COURAGE. .

BY EDWARD LUCAS WHITE.

 

Now the battle smoke was thinned,
By the steady evening wind.
Cloud or shadow there was none,
And the penetrating sun

Filled up every niche and fold
Of_the landscape‘s furrowed mold
With the all-pervading light.

From our naked, walless height
We could see the throbbing heart
0f the COntlict, like a chart,
Bared before us in detail

Where we hung above the bail
Of the spot whose every tread
Left a footprint marked in red.
We could count from breath to breath
Every foe’s and comrade’s death.
Every man of us descried

Every effort of our side.

Every movement of the foe

In the moiling reek below.

Not a man but understood
All that passed and all that would
Come, as clear as he whose mind

Through the breakers that upburst
Where the cannon did their worst.
We could see our time draw near:
With the knowledge grew our fear,
Every dying agony

Each of us could plainly see—
Seemed to tech man’s calm despair
His own death prefigured there.

Through each smoke-wreath’s curling
Visions rose to us of home,

Memories of tender words,

Perfumes, morning songs of birds;
Faces to each man grew plain

He might never see again;

Voices whispered, " The most brave
Hear no love-words in the grave."

There we saw from where we lay
The day’s crisis, like a flower,
Bloom into the coming hour;
Saw our foemen’s utmost strength
Hurled on all our lines at length;
Saw our need and danger grow;
Felt the wet ing moments 0
While the balance waverecfyet:
Saw how desperately met

All the lines before our hands:
Knew the day was in our hands;
Knew that not one chance in ten
Was with any sons Of men

In the path that lay before.

Then, in all that trenchant roar,
When no man of us could choose
. , Not know all he had to lose.

'1  All we might and might not win,

» Mounted orders clattered in,

 

w Our foes seen in the clear light,

7 ,, j ' Steady, without sound of drum,

' ’  Dumb. as a machine is dumb,

All our front with bayonets marged,
Like an avalanche we charged.

 

 

BY THE CITY-ITEMS SCRIBE.

 

exploits.
Club” experience rankled in his breast

 

 Palace Hotel, with Mrs. Mulligan, the
and the nurse.
were still hovering near.

Diego.

Mulligan had no idea, having never k
them there.

 

his past “ follies and foibles.”

 

nance stretched almost from ear to ear
happy smile. It was a smile almost as bro

upward. Mulligan had an idea!
“Begorra, Missurs Mulligan,” he cried
, have it!”
inquired.
home?”
Mulligan’s smile contracted instantly l
ruptured Suspender, and the curls at the
thud” like we used to read about.
so ye would!
all bubbling over wid joy, and phwut do
but t’r0w cold wather on me at wanst!”

on ye, Pat Mulligan !”
“ Bah!

spirit, no more ye have!
phwat Oi meant.” I
did .3”

“ Missurs Mulligan, Missurs Mulligan!

it is, so it is.

dead, so to sp’ake.”
“ And phwat did Oi say to ye, Pat?”

 

tickets fur home, as if dhere was only
t’ought in your head.”

   
   
    

“Begorra, Oi wish ye was,
gan!
av ye were.”

“ Oh-ho!

 
   
    
   
    
  
   
    

dhat in your poipe and smoke it.” v ‘
“Och! wurra, wurra, wurra! ll hin y
done, Missurs Mulligan, let me know.

      
 
   
   
  
 

ye are gettiii’. Now, do ye went to
phwat me intintions are, Missurs Mulliga
don’t ye?”

“Oi have been waitin’ fur ye to tel
fur—"

       
  
  
    
   
   
 

second!

   
  
  

t’ought av it, Missurs Mulligan.”
“ Truly, Pat?”

   

 

ou.
“ Is it a new dress, Pat .3”

than she had yet employed.

sharply.
Oi do belave on me soul.

out.”
“ Oi am wid ye, Pat!” the good womai

importance of the new scheme, whatev

and Mulligan gave her a slap on the back
sounded like the report of a pistol.
are talkin’ more loike yersel,

 

 

 

 

tell me hwat it is.”

Mrs. ulligan was, by this time, fired
interest, as was also the nurse, who was a
other end of the room with the twins.

“Listen, dhen, Missurs Mulligan, and 1
well,” said Mulligan, with an important
“ We have only begun to live, so to sp’ake.

 

  

Steered the squadrons, deaf and blind,

And, with our great task plain in sight,

Mulligan on tEHome-stretch.

Mulligan’a Scheme Falls Through.

VVELL, Mulligan was soon ready for further
The recollections of his “Bohemian

time, but our jolly Celt was of a forgiving dis-
position and so was willing to let bygones be
bygones. He was still in San Francisco, at the

His four “guardian angels”

One of these four, it will he remembered, was
the drummer who had made it so interesting
for Mulligan on the trip from Denver to San
The others were young men from Mul—
 ligan’s town in the East; of which, however,

They knew him, though, as we
have said before, and were Well acquainted with

, One day Mulligan came into the presence of
 his life partner with the opening in his counte-

it was long, too, and one with both ends curled

“Phwat is it ye have, Pat?” Mrs. Mulligan
“Have ye bought dhe tickets fur

assumed a downward tendency with a “dull

“Missurs Mulligan,” he fired up, “it is yer-
sel’ dhat would mar dhe happiness av an angel,
Here Oi come to ye wid me bosom

“ Sure, Oi haVen’t t’rowed wan drap av wather

Ye haven’t dhe sinse, Missurs Mulli-
gan, to know whin ye have wounded a tender
Oi meant dhat ye had
cooled me ardor loike as if ye had dropped a
lump av ice down dhe spine av me back, dhat-’s

“ Dhen phwy didn’t ye say phwat ye meant,
and not be a-t’rowin’ av yer slurs at me as ye

me patience is well-nigh exaspurated wid ye, so
Never a toime can Oi come to ye
wid the heart full av pleasure fur ye but ye give
me a chill dhat is loike a breath from dhe living

“Sure, ye asked me av Oi had bought dhe

“Sp’akin’ av pleasure fur me, dhat would

l’aze me more nor anyt’ing else ye could do,

at. Sure, it is toired Oi am av travelin’, and
Oi wish Oi was at borne dhis blessed minnit.”
Missurs Mulli-
Me own enjoyment would be more assured

Oi suppose it would, Pat Mulligan.
Ye would have dhe free leg dhen to do as ye
pl’aze. Phwether it‘s go home or not, it is mesel’
dhat is going to stick to yo, and ye may put

Sure, u
mon can’t say wan wurrcd to you but it is mad

“ Yis, ye have: wid yer tongue never still wan
Hould yer whist, now, and Oi’ll tell
ye. Sure, it was all on account av you Oi

“Truly, indade, Missurs Mulligan: all for
H ‘

This was asked with a more winning accent

“ No, begorra, it isn’t a new dress,” somewhat;
“ Dhat is all a woman t‘inks about, as
Still, Oi suppose it
will m’ane new dresses galore, av we carry it

claimed, springing up, now fully awake to the

might be.
“Spoken loike a woman av sinse, Missurs
Mulligan! Spoken loike a woman av sinse!”

“Now ye
Missurs Mulli-

“T’ank ye fur dhe compliment, Pat. Now,

foam

for a

twins

110 wn

in a
ad as

H '
, Oi

ike a
ends

ye do

Sure,

W811

e are
hear
u, or

lme

1 8X-

er it

that

with
t the

isten
air.
W e

have only begun to see dhe wurreld. Do ye see
dhese tickets, Missurs Mulligan? It is to Japan
we are going.”

The nurse gave a scream, and Mrs. Mulligan
looked greatly alarmed.

“ And phwere is dhat, Pat?” she timidly in-
quired.

“ HOW aygurunt ye are, Missurs Mulligan!
Don’t ye know dhat Japan is over in China, he-
yant dhe ocean?”

“ Och! wurra, wurra! Saints protect us, Pat
Mulligan! And do ye be t’inkin’ fur wan Hlln‘
uit dhat Oi would go across dhe ocean to dhe
land av haythindom? Oi guess not, sez Con!"

“ But, Missurs Mulligan, it is goin’ we are—”

“ It is not oin’ we’ll be, Pat Mulligan, and
dhat is flat! 0 ye suppose Oi would risk dhe
loives av me two prashus twins on dhe wather,
to say nothin’about me own‘?’ N 0; never! And
go to a land av nasty, yaller haythins-- Never,
never !”

“ T’under and turf!” screamed Mulligan, as
he clinched his fists and jumped clean from the
floor in his sudden frenzy. “ Who is dhe head
av dhis family Oi’d be askin’, Missurs Mulligan.
Answer me dhat, now.”

“Lucky it is dhere are two heads to it, any-
how, Pat Mulligan."

“ Woman! Would ye defy me?”

“ Call it phwat ye pl’aze, but it is not on dhe
wather ye will get me, Pat Mulligan, to go to
any land av howlin’ haythins, and moind it.”

“ But, Oi have bought dhe tickets, Missurs
Mulligan!”

“ Dhe more fool you.”

“ And Oi didn’t get dhem fur a song, Missurs
Mulligan!” ,

“ Oi can stand dhe loss av you can, Pat. We
are not going, and dhat is settled.”

“ T’are and ’ounds, Missurs Mulligan! Am Oi
not to be boss in me own household, Oi would
loike to know?”

“ You can be boss all ye want to, Pat Mulli-
gan, but Oi tell ye we are not goin’ across dhe
ocean to haythindom, and dhat is all dhere is
av it, boss or no boss!”

And then they had it, hot, strong and furious;
and in the midst of the War of words there came
a knock at the door. It had to be repeated be-
fore it was heard, and it was Nora, the nurse,
who heard it then.

With a word of warning to the belligerents,
she opened the door. '

There stood Bin-Shorter, Mulligan’s traveling
companion and “ counselor, guide and friend.”

“ Begorra, it is all up!” cried Mulligan, in de-
spair, at sight of him.

“ What is all up, friend Mulli an?” the urbane
Shorter inquired. “Perhaps intrude at an
unhappy moment.”

“ Dhat same it is," agreed Mulligan, promptly,
“ and dhe unhappiness is mine, so it is. And it
all comes av.a woman dhat—”

“ Dhat knows whin she is bad enough off,” in-
terrupted Mrs. Mulligan, “ and dhat has dhe
good sinse not to—”

“ Dhat has no sinse at all, ye had better say,”
snapped Mulligan.

“There, there,” said Shorter, soothingly. “ I
know this is only some slight misunderstanding.
Let’s all sit down and straighten it out.”

Shorter had become as one of the family,
almost. He was on the best of terms with Mul-
ligan, was his adviser—his prime minister, so to
say; and, toq though Mulligan knew it not, the
truth r of many of his recent misadventures.

“ Now,” said he, when they were seated, “let
me hear both sides, and I’ll act as your arbiter as
I have done on other occasions. Ladies first, of
warm; so, Mrs. Mulligan, let me hear your
story. Not a word out of you, friend Mulligan,
while she is telling it.”

“ Dhat is all right,” said Mulligan. “ Oi
understand ye, Shorter.”

“ Now, Mrs. Mulligan.”

“Well,” began Mrs. Mulligan, “Oi am op-
posed to travelin’ any fui‘der away from home
dhan we are now. and as to crossin’ av dhe
ocean—never .’ l’at Mulligan came in here
awhile ago, and he says, says he——‘ Mrs. Mulli-
gan, it is to Japanzy we are going; to Japanzy
over in Chiny beyanst dhe say.’ And dhen Oi
spoke up and tould him we was not going; dhat
Oi wouldn’t risk the loife av me twins on dhe
wather, to say nothing about going to a land av
yaller haythins. Dhat is dhe long and dhe short
and dhe whole av it, sor.”

“ Very well. I begin to see that [am partly
to blame for all this. Now, Mulligan, it is your
turn.”

“ You to blame!” cried Mrs.‘Mulligan.

“ Yes. But let me hear your side of the mat-
ter, Mr. Mulligan.”

“ Well, begorra,” cried Mulligan, “ Oi’ll begin
by askin’ av a man isn’t supposed to be at dhe
head av his family, and to wear the trowsers?”

“ W ell, yes, certainly, theoretically speaking,
Mr. Mulligan; but, then, the man and wife are
considered one, you know, and the woman
should have some voice in matters of vital
interest to both.”

“ It is too much voice they have, begorra.”

9 Still a good wife is a man’s best friend, Mr.
Mulligan, and Mrs. Mulligan no doubt has your
safety as much at heart as her own or the twins’.
I am sure her opposition to your scheme is all
for the best. But, go on.”

Shorter had, it can be inferred, made himself
“solid” with Mrs. Mulligan. He was generally
on her side in a dispute.

“ “'ell,” Mulligan resumed, “ after all I heard
you and dhe other gentleman a-saying about

 

dhe deloights av Japan, Oi made up me moind
to go dhere: and to give Missurs Mulligan a de-
loightful surprise Oi went and bought tickets
fur passage before I came home. Whin Oi got
here, no sooner had Oi opened the head dhan she
t’rowed cold wather on the project, and dhen we
had it. Begorra, av a man can’t take his family
phwere he pl’azes, phwat is dhe use av being a
free—born American citizen and livin’ in dhe
land av dhe free? Dhat’s phwat Oi want to
knovv.”

“I see how it is, I see how it is,”said Shorter,
smiling. “You listened to all our talk about
that country, our strong praiSes, our glowing
pictures, and so forth, and it fired you to go
there, and you acted upon impulse. Nothing
wrong about that. Still, I must agree with Mrs.
Mulligan that it were better not to go in haste.
The dangers of the sea are many, Mr. Mulligan,
and if these dear twins were to be drowned you
would never forgive yourself, and—"

“ But, Oi have paid our passages!” cried Mul-
li ran.

“ Oh! that can be arranged, I guess. Give up
the idea, Mulligan, for l have a plan in mind
that will interest you.”

“Another Bohemian Club jamboree, may-
be.”

“Ha! ha! Oh, no; nothing of that sort. It
is something to which 1 have been invited my-
self, and I think I can safely promise vou a good
time. Besides, you are to go along, Mrs. Mulli-
gan," turning to her. .

“ Ohi phwat is it?” cried Mrs. Mulligan.

“ Why, the Carnival is at hand, and l have
been invited to join in a Cascuron party, with
the privilege of bringing friends with me. I
thought of my friends the Mulligans, you may
be sure. and I hope you will go. \Vhat do you
say! Give up your idea of going to Japan, Mul—
ligan, and let’s have a good time.” _

“ Oi’ll do it, begob!” cried Mulligan. “ It is
excoitement Oi want; somet’ing to k’ape the
blood movin’, and Oi am wid ye.”

“But, phwat is a cast-iron party 3” inquired
Mrs. Mulligan.

“ A Cascaron party? Why, they have a mock
battle in the street, fighting with e g-shells that
have been filled with gilt and co ored papers,
and sometimes candy. They put up a canvas
fort, and attack and defend it with these harm-
less weapons. Oh,f70u can be sure of a good
time—at any rate, suppose so; I have never
attended one myself. What do you say? Will
you go? You can get y0ur money back for
these Japan passages. and Mrs. Mulligan can
have the finest costume of the occasion, and you
the same. This will beat Japan all hollow for
fun, and you won’t have to cross the ocean.
We’ll have to be more careful how we ’thuse in
your presence hereafter, Mulligan. What do
you say? Is it a go?”

He took care not to add that it had all been
done pur sely to fire Mulligan with the desire
to go to apan, for the purpose of raising a dis-
pute between him and Mrs. Mulligan, which he,
Shorter, had dropped around at the proper time
to hear and enjoy. Oh, no!

“ Begorra, we’ll go!" Mulligan cried.

And, Mrs. Mulligan being of the same mind,
that settled it.

 

 

AN EASTER FLOWER.

BY W. ALBURN CROWELL.

Thy ruddy hue outshines the rose,

Thou first born of the April snows
That rear’st thy gentle head aloft—

Fairer because the CH RISI‘ arose

On this the morn thy being knows
Its loveliness of face. And oft

We view thy beauty. and we bless
Its glory and ita holiness
That typify the risen Lord.
Thy perfume, like a soft caress,
Lightens our Woes. our cares makes less,
With the mute raptures they afford.

Fighting lack Shubrick ;
Old Ironsides gang! the Field.

BY T. J. FLANAGAN,

AUTHOR or “MIDSHIPMAN DARE,” “Tan TWO

MIDSHIPMEN,”“ THE THREE LIEUTENANTS,"
“THE FOUR COMMANDERS,” ETC., ETC.

CHAPTER XX.
CORNY DECIDES To TALK.

WHEN Shubrick gave the order to spread more
canvas on the schooner, the captain looked at
him in a way that plainly showed his opinion to
be- “ The man is mad!" and he expostulated:

“ She won’t stand it, sir! We’ll lose the
spars.”

“ on have spare spars?” calmly asked Shu-
brick.

“ Yes, sir, but—”

“Then set your topsails!” was the quiet but
firm command, and Captain Rhett issued the
necessary orders. fix

The crew, who had caught an idea of what
was going on, and understood that the naval
officer was now in command, exchanged looks of
doubting admiration as they hastened to obey
the captain’s, (now acting as first mate) orders.

There was certainly‘ enough, in the desperate
manner in which Shubrick pressed the canvas
on the vessel to excite distrust, but there was
something in his steady eye, and calm mien,
that caused even the captain to refrain from
further remonstrance, and all stood watching
the effect of the sail as spread.

“ The topmasts are bending like whipstocks,”
observed Captain Rhett.

“ Let them go! We must, and shall, pass that
cutter! We have spare spars enough.”

“See! She is spreading more canvas!” con-
tinued Shubrick, but the others—and all hands
were within hearing—could not see, for he pos-
sessed the only glass on board, and it was now
growing dark.

Notwithstanding the captain’s warning, and
the heavy seas that met her in such quick suc-
cession as greatly to retard her progress, the
gallant Polly soon toiled her way through a
league of the troubled element—dividing a mass
of water at everyplunge she took, that appeared
to be growing more and more violent—but, still
without harm, although the struggling hull was
more than once buried as if never to arise.

The impunity with which the schooner bore
such a ress of canvas, under the circumstances,
excite the admiration of all, and Captain Rhett,
(as the Polly drew abreast of the cutter,) ex-
claimed:

“ By George! I thought I knew what the
Polly could do, but you’ve shown me that I
didn’t.”

“She’s never been driven at such a rate—in
such a mad manner—and he hasn’t parted a
yarn,” the first mate, (among the men, in the
waist of the Polly,l was saying at the same
moment.

Seeing that he had overhauled, and could out-
sail the cutter, it occurred to Shubrick that it
would be wise to remain in company with that
vessel—since she was carrying Laura Lee—until
the gale abated, and as Captain Rhett finished,
he ordered:

“ Reduce your canvas just enough to keep
within easy reach of that cutter—she’s carr ing
a little too much sail, and we must be rea y to
assist them in case of trouble.”

Captain Rhett smiled on hearing this criticism
of the comparatively careful manner in which
the cutter was being handled, but, making no
comment, ordered the Polly placed under reefed
mainsail and storm staysail, which (as he right-
ly judged) would keep her just astern of the
chase~—for the wind was still growing stronger,
and the cutter was soon compelled to reduce her
canvas.

About daybreak the gale began to abate, and,
seeing everything going smoothly aboard the
cutter, Shubrick said:

“ Mr. Rhett, I will resign the command of the
Polly to you—but don’t spare spars or canvas to
show our heels to that craft. Set everything she
will carry, and keep setting it, until we enter
Charleston Harbor!

“ Money will buy spars and canvas, but it
won’t buy happiness—and that’s what our get-
ting to Charleston ahead of that cutter means
to more than one.”

“ Ay, ay, sir!” promptly returned the captain.
“ I know—thanks to you—~what she can stand,
and I sha’n’t spare her. You may go below. sir,
and rest assured that she’ll be hull down before
ye awake.”

“ Botgorra, it’s mad he’s goin’!” exclaimed
Corny, who had just come on deck. “ Fursht
it’s overhaulin’ thim he’s afther, an’ now it’s
racin’ thim he is.”

The little man‘s remarks were generally ad-
dressed to nobody, but in a tone sufficiently loud
to he board by et'crybody, and everybody smiled
on hearing the foregoing.

Seeing the captain had entered into the spirit
of the chase, Shubrick, joining in the general
smile, said:

“ All right, captain! The more you beat that
cutter into Charleston. the greater shall be your
—that is, the reward of the men.”

Then turning to Corny, he continued:

“ Come below in a few minutes. I want to talk
to you.” ,

Apparently, Corny wss eager to be talked to,
for Shubrick was barely in the cabin before the
valet appeared, and demanded :.

“ “'ell, sor-what d’ye want t’ talk about?"

“ Sit down!” was the quiet order, and Corny
having obeyed, his master continued:

“ What do you know of this Miss Lee you left
in Charleston— besides what you’ve told me?”
Corny hesitated, and Shubrick warned:

“The time has come when you must choose
between going back to Lee—if he will receive
you—and remaining with me. I don’t believe
you will deceive me, and I won’t have any half’
way confidences.”

The tone in which this was uttered impressed
Corny wonderfully—it was the first time Shu-
brick had spoken to him ' in that way, and
scratching his head in a puzzled manner, be de-
cided:

“Faith thin, if that’s how it is, I’ll tell ye
what little I knOW—an’ it’s me Own t’ tell, any-
how—for I’d rather be hung wud you, thin die
a nathural death wud that old thief!”

CHAPTER XXI.
conxv’s STORY.

SHUBRICK smiled at Corny’s vehement de-
claratiou of allegiance, and perceiving this, the
latter rebuked:

“ Faith, ye needn’t laugh! If ye knew him as
well as I do, ye wouldn’t—an’ remimber ye
haven’t thrapped him yit. He’s as cute as an

 

 

 

 

 

 

ould badger, an’ if he got th’l’aste id’a that I
tould ye what I’m goin’ t’ tell ye, he’d have me
life for it—bad luck t’ him—though it’s the own
information, for th’ girrul tould herself, an’
made no saycrit of it either.

“ It’s not much,” he continued, noting the ex-
pectant expression on Shubrick’s face, “but, as

said before, he’d have me life for it—set his
cut-throats an me, th’ same as he done wud th’
young lad.” ‘

To attempt to hurry Corny would be worse
than useless, so when he paused at this point,
Shubrick quietly arose from his chair, and
lightinga cigar, threw himself upon a lounge,
remarking:

“ I always thought he was a thoroughpaced
scoundrel.”

“ Begorra, Eylie’r’ right he is! But it’s a toss o’
yer hat whic is th’ worst: him or th’laddy-
buck that thried t’ fix you—may big bad luck t’
both 0’ thim.

“ Well, t’ make a long story short, I had t’
skhipbe th’ light 0’ th’ moon from lreland, in
’98, an’ be great good luck got off between two
days in a shmuggler bound for France, an’ there
I sthayed till two year ago, whin I happened t’
stho a runaway carriage.

“ wuz hurt a hit, an’ whin I kem back t’ me
sinses, found meself in Misther Lee’s hotel. He
gev me a few pound, an’ ofi’ered t’ hire me—if
I’d thravel wud him.

“ As I didn’t have enough t’ bless meself wud,
av coorse I jumped at th’ offer, an’ sthayed wud
him intil we raiched Charleston. Thin he axed
me t’ jine wud three or four more, in cripplin’
an’ robbin’ th’ young lad—Harry—an’ thin I
figd him, plain an’ fair, what I thought of

“‘ Sure if I wazn’t th’ quietest an’ best-tim-

red man in th’ world,’(!) says I, ‘ I w’u’d ’a’

n gone long ago, but whin it comes t’ mur-
therin’ yer own nevye—l’m done wud ye, ye
ould scoundhrel!’

“ ‘ Huh !’ says he, ‘ you’re a fine one t’ praich
about murther—an’ you a Fanyin (Fenian)—
an’a' Ribbonman—that ought t’ be hung long
ago.
“Thin I gev him a puck in th’ month an’
knocked him down, for, if I wuz a Ribbonman,
I niver murthered any wanl”

“And the girl—this Laura?” gently hinted
the lieutenant.

“I‘m comin’ t’ that!” snapped Corny, and,
after a few moments’ thoughtful silence, re-
sumed:

“ This Laura—as ye call her—was wid th‘
ould b’aste whin I stopped th’ runaway, an’ she
wuz r’ale kind t’ me. while me arm an’ collar-
bone wur mindin’, an’ before long we bekem
great fri’n’s.

“ She wuz a delicate shlip of a girrul, but
purty as a picter, an’ whin she’d be lonely like
—an’ faith, that wuz often enough—she’d come
an’ talk t’ hie, so I l’arned that she wuz th’ heir-
ess t’ a big esthate in Ameriky, left be her uncle
—1 can’t remimber his name, but it began wid
an Ox, at any rate. Ox—Ox—”

“ Oxnard 1” suggested Shubrick.

“Be jabers, that’s th’ very name! How did
ye guess it!”

“Go ahead—I’lltell you when your story is
finished.” '

“Divil a word more I’ll say, till ye tell me!”
declared Corny, looking the very picture of ob-
stinacy.

“ Oh, confound you 2” exclaimed Shubrick,
with a half—angry laugh. “ That’s the real name
of my Laura Lee.”

Corny looked amazed on hearing this, and his
master urged him to proceed with his story,
saying:

“Go ahead! I’ve told you how I came to
guess the name.”

“ Thin, be th’ piper that played before Moses,
th’ ould fox is bagged! He’s bringin’ this girrul
in Charleston t‘ settle a big laWsnit, purtendin’
that your Laura wuz deed—an’ be th’ same
token he houlds her will, l‘avin’ th’ whole prop-
erty t’ th’ other—my Laura !”

It was now Shubrick’s turn to look amazed.
He knew a great deal about the origin and early
history of the big “lawsuit,” but nothing of
what had taken place for the past six years, and
Corny’s statement made him all the more eager
to reach Charleston (and as much ahead of the
cutter as possible), in order to have time to in-
form Colonel Drayton of what he had learned.

“ “'ait here!” he ordered, and leaving Corny
in the cabin, hurried on deck, where Captain
Rhett greeted his appearance with :

“Oh, you are too soon, Mr. Shubrick! \Ve
are leaving her pretty fast, but it’s too soon
to—

“No, no! I didn’t Come on deck for that,”
interrupted Shubrick, “but I’ve just learned
something that makes me still more anxious to
beat that cutter—and beat it well, too—into
Charleston. '

“Spare nothing, captain! Tell the men they
will be well paid for every hour we beat her.”
“ It don’t look as if we’d have much trouble,
for they’re in no great hurry,” returned Captain
Rhett, adding:

“ But they ’peared to be kind 0’ interested in
us, for after you went below, I noticed they
were looking at me through glasses—curiosity,
I s’pose.”

“ Very likely,” assented Shubrick, taking the
captain’s glass, and turning it on the cutter,
now about a mile astern of the schooner.

But his mind was on Corny’s story, and after
one careless glance, he descended to the cabin,
again urging Captain Rhett to push the Polly.

“ Anything more, Corny 1!” he asked, and,
starting out of a brown study, the little man
answered that there was not, but, by close ques-
tioning, Shubrick learned a good deal regarding
Laura Lee (N0. 2)—enough to make him almost
certain that she was an innocent tool in the
hands of Lee.

Pretty well satisfied that he had Mr. Lee in a
rather tight corner, Shubrick retired to rest-—
having been on deck all night—and when he met
Captain Rhett at dinner, the latter smilingly
observed:

“ You are welcome to go on deck now, sir—
but you’ll have good eyes if you can see that
cutter.”

“ Glad to hear it!” returned Shubrick. “ But
don’t forget that every hour we gain may be of
the greatest importance. So keep pushing her,
captain.”

“ Never fear, sir, on that score. There will be
little rest for the Polly, or her crew, until you
are landed in Charleston—the hands are as eager
to earn the reward you promise them, as you are
to get there.”

And it was as Captain Rhett said—both him—
self and his men worked and watched unceasing-
ly, and the schooner was kept under every
possible rag of canvas, until she entered the
harbor at Charleston.

It was in the early morning that the anchor
was dropped—just at dawn—and the rattling: of
the cable aroused Shubrick, who came on deck
almost immediately afterward.

“ Hello! The Stranger, by Jove!” he ex-
claimed, as his gaze rested on the beautiful brig,
lying a half-cable’s length away.

“ I want to go aboard that vessel as soon as
ossible,” he continued, addressing Captain
hett, and while the latter was getting out a
boat, aroused Corny, to whom he intrusted a
large sum to be divided among the crew.

a CHAPTER XXII.
AWAITING TEE CUTTER.

ON boarding'the Stranger, Shubrick learned
that the captain was ashore, and a few minutes
later Lieutenant Alden appeared, and informed
him that Harry had left the brig immediately
after her arrival, and had not returned.
“ We got in a week ago today,” explained
Alden, “and haven’t seen or heard from him
since, except once, and that was a letter order-
ing me to allow no one ashore, except for water
and fresh stores, and to keep in readiness to sail
at a moment’s notice.”
“ That’s rather strange—sounds as if be con-
templated something not exactly lawful,”
thought Shubrick, and aloud:
“ When did you receive that letter, Mr.
Alden?” ‘
“ Four days ago.”

 

“ Did he give any address? I ask because I
have important information for him."

“No, except a line at the bottom, saying he
might be away several days, there was nothing
but the orders I repeated to you."

“ Well, let him know of my arrival, and anx-
iety to see him, the moment he comes aboard,”
said Shubrick, as, after a minute’s hesitation,
he decided not to confide what he had learned
to Alden, and returning to the boat, was pulled
ashore.

He had arranged with Captain Rhett that
Corny should remain on board the Polly until
the cutter arrived, and then watch the move-
ments of its passengers.

Although it was very early, Shubrick imme-
diately called at Colonel Drayton’s residence,
where, after arousing the household, he was in-
formed that the colonel was not at home.

“Gone t’ Columbia, sah, ’n’ didn’t say when
he’d be back,” said the sleepy-looking dark
who came to the door in response to Shubrick s
summons.

“ Well, it don’t matter—I can ascertain at the
ofiice," thought the latter, as he started home-
ward.

He was mistaken, however, for on calling sit
the office about noon, the boy in charge in-
formed him that there was no certainty about
the time when the colonel would return.

“ Maybe in a week—maybe two weeks,” was
the most definite time the cfilce-boy could fix
it n.
p“)What case is he engaged upon?” asked Shu-

brick, a little curiously.

“ Don’t know, sir, but it’s some big one, for
Mr. Matthews has gone with him, and I’m all
alone.”

[Mr. Matthews was Shubrick’s successor as
a law student, and after obtaining his diploma,
became Celenel Drayton’s assistant.]

Having left a message for his uncle, Shu-
brick returned home, feeling rather disappoint-
ed, and half inclined to go to Columbia, but re-
frained from doing so because he wished to be
on the spot when Lee arrived.

He had found Laura Lee (No. 2) to be just as
Corny had described her—a rather delicate-
looking girl of eighteen or nineteen, and “ pretty
as a picture.”

She knew nothing of Mr. Lee’s whereabouts,
except that he had gone to New York on busi-
ness connected with her pro rty, and a few
adroit questions revealed to hubrick that she
had not the faintest idea of where that property
was located.

“ But Uncle Robert knows all about it,” she
had innocently explained to Shubrick, that
morning. “ He has my poor cousin’s will, and
all the other papers—that is, I suppose he has,
for I’ve never seen them.

“ It seems so strange that my cousin should
have left anything to me,” continued the girl,
in a meditative tone. “ I had never even heard
of her until my uncle came to tell me of my
good fortune, shortly after my mother’s death.”

“ And your uncle—I suppose you were in the
habit of seeing him frequently?”

“ Oh, no! 1 never saw him until he came to
tell me about the will. He is the executor, you
know, so he had to find me.”

“Do you know when and where your name-
sake died i” asked Shubrick, curious to know how
far the deception had been carried.

Miss Lee blushed and looked embarrassed as,
after a few moments’ thought, she answered:

“I am ashamed to say I do not. Of course,
uncle Robert told me at the time, but I was only
a child of thirteen, and paid no attention to what
he said, I suppose, for I cannot remember any-
thing, except that she had died, and left all her
property to me.

“But I will find out and visit her grave as
soon as this lawsuit is settled,” she added. “I
have been thinking of that ever since your friend
called.”

“ My friend?” and Jack looked inquiringly
from the speaker to his mother.

“ Oh, dear! How careless~forgetful I am
becoming!” cried Mrs. Shubrick.

“ Yes, John, there was a gentleman here a
few days ago, who said he knew you—~and Lau-
ra’s cousin, too! His name is Smith, and he is
captain of a vessel that’s in the harbor now—
What is the name of the vessel, Laura?”

“ The Stranger.” '

“By Jove! So Harry found you, eh ft”

Shubrick was looking at the girl, though
addressing his mother.

“Harry?” repeated Mrs. Shubrick.
that his name, Laura?”

“Yes,” blushingly replied the girl, and with
an effort to hide her confusion, asked:

“Was he looking-—looking for me, Mr. Shu—
brick?”

“No—though I’ve no doubt he was better
leased than if he had found the man he was
ooking for,” was the laughing reply, and turn-

ing to his mother, the speaker continued:

“ How long was be here, and can you tell me
where he is .3" ,

“ Oh, yes, I can tell you where he is—or has
gone to. He was with us three days—until day
before yesterday, when he found it was neces-
sary to go to Columbia.”

“ It was the morning after Colonel Drayton
went away.” added Miss Lee.

“ Yes,” assented Mrs. Shubrick, “ Uncle Dray-
ton spent an hour here the previous evening,
before going to Columbia.”

Jack did not connect the two departures, and
knowing how closc~mouthed his uncle was about
such matters, did not think it worth while to
ask if it was known upon what business the
colonel had gone to the capital, but it came out
on the third day following his arrival.

On the first day. hearing nothing from Corny,
he visted the schooner, and congratulated Cap-
tain Rhett on the distance he must have beaten
the cutter.

In the morning of the second day be repeated
his congratulations, but toward evening became
uneasy, though he said nothing of the doubt that
was beginning to trouble him, when he again
visited the schooner.

But early in the morning of the third day,
calling on Captain Rhett, and finding that the
cutter had not arrived, he asked:

“ Captain. do you think that fellow ever will
arrive here+or meant to!"

“ He meant to——that we. heard from one of his
crew—but I don’t think he will. He’s put in
somewhere along the coast. I believe.”

“ My idea exactly, but why should he do
that?”

“ Hard t‘say, sir. Did any one on board
know ye? ’l'hcy were u etching us through
glasses, ye know. when you come on deck the
mornin' we passed ’eni.”

“ Laura let him see. that she recognized nie—
probably told him Who I was!”

As this thought finsth through Sllnbrick’s
brain, he felt convinced that it accomited for
the non»arrival of the cutter, and he, said:

“ You’ve struck the truth, captain—there‘s no
doubt about it! One of the passengers knew
me.

“ You need not remain any longer on my ac~
count, for I’m satisfied that she will not put in
here.”

Then, bidding Corny follow with his 2)07‘f?ll(!li—
icon, Shubrick went home to think over the
situation.

He has sorely disappointed, and angry with
himself for leaving the cutter as he did, but by
the time he had reached home, a plan to trace
Lee had suggested itself.

“ I’ll take L‘orny, and ride back along the
coast until I find out where they put in, and
then, even if they’ve left the cutter, they will
have left some trace of the direction they’ve
gone in.”

Meeting his mother as he entered, Shubrick
informed her that ho was going away for several
days—just how long he could not say.

“ Well, I must admit that you have not taken
me by surprise,” laughingly declared Mrs.
Shubrick.

“ Why? I’ve only just decided to go—how~”
“Oh, yes,” interrupted Mrs. Shubrick, “but
I knew you couldn’t resist the temptation.”

“ What do you mean?” asked Jack, in aston—
ishment.

“ lVas

 

“ Why the end of the Lee case, of course, and