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Editor a :nl 1'roprictor. C
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Ja J'uhlishctl Weekly,
At New IJIoonilielil, Pcim'a.
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F II A X K M () II T I 31 E R .
cuDscitirriox thump.
O-VE DOLLAR MR YJLill !
I TV A.lVA.C?It:.
Pliebe's Mystery.
ut elixiii:th biuki.ow.
CONCLUDKl).
fct 4 S YOU clioosr," ho replied, "but
-Z.SL think a moment 1 W hat w ill Gil
bert Drew say when lie bears this story?
The Drews have always borne an honest,
honorablo name ; they pride tlkemselvos
upon it."
" I am not afraid of what Gilbert Drew
.vill say," returned bo girl, proudly. "It
only for Jon that I earo ? How can you,
hat good will it do you to betray him ?
Will nothing move, you to keep our secret?"
iJie cried desperately.
" Yes, ono thing. You will do that,
Phebo? Nothing else can move me, not
even your tears. Is it yes?"
"O, I don't 1; now, I can't tell! Give
me until to-morrow to think."
" Until to-morrow morning. I -will come
then for my answer."
He walked beside her to the house, but
Phebe left him at the duor without a word
of adieu. But there was a smilo of triumph
m his face as he went down the laue. And
e was not deceived.
Early the next morning Captain Gilbert
rcw, who was superintending some ar
mgemonts on tho Lapwing, was sin-prised
i receive a note from Pl-.cbe, sent by tho
, ttle boy whom she usually employed as a
icssonger. As he opened it the ring he
ad given her a little, golden circle with
blue forget-me-not rolled out. This is
vrhat bo read, in Pliebe's handwriting, but
a. wavering, unsteady lines, and with stains
on the paper that looked like traces of
tears ;
" I write to ask you to release ine from
my engagement to you. 1 can never be
your wife. You must not ask mo why, nor
ever try to see me. But God bless you
always, Gilbert ! Phebe."
Captain Drew crammed tho nolo into his
pocket, and seized his hat. lie would go
to Phebo, at once, and discover tho mean
ing of this strange freak. Belt, then sud
denly, the memory of that scene -which ho
had witnessed the night before, and which
Phebo had refused to explain, rushed over
him. This was tho result. Phebo had cast
him off because hcrold lover had eomo back I
Ho went back as hastily as ho had eomo
this impulsive young sailor, set his heel
upon tho little ring that still lay upon tho
cabin floor where it had fallen, and crushed
it to atoms.
Tho workmen wero hurried and driven
that day as they had never been before, for
tho captain had decided that ho must sail
in a fortnight, at least.
Aunt Jano received tho news with tho
greatest amazement. That Phebo had bro
. ken her engagement with Gilbert and was
going to marry Gerald Bayne, of her own
accord was too much to bo belioved.
"I can't say that I am not pleased,"
sho said, when Phebe told her tho sim
ple facts, refusing all explanation, "but
it doesn't seem as if you wero treating
Gilbert just right, since you haven't any
reason."
"I have a reason," answered Phebe, qui
etly. But she went about tho house with a
palo face, and eyes whose old, glad look was
quenched forever.
In spito of herself she was disappointed
AX INDEPENDENT FAMILY
that Gilbert should have obeyed her injunc
tion; to see him only once more would have
been sucli a great comfort But then it
might have made her lot even harder yet to
bear.
Gerald Bayne was constant and open in
his devotion, and before a week tho change
in Phcbo's prospects was known all over the
village. Of course, everybody pitied Gil
bert and blamed Phebe, except a few ambi
tious young ladies who did not soe how any
body could be expected to resist tho temp
tation of being mistress of Gerald Payne's
fine house, and being considered the grand
est lady in itoekport.
Two weeks passed and Phebe had not
seen Gilbert except onco at church, when
his stern, set face, and the cold, contemptu
ous glance he gave her made her shrink.
Tho Lapwing was to sail on the next day,
and as it happened tho Winged Hover was
to be ready then to proceed on her voyage,
and Pock-port lads and lassies, eager to im
prove every opportunity to have a good
timo. determined to give them a little par
ty by way of farewell. It was to bo in the
town liall, and tho Itoekport band had been
practicing vigoiously for a week past in
preparation for tho event.
Gerald Bayne was very anxious that Phe
be should go, it would be such a fino oppor
tunity to parade bis triumph before Gilbert
Drew's eyes; but Phebo at tirst refused, de
cidedly. But as the time drew near, such
an impatient longing grew over her to see
Gilbert's face once more, that she consent
ed to go. It would bo more pain than.,
pleasure to see him undo r such circumstan
ees, she said to herself over and over again,
but tho longing remained too strong to bo
resisted.
And if she went she must be tho gayest
of the gay; she must not wear her heartup
ou her sleeve. There were two who would
be there who must never know how great
her pain was: Gilbert Drew, because if he
knew it he would insist upon an explana
tion which she could not givo him, and be
cause ho would 'forget her more easily and
so suller less pain himself if he belioved her
lickle and heartless, and Captain Matthews
for another reason.
AuntJario brought out tho white India
muslin that was to havo been her bridal
dress, and insisted strongly upon her wear
ing that.
You will havo a finer wedding dress than
that, now of course, and it will bo just
tho thing exactly to wear to the great par
ty" "No, no, I can't wear that! I never will
wear that!" aiul a great sob shook her
voice. Aunt Jane looked at her in wonder
and perplexity, then put tho dress uway
without a word.
A week before the party Gerald Bayne
sent as a present to his betrothed a dress of
pink Canton crape, tho loveliest thing that
ever was seen, which ho had bought out of
a ship that had just come into port. There
never was a prettier picture than Phebe
made in that dress; the bright pink was just
what she needed to brighten her pale cheek
and in the making of tho dress, Miss Simp
kins, tho village dressmaker, had achieved
a wonder, having gone to tho city to get
patterns; It was bo-bowed and be-putted
and bc-panmored liko any city belle's ; and
Aunt Jano, surveying Phebo with admiring
eyes, after sho was dressed for the party,
said to herself that in thp whole State Mr.
Gerald Bayne could not havo found a fairer
or a sweeter bride. And for her was it not
better that her beauty should bo splendidly
set off, than that it should bo half hidden
by its commonplace surroundings as tho
wife of Gilbert Drew.
"When Phebo entered tho hall that night
leaning on Gerald Bayne's arm, the ilrst
eyes sho met wero Gilberts, neither stern
nor reproachful, but merely coldly con
temptuous. Ho had driven hor out of his heart utter,
ly, she thought, with a numb pain at her
heart that was like despair. After that she
was gay with scarcely an effort, so wildly,
recklessly gay that everybody stared at her
IVov 331oomfiol19 Ju.3 Juno
in surprise, and wondered what had
changed shy, modest Phebo Hanson so sud
denly into something like a brilliant, dash
ing lelle.
Only once Gilbert asked her to dance.
She felt as if she had hardly strength sufii
cient to do it, but tliero were so many eyes
upon he!-, and it would look so strange to
refuse! It was a waltz and at the" tirst
notes of tho band Phebo remembered the
music. They had danced to it before, she
and Gilbert, on tho night when they had
first met, in that very hall. Gilbert look
ed her steadily in the eyes at thoso first
notes.
"You have heard that music bcfoie," ho
said.
"Havo I? I do not remember," sho
answered, carelessly, blushing scarlet the
next moment at tho falsehood that she had
told.
"Somo people forget very easily," said
Gilbert bitterly.. And after that he said
nothing.
Captain Matthews was quito a favorite,
especially among the young ladies, yet Gil
bert Drew, watching him furtively saw that
it was Phebe whom his eyes followed, and
it was at her sido that ho lingered longest.
And Gilbert fairly ground his teeth with an
ger. Not even for Gerald Bayno had he so
great a dislike as for this gallant young
captain; for he could not help fancying him
in some way the eauso of Pliebe's faiUiless
ness. Captain Matthews was evidently de
sirous ofbeing friendly with bin, but his
replies to nil his advances had been so curt
that he had at last given up tho vain at
tempt. But as the gay company separated
that night ho followed Gilbert down the
street.
"Goodbye, Captain," ho said, heartily,
holding out his hand. "Our tracks divide
again tomorrow; you will go in the morning
I suppose, and I shall not bo ready till in
tho afternoon, but unexpected things are
always happening in this world which is
a queer craft to sail in, any way and may
bo in some port or other, wo two'll meet
again."
"I hopo not, sir!" said Gilbert Drew sharp
ly, and strode on disregarding the proffered
baud.
It was very rude certainly, and it was
very unlike tho bravo young sailor who was
wont to have a kind courteous word for ev
erybody. But just before he had left the
hall he had witnessed a scene, the remem
brance of which was rankling in his mind
at this' moment. Captain Matthews was
saying good-bye to Phebo; they wero alone
in the littlo ante-room, and Gilbert Drew,
pressing by the door, had seen his arm
round her waist, her head resting on his
shoulder, while her tears wero dropping
liko rain over her face; and ho saw captain
Matthews bend his head and press his lips
warmly to hers. Who could blame him
for not feeling disposed to bo friendly with
him 9
A flush mounted to tho Captain's brow
as ho watched him striding off in tho dark
ness. 'A queer fellow, that," he said to him
self. None too amiable. I guess Phebe is
well rid of hiin. I wish sho would tell mo
why sho threw him over."
Early tho next morning the Lapwing,
with a favoring wind and the sunshino glit
tering on her sails, was leaving Itoekport
far behind her; could ho ever get so far
away that the echo of Phebo's wedding-,
bells could not reach him ? Gilbert Drew
wondered. And Phebe, in a sea-ward win
dow, was strainng her eyes to catch a gleam
of those sails which wero bearing her heart
away.
Six months have pnssed.and this morning
there is no sunshine glittering on the Lap
wing's sails. A darkness liko night hangs
over tho sea, a fierce gale is blowing, and
thunderbolts crashing about tho brave littlo
ship as sho struggles bravely in tho black,
raging waves. She bears herself gallantly,
though her masts have snapped like strings
and at evory gust slip strains, and grinds,
NEWSPAPER.
17().
and groans, but there is no hope. Gilbert
Drew knows it. The Lapwing was a soui.d
vessel and she had borne much; all her out
ward voyago was unprosperous, they were
vexed by calms one day and tormented by
tempests the next. And now tho Lapwing
will never see the end of the homeward voy
age on which she has started, and there is
little doubt but that befovf this tempest has
spent itself, captain and crew w ill have gone
on that longer voyago from which there is
no home-coming. The hold was fillinr rap
idly. "Wo must take the boats; it is our only
hope, though no boat can live long in such
a sea as this," tho captain said hoarsely.
Ho was no coward, lu; this looking for
ward to certain death was terrible to him.
Life was so strong and fresh in nil his veins
and though Fate had been very unkind to
him, and all his dearest hopes had been
ruthlessly dashed, it was still precious to
him, for
" Whatever crazy sorrow saith
No lifo that breathes with human breath
lias ever truly longed for death. "
"It is certain death to take tho boats,"
the mate said. "Let us fire tho trim once
more. There might bo some other ship
near."
"If tliero wero, who would run to certain
death for the chanco of helping us ?" said
Gilbert Drew.
But the gun went booming out over tho
waters, and there they waited for what
seemed an eternity, and then, far off and
faint, an answer came, or was it only a
distant peal of thunder ? But there was no
timo to wait longer. The boats were low
ered and quickly filled more than filled.
Gilbert Drew leaned over the vessel's side,
after they wero all in the boats but him.and
looked at the littlo crowded boat that wait
ed him.
"Tho .boat is full already; there is no
chance for so many. I shall stand by tho
ship," he said.
Prayers wero of no avail, and they went,
at last, and left, knowing that the Lapwing
when she sunkj would draw them in also.
Gilbert Drew stood alono on tho vessel's
deck, waiting for death.
But suddenly in a pause of the wind, ho
heard a shout; with a sudden thrill of hope
ho answered. A moment after, a boat
that rode tho waves gallantly, was beside
tho Lapwing. There were five or six men
in it; one of them was standing up straight
and tall and a sudden flash of lightning ro
vealed his face to Gilbert it was Captain
Matthews. Just as Gilbert Drew swung
himself into tho boat a flying spar struck
Captain Matthews on the head and knock
ed him thank God, not into the sea but
into tho boat, white and senseless. With
out a word Gilbert took his oar, and they
rowed away for lifu toward tho Winged Ko
ver, that Gilbert had last seen in thp quiet
little harbor of Itoekport. It was but a
short distance, and two boats from his own
ship had already reached it, tho crews faint
and exhausted but without ono man miss
ing. They lifted Captain Matthews over
tho vessel's side, and laid him on tho deck.
A stream of blood was flowing from his
mouth, but ho opened his eyes and looked
upward into Gilbert's face as ho bent over
him.
"I told you we might meet again," ho
said faintly. -J
"You aro too weak to talk,'' said Gil
bert. In spite of himself ho still bait ateeling
of enmity ngair.st this man who had saved
his life. That lifo was scarcely a precious
gift, when coming from his hatads, ho
thought. ':.;-
"No, I am not too weak, but I.fcliink I
am dying. No matter; your lifo is worth
more than mine. But I had something to
do; you must do it for mo.- You must
stop Phebo from marrying that man ! Why
you don't know who ho is! Ho is what I
am, an escaped convict only ho is a thous
and times worse than over I was," ho add
ed, looking up eagerly as if to see whethor
yj-crms: IX ADVASVF.
On.e Dot tor per Year.
he was believed; "he wa.rthe one who led
me into evil, if it had not been for him I
should never Jiavo broken my mother's
heart, nor brought disgrace upon poor little
Phebe. And it is so strange that I should
not have hnown him. But wo parted com
pany that night when we got out of jail to
gether, and Iliad never seen him s ne'e. 1 low
was I to think that Mr. Gerald Bayne, the
richest and most respcctablo man in Itoek
port, was Bill Eekley? I should never have
known him a wig and falso whiskers
changed him even more than they did me
if I hadn't met John Harrison. Ho was
another of my old comrades in Havana,and
he told me where Bill was and what a fine
xhow he made. And now I shall never get
there to tell poor littlo rhebe, and if you
should be too late! Promise me that nothing
shall hinder you, that you'll see her as soon
as possible;" and ho caught Gilbert's hand,
gasping painfully in his eagerness.
"What is she, what is Phebo to you ?"
cried Gilbert, almost fiercely.
"To mo ? she is my sistet. Better for
her, poor child, if sho never had been," lie
said.
Gilbert remembered vaguely that he had
heard stories from tho village gossips of Joe
Hanson, who had been a black sheep, a thorn
in his mother's side, but ho thought he was
dead long ngo.
"They think in Itoekport that I am dead."
ho said, seeing Gilbert's bewilderment.
"You havo heard so, I suppose. The jailor
got up the story that wo had committed su
icide, because he was to blame for us getting
off so easily, and we were willing enoun-h
never to contradict it. I had a "chanee'to
begin the world anew if I could disguise
myself so that nobody would recognise me,
and I broko away from my old comrade ami
tried hard to live a better life. I never
meant to go back to Itoekport at all aftei
my mother died. I had buought disgrace
on my family. But chanco, or fate, or Pro
vidence, whatever you please, sent me there,
and I couldn't resist tho temptation to tell
little Phebe who I was and sec if alw would
turn against mo. Nobody knew mo there
unless Bill Eekley did. I think sometimes
that he did, from glances that he gave me.
I think, too, that ho may havo persuaded
Phebo to marry him by threatening to give
mo up. Sho acted so strangely; she seemed
to think so much of you at first, and she'
would not tell me why she threw you over.
A light broko uiion Gilbert's bewildered
lhind-a light by which all the dark past
was made clear.
"I understand now, and I know you are
right. I know sho loved mo," ho said
"But I I-you don'tknow how much I have
wronged you! And to think that it is to you
that I owo my life!"
"That was nothing. I should havo done
it for anybody. When that first boat reach
ed tho vessel, and the men said they had
left their captain on board the sinking ship,
I resolved to save him or dio in tho at
tempt, for, very likely, I said to myself, he
is an honest man, whoso life is worth much
more than mine. But when I heard that
the vessel was tho Lapwing, and knew that
it must be you, I was more eager to go for
Pliebe's sake, for I thought if what I fan
cied was true, my saving her lover's life
might atono in some measure for the t rouble
I had brought upon her. If you aro only
in timo to save her I if sho is not married to
that man !"
"But you may live to tell her, yourself."
said Gilbert, hopt-fully.
Ho shook his head, slowly.
"No, no, 1 shall never see her again. And
it is just as well; I hhould only bring dis
grace upon her. Something or tomcbody
would be sure to betray mo, sooner or later.
My life has not been so pleasint that 1
should prize it highly. It is hard to know
that you havo no right to breathe fie.
air, and that every man you meet mav
bo a spy sent to watch you. And it is hard
to pet to going right when you have begun
all wrong. But God knows I've tried and
It 11 bo all right whero I'm going." ho
said wearily.
Gilbert watched over him unceasingly, but
all efforts to save his lifo were unavailing
Ho had given it to save Pliebe's lover. "
CONCLUDED ON SECOND l'AOK.