VICTOR MOREDANT.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 11, 17 September 1874, Page 4

VIC TOR MOR ED AN T.

6_» . " " thit _o&«_ ships.

A TALE OP -IFTY YEAfeST A€rO

CHAP. 111.

That Victor Moredant would marry her she jdid tnot permit herself to doubt The terms of; the will,, which made that the condition of his inheriting the estate and the fortune, made this fact sure, for, of, course^ Victor would not he such a fool as throw away such a splendid chance. If he required to be captivated she flattered herself that she had power to do so. Her. personal charms she knew to be considerable, and a little study of his character and disposition would show her' how to please and fascinate him; But even were it otherwise, and should he be mad enough to reject the alliance, it would not affect her position one whit* for all would then he her own: over it she would have full control, and be free to marry whom she chose. Thus, in /any view of it, her interests were safe and the splendid advantages secured. For a young girl to conceive such a fraud as this betokened a very hold and daring nature; but when we consider the circumstances in which ii was conceived, and the probabilities of its success mentally canvassed, it must appear to us that the character of Julia Hardinage Was singularly strong. While her thoughts were thus occupied the heavily-laden boat was lurching over the rough waves. Showers of spray were breaking over them at short intervals, and they Knew not hut that at any moment they would be swamped. Wailing moans of pain and sharp cries of terror were constantly bursting forth from some of the sufferers. The thick night darkness was around them like a shroud, and a dread uncertainty overhung their prospect of deliverance and ultimate, safety. These were their terrible surroundings, yet in the midst of them all Julia Hardinage occupied the time spent by others in weeping and lamentation in forming this plan and surveying its various points, clearly showing the little likelihood there Was that she would falter in its execution when the time came.

Morning broke at length, and the longing eyes of every one were turned in all directions in the hope of descrying a ship. Fortunately the wind had moderated, and the sea grown calmer, so that they were relieved from the drenching spray. But, oh, what miserable beings were revealed to each other as the morning light increased, and showed the wan despairing faces of those over whom such a night of horror had passed. The dark hair of some had turned tf? white, out of the countenances of others joy and gladness and the light of hope had gone never to return, while all, even those who had suffered least, looked weary, anxious, and forlorn. The two boats, which had kept company through the darkness, but had been unable to hold communication with each other, now drew into close proximity, and with vehement eagerness the occupants of the one boat scanned the faces of those in the other to see if any relative from whom they had been parted in the ship was among the saved. Two or three blessed discoveries of this kind were made, and exclamations of joy were exchanged too fervent and rapturous to be described while heartfelt thanksgivings rose to heaven from quivering lips. But for the most of them no such remission of woe had been prepared, and the last faint hope was extinguished in their souls. Even the crew, rough and rugged as they had become, and innured to the dangers and mishaps of the deep, were made sorrowful by fhe loss of so many of their mates, particularly by the death 4>f one who seemed to have been a special favourite with the rest, for when their eager scrutiny was completed loud <;ries of surprised concern rose at the non-appearance of one whom they called by the name of Jack Blossom. Those in each boat fully expected to find him in the other, and his non-appearance was the subject of general lamentation. " I heard the captain order him to take charge of the two young ladies' and go with them in the larboard boat," .cried a gruff voice. •" And I saw him at the side a few moments before they put off," exclaimed another.

•' Then he never got into it," replied the officer who had command of the boat in question, and which was the one in which Julia sat.

" Well," commented a third, " many a brave messmate has gone down with the Cynthia, but Jack Blossom is the bravest and best of them aIL"

-" Ay, ay, so he is." was the prompt and general chorus, and several rough, stained hands were raised to brush away the tears which started at the knowledge of the loss of this specially-admired comrade.

But neither the time nor the circumstances: allowed more than a momentary indulgence in sorrowful regrets. A serious consultation required to be held to. consider what course should now be ibliowed, and this took place as. they ate >_c scanty breakfast which was served out irom the small stock of provisions which. they had been able to bring with them. Their only chance of life lay in being seen. and picked, up by a passing vessel, for, W course, being many hundred miles from the nearest land, and without hart or compass, they , ccould not possibly exjrect to reach any I

harbour in these frail, overladen boats, to say-nothing of the want of provisions, which, even with the greatest economy,' m,Ustfail them jn a day or two. Unless, therefore, a ship outward or homeward bound came across them they had no prospect of dejiverance; but inasmuch as they were iv the common sailing track, ahd as if -was at a season of the year when vessels were on their way both to and from India and other eastern and southern countries, they did not despair of being saved by this means. To double the chance, however, they resolved to separate— one boat taking a southerly and tbe other a westerly direction— and it was agreed that if either should be fortunate enough to meet with a vessel, the condition and whereabouts of the other boat should be. reported, and the captain of the rescuing ship solicited to go in search of it.

This understanding having been come to, they bade each other a sad farewell, and separated to proceed on their different routes. Every heart was sad and heavy when the parting was made, for they knew not if they should ever see each other again j but, with a fervently exchanged Godspeed and a faint chepr, they uttered their final adieu, and half-an- hour thereafter they had become to each other's wistful eyes like a speck on the horizon. By and by that little speck vanished, and they were alone on the wide, wide sea.

Having most interest in the boat which contained Julia Hardinage, we shall follow it on its lonely and almost silent way. The sail was set to catch the now faint but steady breeze, and before it they were wafted gently forward — a keen and constant out-look being kept upon the sea in all directions for the gleam of a sail. The sun , was now high overhead, and the full flood of heat which he poured down quickly dried their garments, while the brightness of sea and sky made them in some degree cheerful and hopeful, But when hour after hour passed without a sail being descried, their hope faded, and their cheerfulness with it, till the sun sinking towards the west showed them that day was declining, and that night and darkness would soon be again upon them.

We could pen many paragraphs descriptive of the feelings and experiences of that little band throughout that long day of anxiety and suspense, but what boots it ? . They are to be found detailed in every story of shipwreck and disaster at sea, and are composed of the alternatives of expectation and disappointment, hope and despair. Ever and anon the glad cry of a sail would burst forth, causing a thrill of joy to pass through every heart, but speedily it turned out to be a delusion, and then followed a oang of despondency. These false announcements had occured so often that as evening drew on they ceased to inspire belief or create sensation, but were heard with a bitterness of spirit which found vent only in heavy sighs. The sun was gathering towards him the fleecy clouds, to form a brilliant setting similar to that of the previous evening, when one of these announcements was made ; but so often had it proved delusive that it failed to produce commotion or rouse interest ; but when in listless and gloomy silence they expected to hear it declared false as usual, it was repeated, and all eyes being turned in the direction pointed to, the white gleam ofa sail did at length greet their wistful hungry eyes. Oh ! the wild joy and rapture of that memorable moment — frantic shouts, hysterical laughter, waving of hands, and a oommotion which threatened to capsize the boat were now the features of the scene, and this grew so boisterous that the officer, in alarm forthe consequences, tried to modify the extravagant demonstration by observing that the vessel might pass on without beholding them.

This fear damped the enthusiasm for a little, but it broke out anew as they saw the sail increase in- size and grew more distinct >to the vision. By this they knew that the vessel was approaching. . Then all doubt was set at rest by seeing- that she was hearing directly down upon them. As they on their part made strenuous efforts to meet her, they had in a little while the inexpressible joy of seeing their signals responded to. She proved to be the Indiaman." Bertha " bound for London, and had already on hoard their comrades of the. other boat.

As the last golden rays of sutset flashed across the sea, they passed up the side of the ship which had come to their deliverance, and with thankful hearts found themselves in safety. After partaking of a hearty meal, they retired to enjoy much-needed rest, and one and all were speedily fast asleep, though we fear that not a few had reproduced in ; dreams the dread horrors of the burning of the Cynthia. Next day, when the captain of the Bertha had to enter the particulars in his log-hook, he assembled the survivors of the shipwreck in his cabin, and asked each to give their name. When it came to Julia's turn, she, in a firm, unhesitating voice .replied Olive Moredant.

The worda as they left her lips committed her irrevocably to the daring fraud ? and.durrag^the rest of the voyage she occupied herself iri studying the new, part she Ijad resolved to play," so that by the tiriie she reached London she had perfected herself iv its .various.

requirements, and Was' prepared to sustain it with th& readiness and care, necessary to" success/ k ' [ ; , In a tew weeks/the Bertha entered the , Thames, and ' on the following , morning the 'Times ' and all tho other London newspapers 'contained r °a' : 'vivid and minute account of the burning 'of the Cynthia. There also the hame' of Olive Moredant was given amoh£ the survivors, and the account included a touching narrative of the way in which her unfortunate cousin J uiia Hardinage had perished. '

That very day Julia despatched a copy of the paper to Beechwbod, accompanied with a letter requesting^ "her uncle " to come for her to London.

In a week the latter appeared at the hotel where she had- taken pp her abode, and received her with every demonstration of kindness ahd affec-* tion. They immediately departed in company to' Scotland, and in another week she had entered the mansion-house of Beechwbod, and beeu presented to Victor Moredant as his cousin Olive, whom it was expected he was to marry. | , CHAPTER IV. | AN UNSUSPECTED ESCAPE, j Wild and piercing was the shriek I which burst from the lips of Olive Moredant when by the frenzied rush of those behind she was thrust off the bulwarks of the ship and felt herself falling through the air into the sea, through the previous phases of the dread scene she had preserved a mechanical silence, having been too stunned by the magnitude of the danger to realise it ; but now that immediate death, and that in another form, menaced her, a rush, of horror filled her soul, and brief as was the period occupied by her headlong descent to the water, ere she reached it her senses were leaving her, but were recalled by the shook of immersion and the cold whirling sensation of sinking beneath the waves. Down, down she sank, for what seemed an age of time, and leagues and miles of depth ; and .the sounding rush in her ears, the pressure on her brain, and the absence of air from her lungs made her again partially insensible. Yet she was likewise dimly conscious — conscious of the darkness after the gale from the burning ship--conscious of her struggling and abortive efforts for breath — conscious that she was drowning, and was soon to die. Suddenly light s.hone again on her strained eyeballs— faint at first then stronger, then with lurid brightness, and she perceived that she had come to sthe surface, for high above was the flazing ship, the noise, and the shouting. She saw, too, for a moment the white foam of the waves on which she was tossed, and helplessly, hopelessly, yet desperately, she flung her arms upward, and another gurgling cry escaped her, which was at once stifled by the rushing water, for she was beginning again to sink. All at once she felt something clutch and grasp her, and her head was brought back to the surface with an energy which caused her to look up ; and there, close to hers, was the round, bushy-haired face of ■ a sailor, with a cheering smile upon it, and a kindly, encouraging glanoe in his soft blue eyes. This man had been 'close by her side on the deck when she was so -suddenly sent flying from the bulwarks, and the instant she disappeared he sprang over after her, alighting in the water a few yards from where she fell, where he kept floating till she came to the surface, when he grasped her as we have related.

" Cheer up, miss," he said, in a voice whose very tones were calculated to give confidence. " Don't struggle now, and I'll get you into the hoatyet. Lor' love ye, miss, don't struggle, or we shall both go down. Hold still, and don't fear but I'll keep ye afloat." With a wonderful self-possession, born of the confidence with which the honest face of the sailor inspired her, Olive resigned herself passively to his support ; and he, holding her with one arm, began to swim with the other, and to look about for the boat, to which he meant to take her. But, oh, horror ! it had by this time been cut adrift from the ship, and was already with its full freight of human beings passing into the distance.

He hailed and shouted till he grew hoarse with his vehemence, "but, tremendous as were the cries to which he gave vent, they could not be heard amid the babel of sound and of confusion which prevailed* and he had the bitter mortification of seeing the boat recede hopelessly into the distance. The burning ship had also drifted away from their vicinity, so that it could not be reached, even had it safety to give them j but even as he gazed he saw despairing forms leap from its flaming deck to find a less painful death in tbe sea. It was useless, . therefore, to try to regain the ship, which so many were compelled to abandon. The; position of the two vf as desperate in the extreme, and seemingly hopeless. The boat,- which was their only chance, being out of sightj there was no other means of deliverance. Hope died out of the brave sailor's heart, for he knew now /that he and thj maiden whom he supported must both perish. j (To be continued;) ■ ,

The old lady who mended her. hiisbandfs ,j .trousers wirhjt 'patch of grass, is now combing her nair with the comb of .a rooster.