Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 468 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| quiet, remained Se ‘Then we are safe; but I hate to see you go | tremendous speed, and all feared she would be | ‘back all alone, as we have about dropped the land from sight,” said the youn, —!'n. ‘*T do not mind it, for sea and luud are alike my home, and this yacht will be safely at her anchorage before dawn, and no one know that : she has left it to-night. “Keep your eye upon the vessel, and let me know how she,heads,” and the woman spoke in a commanding tone. ‘*T see the vessel now, and she is coming towards us, it seems,” remarked the maiden, as she glanced out over the moonlit waters, ‘Yes, but is not a packet as Mother Molsey thought, for they are merely clipper ships, or barques, and this is a brig; but her course leads me to think she is America bound.” ‘* T hope so, for we will then be safe,” was the maideu’s low reply. In fully an hour more the vessel was not very far off, a signal was made with a lantern from the yacht, and then came the hail in the voice of the maid helmsman. * Ahoy, the brig!” ‘‘ Ho; the yacht!” was the response in gruff vones, ‘* Whither bound?” ‘‘ To Boston.in America.” ‘‘ T have two passengers for you.” ‘< This is not a passenger packet.” ‘‘ Tt matters not; you’ll be well paid for your trouble, and they are not particular as to ac- commodations,” ‘* It is worth a hundred pounds.” ** You shall’have it.” “ All right, ll round to, and you run along- . side to leeward.” A moment after the yacht glided under the lee of the brig, and the three on her decks boarded the vessel, while some of the crew made the little craft fast alongside. ‘* A witch, as I'm a sinner!” cried the boat- swain, as he caught sight of the strange looking woman, who went into the cabin with the young man and. maiden. ‘‘ Here is your price, captain, and you can land us in Boston,” and the young man handed the skipper of the brig a bag of gold as he spoke, ‘¢ All right, mate, I'll get you there safe and sound; but don’t say that age thing is going,” . and the captain looked at the woman. ‘** No, she goes back in the yacht,” was the cold response of the young man, who then turned and offered his hand to the woman, who ' had oer kissed the maiden farewell. ‘‘ Write to me, and expect to hear from me in ‘return. *‘ Good-by, and as you are gocd to her, somay ou be happy.” and the woman left the cabin sprung fron thie yacht, cast a handful of dust, t at looked like fiery sparks, after the brig and . Sailed away. ‘‘ She’s queered us, mates,” muttered a sailor. ‘“ Yes, we'll never get safe to port, and the skipper was a fool to let her board us,” said - another. ‘‘T think she was a witch, and if so, the brig is doomed,” replied 4 third, and as the yacht _ disappeared from sight, and the brig sailed on its way Over the moonlit waters, the crew be- -came more and more impressed with the fact that bad luck would follow in their wake during the voyage. CHAPTER IV. THE ILL-OMENED PAIR. A MONTH has passed, and the brig, which took on board the mysterious couple, is off the coast of Newfoundland. A terrible storm is raging, the topmasts have been carried away, and driving before the gale she wallows fearfully. Her crew stand at their posts, grim, silent and dreading the worst, for the vessel has had air. a but ill-fortune on her run across the At- antic, ; First a mate took sick and died, and one night soon after the boatswain had sprung into the sea, taking his own life, though why, none uf his messmates knew. A few days following a leak had been sprung yorward,’and in a blow that followed one of the men had been washed overboard. ‘‘1t’s the queering the old witch gave us,” murmured a sailor, and his words were agreed to by ail. ( As for the couple of ngers, they were ve by themselves all they could, seldom spoke unless addressed, and seemed to be content with their position on board the way ving off Newfoundland a terrific gale Sprung up, and the vessel was driven along at lost. The night was one of dread, and yet the young couple never came on deck to ask regard- ing their danger. Toward morning the leak broke out afresh; the vessel was old, and it could not be kept down with the pumps, and the captain gave orders to prepare the boats so that all hands could leave thessinking vessel. Phe seamen at once went aftina body, and asked: 6 Will you take the two with us in the boats, 009 nee Yes,” ‘Then we will not goin the boat with yon, sir, and you must remaln with them on the brig, for they are ill-omened folks, and have give us bad luck. ‘* Leave them here, sir, and we will be glad to have you go, but not with them,” said the spokesman of the crew. The captain stormed, urged, begged, but all to no purpose, and he was compelled to either remain with the ill-omened couple or go with the crew. Between the two alternatives he chose to save himself, and so the vessel was hove to, the boats were provisioned and lowered, then the men got into them, and away they pulled, leaving the couple in the cabin not knowing how they were being deserted The sun was well up in the heavens when the young man came on deck, He started, turned deadly pale, and hastily searched the ship. Not a soul could he find! The gale had blown itself ovt, and a dead calm had followed, which stilled the waters. Nowhere on the ocean was a sail or boat visi- ble, for aided by their canvas, the two boats had gi “e rapidly landward, and soon were out of SIgnU, The brig was settling fast, and the young man knew his danger, It was evident that he was no sailor; but he was brave and strong, and the men had left the life-boat, which was the smallest of the three boats on board. [t hung at the stern davits, and could be low- ered into the sea without much difficulty. But the brig was surely and rapidly going down, and the water was almost level with her decks. ‘“T have not a moment to lose,” said the young man, and he darted into the cabin. A moment after he returned with the young woman, a carpet-bag, and a bundle of bed- clothing, while she had a tray of provisions, hastily gathered from the pantry. These were thrown into the life-boat, and both saw there was not a moment to be lost. A keg of water was then seized, and being but partially filled, the young man was going to fill it at the water-casks, when a warning cry from his beautiful companion warned him of his dan- ger, as well as did the lurch that the brig gave. _ Instantly he threw the cask into the boat, and it was lowered into the sea, the maiden standing by one rope and aiding. ‘Quick! spring into the boat, Vesta,” cried the man, and she obeyed. An instant after > followed her, and oars were seized and the life-boat urged swiftly away from the sinking vessel. But, not a second too soon, for the brig gave a fearful lurch, then a plunge and went bow first beneath the sea, causing a perfect cauldron of waters to follow her, and drawing the boat toward it with frightful velocity. But the man was strong, handled the oars with vigor and skill, and instead of following the brig down into the depths of the sea, the life-boat was left dancing upon the tossing waters. ‘* We are saved!” cried the man joyfully. ‘From instant death, Melton, yes; but we are adrift upon the wide seas, in a frail boat, with but a few days’ provisions and water, and I feel that we will never reach the shore,” said the maiden sadly. “Do uot get blue, Vesta, for we will yet land and be happy,” was the reply, ‘No, I feel that we will not, and the judg- ment has come upon us, for it was never intend- ed that your race and mine should be man and wife. ‘“‘T loved you, oh so dearly, Melton, and I told Mother Molsey that if I did not wed you I would die by my own hand, ‘*See! Iam your wife and this is the end, for we are doomed, Melton.” The young woman spoke with deep earnestness, ut was yet calm in the face of her forebodin ‘That coward crew deserted us, or we might 3 oe — now be safe, for they are sailors and know how to reach the land, while we must wait to drift ashore, or hope to be picked up by some passinz vessel, ‘* But I do not give up hope, Vesta, not by any means, and I shall not say die until I feel all is lost,” was the plucky response of the young man. But the maiden was not imbued with his spirit, and seemed to have made up her mind that there was no hope, and so believing she be- gan to fail in strength from that moment. In vain was it that her husband strove to checr her, and urged her t» eat, drink and be hopeful; she ate mechanically, and when night came on seemed much cast down. When the morning came there was no sail in sight, no land in view, and the young man was startled to see the change in his companion. Her face was haggard and her eyes sunken. ‘* Why, Vesta, you must not lose your grip, for I tell you I have every hope for us,” he said. She smiled sadly, but made no reply, and thus another day and night passed. They had but little left in the way of food, and the woman seemed dying of thirst, and drank incessantly from their small supply of water. Another da wretched, an was dying. During the night her spirit left the body, and she just faded away like one going to sleep, say- ing sadly: ‘* Kiss me good-by, Melton.” He kissed her lips over and over again, until suddenly he uttered a wailof anguish, for he knew that she was dead. The night passed away and the day came, but he would not consign her body to the deep while she was with him, dead though she was; he had hope that she might yet live to see the land. He had eaten his last morsel of food, drained the last drop of water from the little tank, and could but await the end. His grief was intense also, and the pangs of hunger soon broke in upon his strong frame, and he felt that he must die, and soon. ny he raised himself and beheld land in sight. But it could but bring death to him, for there was a storm raging, and the sea was runnin — high, while the coast was forbidding an rocky in the extreme, He tried to raise himself to work, but was too weak, and fell back in the bottom of the boat by the body of his dead wife. Then he heard a hail, and yet was too feeble to answer it loudly. Then he beheld a strange sight—a mere boy daring danger and death to come to his rescue. But he could lend the plucky fellow no aid and could merely utter a prayer when he foun his life-boat taken in tow and dragged back from the jaws of death into which it was rush- found her still more weak and the man at last realized that she ing. He saw the noble, brave fight for life thas the boy was making, and he wished to have him save himself and leave him to his fate. But no! the brave fisher lad was of sterner material than that, and so fought natwe in her angry mood, fought against death so gjallantly that he at last won, and the life-boat, with its dead and living occupant, was saved from de- struction. Y CHAPTER V. A*‘STRANGE LEGACY. WueEN he had entered the channel-way, be- tween the ragged reefs and the Bold Head Island, the boy felt that he was safe, and his face blushed with sont at his success. But he held rapidly on before the wind until he ran into the cove, where his little boat had been, when he stood upon the cliff. Here he beached his skiff, and hauled the life- boat ashore on the sand. Then he turned his attention to caring for the one whom he had rescued. ‘ The boy started, as he beheld the dead form of the beautiful girl lying in the life-boat, which was one third full! of water. : The giri lcoked strangely life-like as she lay there, her arms folded cefully across her breast, and there at her ed half reclined the man, his body supported by the stern seat, bis head resting upon the gunwale. ‘* You have saved me, and only to see me die,” he said, faintly: ‘No, indeed, sir; for ’ve got my dinner here, which [ have not eaten, and there’s a spring yon- der in the pines, and it’s just what you want,” said the lad, cheerily. boo