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THE DARLINGTON NEWS, PTJBUSSIL BVKRYTHURSDAY MORNING HENRY f. THOMPSON. PROPRIETOR. TERMS—$2 Per Annum in Advance. One Squwe, ftret insertion ji.oo One Square, second insertion geery snbseqent insertion Contrast advertisements inserted upon the most reasonable terms. Marriage Notices and Obituaries, not xoeeding sis lines, inserted free. DARLINGTON NEWS. ••FOR U8 PRINCIPLE IS PRINCIPLE—RIGHT IS RIGHT—YESTERDAY, TO-DAY. TO MORROW, FOREVER, VOL. XIV. Nt 52. DARLINGTON, S. 0., THURSDAY,' DECEMBER 27. 1888. WHOLE NO 728. A SHIP OF ’49. By BRET HARTE. lOopyHghted by Houghton, Mifflin & Oo., and published hr arrangremcnt with them.] au. nou wAsevidenny aosent, amt after n quick glanoe at the half open cabin door, Renshaw turned towards the galley. But Miss Rosey was not lu her accusl tomed haunt, aud with a feeling of disap pointment, which seemed inconsistent with so slight a cause, he crow*d the deck Impatiently, and entered his room. He waaisbout to close the door when the pro longed rustle of a trailing skirt in the passage attracted his attention. The sound was so unlike that made by any garment worn by Rosey tha« he remained motionless, With his hand on the door. 1 The sound approached nearer, and the next moment a white veiled figure with a traUing skirt slowly swept past the room. Renshaw’s pulses halted for an instant in half superstitions awe. As the appari tion glided on and vanished in the cabin door ho could <raly see that it was the form of a beautiful and graceful woman —but nothing more. Bewildered and curious, he forgot himself so far as to follow it, and Impulsively entered the cabin. The figure turned, uttered a little cry, threw the veil aside, and showed the half troubled, half blushing face of Rosey. “I—beg—your pardon,” stammered Renshaw; “I didn’t know it was you." ‘T was trying on some things,” said Rosey, recovering her composure and pointing to an open trunk that seemed to contain a theatrical wardrobe—“some things father gave me long ago. I wanted to see if there was anything I could use. I thought I was all alone in the ship, but fancying I heard a noise forward I came* out to see what it was. I suppose it must have been you." She raised her clear eyes to his, with a alight touch of womanly reserve that was so incompatible with any vulgar vanity or girlish coquetry that he became the more embarrassed. Her dress, too, of a slightly antique shape, rich but simple, seemed to reveal and accent a certain re pose of geutlewomanliness, that he was now wishing to believe he had always noticed. Conscious of a superiority in bar that now seemed to change their re lations completely, lie alone remained si lent^, awkward and embarrassed before the girl who had taken care of his room, and who cooked in the galley! What he had thoughtlessly considered a merely vulgar business intrigue against her stupid father, now to his extravagant fancy as sumed Abe proportions of a sacrilege to herself. “You’ve had your revenge, Miss Nott, tor the fright I once gave you,” ho said a little uneasily, “for you quite startled me Just now as you passed. I began to think the Pontiac was haunted. I thought you ware a ghost. I don’t know why such a ghS.it should frighten anybody," be went on with a desperate attempt to recover his position by gallantry. “Let mo see— that's Donna Elvira’s dress—Is it not?" mm : iiIh “■csBal Oi-rf m J%aFa Donna Elvira'i dress—ts it notf” “I don’t think that was the poor woman’s name," said Rosey simply; “she died of yellow fever at New Orleans us fUgnora somebody." Her Ignorance seemed to Mr. Renshaw so plainly to partake more of the nun than the provincial that he hesitated to explain to her that he meant the heroine of an opera. “It seems dreadful to put on the poor thing’s clothes, doesn’t 10” she added. Mr. Renshaw’s eyes showed so plainly that he thought otherwise that she drew A little austerely towards the door of her stateroom. “I must chan# these things before any one comes," she said dryly. “That means I must go, I suppose. But couldn’t you let me wait here oi^in the gangway until then, Miss Nott? I am go ing away to-night, and I mayn't see you again." He had not intended to say this, but it slipped from his embarrassed tongue. She stopped with her hand on the door. “You are going away?" •T—think—I must leave to night. I have some important business in Sacra mento. " She raised her frank eyes to his. The tuuntstakabfe look of disappointment that hi MW in them gave his heart a sudden throb' and sent the quick blood to his ° h *'§VB too bad,” she said, abstractedly. 4 ‘Nobody ever seems to stay here tong. Capt, Bower promised to tell me all about the ship and he went away the second week. The photographer left before ho finished the picture of the Pontiac; Mon- Meur de Ferrierea has Just gone, and now you are going." “Perhaps, ntiHVs them, I have flnl.-.h<’d my season of usefulness here," ho replied, with a bitterness he would have recalled the next moment But Rosey, with a faint sigh saying, “I won’t be long," en tered the state room an 1 ! closed the duel behind her. Kcipihr.w bit his lip and I'lilled »‘f the l -nq silken threads of his mustache until 1 : i.-rteil. Why had he not gone at or.ci? Why was it necessary to say he Blight not rce her again—and If he had said It, why should he add anyth!’ " tnpref What was he waiting for now? 'i’u en deavor 10 prove to her that He really noro no resemblance to Capt. Bower, the pho tographer, the crazy Frenchman de Fer- rieres? Or would he be forced to tell her that he was running away from a con spiracy to defraud her father—merely for something to say» Was there ever such folly? Rosey was “not long,” as she had said, but he was beginning to pace the narrow cabin impatiently when the door opened and she returned. She had resumed her ordinary calico gown, but such was the impression left upon Renslmw’s fancy that she seemed to wear it with a new grace. At any other time he might have recognized tho change as due to a new corset, which strict veracity compels me to record Rosey had adopted for the first time that morn ing. Howtieit, her slight coquetry seemed to have passed, for she closed the open trunk with a return of her old listless air, and sitting on it rested her elbows on her knees and her oval chin in her hands. “I wish you would do me a favor,” she said, after a reflective pause. "Let me know what it is and it shall be done,” replied Renshaw, quickly. “If you should come across Monsieur de Ferrieres, or hear of him. I wish you would let me know. He was very poorly when he left here, and I should like to know if he was better. He didn’t say where he was going. At least, he didn’t tell father; but I fancy he and father don’t agree.” “I shall be very glad of having even that opportunity of making you remem ber me, Miss Nott,” returned Renshaw, with a faint smile; “I don’t suppose either that it would be very diificult to get news of your friend—everylxxly seems to know him." “But not as I did," said Rosey, with an abstracted little sigh. Mr. Renshaw opened his brown eyes upon her. Was he mistaken? Was this romantic girl only a little coquette, play ing her provincial airs on him? “You say he and your father didn't agree? That means, I suppose, that you and lie agreed —and that was the result." "I don’t think father knew anything about it,” said Roeoy, simply. Mr. Renshaw rose. And this was what he had been waiting to hear! “Perhaps,” he said, grimly, “you would alsc like news of the photographer and Capt. Bower, or did your father a^ree with them better?” "No,” said Rosey quietly. She re mained silent for a moment, and lifting her lashes said, “Father always seemed to agree with yon, and that”—she hesi tated. “Thatfs why you don’t.” “I didn’t say that,” said Rosey with an incongruous increase of coldness and color. “I only meant to say it was that whicli makes it seem so hard you should go now. ” Notwithstanding his prcv’ous determi nation Renshaw found idmse’if sitting down again. Confused and pleased, wish ing lie had said more—or loss—he said nothing, and Rosey was forced to con tinue. "It’s strange, isn’t it—but father wrs urging me this morning to make a visit to some friends at tho old Ranch. I didn’t want to go. I like it much better here.” “But yon cannot bury yourself here forever. Miss Nott,’’ said Renshaw with a sudden burst of honed enthusiasm. “Sooner or later you will he forced to go where you will be properly appreciated, where you will lie admire I and courted, where your slightest wish will bo law. Believe me, without flattery, you don’t know your own power.” “It doesn’t seem strong enough to keep even the little I like here,” said Rosey whh a slight glistening of the eyes. “But,” she added hastily, “you don’t know how much the dear old ship is to me. It’s the ouly borne I think I ever had.” “But the Ranch?” said Renshaw. “The Ranch seemed to he only the old wagon halted in the road. It waa a very little improvement on out doom,’’ said Rasey, with a little shiver. “But this is so cozy and snug and yet so strange and foreign. Do you know I think I began to understand why I like it so since you taught me so much about ships and voya ies. Before that I only learned from books Books deceive you, I think, more than ireople do. Don’t you think so?” She evidently did not notice tlw quick flush that covered his cheeks and ap parently dazzled his troubled eyelids, for she went on confidentially. “I was thinking of you yesterday. I was sitting by the galley door, looking forward. Yon remember the first day I saw you when you startled me by coming op out of the hatch?" “I wish y-m wouldn’t think of that,” said Renshaw, with more earnestness than he would have mode apparent. “I don’t want to either,” said Rosey, gravely, “for I’Cb had a strange fancy about It. I saw once when I was younger, a picture In a print shop in Montgomery street that haunted me. I think it was called ‘The Pirate.’ There was a numoer of wicked looking safiors lying around the deck, and coming out of a hatch was one figure with his hands on the deck and a cutlass m his mouth.” “Thank you,” said Renshaw. “You don’t understand. He was hor rid looking, not at all like you. I never thought of him when I tirst saw you; but the other day I thought how dreadful it wonld have been if someone like him and not like you had come up then. That made me nervous sometimes of being alone. 1 think father is too. He often goes about stealthily at night, as if he was vatching for something.” Renshaw’s face grew suddenly dark. Jould It be possible that Sleight had always suspected him, and set spies to watch—or was he guilty of some double intrigue? “He thinks," continued Rosey with a faint smile, “that some one Is looking around tho ship, ami talks of setting bear traps. I hope you’re not mad, Mr. Ren shaw,” she added, suddenly catching sight of hia changed expression, “at my foolishness in saying you reminded me of tlic pirate. 1 meant nothing. “I know you’re incapable of anything but good to anybody, Ml<» No^ perhajM to me more than I deserve, sal RwuViw with a snddon burst of feeUtur. "i wish—i wish—you would no me a ta- vor. You asked me one just now.” He had taken her hand. It seemed so like a mere illustration of his earnestness that she did not withdraw it. “Your father tells you everything. If he has any offer to dispose of the ship, will you write to me at once before anything is concluded?” He winced a little—the sentence of Sleight, “What’s the figure you and she have set tled upon?” flashed across his mind. He scarcely noticed that Rosey had withdrawn her hand coldly. “Perhaps you had better speak to fa ther, as it is his business. Besides I shall not lie here. 1 shall be at the Ranch." “But you said you didn’t want to go?” “I’ve changed my mind,” said Rosey listlessly. "I shall go to-night.” She rose as if to indicate that the inter view was ended. With an overpowering instinct that his whole future happiness depended upon his next act, he made a step toward her, with eager outstretched hands. But she slightly lifted her own with a warning gesture, “I hear father coming—you will have a chance to talk business with him,” she said, and van ished into her stateroom. CHAPTER VI. The heavy tread of Abner Nott echoed in the passage. Confused and embar rassed, Renshaw remained standing at the door that had closed upon Rosey ns her father entered the cabin. Providence, which always fostered Mr. Nott’s char acteristic misconception, left that perspi cacious parent but one interpretation of the situation. Rosey had evidently just , informed Mr. Renshaw that she loved another! “I was just saying ‘goodby’ to Miss Nott,” said Renshaw, hastily regaining | his composure with an effort. “I am going to Sacramento to-night, and will not return. I” “In course, in course,” Interrupted Nott, soothingly; “that’s wot you say i now, and that’s what you allow to do. | That’s wot they alius do.” “I mean,” said Renshaw, reddening at i what he conceived to tie an allusion to the absconding propensities of Nott’s previous tenants. “I mean that you shall keep the advance to cover any loss you might suffer through ray giving up the rooms.” “Certingly,” said Nott, laying his hand with a large sympathy on Renshaw’s shoulder; “but we’ll drop that just now. We won’t swap bosses in the middle of the river. We’ll square up accounts in your room,” he added, raising his voice that Rosey might overhear him, after a preliminary wink at the young man. “Yes, sir, we’ll just square up and set tle in there. Come along, Mr. Renshaw.” Pushing him with ixiternal gentleness from the cabin, with Ids hand still upon his shoulder, ho followed him into tho pas sage. Half annoyed at hir, familiarity, yet not altogether displeased by this Illus tration of Hosey’s h. lit f of his preference, Rensha .» wonderingly accompanied him. Nott closed the door, and pushing the young man Into a chair, deliberately seated himself nt the table opposite. “It’s just as well that Rosey reckons that you and me is settlin’ our accounts,” he be gan, cunningly, “and mebbe it’s just ez well ez she should reckon you’re goin’ away.” “But I am going,” interrupted Renshaw, impatiently. “I leave to-uight.” “Surely, surely,” said Nott, gently, “that’s wot you kalkilate to do; that’s just uut’ral in a young feller. That’s about what I reckon I’d hev done to her mother if anythin’ like this hed ever cropjied up. which it didn’t. Not but wlint Almiry Jhuc had young fellers enough around her, but, ’cept ole Judge Peter, ez was lamed In the war of 1812, there ain’t no similarity ez I klix see,” he added, musingly. “I am afraid I can’t see any similarity either, Mr. Nott,” said Renshaw, strug gling between a dawning sense of some impending absurdity and bis growing pas sion for Rosey. “For Heaven’s sake speak out if you’ve got anything to say.” Mr. Nott leaned forward, and placed his large hand on the young man’s shoulder. “That’s what I sed to myself when I seed how things were pintin’. ‘Slieak out,’ pez I, ‘Abner! Speak out If you’ve got anything to say. You kin trust this yer Mr. Renshaw. He ain’t the kind of man to creep into the bosom of a man’s ship for pupposes of his own. He ain’t a iqan that would hunt round until he discovered a poor man’s treasure, and then try to rob’ “Stop!” said Renshaw, with a set fact and darkening eyes. “What treasure! what man are you speaking of?” “Why Rosey aud Mr. Ferrers,” re turned Nott, simply. Renshaw sank into his sent again. But the expression of relief which here passed swiftly over his face gave way to one of uneasy interest as Nott went on. “P’r aps It’s a little high falutin’ talkin' of Rosey ez a treasure. But, considerin’, Mr. Renshaw, ez she’s the only prop'ty I’ve kept by me for seventeen years ez hez paid Interest and increased in valooe, it ain’t sayiu’ too much to call her so. And ez Ferrers knows this, he oughter been content with gougin’ me in that horsehair spec, without goin’ for Rosey. P’r’aps yer surprised at hearing me speak o’ my own flesh and blood ez If I was talkin’ boss trade, but you and me is bus’ness men, Mr. Rcrshaw, and we discusses ez such. We ain’t goin’ to slosh round and slop over In pi’try and sentiment,” con tinued Nott, with a tremulous voice, and a hand that sl’ghtly shook on Renshaw’s shoulder. “We ain’t goin’ to git op and sing, ‘Thou’sfc lamed to love another thou'st broken every vow we’ve parted from each other aud my bosom’s lonely now oh is it well to sever snch liearts as ourn for ever kin I forget thee never fare well farewell farewell.’ Ye never hap pen’d to hear Jim Baker sing that at the nioosic hall on Dnpont street, Mr. Ren shaw,” continued Mr. Nott, enthusias tically, when he had recovered from that complete absence of punctuation which alone suggested verse to his intellect. “He sorter struck water down here,” In dicating his heart, “every time.” “Bnt what haa Miss Nott to do with M. de Ferrlefrea?" asked Renshaw, with a faint smile. Mr. Nott ewrawled M*« dumb rouna, nstomsnea eyes, "iiazn t she told yer?” “Certainly not.” • “And she didn’t let on anythin’ about him?” he continued, feebly. “Sbo said she’d like to know where"— He stopped, with the reflection that he was betraying her confidences. A dim foreboding of some now form of deceit , to which even the man lx fore him was a consenting party, almost paralyzed Nott’s faculties. “Then she didn't tell yer that she and Ferrers was sp irkin’ and keepin’ kimpnny together; that she and him was engaged, and was kalkilntin’ to run away to furrin parts; that she cot toned to him more than to the ship or her father?” “She certainly did not. and I shouldn’t believe it,” said Renshaw, quickly. Nott smiled. He was amused; he as tutely recognized the usual truthfulness of love and youth. There was. clearly no deceit here! Rensbaw’s attentive eyes saw the smile, and tils brow darkened. “I like to hear yer say that, Mr. Ren shaw,” said Nott, “and it’s no more than Rosey deserves, ez it’s suthing oimat’ral and spell like that’s come over her through Ferrers. It ain’t my Rosey. But it’s Gospel truth, whether she’s bewitched or not; whether it’s them damn fool sto ries she reads—and it’s like ez not he’s just the kind o’ snipe to write ’em hisself, and sorter advertise hisself, don’t yer see —she’s alius stuck up for him. They’ve had clandesent Interviews, and when I taxed him with it he ez much ez allowed 1 it was so, and reckoned he must leave, so ez he could ran her off, you know— kinder stampede her with ‘honor.’ Them’s his very words.” | “But that is all past; ho is gone, and Miss Nott does not even know where he 1st” said Renshaw, with a laugh, which, however, concealed a vague uneasiness. Mr. Nott rose and opened the door care fully. When he had satisfied himself . that no one was listening he came back and said in u whisper, “That’s a lie. Not ez Rosey means to lie, but It’s a trick he’s put upon that poor child. That man, Mr. Renshaw, hez been hangin* round the Pontiac ever since. I’ve seed him twice i with my own eyes pass the cabin windys. More than that, I’ve heard strange noises at night and seen strange faces in the 1 alley over yer. And only jlst now ez I l kem in I ketched sight of a furrin lookin’ | Chinee nigger slinking rouud the buck door of what useter be Ferrers’ loft." I “Did he look like a sailor?” asked Ren shaw quickly, with a return of his former suspicion. “Not more than I do,” said Nott, glanc ing complacently at his pea jacket. /“He had rings on his yeers like a wench. ” ^ Mr. Renshaw started. But seeing Nott’s eyes fixed on him, he said lightly, “But what have these strange faces and this strange man—probably ouly a I^iscar sailor out of a Job—to do with Fer rieres?” “Friends o’ his—feller furrin citizeus— spies oa Rosey, don’t you see? But they can’t play tho old man, Mr. Renshaw. I've told Rosey she must make a visit to the old Rauch. Once I've got her thcr safe, I reckon I kin manage Mr. Ferrers and any number of Chinee niggers he kin bring along." Renshaw remained for a few moments lost In thought, Then rising suddenly be grasped Mr. Nott’s band with a Trank smile but determined eyes. “I haven’t got the hang of this, Mr. Nott—the whole thing gets me! I only know that I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going to Sac ramento. I shall stay here, old man, until I see you safe through the bnsiness, or my name’s not Dick Renshaw. There’s my hand on It! Don’t say a word. May be it is no more than I ought to do—per haps not half enough. Only remember, not a word of this to your daughter. She must believe that I leave to-night. And the aooner yon get her out of this cursed ship tho better. ” “Deacon Flint’s girls are goin’ np In to-night’s boat. I’ll send Rosey with them,” said Nott, with a cunning twinkle. Renshaw nodded. Nott seized his hand with a wink of unutterable significance. Left to himself, Renskaw tried to re view more calmly the circumstances in these strange revelations that had Im pelled him to change his resolution so suddenly. That the ship was under the surveillance of unknown parties, and that the description of them tallied with his own knowledge of a certain Lascar sailor, who was one of Sleight's Informants— seemed to be more than probable. That this seemed to point to Sleight’s disloy alty to himself while he was acting as his agent, or n double treachery on the part of Sleight's informants, was in either case a reason and an excuse for bis own inter ference. But the connection of the ab surd Frenchman with the case, which at first seemed a characteristic imbecility of his landlord, bewildered him the more he thought of it. Rejecting any hypothesis of the girl’s affection for the antiquated figure whose sanity was a question of public criticism, be was forced to the equally alarming theory that Ferrieres was cognizant of the treasnre, aud that his attentions to Rosey were to gain pos session of it by marrying her. Might she not be dazzled by a picture of this wealth? Was is not possible that she was already In part possession of the secret, and her strange attraction to the ship, and what he had deemed her Innocent craving for Information concerning It, a consequence? Why had be not thought of this before? Perhaps she had detected his purpose Iren the first, aid had deliberately check- mat sd him. The thought did not in- crei se his complacency as Nott softly ra- turned. “It’s all right,” he began with a certain satisfaction in this rare opportunity for Machiavellian <iiplomacy, "it’s all fixed now. Rosey tumbled to It at once, par- Uklcrly when I said you waa bound to go. ‘Bat wot makes Mr. Renshaw go, father,’ sez she; ‘wot makes everybody run away from the ship?’ sez she, rather peart like and sassy for her. ‘Mr. Renshaw hez contractin' business,’ sea I; ‘got a big thing np in Sacramento that’ll make his fortuu’,’ sez I—for I wasn’t goin’ to give I yer away, don’t ye ass. ‘He had aome business to talk to you about the ship,’ | sea she, lookin’ at me under the corner of , her pocket handkerchief. ‘Lot’s o’ busi ness,’ sez L *11100 I reckon he don't cars to hev me write to him ' s*« «be ‘Wot • on., sez 1, -ne woman t answer ye it ye did. Ye’ll never hear from that chap agin’. ’ ” “But what the devil"—Interrupted the young man impetuously. “Keep yer lialr on!” remonstrated the old man with dark intelligence. “Kf you’d seen the way she flounced Into her state room!—she, Rosey, ez alias moves es softly ez a spirit—you’d hev wished I'd her unloaded a little more. No sir, gals is gals iu some things all the time." Renshaw rose and paced the loom rapidly. "Perhaps I’d better speak to her again before she goes,” he said, Im pulsively. “P’r’aps you’d better not," replied the impcrturliable Nott. Irritated as he was, Renshaw could not avoid the reflection that the old man waa right. What, indeed, could he say to her with his present imperfect knowledge? How could she write to him If that knowledge was correct? “Ef,” said Nott, kindly, with a laying on of large benedictory and paternal hands, “ef yer are willin' to see Rosey agin, without speakin’ to her, I reckon I ken fix It for yer. I’m goin’ to take her down to the boat iu half an hour. Ef yer should happen—mind, ef yer should hap pen to be down there, seeln’ some friends off and sorter promenadin' up and down the wharf like them high toned chaps on Montgomery street—yo might ketch her eye unconscious like. Or, ye might do tbisl” He rose after a moment's cogita tion and with a face of profound mystery opened the door and beckoned Renshaw to follow him. Leading the way cautiously, he brought the young man into an open unpartitioned recess beside her state room. It seemed to be used as a store room, and Renshnw*s eye was caught by a trank the size and shape of the ono that had pro vided Rosey with the materials of her masquerade. Pointing to it Mr. Nott said in a grave whisper: “This yer trunk is the companion trunk to Hosey's. She's got the things them opery women wears; this yer contains the he things, the duds and flxln's o’ the men o' tho same stripe.” Throwing It open tie continued: “Now, Mr. Renshaw, gals Is gsls; it's nat'ral they should be took by fancy dress and store clothes on young chaps as on their- selves. That man Ferrers hez got the dead wood .on all of ye in this sort of thing, and hez been playing, so to speak, a lone hand all along. And efthar's any thin' in thar,” he added, lifting part of a theatrical wardrolie, “that you think you’d fancy—anythin' you’d like to put on when ye promenade the wharf down yonder—it’s yours. Don’t ye be bashful, but help yourself.” It was fully a minute before Renshaw fairly grasped the old man's meaning. But when he did—when the suggested spectacle of himself arrayed a la Ferrieres, gravely promenading the wharf as a hist gorgeous appeal to the affections of .Rosey, rose before his fancy, he gave way to a fit of genuine laughter. Tho nervous tension of the past few hours relaxed; ho laughed until the tears came into hfs eyes; he was still laughing when tho door of the cabin was suddenly opened ami Rosey appeared cold and distant on the thres hold. “I—beg your pardon,” stammered Ren shaw hastily. “I didn’t mean—to dis turb yon—I” Without looking nt him Rosey turned to her father. “I am ready,” she said coldly, and closed the door again. A glance of artful intelligence came Into Nott’s eyes, which had remained blankly staring at Renshaw’s apparently causeless hilarity. Turning to him be winked solemnly. “That keerlcss kind o* boss laff Jlst fetched her,” he whispered, and vanished before his chagrined com- pauioii could reply. When Mr. Nott and his daughter de parted Renshaw was not In the ship, neither did he make a spectacular appear ance on the wharf as Mr. Nott had fondly expected, nor did he turn up again until after 9 o’clock, when ho found the old man in the cabin awaiting his return with some agitation. “A mlnlt ago,” he said, mysteriously closing the door behind Ren shaw, “I heard a voice in the passage, and goin’ out who should I see agin but that darned furrin nigger ez I told yer 'bout, kinder hidin’ in the dark, his eyes shinin’ like a catamount. I was jlst reachin’ for my wepplns when he ris np with a grin and handed me this yer letter. I told him I reckoned yon'd gone to Sac ramento, but he said he wez sure yon waa in your room, and to prove it I went thar. But when I kem back the d—d skunk had vamoosed—got frightened, I reckon— and wasn’t nowhar to be seen.” Renshaw took the letter hastily. It contained only a line in Sleight’s hand. “If you change your mind, the bearer may be of service to yen.” He turned abruptly to Nott “You say It was the same Lascar you saw before*" “It was." “Then all I can say Is he Is no agent of de Ferrieres’,’’ said Renshaw, turning away with a disaf pointed air. Mr. Nott would have asked another question, but with an abrupt “Good night” the young man entered his room, locked the door, and threw himself 011 his bed to reflect witbont interruption. But if he was in no mood to stand Nott’s fatuous conjectures, he was leas inclined to be satisfied with his own. Had he been again carried away through hi# impulses evoked by the caprices of • pretty coquette and the absurd theories of her half imbecile father? Had he bro ken faith with Sleight and remained in the ship for nothin", and would not his change of resolution appear to be tho result of Sleight's note? But why laid the Lascar iieen haunting the ship before? In the midst of these conjectures be fill asleep. (To Ik- coutiuutMl) Jin mmiE Our Job department u enpplUd with even . facility aeeeeaary to eneblo a# •• compete bet baste price eudqeellty ef work, with ever tboee of the eitiea, ead we gueraaiee eerie feci lea in every pertlealarer eberge netbieg for ear work. Wear* always prepared to All orders at sbert aattee for Ulaaks, kil Heeds. Utter Heads. Cards, Hand kills Posisrs. Circulars, 1‘amphUts, As. All jeb Berk must bs paid for Cash on Delivery McCul ough,y; .Blackwell & Co., k DKALEKo —&'• vr. WAGONS. HARNESS. Red Hast Vroof Seed Oats and ftye. NOW HAVl ON HAND AS FINE A LOT OF.HORSES AS IS TO BE SEEN ANYWHEREIIN SOUTH CAROLINA. There lias Wen an Enormous ReducUon mails i a tk. . BUGGIES m WifiQHS, Priwu Beef Pork, Fish. I di-siri- lo ialuiNi t! a people <>l Burling. ion ibrt I hare g *«• 1'itu ibx liniuiicr he-im-s, an I wil! h- fou'id in r.o Market ; I onto s' tbe first si..11 on ibs right as the budding is roteed. where I will bs pre pared at all um<'s in furniab the very beet qaaliiy ef meat and fish. Patronage re spectfully solicited; saiisfaerioa guaraa- te«d. Goods Uohvered by ms. ROUT NIXON. W Inch they handle, «fld they only A8K that .11 _i. ... km* .0, jmrcl11iH.11 m tli , »,!, * l l '..’’ t ^,fg.”V«»Sto. doing ho unoring tbrm tint iL.j .ill lh.r«l T THE FIRM HAS RECENTLY RECEIVER 8 CAh LOADS OF •*3 IT Gh 'Ghll ES S And One Car Load of Old Hickory W&gwnt. purchased j„ iuch Urge , oU( thej ^ Bow ^ cd to sell at the Very Lowest Rates. Jtiey not nlj ] Has, tut Mid* it J These Gentlemen are the Local Agent* fo* THE CELEBRATED Si Of Columbus, Ohio. THE WATERTOWN BUGGIES, e Of Watertown, N, J. THE WELL KNOWN Hackney Buggies, Of Wilson, N. C. In Addition to a Large and Varied Stock of beautiful H -A. IR, ZtT IE S B This House is prepared to make to order at their place of business the most Elegant Sets or parts of Seta, BUY O mmi, Miw it m. FOR BY SO DOING YOU WILL SAVE MONEY, AMD BE ! *. *«£&•- U|