The Crime of Edmund Challoner.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1758, 10 August 1895, Page 3

The Crime of Edmund Challoner.

By JAMES KNAPP SEEYE, *lll6 men looked down upon the bare planks of the raft, then, moved by a common impulse, threw themselves' prostrate upon it and. began to paddle with their hands against ,the beating Waves. It was slow and exhausting work, but for an hour they continued their effort steadily. At the end of that time they were perceptibly nearer the •.boat. ■ . \ X/The sun was now hot and fierce, and unprotected from its scorching rays, and. without food or drink, the beginn^X* ■.i_- wou were . .....—gfve Way under the strain. Still they toiled desperately on. They dizzy from the glare of light upon the water, yet kept their eyes fixed steadily toward, the boat. It was high noon before they were near enough to feel safe in resting. Then the captain, after a long and steady look toward the boat, uttered a sudden exclamation. i “There is some one clinging to it,” he said. Then added, painfully, after a brief pause,. “There are two.” His mouth was parched and cracked so that he : could hardly utter the words. “It is a man and a woman,” answered

his companion; “we must reach them.” Then they fell to work again. . . An hour more and the raft and the boat touched. The throats of the men had become so dry that they could not hail, and the two upon the boat were so nearly exhausted that they had not observed the aDDroach of the raft. Getting close alongside, the occupants of the raft drew first the woman and then the man to a place of greater security and then attempted to right the boat. This, which would not have been a great' task for such experienced seamen under ordinary, circumstances, was now, owing to their exhausted condition, only accomplished after a long effort. “At ;last they-were able to place /their ; rescued companions in the boat, to clamber in themselves and to make the raft « fast against possible fiiture needs.'; Then X nature would. stand no more, and the : four slept and drifted.,: . . • A su,dden passing rain, a shower falling from a dear Sky, came upon the faces of the-sleepers and,-wakened them. f . It was a rain of the. tropics, sudden, heavy and brief. .THo four lay with upturned faces .and- lot it fall into their ■ moaths. They caught it in their hands and moistened. their parched throats. When' ifrhad passed,- they wore refreshed / And hopeful.. : * The one who had called himself-the -king of Captiva began taking -the raft . topieceß. Ho pulled the smaller planks >/.- into the boat,and sent the balance adrift. . ' * “We must use :these for paddles,” he. * ( ‘.said. “Captiva island . lies.- behind that ■/ reef. I know' the 'inlet ‘ well,- Before . .. nightfall we'shall be safe.” 1/ It required the last vestige of strength which they possessed tdmake this promise good, but by the time the stars began to come otit the keel of the boat touched upon a sloping sandy? beach. . “Here. wo. are at least safe,” said their ' guide as with the captain he helped the Xothers from the boat, “dud a second time '••• we are indebted to you ' for our/ .lives,” < Said the cirl, who was. none other.: than

' sne one whom the stranger iiad put into the last boat that left the ship. “I think r .%© are the only 'ones; who arey^yed.” She shuddered as she looked opt upon - the sea. tL .. - • . . A little way np .from. the. beach they . came upon a, cabin—a faero; thatched hut of the most;.primi'tiye. pbnstr»ction : - set in the midst oba grove of .paims. • “This is my house,” said the stranger. “To it and the little I have here I make you welcome.” ' He hastily arranged a. couch of palm leaves for the old’ man, who seemed , weaker than; his daughter from the ex-. > posure of. the; shipwreck,. and brought put some rugs and some, of his own clothing for him. - Then motioning the captain to follow he led the way to a small Shed which served tho.purposes of ' kitchen and storehouse. Here a fire was soon, started, some coffee put on -.' . and? some meal cakes stirred together. - Then some plantains were strippedfrom '-the trees ;close by and'thrust -into the fire to roast. Going a little farther away, the stranger returned with an armful of ripe oranges. When the plantains' and cakes were done, the two bore the repast to the cabin in triumph. As they ate and became strengthened , they began to talk together; “This is quite as wonderful as any of our past said the ;old man to their host. “1 beg that you will tell us who you are and - how you, chance to have here such provision for our sudden need,” ' / ;. -. • “As for names, ft does not much-mat- ■ ter,” was the answer, “but if. you wish one you may call me Abbott. Our friend the captain has heard of me, I

think, as the king of Captiva. This is---iani_is- my kingdomj.right qf possession my only title to sovereignty; I have no. subjects.” . ! ' . t‘.We would.'be glad- to know more,”; said the .old man courteously as Abbott paused, “unless, indeed*” he added, “wo seem unwarrantably curious. - The ldng of Captiva lpoked so long and steadily at his guest before he answered that the latter shifted uneasily. “Perhaps you have a right to know,” he said at last, “so long as youare forced . to be my guests.” He paused again and " looked around upon the little circle: “I am a fugitive from justice.” ; Thp captain gave a side glance at -the: speaker and drew a quick breath, as if this but confirmed his suspicions. The gird involuntarily shrank' nearer her £a- .' ther. ■ ... ■ “Twelve years ago,” continued Abbott,speaking' slowly and watehing the effect "upon his hearers, “I was:accused of a-> crime. It does not .matter now what or if' I,was guilty or innocent, the only safety, from a long -imprisonment lay in flight... After a time I reached Mobile and found that the officers were close behind me. Tired of being haunted on land, I determined to take to the water. Having money, I bought a small sloop, one that I could handle by myself, being something of a sailor, and laid in stoves which would answer for a long cruise if it became necessary. For three days and nights I ran clue south, going

mogt of the time before a strong wind. On the morniAg of the fourth day the wind changed imd began to drive me toward the (past. Before, night the wind had changed into a gale, and it was rainpig. The night came on black and ugly. I' made everything tight and waited for what' might come.' About midnight I was drived on the rocks just off yonder.” He paused, and with a slow gesture motioned toward the sea. It lay a dead -black mass, except where, the swelling waves caught and sent back the scintillating reflection of the stars that gleamed brilliantly from the southern sky. - Beyond a streak of silver showed « '' ’

black • r " x ' me sea beat unceasingly upon the reof. -- - • “Aye,” continued Abbott as he followed the , thought of his hearers, “it looks pretty and gentle enough now, and it makes pleasant music,, But you have seen it when it was angry. It is with- ' out mercy then. ’ v : , “It-was so that night. Wild and dark as it was, I- knew whit was coming. I could hear the roar of the breakers and see the white line made Upon the. rocks, I grasped the tiller firmly with both hands to keep herXead Straight for it and braced myself for the shook. That was the last I knew.- The next wave must have-earned the sloop off again and carried me to a Safe point upon the rocks.- When I came to myself, the sun was shining,.and I oould see thisisland across the calm bit of Water, I found some debris upon the rocks, and putting - It together for a raft made my way across.” - / • ■-/ ■ i-- * •

As Abbott/Stopped inuhis recital tb? tflence sat heavily upon the group. : '" “Twelve, years,”.said the old man at last, “is a long time. r One may repent und expiate much wrong in that time.” “Twelve years of exile and loneliness,” said Abbott thoughtfully. “It would be a nara toing, to, but it is not much to look back upon.' I was a man of few wants; these I made leas and learned to satisfy 1 them myeelf. I have lived almost independent of the world. This was the first time that I have gone out into it, and I think it will be the last.” . ’V - '" X-. -- X

- “That may be all very well,” interrupted’ the captain/ impatiently, “but, perhaps we do tiot all care to become Crusoes. How are w.e ever,to. get away from this blessed island? Rfo-ship will ever come inside that reef ? and otherwise we cannot be seen.” _ , “Theire - are two-ways,” said’-Abbott, “Perhaps twice a year a Spanish lugger lays to outside and sends in a boat to supply me with some small -necessaries and to buy my oranges and cocoanuts. You may wait for that or do as I did—go outside the reef and lay Until some passing vessel spies you;”? 1 -; - “How long/did you wait?” ■ * ‘•“Pour days.. I had taken food and water to last a week. A schooner came and took me to. Vera Cruz.”'''

Abbott and the captain, went out and slept' beneath- the palm ■ trees, and,, the stars, leaving - the, cabin to the old man and his daughter. ; The following .day and the next they rested and began to recuperate from the fatigue and exposure to which they had been subjected. On the third day the captain announced his intention of leaving them. It was arranged that -he and Abbott should take the boat and layoutside the reef and wait for some vessel. If thoy met a schooner or trading vessel,they were to -persuade it to lay to while they came back for the others. If a steamer, then the captain was .. to proceed to the nearest port and dispatch a vessel for them. It was of course out of the question- for the old man and the girl to take the chance of spending some days in the open boat. . XT' ,X;X ;• ’ . (To bo continued./ ' ’X---X,