A SECRET OF THE SEA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2623, 4 May 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

A SECRET OF THE SEA.

"I sui'po.sk that by this timo to-tnonw wo shall anchor in the bay, 1 ' said Colonel Gray. " Yes, this is the last of our pleasant evenings if the Ocean Greyhound is true to her promise," said pretty Mrs Mortimer. " This is my first soa voyage," said the Colonel, " and I have enjoyed it. But I should be glad enough to see land again." " And I," said the only member of the little group who had not previously spoken, "love the sea, and have had many adventures on it, and am never tired of its sights and sounds." The speaker was a woman in the Indian summer of her life, sweeter and more beautiful thai: many a young woman, stamped as she was with the indelible traces of great joys and great griefs. " Tell us something, Mrs Odell," cried Mrs Mortimer's niece, imploringly. _ "I know you must have seen real tragedies — shipwrecks and such things." " I have seen many tragedies and more than one shipwreck," she said, half reluctantly, " and if you like I will tell you an incident that happened on a ship that was wrecked when I was on my way to the Capo iu it." , Mrs Mortimer drew her fur cloak a little closer about her as Mrs Odell began her story, accentuating by a slight but impressive gesticulation her soft, rich voice and quiet delivery. "Several years ago—ten or a dozen—l ■was on iny way to the Cape of Good Hope in t sailing ship. My husband and children. syere living then—all three are dead now —hut I left them in England to visit my parents in Cape Town, and I went on a sailing ship, because I'had been very ill and was ordered a voyage. There were but few passengers—six or seven firstclass and some twenty emigrants in the steerage. Among the saloon passengers was a very pretty young woman, scarcely 20, going out as governess to Australia. "Wo putin at Madeira and took on board two passengers, for whom the captain's cabin was secured, a newly married couple, not long over their honeymoon. Everything becomes known on board, especially during a long voyage, and the young wife had a maid with her, who probably supplied all the details she knew and filled up tho gaps with her imagination. it became known, at any rate, bhat t'he 'i-tdy was an heiress of immense wealth and the gentleman was the penniless younger son of a good family. _ Tho marriage was much against tho wish of the bride's family, but she was just of age and perfect mistress of her property, and she had been married a few weeks before I met her, and had gone to Madeira, intending to spend the winter there. It was; quite a sudden freak, their coming on iboaixl, and could hardly have been the poor thing's wish ; for she was a wretched sailor, and two or threo days after we put out to sea again she remained iu her berth, -waited on by her maid and unnoticed -by every one else. The husband was about thirty, a very handsome and attractive man—dark, tall, with a heavy black moustache and gleaming white teetb, which were often enough seen, for he was a most lively and agreeable talker, full of wit and nonsense, with an amusing

anecdote for every occasion, and generally the sort of man to bo a prime favourite on board a sailing - ship, whore every one is sure to bo bored more or less. Especially was he attentive and considerate toward tho ladies, and I heard, though I did not see anything then, that the pretty governess usurped a large portion of his care. This seemed natural enough, as she was alona, and most of us took a little extra notice of her on thnt account.

" Well, after a day or two the bride began to come on deck a little, and when she gained some flesh and colour we could see how pretty she was, and how full of eharming ways. Another thing was soon easily seen also, and that was that whatever might be the state of her husband's affections, she simply worshipped him. Her eyes followed him with a kind of reverence, and when he spoke she listened with parted lips and glistening eyes, as though she heard the very angels singing in heaven. It is sad enough to see such madness where it is mutual; but when, as is almost always the case, one gives all, and the other takes and gives nothing— well, well—that's no part of my story. "We had been about a fortnight out from Madeira when the weather, whioh had been pleasant enough, though cold, ohanged suddenly, and we were driven by storms every way but the way we wanted to go. For several days the hatches were on, and none of tho passengers were allowed on deck. Most of the ladies, myself among them, were ill, and the rest were too frightened to notice anything; but I was told afterward that the only woman who was neither sick nor terrified was the governess, and she seemed joyful—full of spirits, and keeping up a constant banter with tho bridegroom, with whom ehe played at cards half the day.

"I do not remember how long the storm continued; but just as we were beginning to take courage and pull ourselves together a little we hoard one morniug a sound that made our hair ris« with new terror—a peculiar, low, regular clanking—and a whisper went round that the ship had sprung a leak and the pumps were manned.

" For two mortal days and nights those brave indefatigable men struggled with the encroaching foe, whilst signals were hoisted and rockets sent up to attract passing ships, At last the captain came to tell us he had no hope of saving the ship, that the storm had abated, and that as soon as it was broad daylight he would get tho boats out. I was standing at the foot of the companion-way, when the bride came out of her cabiu, which was immediately behind inc. Sho was deathly pale, aud her eyes were slightly distended, but otherwise was perfectly calm and collected. She had on a thick waterproof cloak and a woollen hood, and carried a little satchel in her hand. " Where's your husband ?" I asked. She made a little movement of her head toward the cabin. "He is securing some important pipers,'' she said, but her voios was almost inaudible, "and, I think," she added, " outmarriage certificate and my will." At this moment the first officer came down the companion-way, " Mrs Odell," he said, seeing me, " there are but two serviceable boats—the others were injured during the storm. Come up at once aud I will put you in the first. Oh, Mrs Blank," he added seeing the bride— " come, too ; I will try and put you together." " Sir!" said the poor girl, "I will not stir without my husband." " Come, then," he cried ; " there is no time to lose—l will call your husbaud— but go up stairs with Mrs Odell, and I will bring liini to yon—take her up, there's a good soul," he added tome. I took her hand and almost forced her up, but further than the companion-way she would not inovn.

The sight that met us there was startling enough. The ship had already sunk so low that I cannot imagine how the water kept out of the saloon ; it seemed as if we could step on board the life boat tint had already been manned and was raised by every wave almost to the level of the dock. All on board was perfectly orderly, except for the crying of one or two of the steorago passengers who were being separated from their male companions and passed into the boat. It was nearly full when the captain saw us, and grasping Mrs Blank's arm, was about to hand her forward, when she wrested herself from him, and with sudden fury flashing over her face, exclaimed in a tone I shall never forget: " I can die here, if accessary, captain; but I will not stir without my husband." "Hedid not say another word, but seized me unceremoniously, and before I could draw my breath I was in the loaded boat. The pointer was cut, and one great billow carried us many yards away, " Then we lay to, to watch the second boat, and witnessed what was uuseen by her occupants. She was full, all but a very small space and almost every one was off the ship. I saw the young couple standing together, her hands clasped around his arm, and evidently refusing once more to be saved without him. At the same moment the pretty go/erness darted forward and flung herself upon his other arm, evidently imploring to be saved. A stentorian voice from the boat and shouted : ' We can make room for two.' They evidently saw the wife's struggle to die with her husband and were willing with true sailor like generosity to risk something to reward her heroism. I saw him clasp the girl with one arm and push his wife away, pre paratory to making a spring. Then as she clung with agonized strength, he raised his cowardly fist, and struck her full in the face. With an unearthly shriek she fell back as he sprang into the boat with the other woman in his arms.

" The whole thing was like a flash of lightning, and as they cut iway the boat, ulmost before she was clpar, the ship sank slowly foriv,ird and wentdown head foremost, carrying the captain, the bride and about a dozen men to the bottom of the sea."

As the thrilling vibration of the narrator's voice ceased there was a momentary silence. Her excitement at the picture conjured up by memory communicated itself to the listeners, and at first no one seemed able to break the spell. At last the colonel spoke :

" Wo are very glad to know that you were saved by ocular demonstration, Mrs Odell; but how about that scoundrel and his companion in guilt ; for she was every bit as bad as he : were they drowned ? One could not help hoping bo, except for the sake of the innocent people in the same boat."

" No," said Mrs Odell, quietly—every trace of her agitation had passed away now, and her tone was calm and inexpressibly bitter. "We were picked up a few hours after, having separated from the others in the fog ; but they were all soon rescued by a home bound vessel, and carried back to England. There thisloving husbandproved his wife's death—there were plenty of witnesses, though none had seen his brutal act, and most believed, as I afterwards heard, that she was left behind by mistake. He then proved her will, which he had carried off the ship with him, and which had been executed in Madeira within a month of her marriage, leaving him every cent of her immense wealth, Her relatives, I understood, made an attempt to upset the will, but without success, but before she had been six months lie bought an elegant villa ueur Florenc , aud married the rescued governess. I

never saw him after that, but I bavo reason to believe he is living and prosperous." "I suppose you never saw his second wife again P" asked the niece thoughtfully. " Yes," said Mrs Odell, slowly, "I have seen her—quite recently." " Your story was really too interesting, Mrs Odell," murmured pretty Mrs Mortimer, rising languidly from her steamship chair. " Yoa quite made us forget how late and cold it is getting. Thanks, so much. Colonel, may I trouble you for that shawl ? I think I will go down now. Come along, Sybille. Ademain, gentlemen. Mrs Odell—good night." The eyes of the two ladies met as she moved away ; but eyes tell no tales, and some women can keep a secret. —Drake's Magazine.