"A SECRET SORROW."

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8610, 15 March 1897, Page 1

"A SECRET SORROW."

BY MES MAY AGNES FLEMING. Author of "A Mad Marriage," " Carriedßy Storm."

CHAPTER XVIII. (Continued.) She formed a beautiful picture in tha rich scene a ound; he- white dress falling from tier taper wuist in graceful fold* to her feet, her long, glossy, ebon ringlets streaming over her shoulders, while a turban of crim°on satin was wound about her head. Her great black eyes were fixed earnestly yet dreamily on th>> face of the young cap am, who lay leaning over the side of the ship, bis eyes fixed on the bright waters beneath. Now and then, at some passing thought, Thevi id red on her oval cheeks would fade, the subdued light would die out in her magnificent eyes, and be supported by a fierce flash, as they would rest for ft moment onJtate^- ~- --•-"'-■■-r.i'. iv---^->-Seated by herself, under the awing, watching the sun go down, Kate Sidney looked strangely out of p'scs among the crew. Plainly as the wag dreesed, in a simple robe or gray muslin, wiih abroadleafed s'.raw bat, there was about her the unmistakable sump of a lady. Poor Kate! she was sad and lonely enoueh. Her wakiDg thoughts, and dreams by night, were of the friends behind, in ' merrie England.' Of her fadbrowed aunt —of Lord Arndale, still igorant of the fate ot her loved—of her brother Charley—of her base hearted uncle —but most of all of poor Alice Desmond ; a prcesntiraent that the earl would discover her visit to the manor, and render tne fate of Alice still more bitter, lay on her mind. - For herself, she did not so much care, though her fate was no enviable one. Although every respect w»s shown to her, she still felt she was among lawless rovers; though every comfort she had been accustomed to from childhood was hers he-e, still she could not, forget how it had possibly been obtained. Then, tod, the daily increasing jealousy of Syra rendered her miserable; she feared it .might be discovered by the young chief himself—and then what would | follow? The pirate captain—for it was now clear that he was somthing more than a mere smuggler—had often occupied hei thoughts too, butstill the mystery regarding him remained unsolved. Sometimes, in the midst of her conversation, be would appear on the point of revealing to hei something of the past; but again he would check himself, and resuming his accastomed tone of careless drollery, seemed to forget the impluse. The sun at length sank, beneath the horizon, the brilliant hues of the sky began to fade and flee frtm the graj shadows of evening; a s'L'ht breeze, too arose, delightfully refreshing after the intense beat of the day. Under its reviv

ing influence, the idle sails began to fi 1 —the gallant bark sped merrily onward, ai though rejoicing in its delightful coolness —the sailors arose from their lazy positions, and new life seemed to animate the drooping crew. Kate, too, felt its influence, and rising, she walked slowly over to where the captain still reclined. As Syra caught sight of her comng she hasti:y retreated to a spot where she could watch them, and remain herself unseen, and she stood like a tigress preparing to spring on its prey. 'A glorious evening, captain,' said Kate, as she stood by his side;' one does not see nidtiy such sunsets in a lifetime.' He 'ooked up with a start, for she had approached unheard; and saw that his face* still wore the same look she had seen on it once before. He laughed—a sort of subdued laugh —and ran his fingers through his clusteriDg bair, as he answered— ' Yes, a g'orious sunset, indeed. Ah, Miss Sidney, there is no place like the wide ocean after a 1!, "Free and unfettteed, it spurns control'—something like myself, or as I wou'd be, Stil>, it is not in limes like this, when everything is as still and beau iful as a fairy.tale of our chil hood, that I love ir beß*. No; give me the roaring blast that sends the good ship scudding, like a frightened courser, through the foam-crested waves, rising i,hrou ah the gloom of the storm ike Alpine ara'anehee; when the lurid lightning shows us our course, then comes that, wild enthusiasm, that fisree feeling of freedom, that none but a sailor can know. Then it is I love the boundless sea.' His eyes kindled, and his nostrils dilated with the sudden enthusiasm with which he had spoken, Kate listened quietly, and, after a moment, replied— •Yes, tbas is all very fine to you, I have

no doubt,; but if you were at the last easp with seasickness, you wouldn t wish so ardently for a storm. I remember, during the last storm we had, or gale, as you called if, how utterly miserable and wretched I felt; every tune the vessel pitched headlong into the waves, I prayed most devoutly she mi?ht go (o the bottom at once, that I might be lid of tho pan*;s I endured.' Captiin Raymond laughed; then, leaning over the side, he continued to wa'.ah the vessel as she danced through the now sparkling waves for some time in silence, Then, looking up, lie siid— •How gallantly ahe cuts her way thr ugh the foam—flying onward as if she, too, knew" and rejoiced in her freedom. What a psrftc. little beauty ishe is, with her elegantly-modelled hull, and graceful, tapering spars!' and ho ran hit eyes aloft with a sailor's pride. • I certainly have seen worse-looking vessels than the Water Witch,' said Kat», composedly, following the direction of bia eye; 'what a savage looking set your men 'Upon my hoßOur, Miss Sidney, you throw a terrible damp npon my enthusiasm !' said Captain Raymond, with a good natured laugh. ' You are a terriblj matter-of-faot person, I begin to think.' 1 I fancy I shall hardly ever make much of a Bailor,' rep'ied Kate, emiinsr; ' while the weaiher continues thus I dc very well ; but the very thought of t storm is fearful, not so much for the storn itse'f, but the demon that accompanies il —I mean-sea sickness—the very idea of I gives me a qualm.' ' I always fall into my old habits of day dreaming on evenings like this,' he said after a pave, speaking evidently aa mud to himself as to Kate ;' and yet how litt'i there is left for me to dream about The past aeems like a dark dream to me now ; and in the future there i» nothing to look forward to but a grave. And ye*, sometimes, I forget the present, and fancy myself once more rich and honoured, and loved as I was once; and I awake wih a start, to remember I am only Captain Raymond, the rover chief, with a price on my head.' He paused, and fixed his eyes steidily on the bright waves, while a shadow pssse-1 over his fine face. Kate stood, listening intently, with a look of deep sympathy ia her dark eyea. ' Yes,' be we at on, slowly,' strange as it may seem to you—strange as it seems now to myself, I was once wealthy and honoured, with a name, Miss Sidney, as proud as your own, and of a family as old and aristoc atio, Once I was beir to broad lands and stately mans ons, with menials to bow at my word, and with friends who were proud to call me a descendant of their ancient hot;Be ' And yet you t>re here said Kate, sadly. And yet lam here and here I shall die. all has gone—all ban faded like ft dream, leaving nothing to wish, nothing to hope for in the futnrje, either here or hereafter. lam unloved, and unloving man, one shunned by his fellow men as accursed, with the brand of Cain on my

. brow—one who, like Ishmael of old, ha* [ his hand against every nun's, and every man s hand against him. Well, be it to! I nave a long score of revergj to wipe oat against my race; and yet 1 never wiMingly shed blood. lam a free rover—l take without remorse what 1 can win on the wide ocean; yet, if [ could avoid it, I would neer slay a flow-being. And still I have done it—still do, and still I will do <t. Some dark fate, o\ee which 1 have no control, seems hurrying me on to my deaiiny. Oltn and often, during the still hours of the night, the ghastly faces of iho-e who hove fallen by my hand rise before me, I can tee th°m, fall backward into the the sea, their wild agonized faces, their distorted eyes straining from their sockets—their hands stretched forth, vainly striving to rae for mercy, or to ward off their death'bjbw. And then they go dowa, down, down, ints the waves, red with hum in blood, their dying cries of agony drowned under the bubbling waves I An! I start up *o hear their whits lips hiss, • Murderer!' into my ear.' He^ started to bit feet m faespok*. kia tatrNrttvid; and" great drops of perap: ration starting on his brow. Kate stood, listening, white with horror. 'I know not why I have told all this to you,' he said, hurriedly, after • part*, during which he paced rapidly up and down , .except that you remind me of one I loved once—one who h*s forgotten me. Once I—' 'Sail, hoi' crUd the lookout, at thia moment, ' Where away?' demanded Captain Raymond, kit whole countenance chant* intr, as if by magic, as he turned towards the masthead. 'On the lee bow, sir.' ' Can you make her out?' 'Ay, ay, sir! A merokantman, heavily laden 1' ' ;

A cheer arosa from the (muggier* at the wo-ds. They had not come across a prise since they started, and frequent were their oaths and murmurs at this want of luck, alt of which they attributed to their having womeh on board. Now, the prospect of taking a prise elated them beyond measure, and their shouts were for a nrment quite irretistable. £aptain Raymond seised a glass and sprang into the rigging. There was a moment's breathless panse —all stood eager"y awaiting the result of the scrutiny. 'It's a merchantman,' he exclaimed, leaping once more to the deck,' bound, I take it, with a valuable cargo, from Jamaica. All hands ahoy! Crowd on all sail afterher—she will be a gloriou; prise. Merrily, there, my men! Work with a "** will! Our gallant little brig will soon overtake yonder overgrown ahip!' The men sprang wil inglj to their posit -' and a few momeats after, the smugglers were rapidly giving chase to tho heavilyladen ship. Captain Basmond paced the quarterdeck rapidly, now and then raising his glass to examine the merchantman, ' Masthead, ahoy!' he Bhouted, after a pause, during which he stood eagerly regarding their priae. 'Ay,ay, sir!'cams from the crofitrees. , .

' Can yoo make her ont any plainer F ' Tes, sir. She's an English merchantman.' ' How far is she off?' ' Nearly two miles sir.' Again the smuggler captain regarded I the stranger through his glass; then, lowering it, be muttered— • About that, I fancy; and the moon is rising now. By the time we overhaul her, it will ba clear as day. So much the better for v«, and so much the worse for her.' - (To U Continued.)