Year: 1871




brother.


Perhaps | did plume myself on my
shrowdness at all events, that night after
winning from her so singular an avowa,
| was considerably elated. / listened
that evening to the remarks Of a passen-
ger respecting the tedium of the trip
with sense of lofty contempt; for be-
gan to feel that | was very far gone, and
the Atlantic seemed to be the brightest
of seas, overborne by the bluest of skies
| was, i'll fact, in such state of ecstacy
that | went on deck to look up at the
stars for an hour before seeking my berth
for Miss Saville--Saville? what an old
and aristocratic name Miss Savlle had
retired, or how glorious it uId have
been, in that clear, diamond-illuminated
night, to have watched the sparkling Of
the spray, and


Was | mistaken ? Had she not part
ed from me a quarter Of an hour before
to retire to rest and now this veiled fg-
ure that glded by me in the darkness,
was not this she?


lmpossibe | laughed the next mo-
ment; for felt that my mind was full of
one form, and that in the hasty glimpse
had obtained | had invested another
with tributes of her loved


Yes, her | loved | was ready to own
it now and I leaned thoughtfuly over
the bulwark, going over the incidents Of
the past day or so, and making up y
mind as to my future proceeding; for |
had not lost all feeling Of prudence |
wanted to know something of the lady's
antecedents and nnections--matters |
concluded could be easily be arrived at in
conversation the next day


was standing quite in the shadow be-
meath one of the quarter boats, and had
just turned with the intention of descend
ing, when some one passed me whom |
recognized as the second-class passenger !;
and then for few moments | heard u
| low murmured conversation at short
distance, when the man passed me again,
going forward.


Five minutes after | was at the saloon
door, when a hearty clap on the shoulder
made me turn, to find that it was the
bagman, who laughed softly at my angry
face, and then added to his former OBJ
strusiveness by thrusting his hand into
my side, as he whispered to me:


say, my lad, I'm going to open
your eyes for you tomorrow, so look out.
There, don't be uppish; come and have
cigar up in the bows-just one before
you turn in


"I am much obliged" said "but l
am going to my berth"


Just as you like" was the noncha-
lent reply, and he turned away.


"Let me see," said the captain, at
breakfast, next morning; "where's my
friend who sits third down on the left
Mr.. ListerY Steward, go and see if
Mr.. Lister is unwell again--no not again,
because he seemed to be an old sailor
see if he's in his cabin"


The steward returned with reply in
the negative; when, supposing him to be
on deck, the breakfast was brought to an
end, and MIR. Lister, or as | called him,
the bagman, was forgotten.


The day passed and evening had ar
rived, when, as was sitting in sweet in
tercourse with Miss Saville, rumor's bu,
sy tongue began to announce that Mr..
Lister was missing.


Immediately recalled his promise to
open my eyes that day, and also that he
had invited me forward with him to
smoke cigar; and | know not why,
strange feeling of interest made me
leave my seat, apologize to Miss Saville,
who bowed stiffly and went below, while
| walked forward to group to fud the
subject in full discussion. Two of the
watch had seen him go forward with
lighted cigar between his lips, and perch
himself close to the bowsprit; but they
could not recollect seeing him come
back, though one man had some faint
idea Of something black close by him,
but he was not sure.


More excited groups formed, and |
soon found that search had been made
through the steamer, and that the cap
tain was in great trouble respecting the
missing man for all pointed to one fact
that the poor fellow had chosen dan
gerous position, and had, without giving
the alarm, slipped and fallen into the sea,
to be borne under in an instant by the
huge cut-water Of the vessel.


l shuddered; for / thought that, had
l accepted his invitation, and, if power
less to stay him, still have given the alarm
perhaps in time for a boat to have been
launched.


"Can any gentleman afford any infor-
nation" said the captain, addressing
the group where | stood.