The Disguised Widow

Du ring the suin nier óf 18U the Brittah had laid claim tol all Ehat portión of the district ot Maine lviui: ea?t of the Ppnoh.VI J t . ,IV. .1.1 ¦ Kngllgb .-([uiulron. Commodore Samuel Tucker hati been sent nnniml to Penob9cütt bay to protéct tin1 American coasters, and wliile tlie Brilish saileil up to Ca'Stine bay he lay at Thom&stoa. h was 1 sehooner that the 00 nniodore oommsnded, but the was a heavy one, well ai-nic-ii aml manned; and she carriedthe true Yankee "grit'1 upon her decks, ui Whictl the enemy had received trom thcm too many proofs. Ou the raórniag of the 2Hth of August a messeager was sent down trom Belfast witli the iiiicllifrence that the Britigh frícate was coming trom ('astilc to takfl him. Tucker kuew the British feared liitn, and also that Sir John Slierbrooke had ottered a larpje aniount forhis capture. Wben the commodore received the lateiligence his vessel was lyilMt at one of the low wbaivcs, where hewould have towail two hours tor the tide; but he hastened lo have everything ready to gut her off as soon ua piKsible. The schooner was just cleared from the mud, and one of the men had been sent lipon tlic wborf tf cast off the bowline, when a wagon, dmwn by one liorse. cante rattling down to spot. The driver, n rpugh iooklng countryman. got out upon the wharf, and tlien aait tod ¦ mlddle aged woman from the vehicle. The woman's tii'.-t Inqulry was for Commodore Tucker. He pofntéd out to her and she stepped upon the schooner's deck aml approMbed liiin. "Commodore," she said, "when do you sail trom hei e '-" "We sail right olf as soon a8 poeslMe, madam." "Oh, then, I know you will be kind to me." she tirged in penslve tonos. "My loor husbauU died yesterd', and I wlsli to cfirrv his corpse to Wlscasset, where we belonfr, and where liis psrents will take Cireofil.' "But, iny woman, 1 shan't go to Wiseassett. "If jou will only land me at the mouth of the Sheepscot, I wil', ask do BMR, 1 can easily tind a boat there to take me iii" ¦'tVheie i.s t lic body?" aslced Tucktr. "In tlie wagon," rcturned the wi.maii, :il the same lime nistag thi corner of lier shawl to wtpe away tlie catherlng tears. 'I have some moiiey willi me, and you shall be pald for your troublc." "Tut, tut, woman; il'I accommodate yon there won't be any pay about it." TJw kind-liearted old commodore was not the man to refusc a favor, and thonfh he liked not ilie Dother "i taklog tha roaan and her stranjre accompaninient on board, yet he could not refuse. Some of the men were sent iipon the wlmrf to bring the body on board. A long butt'alo robe was llfted off by the man who drov(; the waron; beneath it appeared a neat, black coitin. Some wwrdi were passad by the scamen as they werc putting tbc coffln on board, which went to show prelty plainly that the allair did not exaelly snit thcm." Hut it may have been but prejudlce on thcir part, but the Beamen uhould be allnwed a prejudice once in a while, when we consider the many stern realities they have to encounter. Krc long the coftin was placed in the hold and the woman was shown to the cabin. In less tlian half an (jour the schooner was cleared from the wharf and Itanding out from the bay. The wind was light from the eastward, luit Tucker had n fear of the frigate now that she was once oft' the bay. In the eveumfr the female passenger came on deck, and the commodore assured her that lic SUOUld bcable to land licrearly on the next mornlpz, She expressed her (fratitude, and remarked tlnit before she retired tluit she should likc to look and SM ihal her liusbainl - eOfDSO was safe. This was of course granted, and one of tlie men lifted ofl' the hatch that she might go down iuto the holt). "I declare," in tittered Daniel Carter, au old sallor who was standing at the heel, "she Iuh on dre'fhl,1 "Yes, poor said Tucker, as he heard her sobs anaVroans, "D'ye notice what n eyi' she's got," continued (,'arter. "No," said Tucker, "ouly 'twas swollen w th (carta1 "My eyes! but they shone tliousili wlnu she stood here lookir.g at tbc compass." Tucker smiled al ihe old nianV ijtiaint èarnestHess, and went down to the cabin. When tlie woman catne up from the hold she looked about the deck of the sciiooner for a few monteéis aixl wen't att. Tlieic wib soniethtng i" her oountcnance iLiat pu.led ( larter. Be liad been one of tbose who had objecled to the cotlin belng broughtOB board. The woman's eves ra n over the deck wiib a strenge qufekneps, iind Carter eyed oer very iliarply. Saoti she went to the tiilf-rsil and tlnn she caine and stood by the pinnacle agattl. "Look out or you'll jibe the boom," ut tered the passenger. Oarteí started and fonnd that the mains;iil was sliivorinjr. He gave the helm a couple ol tpoket apart, and Uien oaat bis eycs again upon the woui.-ilt. "Thauk'e ma'am.'said Dan. "Ha, IloM on- why, bU-ss m soul, there's a 1" spider njght fen jour hair. No- not there. Hcie I'iíIi. ' The lasl ejaculation Dan made as lie seemed to pull fouittliinj; from thewonian's ÍRSrIIJ3! atóiL,uïhe 1('('k witl' Shortly after the panenger went b'elow. and ere lona Tucker carne on deck. "Coiuujodore,'' stiid c:nriT, with a 'r-uiuikiilile dacree oianicstness in hs nianmer, "ia the ornan tiirned In?" "I catüer think so," aid Tucker, looking at the cAinpass. "Look out, look out, i a.-i.i ! hy, mail allVi, you'retwo point in the touth'ard ofyour course." "lüou me! go I am," said the man, Drtngiiig the lieliu smarllv aport. "liut siiy. diiln't you notice anything pecooliar aiioui the old 'omanf' "Why, Dan. you wem greatlv Interasted abouther." "80 I am, commodore, an' so I am about the eoffln, toa Wouldn't It bo well tor you and 1 to overhau] il t" "Pshaw! you're u nared as ¦ clilld in a grnvcyiwxl!" "No, not a bit. Ju-t liarle a bit. Tliat onVuii aiut 110 '0114(11." 'l'lic cóniinoclore fironouncitl tlie name of' hissataiiic majcsly in tbc most cnirilialic man ner. "It's the trutb, commodore - I purtraded there as u splder on her balr, and I rubbed iny haiut ajfin her face. I5y Sam llyclc. tfit wasn'i as louirli and bearded as h iioiv-stonc. Vuil lee, BÍíe told me as how ld lel tbc boom Jibe il I didn't look out. I j"'"1 " - ¦" '"mnn tl., ,-.. „„,) S(J I tni-d her. CaH sinicloiy to tlie wheel and Ict's ro rikI lm,k fit that eoffln ' ine commodore wm wonderstruck I13' whal li.nl lieard, lm. with a calin pres '"" of "'in.! thal had made hira wliat h ua-, he Bet cooliy to thinking. In a few minute be calied one of the men aft to relieve Carter, u.d tjie iwu wem down to rook afler hfa passenger. The lutterhad tuined In and seemed to be tleeping. l'in-kir returned ujid louk Oartéi aside. lío lloUe now. Carter; [bfioW me l6 though notliing had happened." "Sïrtin." Thé twoappreacbed the main hatch and stoopcd down to raise t, when Dans hand roucued a nnftll hall that seemed to have been pined up under the break of the liatcli. "It's a liall oftwhie." he said. 'li'in'i touch il, hut run and eeUUali lern." replieij Tucker. Carter sprang to obey, and when he returned i nmnber of men had gatbered about the iqTot The hatch was raised and the commodore earetully picked up the hall of twine and foimd ihat it was ruada last to eomeUlllIg below. He descended to the hold, and there he found Unit the twine mm in heneatli the lid of the coffln. He had no doulil in tiis niind now tliat there wrsffl nrtscMef boTréd up below, and sent alter lor suiiiuthniirs that luii'hr. y-" with a t(Uit knile, and the commodore set to wort. He worked very carefully, keeping á bnlit. look(it for thé striiig. At leiigtb tho serftws were out and the li ! very carefully liited ftom its place. "(iieiil God 11 lieiiven !" bnrst trom tlie lip-; ut' ilie pomniodnrr. "liv Sani llyde!" dropped like a tlninderclap froni the longue of young Dan. "God blessyou, Dan!" aam the commodore. "t knowed t," muttered Dan. The twi men Itood tor a moment and gaeed into the eotlin. 'l'liere was 110 dead man there. hut in place thereof was maturial for the deatli of a score. The colli n as lilled ith pin DO W per and pitCh rood; apon light fnunework In the center were arranged four pi-tul-, all oocked, and the striiia entering the cofflii from without coinniunieatcil wilh the triggers of each. The lirsi niovement of the commodore was to cali tor water, and when it was brought he dashed three or tour hucketfulls inio the lnterual conti vanee, anti then he Inent lied more Crcely. "N", nv" he uttered, as he leaped from the bold. "Ni, 110 - my men. Do nothiiifi rashly; let me go into the rabin lirst." ( lommodore Tucker stnxle into the cabin vralkinj; up to the bnnk wherp liis passenger l:iy. and fiiaspinr hold of the teníale he dragged lis vrevrer out npon the Hoor. There wal a iharp ioisianee, anel the passenger liiew B pistol, hut it was iiiickly knockcd away - the gown was torn olí', and a man came trom the remnanta of calicó and linen. The fellow was assured that liis whole plot had been dic ivct d, and at lengtli he owned that it had been hispían to turn out in t Ik course of the ni;lit and fret hold of ihc hall ol twlae, theu he Intended to have gone aft. earefully Dn winding the striiijr as he went a long. (hen to haTe (tol into Ihe boat, ciil the Calis, and as the boat (bil into the water he wou ld have pulled smartly Dpon Ihe tw ine. "And I think you know," he continued, with n wlcked look. "whnt would have followed. All I can gay is that I'm sorry I didn'l do it." It was with mud] dlfflculty thal the commodore prevented liis men trom killin the villain on the spot. He nroved to be one of the enemy's offleera, and be was to have a heavy rcward il he succeededin (lestïoying the commodore and likt clTW. The prisoner was carried 011 de;k and lasbcd to the main rijrging. "What a borrid death tfiat villain nieant for us," uttered Carter. 'Ves, he dkl," said Tucker, with a shudilel1. "He belongs to the same an'í that'l heen a rohljin' and biirnin' the poor folk's hotises on the eastern eoaat," said one of the men. "Ves," said the commodore, wilh a nervous twitch of tbe muscles. ' about bis moiith. A bitter curse Trom Ihe prhoner now broke 011 the air, and with a cllncbed list, the commodore went lielow. In the morning when Tucker canif: 11 pon ileek. Seguln was in siffht upon the starboard Ijcjw. but when he looked for the prieoner, he nv as gone. "Carter, wher's the villaiu I lashed herc lxt nlghti" "I'm Mire 1 don'l know where he is coinBiodore. Perhapi he jumped overhoard." The old commodore loöked iternly Inta Carter's eye, and saw 8 twinkle of satisfaction there. He hcstitaled I moment - then he turned away and muttred to himell : "Well, well,- 1 can't hlame them. lf the murderous villain's irone to death. lie'sonly niet a late wliieh lie deserved."