Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1893 — In Sheep's Clothing. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

In Sheep's Clothing.

By Capl. Or mond Steele

CHAPTER YJ—-Continued. In passing through a wood, between his house and the farm, Bqulre Condit heard his name called, and came to a stop, but did not look around to see who was addressing him. Out of the shadows there oame a tall figure, straight as an arrow, with a smooth brown face, long black hair, and dressed in the picturesque costume for which the Montauk chiefs or “kings, * as they were called, were distinguished from the days of the Ugal Wyandauch, to whose sway all “Pan-man-ack-e,” as Long Island was then called, was tributary. The Indian who accosted Squire Condit was the young chief Uncus, a lineal descendant of the great Wyandauch, and now the ruler of the Umnauts, the Montauks, and their ancient masters, the Pequots, “What! you, Uncas!” said the Squire with pretended surprise, and his eyes fixed on the long rifle which the young man held in his right hand like a spear. "Is not the season for hunting over, and has not the corn-planting moon come?” “My white brother speaks truly, but Uncas does not need to watch the cornplanters of his tribe,” said the young chief, drawing himself proudly up, “Then why are you armed —there is no game, neither have we war?" said the Squire, his eyes now on the leaded cross belts that supported his silver powder horn, and.inlaid bullet pouch. “It has ever been the habit of our chiefs to carry arms when paying visits to other chiefs, and the white chiefs do the same. I was not asked to the feast given to your young men, when they returned from sailing over the mighty waters.

“Do not deny that you did not want me,” said Uncas, waving his arm to restrain the Squire, who was about to speak. “You feared Balph Denham, your adopted sou, and I would quarrel again—his heart is not good to me.” “I beg to assure you that you are mistaken. Balph Denham admires you, •and I am sure he has forgotten the hot words that passed between you, when he imagined you were intruding on, and alarming Lea Hedges. Come to the house to see if I do not tell the truth; or if you will go to his ship now, he will give you as royal a welcome as if you were Governor of the province,” said the Squire,watching the strong, expressive face, and seeing in the dark eyes a light that made him feel uneasy. “You would not tell me what you do not believe true, but I have my own thoughts. lam now on my way to the other ship. ” “Captain Fox’s?” “Yes; he has invited me.” “When did you meet Captain Fox?” asked tbe surprised Squire. “Yesterday. He and one of his officers visited us. They came to the Great Field in a boat, and i received them with a feast and games, and Dinah, the priestess, read for them the future.” “I hope she foretold good things.” “Of that I cannot speak; but say* to Balph Denham that my heart is still sore, and that it is better that we should not meet again. ”

Uncas turned and strode away before the squire, who was startled by his manner, could say another word. ! That evening Capt. Fox and his officers gave an entertainment on bop,rd the Wanderer, and to it were invited all the nobles and pretty maidens for miles around, the officers of the Sea Hawk included. The decks were cleared for dancing, and awnings were stretched over the quarterdeck. The rigging was hidden by flags, streamers and clouds of brilliant bunting. The cabins were put in order for the ladies, many of the pictures being removed, and more taste being shown in the arrangement of those that were left. Great quantities of flowers were brought from the shore and displayed with a fine sense of effect, the great gun amidships being transformed into a bank of violets, above which birds in embossed cages sang. The crew were in their best dress, and the boats that were to transport Visitors were roofed with evergreens and lilacs, so that they looked like the flower islands of the Aztecs. There was no need to bring musicians from the shore, for among the crew of the Sea Hawk a band was made up that was something of a marvel, in its excellence,to the simple-minded islanders, to whom the guitar, violin and cello, with the addition on great occasions of a flute or clarionet, were the very perfection of instrumental music. In order to accommodate the large company, Captain Denham, at the polite request of Captain Fox, sent his own boats, all well manned, to aid in carrying the guests to the Wanderer. Many a pleasant race was indulged in by the crews, as they dashed back and forth between the ship and shore. Not a man at oar or helm dreamt that this rivalry could ever deepen into one of hate, when the crews with arms bared would stand at oppos ng guns and hurl the iron bolts of death at each other, or spring, boarding pike or cutlass in hand, into the rigging of the rival, nor leave till valor had given the victory to one or the other. No- wonder that Captain Fox became at once a lion. His presence, his winning manners, his evident eligibility—as a husband—his culture and his taste, as shown in his entertainment on board the Wanderer, were all calculated to win the esteem and admiration of people even less unsophisticated than the gentle-hearted islanders. Every arrangement was perfect. The supper—served on dishes of silver and gold—was fit for the queen and her royal household.

There was not a jar from first to last. Every young lady believed that Captain Fox spoke a little more to her and showed her a little more attention than he did any one else; and this proved that he was gifted in no common way with the very rare faculty of knowing how to entertain. He led the dance with Lea Hedges, and he found frequent occasions to drop a complimentary phrase into her ear afterward, but even the most observant could not construe this into partiality. Under myriads of swinging lamps, the young people danced until midnight, while in the main cabin, about a wellfllled board, the elderly gentlemen discussed wines of rare vintage, or gave their opinions with candor, tempered by courtesy, on the political questions, which were even then causing a ripple of feeling between the colonies and the motherland. Two companion figures at the entertainment —figures that took no part in

the dancing—were Uncas and his sister Untllla, or “The Princess,” as she was generally called. Untllla was a strikingly graceful girl, with a lighter complexion than her brother, for the carmine of youthful health shone through her rounded cheeks. Under the glow of the colored lamps, she looked more radiant than the white girls, who might be called the “daughters of the sun,” while she was the caughter of night, the more brilliant lor the darkness that surrounded her. Nor was Untllla neglected by the officers. Though she did not .dance, she •promenaded with many of them, talking freely, and even gayly, in her simple, unaffected way. Untilla’S love for Captain Balph Denham was an old story in the settlements, a topic on which the gosslpers were always sure to fall back when all others were exhausted. She at first could see no wrong in her preference, and it was only when she began to feel that her love was not returned that she drew back and took on that reserve which distinguishes her race, and which the whites, for the want of a better name, call “stoical.” t To-night, Balph Denham gave more food to the gossips; he prpif)e^&dqd ; with Untllla again and again,' only! yielding her arm to some other when courtesy required. It was he who took her to supper; and when the. time Jor departure oame,all too soon, it was Balph Denham who took the princess home iq his own cutter, and rowed her for six miles to the little cove on whose Southern shore was the dwelling of herself and brother. Untllla bade Balph good-night qnd hurried to the light that marked - %nr abode; and Captain Denham-was about to order the boat from the beach, when the well-known form of Dinah sprang rom theshadows into the moonlight, and called out: “Balph Denham, Balph Denham, have seer. ” “Have care of what, Dinah?” asked Balph, who, since his first knowledge of the old woman, had always treated her with deference, and when, as a boy, other youths showed a disposition to annoy her, he would become her champion, and still his companions by shame, or, failing in that, by force. “Havekeerof de wolf!” croaked the old woman. “Of what wolf, Dinah?" “Of de wolf ez comes in de skin of de sheep. ” “Is there such a one here?” “One, Cap’n Balph? Ha, ha, ha! AVy, dar’s a hull pack of ’em, en don’t you go and tink it’s on’y a flock. Keep a watch ez you does w’en dar’s danjah on de great deep. De wolves is wito en red. I ken ’ear ’em ’owlin’ away fahoff. But dey’ll come nigher en nigher; en dey won’t 'owl; dey’U be gettin’ ready foh to spring, en to fasten dar wite teet in yer wite skin. Have keer, have keer,” and repeating this, the old woman sprang into the shadows from which she had come. “Bather an indefinite warning,” laughed Balph Denham, as he took the tiller and guided the boat from the cove into the bay, where his ship was swung at anchor. ’

CHAPTER VII. A STRANGER VISITS SQUIRE CONDIT. “What are you thinking about Captain?” asked Valentine Dayton, as he and Balph Denham sat in Dr. Hedges’ comfortable front parlor the day after the ball on board the Wanderer. “Well, upon my word,” said the Captain, ceasing to stroko his forehead, whose whiteness was in striking contrast with the rest of his face, “my mind has been to sea. The fact of it is I was looking out at the Wanderer and that set me to wandering." “I am not a bit surprised at that,” said First Lieutenant Hedges, who was smoking in the gallery outside, but who was within sight and hearing through the open windows. “I’ve been to sea, man and boy, for nigh on to thirty year, but may I be swung from a yard arm, if I ever came up with a craft and crew like that out yonder. Now, I’ve seen merchantmen and war-ships from every land that flies a flag from a masthead, and I’ve come up with not a few pirates, and help sink’em, too, but that Wanderer, and them officers, and thoso crew —well, by Neptune, they do puzzle me.” After this, for him, very long speech, Lieut. Hedges knocked the ashes out of his pipe, looked In at the top to see if the tobacco needed replenishing, and satisfied that it was good for a few pulls more, he was about to resume his smoking, when Capt. Denham asked: “What strikes you as strange about the Wanderer?" “Hang me, Cap’n, if I can toll. Everything seems taut and shipshape, and yet I don’t feel satisfied, even though her papers and commissions of her officers seem to be straight from stem to stern. Why, confound it, I’ve heard of Cap’n Fox ever since I was a boy, and I’m two score and five next Guy Fawkes day, apd, lo and behold, here comes Cap’n Fox a cruising into these waters, and he don’t look to be a day over five and thirty. ” “But you know, Uncle George,” said Valentine Dayton, “that in the regular navy it is not at all uncommon for fathers to be succeeded by their sons; and then Capt. Fox may be older than he looks; it is always so with men who have light eyes and fair hair.” “That is true,” added Capt. Denham. “And another thing, Fox is not a rare name; for aught we know there may be a dozen officers named Fox in her majesty’s service.” “There is not a dozen men in any service—no matter what their names are — that lives in the style this Cap’n F<fx does,” said Lieutenant George Hedges, putting away his extinguished pipe. “Why, his ship is a palace, a floating treasure house. If he was a pirate chief instead of an officer •in the service of good Queen Anne, whom may heaven preserve, he could not live in grander style than he does. I’ve noticed the uniforms, the material of the men’s dress, the furniture of the ship, and may I be swung from the nearest yard if I don’t think it excels in richness any vessel afloat, or any vessel that ever floated, and I won’t except the crack galley in which Queen Queen Queen —”

“Cleopatra.” prompted the Captain. “Yes, that’s the woman; the crack galley in which t<ueen Cleopatrick took them Bomiug imp-roars off on frolics, and got ’em into a sight of trouble. Oh, you may both laugh and shake your heads; and this here Wanderer may be all straight, and so on and so forth, but I can’t see through it and I won’t, onless there’s a little more light thrown down on her from aloft.” With this emphatic opinion, Lieutenant Hedges replenished and relit his pipe, and taking up his hat strolled down to the shore, for the hour for his watch was approaching, and the boat was waiting for him on the beach. “Uncle George is usually right,” said Valentine Dayton, after Lieutenant Hedges had gone out of hearing, “but I think he is mistaken here. ” “I think so too; you see, some of these English sailors are very rich, and can afford this kind of thing; they do not depend on their official salaries. But while I am aware of this. I must confess that there *»» -ertain things about

the Wanderer thal impress me as Irregular, according to my ideas of the service. lam willing to concede, however, that I am only a volunteer sailor, and so cannot claim to know everything about the regular service,” said the captain, rising and glancing about the ! room, as if he were expecting some ! one. ' “One thing we can say, Captain," said Valentine, “Captain Fox appears to be a thorough sailor." "There can be no doubt about that." “And he acts as frankly as any man that ever sailed into these waters." “You are right again.” “He is in the same service as ourselves?” “Yes.” “So why speculata about his wealth?" “I don’t speculate about his wealth, Valentine," said Captain Denham, who, when off duty, always called the lieu- * tenant by the name he had used when they were boys together. “But I hold that any stranger who makes himself conspicuous among us becomes an object of legitimate inquiry. I like Fox, and don’t like him." “Jealousy, Captain, jealousy," laughed Valentine Dayton. “Fox has been paying too much attention to my fair cousin Lea and it has not escaped your notice. Ah, my dear fellow, I fear she is a bit ! of a coquette; but, depend upon it, she eares more for one curl of your hair than she does for this man and all his wealth. Lea is dashing, but she is steady; she ripple t over with fun, but .'she is not shallow—” "See here, Valentine,” said Balph Denham, with some sternness. “I hope I have not offended you, Cap- ■ talk? ” “Not at all; but Lea Hedges is not a subject for our light or serious conversation. She and I are simply good friends, and she is free to receive the .attentions of Captain Fox, or of any other man, without cause of complaint ton fny part ” ©a;“Bftlph Denham!” said Valentine, rising- and laying his hands on the shoulders of his friend and commander, “you and I have never kept our hearts locked from each other. ” “Never, Valentine.” “When I first felt that I loved Ellen Condit, to whom did I come and oonfess and ask adviee?” ”To me; and I only wish you could pluck up eourage to tell Ellen the same. I am sure she would give you no reason to regret it,” said the captain, trying to smile. “Perhaps not, but the uncertainty fills me with fear.” “And you a bravo sailor?” “A fight would follow with the equal who dared to doubt my courage; but, between us, I would rather attempt to cut out a pirate single-handed than to tell Ellen how I feel toward her. Here we are steering away from the question.” “And I am glad of it. for the other tack is in the teeth of the wind.” “No, Captain, I am sure you love Lea Hedges, and, so far as I can see the chart of her heart, all its safe sailing soundings are in your direction. Soe, ” said Valentine, leading the Captain to the window, “she and Ellen are down there by the shore, talking to that cracked old Dinah; let us go out and join them.” Captain Denham put on his hat and permitted himself to be led out by his lieutenant. |TO BE CONTINUED ] .