THE DARK STRANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 155, 3 July 1896, Page 6

THE DARK STRANGER.

tot JOUHT B. MUBWK.

Author of ' Th» Columbian Historisftl ■ Novels,' < Mysterious Ut Howard,' J etc., etc. /

CHAPTER IX, __HE rtJ BStJES. A OAt-i under the high capes Of Sad Domingo; an infinitude of .bonder squalls, With the pleasant conscioHsne"* of a hundred kegs 0. gunpowder Sbowuu snugly Around the foot of the mainmastj a 'dose shave' on the coral reefs below Jamaica. With occasional alarms of imaginary pursuers—for twenty-six mortal days thia was all that Claude and Tom had of relief from the detestable monotony of shipboard. When left to themselves, the friends frequently discussed the frightful past and doubtful future, Claude asked Tom a hundred timet during that voyage if he thought it possible that she still oared for him. He would have given worlds to have deard her speak one short sentence of love, but &n iron fate had torn him away, and he fees sure that he would never see her again. One dark, rainy morning the lookout tang but i ' Land on tho lee bbw 1' In less than a minute* time Claude and 4.0 m left their little cabin, made their way lo the deck and looked for the first time epon tbe coast Of Central America. Tbe dim bbtlines of the land were just discernible through the murky atmosphere, Jtad many and profound were the conjeetares hassrded as to # hab precise point was then in View. The result finally arrived «t was that they were off' Monkey Point,' about thirty miles flSrth of their destined fdff. This conclusion was soon confirmed by observing, close under the shadow of tbe Bhoro, an immense rock, rising with all the regularity of the Pyramids to the height of three hundred feet; a landmark too characteristic to be mistaken, . . The brig was sweeping along with a stiff bfeffce, and tbe passengers wpre comforted with the assnra__(_e that they.wbuld be in port to breakiastf * if)' as tbe cautious captain observed, 'the wind held.' But the perverse wind did not hold, and half an hdur after the promise was made they were wetting abSnt With a wash tubby motion, the __.<._ b disagreeable that San be imagined. They had had three days of Buch experience off San JDomingd, which had driven Tom almost Wild, and caused him to swear by all the saints in the calendar thab be would never again try his patience aod risk his peace of mind on a sailing vessel. The haze cleared a little, and with their glasses they could make out the long, low line of shore, covered with the densest verdur*. with here and there the feathery $».__., whteh forms so picturesque a feature <d all tropical scenery, lifting itself proudly above the rest of the forest, and the whole relieved against a background of high hills, over which the grey mistß still hung like a veil. Tom could eveb make oub the huts bn the shore: bat the old sailor at the helm tmiied itiaredtilotiaiy and said there were ab hubs there, and thab the unbroken and fen tenanted forest extended far back to the great ridge of the Cordilleras. Bo it was Urban tbe adventurous Spaniards coasted Hfcrfe three hundred years before, and so it tod remained ever since. Their observations were interrupted by a **» Vy ShoVtrer, Which brought a wind With * that moved them nearer to their haven.,, __.aa.l-', whd seemed to take little interest $ irhat was passitig about him, Went to the >arbin } bub though the rain fell in tOrrebts It did nob deter Tola from getting Soaked n his vain endeavours to harpoon the porpoises that came tumbling in numbers trouhd their bows. ■ _■<•• The shower passed and with ib the bf feeze, md again the brig rocked lazily on the ,-ra.er, which ab this point was filled with .ranches of trees and pieces of wood. v imong the rubbish that drifted past-, Tom »W a broken spear and a coeoanub j the me proving the proximity of a people Whosft iHrnitive weapons had nob yet given plaoe n thbSe more effective of civilised ingenuity Ttrdbfoe otbera certain index of the tropics. ftim sbbwer ahd ptoff of Wind which had -tassed *ad carried them withitt sight of -jfcjsir pbift. Tete, thti hid pewis%ehfely deslared that _o Saw cabins on ebore, could now discern Sdiigris of human hab'rtatioo, and declared (bey had ioisb their reckoning, and .Verb far -from their desblned haven. . At this moment they saw a trim schooner amvfag rapidly along under a poaring jbowfer in the "same direction they were %6-ftg. Tb-b'-s^heek turned deathly white -it -eight -ef the «raft. This was the Sail fchicfa. *ftfttt all their long, tedionS] ■tnnttitsf. bad hoVtted likea bird of pre? in htmir walsei «M under tbb __m«% absolute tarried-____ of&eer to cap-1 Wr» 'C-attde, hi 6 was in t_ ..c.e of great, trepidation. ... , "» Vb ybu "kiraw that vessel tbe asked. !vT_yrt must be "the schooner Befchy^ from. &ew York,' the captain answered, after taking a squint at it through the ftlaesH Tbe inform'abinn did nob tend to reliev*', &___.'« ani-fety. Wfc_t knew but that the Sat/ty bada^ebbCtive aboard in pufßttib of. Cla'udet It might htfvb been learned after they left that the man whom all tbe police la the piif Were trjjrifig to feftptbrfe had left \ 0- the "Francis. . _ • What time did she leave New YbrkT Tom asked. , 4 A few hours after we did,' the Captain *as.vere.d. '* Hie* cavptain swore he would • Jbeafiit-4 lb atlbasb ten days, but blow my eyes _f w6 don't reach'the harboar first.' Tota wab fir&re?ftbxioa« tbtm-any on* that; i_h6 :b*_gtr_-d_.ld tetti. the ;scbobnfer intb "port., __kny were'the desperate efforts bn the part at the *ailprS to avail bhemselveß of every, %*_ft*s-paw' thab passed. . "'The¥xcitefli&bt was'great,-ai-d Tbf& inmtretl for -sweeps, and recommended getting o&t the yawl to tow the vessel in. Such was hiß-excibe'ment -and oagetness to g^tib-b:port:thii;t he forgot to admire the. emerald shores which were now distinct -frbt tiidre than half 'a mil© distant, and he pTaybd that a 'black-looking thunderstorm, doming .gloomily in the east, mighb make a THveW-on in iheir favour. . . A spefek Vras discerned in the direcbibh bf_ foorb, and by and by the movement of oats Sfecmld ;be seen and bodies Swaying tb iabd; fro, and in due time * pitpSn—a long,: afastp .pointed -cftaoe-tpuUed -hy *s motley a I set of mortals as one ever saw, all stripped to-the Vaist, darted hnder their bows, and a burly fellow pulled off his hat to the captain and inqmredjin bad English : . •AVatttiee ah pilot V . 'Go to !Da¥y iJohBSj ybu Inbberi' cried Iffie TxTate. ••^Vhat hal becom* of your ayes? Can'b you -tell the Francis anywhere? She's made thirty-seven voyages; **b Mb 'port, and •knows the "way better; Shan any son of iSTeptubb who ever pub to *»*n % bread trpugh. It ye want to piltft TOmathin?, go abd toW ih :tbat -hibberly •"jftstToernfl- to JwlKd'ard.' The black fellow looked "blacker than before, -and said something in unintelligible4atrgon -to the rest, and away they darted toward the schooner. • *y:^-nii%ih_« Claude had again tiotoe on deck, and Tom, touching his arm, pointed toward the schooner. Claude nodded his, i-_-a;Oomptt_hendlng manner. While a i ook of resignation Settled over his face. ' Claude, don'b be so careless about this,' said Tom. '_' Tf ybu have no regard for your own "neck, lia'i-o "some JfQr mine, for they' i

will make an accomplice of me for the parb I have taken.'

Claude started* gassed a moment" ab his friend, and said t

• Tom, we ought bob to have come away together. lam to blame for permitting you to endanger yourself on my account. ' Don't blame yourself, Claude. All that I ask is that you obey my instructions. We may beat the schooner In yeb. See, the thunderstorm is coming our way.' They glanced toward the sborm sweeping toward them, piling up a black line of water, crested with foam, with a noise like distant thunder. Ib reached them at last, The sails fluttered a moment and filled, the yards creaked, the masts bent to tbe strain, and the little brig darted away through the hissing water. 16 grew so dark when bhey were enveloped in the cloud bhat they loab sight of the schooner, and the shore was no longer visible; but they kept on their way. The •Francis' seemed a bhing of life and eagerly flew >n roach her old anchorage. • Don'bShb rjudl* cried the mate, rubbing his hands in very glee. • Will this breeae eatry Us ifl V Tom anxiously asked. •If ib only holds for ten minutes, we 11 be in like a spike/ Tom burned his aaxiouß eyes toward the Schooner as soon as the cloud cleared, and he was quite sure he saw some one on the ! deck ieveiling a glass at them. • Claude,' he whispered, • don'b betray any anxiety. The pursuer is on the Schooner, and is even now sweeping our decks with a glass/

Claude made no answer, bub turned his eyas shoreward in a careless manner. The breeze held oub, and the brig was close to Point Arenas, a long, narrow spib, partly covered with water which shuts in the i harbour, leaving only a narrow opening lor the admission of vessels. The schooner was behind the brig, bub a new difficulty arose. The bar bad changed since the last trip; the captain watt uncertain as to the entrance, and the surf broke heavily under their lee. Excitemenb of another character prevailed as they moved slowly on to where a great swell proclaimed the existence of shallows. Tom kept bis eyes fixed on the captain, who stood in the bows, as if waiting the eventful moment*. Suddenly ho cried, with startling emphasis: • Hard aport I* ' Hard a-porb,' was echoed by the helmsman, as he Swepb the tiller round. Bub ib was too late; the little vessel struck heavily as the wave fell. • Lost I Heavens, we shall be overhauled 1' groaned Tom. • Twenty-seventh) and last I muttered the mate between his teeth, as he rushed to the fastenings, and the mainsail came down on the run* • Round with tbe boom, my men !' cried tbe mate, and the boom swung round, just as the brig struck again with greater force than before, unshipping the rudder and throwing the helmsman across the deck. •Hound again, my men 1 lively, or the Francis is lost!' cheered the mate, who seemed invested with superhuman strength and Agility { and as the boom swung round the wave fell, bub the brands did not strike, . 1 Clear she is 1' snouted the mate, who leaped upon the companionway and waved his hat in triumph ; then, turning toward the schooner, ha shouted i 'Do that, ye rascal, and call yourself a sailor, Claude Morton, whose liberby and even life depended on the success of the dangerous maneuvre, stood gazing on the exciting scene, the leasb concerned of any. Tom was wild with excibement, and ran to the captain as soon as the vessel was afloat, and asked s 'Ie she over the bar ? Is she safe ?' •She's clean' • Will we beat the schooner in port ?' 1 Certainly, mate, but you seen strangely anxious to gob* ashore.' •It's tbe end of our destination,' Tom answered evasively« ' and we want to beat thab schooner.'

•By the trident o' Neptune we did ib right handsomely. I fancy you won't see the schooner inside bhe harbour 'fore morning.' The mate fixed his weather-beaten eyes on bhe Schooner, which, failing to come up with the wind, tell short of the Narrows, and noting tbe danger to which the brig had been exposed, luffed alee and fell off fcwo or three points. The officers and crew of the Francis uttered yells of derision, and the captain was heard to say:

•She had better take the black pilot. Unless they ate towed in to-nighb the morning will find *eta outeido the harbour. The ground is too dangerous for 'cm to venture into it.' •Ib is but salvation, Claude,' Tom whispered, as he led his friend to bhe larboard rail.

• Why ?' • We can land and be hidden somewhere in this «trange country before bhey get ashore.' y * I suppose we can,' Claude answered, wibh a «igb. . . * Don't be so apathetic, Claude.

•I have no feats of being overhsuled and token back to New York, for I am nob making my escape. -Misery Ib bound to be my companion wherever 1 go. I may fly to the übtermost enda of the earth and it will follow me. My uncle's dead face and that l«Bt*ry of Hallie's will haunt me a* long as I live, and whenever I tony go.1 * Think no fnore about them.' 4 How am I to banish them from my thoughts?' 1 Why, iriy deaJr'ftlldw, we are entering a new world) and will begin a new life. In the 'goldffelds of California we will forget bhepafeb.' Claude shook -his head sadly and an* irwWed: «No, t*ever «hall—l never can-~I never to forget her.' The Francis Was in the harbour snug and s&fo, *tid the echotiner beating up against the -Wind, 'bdk, the tide being oub, did nob venture-in. the accidenb to the tudttet of the Francis, ehe pasßed readily to her old anchorage, in bhe midsb bf a spacious harbour, smooth as a mill pbnd. There was music in the rattling table as tire anchor Was run out, and bhe Francis moved slowly raund, with her broadside tbwards the town. Tho well was tried, but no indication of a leak waa 'fo-'und, which was the loec&Bion for a new ebullition of joy tfn the parb bf tbe mate.

All dangers being past, Tom and Claude had a chance to look about them. They were nob mote 'than two cables' length Irom a low, sandy fehore, upon Which was ranged, in a line parallel to the water, a double row of houses, or rAthef huts, some bdilt bf boards, but many of reeds, and all thatched with palm leaves. Some came down to the water like iibeds, and tinder one were drawn up pibpanS and canoes. Larger contrivances for navigating the Sab Juan River, resembling canal-boats, were aIBO moored close in shore. * What town is this?' Claude aeked. It was the firsb interesb he had expressed in any thing since he left &ew York ; und Tom Coleman "was both astonished and delighted. 1 It is San Juan de Nicaragua,' answered the ornate.

Then Claude again relapsed into silence, gazing off shoreward in his listless uianner. The anchor was hardly dropped before a canoe came alongside, containing as variegated an assortment of passengers as can well be conceived. Among them Were the officers of the porb, whose importance was made taanifesb from the numerous and unnecessary orders they gave to bhe oarsmen and prodigious bustle they made getting up the-sido. One was an Englishman, who, going to the captain, said : 1 Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, Mr Chase, has sent me to say he hopes you had a pleasant voyage, and to invite you to the Consulate as soon as you have rested.'

Tom, who was trembling in his booW, thoughb : , .j ' Maybe they wanb to geb u« there, ana hold us until the infernal schooner makes P°Bub as there was no peremptory demand, merely an invitation, he beean to breathe easier. He went to the officer from the Consulate and made cautious inquiries abouc a quieb, retired houße where a couple ot gentlemen mighb live for awhile free from the annoyances of the town or harbour. A respectable-looking negro was pointed oub as a suitable landlord, as he had a desirable house, quite retired from *e-town. Tom Was so impatienb to be on land that he could nob waib for bhe yawl to be hoisted over the aide, so he gathered his luggage--rifles and revolver-and, pushing Claude before him, descended into the canoe of the 1 Harbour Master' and thus went ashore. The population of the town was an there, many-huedand fantastically attired, to see them land. The dress of urchins from twelve and fourteen downward generally consisted of a febraw hat and a cignr, tbe latter sometimes onlighted and stuck behind the ear, bub oftener lighted and stuck in the mouth ; a cossume which Tom declared 'sufficiently airy, piotttresaue and excessively cheap.' Men, womeu and children were stocking cigars, and stared ab the two * Amencatsos' as they passed through the town aa if they were stranger* from another planeb. The novelty of the scene to a slight degree distracted Claude frotn his grTwo negr6 boyi, bodß 8f their landlord, volunteered to pilob them to the house where they were to rest for the night. Passing through the main town they entered a forest followed by a train of boys and some ill-looking grown-up vagabonds. The path led to a beautiful lagoon, fenced in by a bank of verdure, upon which were a number of women dipping clothes In the water and laying them in an old boat and violently beating them With clubs. Turniae down a narrow pabh which led along the shores of the lagoon 6ur travellers found themselveß in the cool, deep shades of a tropical foresb. A flock of noisy paroquets were fluttering above them, and strange fruiba and flowfcrt appeared on all sides. Before they had gone far an oddur of muck was discernible, and directly a tremendous plunge in the water. Cladde and Tom both paused and looked in the direction of the water to see the cause, but one of tbeirjuvonile guides waved his hands contemptuously, fttid said: • Lagartos 1' And, sure enough, glancing through the bußbes, they saw two or three monstrous alligators slowly propelling themselves through the Water. 'Dragons in an earthly paradise 1 muttered Tom, clutching bhe barrel of his One of the little black rascals, by w*y of caution, said : . *Muchos vulebras quit ('Many snakes here!') . Ac Claude had some knowledge or tbe Spanish, he managed to translate the warning to Tonii • They reached the h&uß6 of bha negro, which was bullb of palmetto loge t thatched with palm leaves, and standing on poßta some two or three feet from the ground, which they were assured was to protect them from snakes and lizards. They were given a pile ot cow-hides for a bed, and after a dinner of tortillas tend fruib they sab in front of their houso gazing on the sceneß about them. Their house wfts situated in a eorb of suburb ot the town, which was composed of about half-a-dozen hutß, filled with nagro»* Indians and mixed races. After smoking a cigar they sauntered forth to take a view of this suburban poition »f San Juan deNicaragua, looking into the doorways, and catching an occasional glimpse of the go'mesbkfeconomj. of the inhabitants. There seemed to be a perfeeh equality and general flood understanding between pige, babies* dOgS and chickens. The pigs gravely took pieces of tortillas from tho mouths of bhe babies, and the babies as gravely took pieces away f rbm the pigs. They remained in the vicinity of the houße all day* and when evening came Tom insisted thab his friend should retire whtlo he crepb down the bay to reconnoitre. Claude threw himself on a pallet" of hitieu and was coon in a light slumber. He had jusb begun to dream of Bailie when Tom leaped into the hut, crying : • Claude, Claude, geb up! We mueb travel!' • Why, what's the matter, Tom V Clattde asked, starting npand laying his hand on hiß rifle, which was conveniently near hie head. , 1 The infernal schooner is just coming into porb, towed by a hundrad canoes, and» now thab we have gob bo far, let's nob be caught napping.' Claude started to his feet, and seizing his rifle and travelling-bag, announced himself as ready.

{To It Continued*)