Year: 1873

1 VI uphCA dt3AlhoO hOAs


An apology, smilingiy received by the
little lady, a remark about the weather
Oh 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
botoken that she was well pleased with
her companion, whose air was more con-
ceited than ever.


i" l am afraid we shall have a storm" :"
she remarked pointing toward dark
cloud upon which the captain of the
boat was gazing anxiously.


eve may, but do not be alarmed,
madame"
With an'air of nonchalance he pulled
red cigar-case from his pocket and
asked his companion if she objected to
a smoke. Then he strated, and quickly
returning the red one to his pocket,
pulled forth another of blue color.


"How many cigars do you smoke a
day?" inquired the lady, evidently
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 laugh
ing reply.


Soon the storm came pouncing down
upon us. We were midway in the chan
mel, 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 demon,
threw her over still farther.


Suddenly he observed the sailors en-
deavoring to loosen long-boat on the
| davits at the stern. Meanwhile there
was an ominous grinding, smashing
noise under the counter The could
not be concealed; we were sinking.


The ladies screamed the handsome
passenger lost his self-possession, and
IAN hither and thither.


The cool behavior of the little lady in
black contrasted strangely with the agi-
tated demeanor of those around her.


There she stood calm and immovable,
her bright steel-blue eyes fixed upon
the handsome stranger, Of whom she
did not lose sight for moment.


Keep quiet ladies and gentlemen /"
sang out the captain "keep quiet, and
dent crowd around the boat so There
will be room in it for you:all and, be-
sides there is Il schooner coming to our
assistance" pointing to a vessel blowing
towards 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, tearing the
boat from the steamer before the lady
in black OF / could enter it. The hand
some passenger, losing his balance, fell
over the gunwale, and being unable to
swim wildly threw up his arms.


/ must acknowledge that ] was 50 en-
crossed with the perlious situation of
my fair companion and myself, now the
only two left aboard the steamer, that 1
paid little attention to the drowning
man.


The steamer was in fact going down
fast, was already nearly engulfed in Che
stormy waves, her heated and half-sub-
merged boilers kissing as the steam came
gushing out like the spout Of a whale.


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


His power over the female sex must
he great, 1 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,


was right. We were all taken aboard
the schooner, the handsome passenger
among the rest. Then the lady in black
pulled forth revolver, pointing it at
the head of him whom she had rescued.


"Out with that red cigar-case !" she
said sternly. "Iwould like to see what
monsieur carries in it.


"Why, why, "stammered the stranger
"what is


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


The ring she picked up, and holding
it up before us all exclaimed


"I have found it atlast. The jewellel
assured me it was the only one of the
device in Paris, chariot-wheel This
person is the murderer of Countess de
Marville !"


The handsome passenger stood as il
frozen to the deck, making no resistance
as tho lady in black slipped paR ol
handouts over his wrists.
"By what right" he then stammered,
do you"


He paused us the other threw of hel
dress and false hair, revealing the per.
son Of q slender man with delicate, girl
ish features.