man on the taffarel.

 For moment saw him rise up, standing on the taffarel; he leaned forward with a heavy three tackle block in his hand-I saw the moonlight through the block-and then dropped the block into the Swift. It came aboard on the foremost bow thwart, broke it in two, and stove out the bottom of the boat

 Before we could do anything the boat was full of water and turned bottom up. AS long as we could we shouted. The barque kept her course until we could not even see her, and there was no other vessel in sight. James Ar cher, John Plucknett, and clung on the bot tom of the boat until the next morning, when the fishing boat Toby of Avonford saw us and took us off.

 After the boat filled and turned over I nev- CT saw either John Brown or William Flynn alive. saw the body of William Flynn when it was washed ashore next morning.

 John Bell stopped reading folded up the paper and replaced it in his breast pocket. As he did so he glanced at the recumbent Italian. The attitude of. the latter was unchanged. Still the right hand thrust between the waist coat and the breast of the shirt in the region of the heart still the luxurious poise in the soft arm of the chair; still the everlasting cig- arette and the cloud of ascending blue smoke. The foreigner now spoke in 8 voice of one whe suffered not little, and caught his breath un- easily.

 q have not the least dislike to tell you the answer to the question which did not answer while ago. There is at presant none in this house but you, I, and the old woman, my servant and housekeeper. 1 am bachelor, and LllUIc is no relative friend or guest of mine under this roof now. Having. answered you so far, and, as far as you have shown, an- swered you without knowing how the painful history you have read may be connected with your question, will you permit me to say that 1t is very late, and that am far from well. I am most ill.

 'l am exceedingly sorry you should feel SO poorly. will not intrude much longer if you will permit me to explain"

 The Italian smiled languidly, signified that the other might proceed, and closed his eyes with an expression Of pain and exhaustion

 q shall soon be done. The man who mur- dered the two men in the boat that night was interpreter to the Vice-Consul at AvonfOrd. He was never found to answer for that crime My father knew that this man was to endeav- or to run the cigars. Next day the Vice-Con- suls boat with the cigars untouched was found in blight of the Avon bay. But the Vice. Consurs interpreter, the murderer, was never found. The barque, bound to Callao, never arrived in any port it is believed she found cred in mid-ocean'

 ''Now this Vice. Consul's clerk or interpret CT, knew my father well by name and appear ance, often had business intercourse with my father. On the night of the 4th of this month my father was murdered by this same Vice-Consul's clerk. As sure as I live he my'poor father, Mir. COrdella."

 "Why are you SO sure of that and what can do for you in this sad case ?" demanded the foreigner, in tone so languid and SO faint

 

 and bend low in order to hear

 '1n the forenoon of the 4th that letter came to No. IT, mis-addressed, intended to be left for Alessandro Pozzone at Mo- 7. You, Mr. Cordella, forwarded my note to Pozzone with his own one; he recognized the name Bell found out who my poor father was, lay in wait for my father and killed him before my poor father could get home and recognize the the name of the man who fifteen years ago failed to kill him-for that Vice-C Consul's clerk who let fall the block was Alessandro POz- zone."

 ''I am completely prostrated by the news you tell me-" whispered the reclining man. ''Get me little wine from the chiffonniere Since this matter is so dreadful will now ad nit that know Pozzone well. He represent ed to me his dangers were political. and was sworn to divulge nothing about him.

 John Bell put an arm under the other man: rom the fingers of the foreigner dropped the md of the half smoked cigarette.

 Bell held the wine to the recumbent mans ips. He drank little and then whispered, Put down the wine. I canswallow no more

 am better-I am better, thank you; I shall 'e all right soon. His right hand fell out and ay upon the floor. ''Go on," he whispered, 'G am most anxious to hear what 'ou want me to do."

 ell me where PoZZone IS. v

 'I can, and l will. It is only right you hould know, and at once. will place him n your grasp in less than an hour. Ah!. An, ny breath once more-I am suffocating Put your two strong arms round me and raise ne."

 John Bell did as he was requested

 "Wait a second" said the Italian, resting lis two arms on the shoulders of the other

 'sI can speak once more, whispered the Ital- an. "Yeur ear now. So. Now I will tell vou where Pozzone is-In your armsi Now

 will tell you where his knife fs-In your leart!"

 The Englishman drew himself up with powerful effort, shook himself clear of his as- ailant, slipped his hand beneath his waist oat as though to loose it's strap, drew out the land.

 Bang!

 But Pozzone had seen his action, and sus- 'ecting it, dashed the hand aside The ball truck the musical box, and with a loud crash of the brake-end, the barrel began to evolve, and the teeth to vibrate-Robin Adair A superstitious fear seemed to seize upon 'ozzone, and he whispered through his white IDS. ''l played that air 0n the niana ond than