Year: 1873

weather on the part of the gentleman,
and the two were soon conversing
with animation. Meanwhile the
blushing cheek and bright eyes of the
fair one seemed to betoken that she
was well pleased with her companion,
whose air was more conceited than
ever.


Il am afraid we shall have a storm, :"
she remarked, pointing toward dark
cloud upon which the captain of the
boat was gazing anxiously.
With an air of nonchalance he
pulled a red cigar-case from his
pocket and asked his companion if
she objected to a smoke. Then he
started, and quickly returning the
red one to his pocket, pulled forth
another of blue color.
"How many cigars do you smoke
in O day." inquired the lady, evident
ly amused at the sight of two cases.
The other colored, and it struck
me that his voice slightly faltered and
his hand trembled as he made some
laughing reply.


Soon the storm came pouncing
down upon US. We were midway in
the channel, so that we caught the
full force of the sea and gale. Both
were terrific.


The sea swept the boat, which lay
so far over that her machinery was
soon damaged so that it would not
work. The wind, screaming like a
demon, threw her over still farther.


Suddenly we observed the sailors
endeavoring to loosen long boat
on the davits at the stern. Mean
while, there was an ominous grinding,
smashing noise under the counter.
The truth could not be concealed; we
were sinking. t-..


The ladies screamed; the hand
some passenger lost his self-posession,
and ran hither and thither.


The cool behavior of the little Ia
dy in black contrasted strangely with
the agitated demeanor of those
around her


There she stood, calm and immov-
able, her bright steelblue eyes fixed
upon the handsome stranger, of whom
she did not lose sight for moment.


'Keep quiet, ladies and gentle
men!" sang out the captain-"Keep
quiet, and don't crowd around the
boat sol There will be room in it
for you all; and besides there is
schooner coming to our assistance" "
pointing to a vessel blowing toward
us before the wind.


There was, however, panic among
those addressed. The moment the
boat was lowered, into it they all
bundled, among them the handsome
passenger.


A huge sea coming along, roaring
like thunder, parted the tackles, tear
ing the boat from the steamer before
the lady in black or I could enter it.
The handsome passenger, losing his
balance, fell over the gunwale, and
being unable to swim, wildly threw
up his arms.


1 must acknowledge that I was so
engrossed with the perilous situation
of my fair companion and myself
now the only two left aboard the
steamer-that paid little attention
to the drowning man.


The steamer was, in fact, going
down fast-was already nearly en-
quilted in the stormy waves, her heat
ed and half-submerged boilers hiss
ing as the steam came gushing out
like the spout of a whale.


1 was advancing to throw an arm
around the little lady, fearing to see
her washed away, when, quietly mo-
tioning me back with one hand, she
seized coil of rope and threw the
end to the handsome passenger. He
clughet it, when, turning to me, the
lady requested me to help haul the
man aboard. 1 complied, marveling
at the love and devotion thus shown
by woman to an acquaintance of an
hour.


His power over the female sex
must be great, I thought. He is
conceited, but not without reason.
The idea flashed clearly across my
mind in spite of my danger. The
schooner, however, was very near, and
had every reason to believe that we
should be picked up.


1 was right. We were all taken
aboard the schooner, the handsome
passenger among the rest. The la
dy in black pulled forth a revolver,
pointing at the head of him whom
she had rescued.


"Out with that red cigar-case!" she
said sternly. 81 would like to see
what monsieur carries in it"
"Why-why," stammered the stran-
ger; ''what is"


Before he could say another word,
the little Amazon thrust her disengag-
ed hand in his pocket, pulled forth the
red cigar case, and opening it, a ring
dropped to the deck.


The ring she picked up, and hold
ing it up before US all exclaimed


81 have found it at last. The jew
eler assured me twas the only one
of the device in Paris-a chariot
wheel! This person is the murderer
of the Countess de Marvillell"





The handsome passenger stood
as if frozen to the deck, making no
resistance as the lady in black slipped
a pair of handouts over his wrists.
CGPv yhot ripht " ba tban ctononar