VICTOR MOREDANT; OR THE LOST SHIPS.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 39, 8 April 1875, Page 7

VIC TOR MOREDANT; OR THE LOST SHIPS.

A TALE OF FIFTY YEARS AGO. CHAP. XXXII.

OLIYB AND JACK SET OUT FOR BEECHWOOD, The newspaper report of the sea frauds perpetrated by M'Dougal and Menzies, with the account of the apprehension of the former and the escape of the latter, was read in many a human dwelling besides Beechwood, but nowhere with greater interest than in the humble above of Jack Blossom, in Ship Row. For a certain purpose of her own, May never failed to procure the * Herald ' on the mornings of its publication, and on this particular morning when Molly brought it in along with the breakfast rolls she eagerly unfolded it, and was about to scan the advertisements in search of one which was perhaps there for her, when this purpose was arrested by her eye lighting on the words, printed in big- capitals, " Two Glasgow Merchants accused of Ship-sinking."

" Oh, Jack," she exclaimed, " here is all about M'Dougal and Menzies !"

Jack, who was sitting- at the open window smoking industriously, laid down his cutty pipe in a trice, and turned round witn eager interest.

" What ! in the paper there V* " Yes, all the story is here. Do you wish me to read it to you ?"

"In course I does," my dear. " I ■want to know what it says about 'em, and if it's true what I heard last night, that Menzies had shipped his moorings and got out of sight." ••' Oh, I hope it is true for poor Julia's sake," said May, her beautiful face flushed with excitement. " I do hope the warning was in time, and that^he lost not a moment in profiting by it. But we shall know presently." . . And forthwith she began and read what was that same morning being read by Mr Moredant at Beech wood. In the one case it was Victor, who was the listener, in the other it was Jack, arid the latter heard it with no less attention and much more outward excitement. "When May reached the conclusion where it was" intimated that Menzies had fled, owing to a letter having been sent by some one unknown, and could not be found, she laid the paper on her knee, and she and Jack looked at each other with glad satisfaction. "Lor', only to think it was us two as did it !" ejaculated Jack. " Oh, I am so glad," whispered May, ** arid I do hope they will riot find him."

'* Depends on where he has g-ot stowed away," remarked Jack. "They'll be sure to make close search for him, and if he ain't snug Under hatches, and well battened down, his chance ain't a particularly good one." ,'Wb.at a state Julia must be in," said May, with a tying- sigh. "No doubt on it, my dear ; but hasn't she got herself to blame for it ? And if you hadn't the most Christian heart in the whole world you'd neither have been sorry for her nor thought of signalling her land-pirate of a husband to make sail, and so get cle'ar o' the yardarrri;" "It was for her sake I got you to write the letter, Jack- not for his."-

" Oh, I knows that very well. Only she wasn't deserving of it from you, any more than" him."

" She is rriy cousin, Jack, and must now bitterly rue the position iri which her deception has placed her." (( Sartin enough that is ; but if she'd rued the deception itself I'd be more soft in my feelings for her. Strikes me though as she's not one o' that sort; She'd steer the same course to morrow if she thought it would land her in a fair harbor."

" Perhaps she would," sighed Olivej whose late experience of Julia had given her no ground for any other hope. *' But for all that, Jack, I am very glad we have been the means of making her position less bitter by saving her husband from capture, and 1 kDow you are glad too, Jack, for all your hard words. I am sure you wouldn't turn your back on your worst enemy if you saw him iri trouble. Would you now ?"

"Wall," laughed Jack, "since you put it iff that f)lain and above-board fashion, I don't mind owning to you, my dear, that if I was cruising along shore and saw a ship in distress nearing the breakers, though I knowed her to be the worst craft as ever sailed the seas, I couldn't keep from doing What I could to send her to a good offing. " I kiiew it," cried May, with happy animation. " And how muc"h more would you help the disabled vessel if it was a former companion — one with whom you had sailed in company— 'even though she hail tried to take the advantage~of you ? On that very account I knew you would be all the more ready to save

" Ay, ay, so I would," responded Jack, his bronzed face glowing with approval. " Well, this is exactly my case with Julia," exclaimed May, triumphantly. "Lor* love iher dear little heart, but ain't she a good un' !"• was the' other's fond, admiring comment. _/* T'said, she was an angel iTdih th'e'very'fifst; Well, well, my dear," he added, in a hearty tone; * l I hopes for -your sake asp how the case-after MenkieS wilT 1 hiTit out a'Wmcl one -;- only I'd have-inoTe frope'^ol'^ifyfre had borne to otiier .latiftiaW The paper saVS ta hdw they' tliink'h^ain'toui frw*sWf? ".. . / ::..;.,:, * 4 Perhiapg they are wrong there. . Sdfe mistaken they are in the idea of the

letter; though 1 wonder Menzies did not burn it the moment it was read."

«« Ay, what is't they say, about jit, again?" asked Jack, with an amused

grin. ' " The anonymous letter," read May, tl is evidently from a confederate who had obtained a knowledge of the steps which were being taken by the underwriters."

1 " A confederate," roared Jack, with a loud ha ! ha f te My eye ! only to think that they set us down as confederates." May smiled in unison, and went on reading from the paper. " The servant girl states that it was handed in by a decent-looking, elderly woman." "That's you, Molly," vociferated Jack, looking towards his wife with huge delight. " The hand is evidently a disguised one, for though the writing seems to be that of an illiterate person to whom the use of the pen is not familiar — : " "That's you, Jack," interrupted Molly, with equal glee. "And sure enough the guess is , a good one," assented Jack, holding up his rough tar-stained fist. "Go on, May, lass." "The spelling and composition are both perfectly correct." " In course they are," shouted Jack, "for didn't I write it, word for' word, and letter for letter from the copy you gave me ? Little wonder that the two things together have set 'em off on the wrong tack. Lor', but this bit on it is a jolly good lark." And Jack lay back in his seat and laughed immoderately, till he was suddenly "brought up " by a cry from May, who had turned to another part of the paper, and was reading something with eyes that devoured the very letters. "Oh, Jack," she Gried,. breathlessly. " What is^it ? Good gracious ! it is something more <ibout e'm that you haven't seen 1 Have they captured Menzies, after all ?" "It is — it must be," continued May, with deepening excitement. " Listen, Jack \ listen to this : — ''Private Notice. '0. m. is requested to come to B, WITHOUT DELAY, FOB THE PURPOSE AGREED ON.' This is a message to me from my uncle." "It looks uncommon like it," returned Jack, every trace of mirth gone from his face. " Oh, lam certain of it. _Y ictoi> must have seen his father's advertisement in last week's * Herald," and returned to Beechwood, and now they wish me to come and sign the paper." " And what will you do ?" " I will go, of course — go at once, and you-shajl go with me, Jack. Yet, stay. Oh dear, if Charles should return while we are away, what will he think?" " He'll wonder where we have gone to ; and of course it wouldn't do for Molly to. tell him." " Oh no, no," cried May, with utmost earnestness, " Charles must know nothing yet — not until I go and do this. After that I will be free to tell him what we have so carefully kept as a secret from him." " And you'll be able to tell him what a sacrifice you have made for his sake." " I'll do nothing of the kind, for it wouldn't be -true. A sacrifice, you know, Jack is the yielding up of something that you prize, and so ; incurring a real loss. But this is what I didn't do in relinquishing Beechwood. I don't prize it a bit, and I'll never, never feel that it is a loss to me." „ ! i

" Not as things are*" assented Jack ; " but not one in ten thousand would hu' done it. And, my eye, won't Master Charles be a. proud and astonished man when he knows you aint Jack Blossom's daughter, but a great and well-born lady as ought to have been rich, only she had rather be made rich with his love."

" But I am Jack Blossom's daughter," said May, cdrhing towards him and fondly stroking his grizzled locks. " And I nevef~mean' to be anything else; arid I know tfiat Charles won't think anything itiore of me when he learns the rest."

« Why if thgre isn't Master Charles' step on the stair," cried Molly,' and at the announcement a brighter light of gladness sparkled iri MJ^y's eyes,. and a! deeper flush of joy r o'erspread her face! as she turned to listen. - This was,j however, .only for a .moment. .Her! love- quickened ear .was .not ito^be cte-j ceived by the sound sHe ;hear<l into! thinking it was her lover's step. __Tha.t step she .would have recpgnised,. ampng; a* thousand- — the quickj l firhf, elastic tread whjch bespoke an .ardent buoyant soul. . No, she made out in a moment! that the coming step was not' that of Charles, and •- the gladsome light- gave way to perceptible disappointment. , "That is not Charles coming," she quietly observed. :...-.■:-..:.' ." Then . who : can it : be <?■'. wondered Molly, with a waiting.- look .of curiosity directed towards the landing.; :-f " Mayhap f some o,' them law folks," again suggested 5 Jack. x L The step which" came was a quick, firm, unhesitating one, and certainly galve ibrthlantffficifil s6und^soithatfHe guess was not an. unnatural one. v — it turned out to be wrong, though.. The person ' wno : came was ; &ri'©fTtM : of a different ch'aTdcter: It ! wall the postiriarii" - '■■■■-■ '■ . ■ -- • •■' -• "° • " Does \ Mi ; 3mi( 7 B^o||om reside here/' clffeH ' dixttiV man 'of letters, oneip hishandj and lo^king'at it as he spoke..

f'Jack Blossom you -mean, I supposed' - answered the owner of that appellation, <r ; "\No, ifojlon'n^fitl^ course it's all the~same. Are you the irfan ?" "I'm Jack Blo^isom. at'your^service, . but if it's ;a letter. I. don't think it 'can be for me,'fpr I never get 'em)".. „ " Oh, there's no doubt it's for you... There you are," and he dropped it, on the table, aad was gone without further parley. •.•■,.-.., . - ■ . Jack lifted; the letter in a; dubiousway, and turned it over and over, as if it were an object strange and mysterious.

" Why,_who 4 can it be from ?" " I suppose you'll get the answer to that when you open it," said May, with a merry laugh. . i . . " Burl don't think as how it can be for. me a^ all," muttered Jack, scratch- > ing hi3 tiead, with/a puzzled . air, _ . ".If it was for me the party as sends it would know my name was Jack.^' " But John is the proper and polite name for Jack, and nobody would think of putting Jack on the outside of a letter."

" Wouldn't , they ? Then do .you think I may open it ?" "Of course, you may . open it," said May, witU another laugh at Jack's simplicity. " There is no doubt it is for vou, as the postman said, and even if it is not, you can discover the fact only by opening it." " Then, here goes," said Jack, .as he tore up the seal. Envelopes had not come into use in those days, and jetiers generally consisted of the sheet on which they were written, being folded in oblong form, the outer flap slipped within the inner, and secrecy secured by a wafer and a seal. ' The present letter, looked at from the outside, seemed to be of this, description, „ and appeared from its thickness to be large, but when Jack's unaccustomed .fingers had slowly unfolded itj he found that the outer sheet was only a covering to another sealed letter within.

"My eye, if there ain't two of them !" he ejaculated. "Looks to me as if somebody had sent them for a lark. What's this written on the back of the inner one ? Eh !— what— For Mat." -

" For me," echoed May, with a great start and sudden spring forward. " Why, it's from Charles." And • the . letter was . whipped in a twinkling out of Jack's hands by the happy blushing girl, ere he had time to recover from his astonishment. The fair girl showed but scant ceremony in the matter, for which, we suppose, she will be readily pardonetL It was the first letter- she had received from her lover, and it came so unexpectedly. In an infinitely quicker time than Jack had taken to - open the outer covering, May had the inner sheet spread out before her, and her eyes had begun to sparkle as she read the tender words within, every one of which breathed, love and devotion. It was long, and took-her aome time to read, yet May could have wished it had been ten times longer, so precious were the sentences. Jack, who guessed the character of the contents, very discreetly refrained from askiug r what was| in the epistle^ but he and Molly had only to look at the bright joy beaming in the fair, blushing face, to see : what exquisite pleasure she was receiving 1 . "He's not coming back just yet," she at length exclaimed, when, within the tender expressions of endearrnent, she had come to this one and only piece of information, /'.The business he is on will keep. _him some time longer— how much f longer ; he |is .unable to say, but if beyond a week he .^illwrite again. How glad lam at this." "Glad- that he can't 1 "comeback just yet?" remarked Jack, with a stare of surprise. " No, of conrse.ndti you dear, good Jack ; but -gkd-that- he won't come when we are a*-Beecnw.ooi:l, where we shall go.;to-.morro\v. z The coach will take us in the morning, and bring us back in ihe evening." . : r r . " You don't "mean to stay long in portr— just discharge, cargo and weigh anchor, without even ballast." Eh, ; ain't "that our sailing orders ?".. .•;. ._.;, , - "If you mean -that we quit .Beach-j wood 59 .soon aa.l sign .the paper ; of] relinquisfiment,. that is Just^ what. I j intend. r ...1 don'iwish to stay,,. there; Jack — no, not even thought it contains; my only family relations.. We are strangers; and eiffcumst&niiefe liaVe mide ; it very unpleasant t(J meet. My poor father's mistake^ is the cause 1 of this, but it can't be helped." ,

r«f gQemstp-.? I^, my de.ar^. as,.if^iss Julias attempt to saiLiinderYaTse cplors is mbst'to blame fdr^ifi"^^^^'^^^^. "But for th¥t~yauT wouldn't'TTa! borne up "and taken another course wtfen a'mosj in sight o' the harbor. Who knaws but if : you had held straight on and came l to anchot at Beectiw.oQjiiJ;y;ou and your- cousin would have-goi in tow artd .iQade : the rest p' the.yoyage .of: "life together, withj-A: M?. wind and no squalls'? s lt strikes me,j my dear, that this would "have^come'ouf olf it, for from the accounts^ we* have^had of Master Vjctorj:it.seems.as if be and you would have-been -natural-eonsoi i t8 F ~and- : there would have been T; iao giving up of the estate on either side — "

V^Stqp, ?top, T Jack," cried JfTay, as she pla6bd i he^ hand 4>n v iris mouthy «Ha shook her head at him with mocK reproswVl :<f l •pe'sitivefy wiJFriof hear yoj* spe^j^p.ther wsx&, yLfi&i&lstrain. flja.d I done as you say* and had it

ended, as: you -Indicia you wouldn't have bad May Blossom for a daughter, and I should not have known and loved Charles- Wingate. Now, tell me, Jaek ar^e'^u sorry for either of these two things w%k?h^have resulted because I turned back 'fr6n| Beecfiwc^d-?!'

. " Sorry, my dear I;: JjOifJof&jovi,. in course not.. It's. been theiriipsjt, Messed thing for me ks ever could have hap* pened,. ... .; .. ,:■... : " And for me too, my^dear,, good Jack;.; -so I shall .never, never,.^never regret turning back from Beechwood, nor shall I be quite happy till we leave it. to-morrow, for then I shall feel as if I "belonged wholly to you and Charles, whom I prefer to a million Beechwoods. There'; I am going to the" bedroom to read the dear fellow's letter again, and you ;won't see me till dinner-time."

5 Saying which . sjie bent down and kissed his bronzed cheek, then with a rosy blush and a merry laugh, whose silvery sounds bestowed the fulness of a loving maiden's joy, she tripped away and shut herself ,.up p the next apartmen.t, there to devour, .with rapturous delight, the fond utterances which her betrothed had penned, and cover with kisses the precious • paper which conveyed them. .

A- very foolish proceeding", no doubt, in the estimation of those who are not in love; foolish, too, in the retrospection of those who at a certain period of life were guilty of it; but natural always to the ardent spirit of youth when> the fquntaia of pure affection has jus fc burst forth in the heart, and begun to gush in streams of joy through the whole happy being.

Next day the coach from Glasgow g'qing' east left two of itspassengers at the Dqnburn Arms. - , We need scarcely say" tKat these were. Jack Blossom and May, or that they were so far on their way to Beechwood.

Jack was very sprucely attired in what he called his toggery." _His_ jacket, vest, and trousers. consisted of fine .bright blue , broadcloth, with shining brass buttons..... His blue :cap was also of fine material, and adorned with a band of silver lace. A- snowy linen shirt of May's owii making decked his broad; honesfrbosom, while a silk neckerchief of many color's loosely enveloped his throat.' .His seamed, weather-beaten face i hapMbeeii ;\ scrubbed with a soap and water till it -shone like a " nor'-west moon," and his ordinary shaggy hair and whiskers were combed into order and smoothness.

. Altogether Jack presented, a highly respectable, well-to-do appearance-the result of a particular and deliberate carefulness on his part. He considered this the greater occasion of his life, and one in which it was all-important that he should appear^ to the best of his advantage. He was going with Olive Moredarit into . the presence of her g*rand relations — going in the character of her preserver- and guardian, and not for the world would he disgrace her in their jeyesi'by a shabby; exterior,;, so as to give them the idea that she had been u . consorting with low craft." He was proud of his charge, and wanted to do her full honor.

Olive; was dressed plainly, . but with exceeding neatness, according to the, statioii which she had : for- months practically assumed, and which by that day's act she would' .formally adopt. Homeliness of attire- could not, however, hide her beauty' nor conceal those natural airs of gftCce ! arid refinement which bespoke' a lady born arid reared, and manyaldok of wondering curiosity had been bestowed, on her by their fellow-passengers, who could not understand how so fair and charming a .girl was traVelling in 'the company of a; common sailor. Even~ihe rudest of .them instinctively felt that she wa's one to be treated with respect, and it just as. "well that, their instincts .served them thus far, for woe betide them had they presumed on her plain dress, and on the fact that she was travelling; ton the top of a coach, to treat her with : any . degree of i familiarity— Jack's brawny arm would-in that case have! tossed them from their seat upon;: the: roas ,withput a moment's hesitation;, Perhaps =•. their , jinstincts them this- likewise ; certain it is, that from one or other qr both'- 'cakes,' Olive was! treated by everj oiie 1 throughout the journey- with T marked- deference, - and T^hen^ ii ikno^iv thisit sKeVand %£r sea-iarrag'compan^ were to go no farttiar than r Denburniimor.e than,, one pf the ' travellers;^a^-t 161 * a 4i eu w^U.respect-ful-ialutai&risY 1 which.' OliVfe 1 ' aickriow'ledged with a sweet and captivating ''smileV ' ij "^ ■ '^''•■' 1 l - ; '■■■■■• " They weniintcl'tlie itin till the coach should be gone. The interior of _the parlouV Jtorcipry^remin3ed ( .mem ;l ;,of the !JecMßpr o mghi fpr^jßrly, jeoteredt itii.andloj&flctflatica'd taken place on that occasipn*. Tb.e lancfloro : remember.e^. 1 - jSie^npalso^ 'and j mindfuV.of tlieirj to tte gossip of tne L 'netg&l^oraQo(i^'£i shb wed "an: "incliriatiori: to ltrea^ them^to a share of r it. now, nartiaularlV tKat which cqncßrned.tMaflaiFs;pf tne ianyily at -mMfo r seemeCr^ rto; . ha,ye created great interesting tlie;local;mind. Note,- iJhowever, Ihisi jguests^ -jboftitedly discoura^ed-air-c'oMn^ni^atidn&^faet wMeh' J lie J was "iioi-vdry -' quicic' to .perceive, till ha was suddenly silentied .', \r? brought him up aliiof a:iheap; arid -dried 1 !up the strfeSnJJdi^fsr^fifa^taeif^ di£ its .full flow.. T&s only piece- of infpEma-

tion which OliVe "was really interested in receivingiwas. that Victor had retintly returned home and was then at the

The walk of two mile* between the village and Beechwood was prosecuted by Jack and Olive amid comparative silence. The importance of" tbe 1 ps.trpose for which they had come pi*essed on- Olivs's mind more than it had done when looked at from a distance. Now that, the. moment of its- execution had almost arrived its peculiar and extraordinary character showed itself more forcibly than it hatf yet done, as well as the embarrassing nature of the situation. . There was not in her , mind the slightest regret or irresolution, only an uneasy feeling rising out of the singular circumstances,, and a r desire to get through the scene in which she was to be such a prominent actor. , '

Jack kept close by her side, rolling along with seaman^ gait, and keeping silent, except when she addressed him. The bright August day would have been unpleasantly hot but'fbf' a western breeze that fanned their faces and took the sultriness out of tEe air. The face of the country was looking beautiful, rejoicing as it did in th.e fulness of its summer's prime and the near advancement to maturity of its harvest bo,unty. Cornfields waved and rustled on every side, the umbrageous- Woods glistened in the r golden light, the. .birds ■sang gleefully among tfte branches and light fleecy .clouds sailed smoothly across the blue sky. " ; Jack was far from being insensible to the beauties of Nature... His. chi.ef enthusiasm and admiration were, of course, reserved for the- se.a^ which in all its mtfods of calrii and storm, brightness and gloom, he loved, and considered far beyond anything, to, be witnesgedLlonL. land.;', stilf. fair August landscape had a charm for him, and its sights and sounds' gave him no little pleasure, while the incense floating through the warm air^ so different from the fresh smell of the sea, gave him special satisfaction. •

Still the road was long., to ..one who cherished a sailor's antipathy to walking, and he was not sorry when Olive called out with a little :gasp — i

" Oh, Jack, here is the lodge gate." "My eye ; what a grand one it is," responded Jack, as he eyod the massive iron bars so curiously twisted and ornamented on either side ,by. an, eagle cut in stone, and 'set' itpon" a 'high pillar. Within the gate was . a long 1 ,; straight avenue, lined on each side with gigantic beeches, thus justifying the name which the place had received." -

"And this should of right be yours, my dear,", observed : Jack, as they wended their way up the avenue, from which a view was had of the noble park sweeping* away, inta^ttie-distance. " Only to think, now, that you are going- to make, a few. scratches with a pen which will cut you out of this beautiful place. Don't you feel a little bit sorry at the thought of it ?" ' ■

" No, Jack, not sorry, but nervous at the. thought of meeting my cousin*" " Why, you needn't be afraid of him now, since it's -all; settled that you are not to marry him."

,V Still I" am anxious and- fluttered, arid the whole thing is so" unpleasant. What a relief it- will be when we are on our way back. „ See^ yonder is the house, and the tower at the far, corner where .Julia-confined me."- \ i \ " I see it," responded Jack. <( I seej the old hulk, with the modern craft alongside of it. Why if ifc. ain't' like a , disabled ship . just .out of action. It has lost all its rigging,! the bulwarks are gone, the portuoles smashed, and not.a.spar standing. A fine, square built craft that other,, though — all trim and r taut and ship-' shaipe — nothing wanting but the colors, hoisted to yon imastheact to say the ad-, micars aboard." „-.•,. .. -...;'.

Aiid Jack pointed to where his de-i lighted eye had caught ' sight of a tall ', flagstaff, surmounting- a" tower/ in the centre of the, mansionThouse.. ... No : fla,g nor pennon waved from." its 'tapering form, and th;s had; struck Jack's., nau-. tical instinct as Being a dull arid "desolate sign. r r r . .. . „.•«< When ' my cousin gets married, 'ft | will no L^oubt,dis>plaj.a;ga^ fanner on I on the weci&ng day," said Olive. (t I ; wish," she, i .. ;^i% fi an.,|in_xiausk-look j round -the" park" in" ali' J difticti6ns~" I wish^ I cpulsL see my uncle,, or. jeven Victor/ walking about; ! I would feel it ; far .. less . awkward jo~ meet '; thenx-here than, m .. one-. V'9^ r the ;T r stately: tfooms. Don't you see any bne^in ihe distance,

. „" N.otajSajl in, ; sjght,. rnvj-deari" replied Jack, after .careful snrvey of the i various vistas 1 /; antl discovering thafcallrwera solitary., r; ; : ... • ; forwarjcLfo the- principal entrance," said Olive, with a little sigh. and. a distressful look/ ■-'-':'■' - — -------

They were now crossing; the lawn and; approachingitbe terr-aee.. Still no human being was visible.. The hall door ?;tood= wide .operi^butihe • Winds of the many windows were down, no doubt. (tov excludel ;the Jbrighttsunlight which fell at the time on that front of the building. It seemed destined that no aUevia.ti<m shouKTße given to Olive's feeling of nervous timidity, c,y. the appearance of^ome one to -breaks .the.ifpc'fi Shall^^aUj^«skecl} Japkjpsupposing,, as a matter of course, that he must in the circumstances ll&ut, aa, through a. trumrjet, '^Ship. ahoy,"

"Oh, no ; not for the\"world,""exclaimed Olive, horrified at the proposal, " Perhaps we may find a servant in the hall."

In this hope she was also disap pointed. The great glass doors within , the entrance .door were closed, $nd nothing was visible beyond but the , broad steps of the great stair, winding upward till lost in the rich light cast upon it by the stained glass window above. • ■

" Strikes me," muttered; Jack, -V. that this here ship's deserted. No look-out aloft, and no watch . on deck. It all hands are skulking below, they ought to have a round dozen a-piece at the grating."

". W,e „ must ring- the , bell,: - Jack. There's the Handle — give it a pull." . Ay,,ay; I'll pipe. ->m to duty," rejoined Jack,' as he seized the handle with .both .his fists, and pulled., with might and main, to the accompaniment of a lusty < ; VYo r ho." - ■; . ' The clang" that followed was something, fearful,^ bursting, forth as it did without warning on the summer stillness. One or two distant exclamations were heard, and presently the butler came up .the stair, with a rush and a look of consternation.

(7b be continued.)