Foul Play

nto one secret at least, which this merchant had contrived to conceal from the City of London, and from hi

ienter descendunt in infernum," as the ancients have it; and some of these latter will even lie on their backs, after a fall, and lift

the first month he entered on it. Like those ambitious railways which ruin a goodly trunk with excess of branches, not to say

and drew his four thousand a year, as usual, and, upon any hesitation in that respect, would have called in an accountant and wound up the concern. But this tax upon the receipts, though inconvenient, was a trifle compared with the series of heavy engagements that were impending. The future was so black that Wardlaw junior was sore tempted to realize twenty thousand pounds, which a man in his pos

ent credit; in the second, he was not disposed to be scrupulous. He had been cheated several times; and nothing underm

Well, I must get as much back, by hook or

is double master-stroke. And it was to

and and be married; but, as to the other part of his project,

ng England, was to insure the freigh

hundred and thirty thousand pounds of specie to boot, was another matter. Some underwriters had an objection to specie, being subject to theft as well as shipwreck; other underwriters, applied to by Penfold, acquiesced; others called on Wa

e the Shannon at her value; but that is impossible. The City of London could not do it. The Proserpine b

ed! Miss

on pounds, to be paid by you if harm befalls my Helen. You need not look so astonished; I was only joking; you gentlemen deal wit

a, you know, and bought that specie myself of the merchants whose names are attached to the receipts. I deposited the cases with White & Co., at Sydney. Penfold will show you the receipt. I instructed Joseph Wylie, mate of the

, at the door he hesitated, and then, looking down a little she

tain

nsurance on the Sh

t, evidently to avoid question

o his head in a sort of amazement. Then he sat down again, ashy pale, and with th

ike Ahab, to be pierced, through the joints of their armor, by random shaft

o insure the Proserpine's freight;

d for most of it in paper at short dates), and also other bills that were approaching maturity. This done, he breathed again, safe for a month or two from everything short of a general panic, and full of hope from his coming master-stroke. But two mont

l his mysterious words rang strangely in the merchant's ears, and made him so uneasy that he emplo

tion that the Shannon was in bad repairs, so he had advised his friend to insure

nota bene, had no idea; namely, that the Shannon had sailed last, instead of first, and th

strange, but true. While that anxious and plotting merchant strains his eyes seaward, trying hard to read the future, we

which was her worst point of sailing. She pitched a good deal, and that had a very ill effect on Miss Rolleston. She wa

ooked at him. Clearly, he was interested in her, but had no desire to intrude upon her attention. He would bring up the squabs for her, and some of his own wraps, when she stayed on deck, and was prompt with his arm when the vessel lurched;

thaws even English reserve, and women in general are disposed to admit ecclesiastics to certain privileges. No wonder then that Miss Rolleston, after a few days, met Mr.

fine memory, and omnivorous reading from his very boyhood, with the habit of taking notes, a

as learned on that as on other topics, but cold and devoid of unction. So much so, that one day she said to him, "I can hardly believe you have ever been a mis

rse I am unfit for missionary

, his reply and her perusal of his countenance satisfied her that

had a poor opinion of those persons who speak of the burden of g

e owed such a debt, and foun

always hoping to make

. Hoping ag

eople are grate

Rolleston,

ake him for his gardener. Papa did, and he was so grateful that, do you know, he suspected our house was to be robbed, and he actually watched in the garden night after night. And, what

im a clerk's place in a shipping-office, and heard no more of him; but he did not forget us; my cabin here was fitted up with every comfort and every delicacy. I thanked papa for it; b

uct did not seem wonderful to him. "Still," said he, "one

friend of mine ever deserves such a name as that. A friend of mine may commit some great error or imprudence;

tly that she asked herself whether she had inadvertently said anything that could have offended him; and awaited an explanation. But none came. The

nd the Proserpine showed her best sailing qualities

masts described an arc; and the sun broiled; and the sailors

rowed all the books in the ship and read them, and took notes; and when he had done this he was at leisure

reader's attention than anything we could relate i

ROM MR. HA

ON BOARD THE

s are John Welch and Samuel Cooper. Welch is a very able seaman and a chatterbox. Co

le to the silent Cooper; and We

sir, he is my messmate, for one thing, and a seaman that knows his work; and t

in an uneasy way at first; but, when I pressed for a reply,

sentiment. I think either of these sailors would bare his back and take a dozen l

r the ship a living creature. Cooper chews. Welch only

and that, I am sorry to see, is very often. Captain Hudson, sober, is a rough, bearish seaman, with a quick, experienced eye, that takes in every rope

as an eagle's, is now a mole's. He no longer sees what his sailors are doing alow or aloft; to be sure he no longer cares; his present ship may take care of herself while he is talking of his past ones. But the surest indicia of inebriety in Hudson are these two. First, his nose is

like a fine lady, never ventures into the morning air. It is purely post-prandial, and sacre

g. To think that her precious life should be intrust

s softly as a cat; is always popping out of holes and corners; and I can see he watches me and tries to hear what I say to her. He is civil to me when I speak to him; yet I notice he avoids me quietly. Altogether, there is something abou

one of the boys. This looks ugly. I fear Wylie is a bad, designing man, who wishes to ruin the captain, and so get his place. But, meantime, the shi

. She told me the voyage tired her much; but it was the last she should have to make. How strange, how hellish (God forgive me for saying so!) it seems that she should

and Welch's tongue was going as usual. He was talking about this Wylie, and saying that, in all his ships, he had never known such a mate as this; why, the captain was

sted Cooper, i

enough with the men; but, still, he preferred to see a shi

d said I had envied Wylie's nerves in a gal

ask him how to send down a to'-gallant yard or gammon a bowsprit, or even mark a lead line, and he'll stare at ye like Old Nick, when the angel caught him wit

he lifted a great brawny hand, and gave a snap with his finger and thumb that disposed

bearing us all homeward. H. R. has resumed her place upon the deck; and al

more than ours; for at noon it blew a gale, and by sunset it was deemed prudent to bring the ship's head to the wind, and we are n

orce of the wind. Passing the mate's cabin, I heard sounds that made me listen acutely; and I then found the blows were being struck inside the ship. I got to the captain and told him. 'Oh,' said he, 'ten to one it's the mate nailing down his chests,

ds ceased

long time. At last Wylie came out of the gun-room,

best, for the blows were hear

umping up and down the hold like thunder.' He then asked us whether that was what we

, and he wished he was out of the ship. 'But you see, sir, he has got the ear of the merchant ashore; and so I am obliged to hold a candle to th

hip recommenced her voyage at 8 A. M.; but un

the friendliest way possible. That Hudson is a humb

flies from me; a steamer came in sight, bound for Sydney. She signaled us to heave to, and send a boat. This was don

nd her eye beamed as she took it! And, oh, the sa

put a letter into her hand under my very eye. Away goes all that I have gained by being near her while he is far away. He is not in England now-he

ve to take the narrative

sight of Helen Rolleston's flushed cheek and

some disclosures to make, on reaching England; but his good sense told him this was not the time or the

in truth, this is some faint relief, for want of which many a less unhappy man tha

QUARE, Dec

Horn, I have begged the captain, who is under some obligations to me, to keep a good lo

seize any excuse for overflowing; and then I picture to myself that bright face reading an unexpected letter in mid-ocean,

ed, the time, I hope, is at hand when the word 'love' will hardly be mentioned between us. For my part, I think it will be too visible in every

u know, I never see that erect form, that model of courage and probity, come into a room, but I say to myself, 'Here comes my benefactor; but for this man there would be no Helen in the world.' Well, dearest, an unexpected circumstance has given me a little military influence (these things do happen in the City); and I really believe that, what w

return. By this time my Helen is on the seas-the terrible, the treacherous, the cruel seas, that spare neither beauty nor virtue, nor the

I don't care one straw whether she sinks or swims. But the Shannon carries my darling; and every gust at night awakens me, and every day I go into the

my sake, who could not live if any evil befell you; and be careful in your diet. You were not looking so well as

ght they are! what joy, what happiness, is sailing toward me, nearer and n

ike to have neither thought nor occupation unshared by you; and that you would purify trade itself by your contact; at other times I say to myself, 'Oh, never soil that ang

? Must I say no more, tho

since, perhaps, yo

so pray the Almighty to take it safe to you, and to bring you safe

ted and an

UR WA

She had seen her Arthur's business letters; models of courteous conciseness. She did not value such compositions. This

k again, he found her with her forehead sinking on her extended arm,

y, so feminine, yet so sad, that Hazel s

ut the next moment she altered her mind, and said, with a quiet dignity that came naturally to her

Mr. Hazel, in a so

seat, and he sa

rdly for that decent composure which on certain occasions distinguishes the lady

; one I have kept from my own father. I

ly on his face while she

ement that soon deepened into horror. "What do

but violent; and then blood very often comes from my lungs. That is a bad sign, you know. I have been so f

d with increasing alarm at the lovely but wasted hand she still held out to him,

d round, again, he was pale and trem

ut now, I think, you will not be surprised that I come to you fo

eat agitation. "I can think of nothing but how to save

nd, Mr. Hazel, I shall never be better. So aid me to bow to the will of Heaven. Sir, I do not repine at leaving the

itated a moment; but ended by giving it to him

k you will grant me a favor I wish to ask you. Poor fe

him who loved her, if possible, more devotedly than Arthur Wardlaw did; and s

read this letter. But she had given him no choice. He read it. In reading it he felt a mortal sickness come over him, but he persevered; he read it carefully

oes he not?" sa

, with a candor which was part of his character, replied,

a bitter grief and disappointment to him. Will you break it to him as gently a

ecli

ore that it was uttered with a certain sullenness, and even a

wrong in asking it; and she

explanation s

king up your mind to die is not the way. You shall have no encour

elen, coldly; "I ha

on pastry and sweets, things that are utter poison to you. Disea

l drop the subject, if you please.

rhaps; but

I was vain enough to think you might, you would hardly have refused me the first

durance. I refuse you anything that is for your good?

drew back from him

ot, talk to Arthur Wardlaw about you. For

my? my A

o England to clear an innocent man,

lofty contempt. "And pray

of hand, which he must have known or suspected to be forged; then bas

Wardlaw

very James Seato

h wrath, and her eyes flashed fire. "Mr

through his heart. But his fortitude was great; he said do

sir, you forget that you have let out the motive of this wicked slander.

ture laid at the feet of another. Yes, Helen Rolleston, I love you; and will sa

e you do love me, you wretch; then I may find a way to punish you

tter no more for a moment; and she put her white handkerchief

ve shortened my short life a day or two, by slandering him to my face,

f under his eyes, with

ickness struck his heart at the sight of her blood. His hands rose and quivered in a peculiar way, his sight left him, and the

cream, and sail

or the slanderer. She read Arthur Wardlaw's letter again, kissed it, wept over it, reproached herself for not having loved the writer e