Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1893 — In Sheep's Clothing. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

In Sheep's Clothing.

BY Capt. Ormond Steele

CHAPTER XVlll—Continued. Tineas arose and again set the lamp on the table. “Wait, worthy sachem, before you leave, a few questions more; but first sit down," said Graham, motioning him to the bench. With a look of surprise the chief obeyed him. “Did Fox say anything about—about Captain Denham?" t “He did,” said Uncas, cautiously. £ “What?” “I cannot recall all that he said, but I’ll tell-you something wonderful that I know. ” “What is that, Uncas?” “Captain Ealph Denham Is now sleeping with the dead; ” i “You are sure of this?" “As sure as that I see you sitting up in that bed before me,” replied Uncas. Colonel Graham coughed to keep back the shout of joy that trembled on his Ups, and then he pressed his long, white fingers to his eyes, and so remained for several moments. “The news pains you,” said the chief. “It surprises me. It is so sudden. Denham was so young," gasped Graham. “Death loves the young. Is that all you want to ask?” “No; there was one question more, but, perhaps, as you are weary, and it is so late, I had better defer It” “I am not weary; early and late is all the same to me. Ask me the question now. ” l “It is about your sister. “What of her?” “She is very beautiful.” "So I have heard white men say before. But what’s the question you would ask?" said the chief, turning his strong black eyes on Graham’s agitated face.

“Do you know of any man that she is going to marry?” asked the colonel, with a slight tremor in his voice. “I do not. Why do you ask?” “I am single, and in my own lands I have great wealth and large estates. I have seen none of my own countrywomen that I would care to marry, nor have I seen any other woman in any land, though it has been my fortune to see most lands under the sun. I shall leave your beautiful country as soon as my "mission here is ended, and if your sister would go with me ” “Stop, Colonel Graham,” interrupted the chief, “You were about to say you would make Untilla of the Montauks your wife if she would promise to go with you?” “I was.” “You should ask her.” “Oh, of course, I shall do that.” “But,” continued Uncas. ”1 would advise you not to speak to Untilla of love or marriage.” “Why should I not? lam gray, but I am still a man in my prime. My troubles are over, and I can give my time to the happiness of a wife. * Uncas was about to reply; but before the first syllable passed his lips, a shrill, croaking voice called through the chinks in the logs. “Ha, ha, ha! de troubbles hez only begun! you keer foh a wife? how did you keer for de brudder dat loved en trusted ye? you kilt him! kilt hhn! kilt him! trubble never leaves de murd’rer.” “Curse the hag!” cried Graham, his eyes protruding from his head, and his sharp face ashy with fear. Uncas was even more excited. The lamp fell from his hand, and was extinguished on the floor, so hiding his timidity. “I w’in go. I shall sef you again;” this was all he could say. And the tall, strong man now as frightened as a child at an imagined bugaboo, dashed out of the house.

In the meantime Captain Fox drew the precious boxes up close to the fire, and arranging them into something like a couch, he lit a cigar, and stretched himself out on top of them. Don sat down near by, with a weary look on his shrewd Scotch face, and his doubled up hands under his chin. “Tired, Don?" asked the Captain, anxious to talk to 6ome one rather than from any interest he had in the poor lad’s condition. “I am, sir,” replied Don. “Let me see, Don; how long have you been with me?” “A year next August, sir,” said Don, still looking at the hre, but with a harder expression upon his young face. “Ah, Don, I lear you will never be sufficiently grateful to me for saving you. You were the only one on that ship that did not perish. ” “ADd I sometimes wish I had perished at the same time,” said the lad, with a bitter ring in his voice. “Then I would have had no cabin boy, eh?” “You saved my life to make me your slave. ” “Come, come, my lad, some day you will be a captain in command of a ship like the Wanderer; the ocean will be your home, and every land will pay you tribute.” “If I over command a ship like yours,” replied the boy, “I hope some, man-0,-war will catch me and my crew and swing us all up to the yardarm. I’m afraid that will be my fate if I stay with you long. ’ Instead of being angry at this retort, Captain Fox blew out a long puff of smoke, and laughed long and loud. “Egad, Don, you are very hard on me, very hard, indeed; I have no doubt but you would hang me and all my crew in the morning if you ha 1 your way. Now, tell me the truth, wouldn’t you?” “Yes, I would,” replied the toy, bluntly. “Gad! Ido like boyish candor. I was once a boy, just like you, but I had not the same hatred of pirates; indeed, I was in much trouble to decide whether, when I became a man, I should rob on horseback or on a ship. But you’ll get used to this life after a bit. Now, lie down and go to sleep. Don’t think of killing me as I lie here, for I shall be awake all night Good night, lad.” “Goodnight,” growled Don, and he stretched himself before the fire; and, being a very healthy boy, he was asleep in no time.

The first glimmer of daylight saw the Captain and Don up and about. By the aid of the map Frenauld left Captain Fox was enabled to find the cavern; it was only a few yards away. After examining the place and taking fresh bearings, and comparing them with the map. the Captain called to Don to help him, and together they carried the boxes to the cave. This done, they closed up the entrance with stones. They were nearly

through their work when Uncas returned a'one. Instead of being startlod, Fox said to the chief: “I have just concealed in this place a great deal of treasure, consisting of diamonds and other jewels ” "The Montauk women prefer flowers and shells," said the chief. “So I have heard, though I have retained a present for your sister. I now ask you to consider this property as left in your charge, and that of your people, by me. ” “We shall guard it sacredly, though my people have a superstitious dread of the cave. ” “I wish all the white men in the world with the exception of myself had the same feeling. But let us go over to the fire; the sun is rising, and I am very hungry.” They went back to the fire, where Don set out the food, wine included, that had been brought from the ship. Uncas accepted the invitation to help him.elf, saying, “I have given orders to have food ready when we reach my house.” “That was thoughtful; I am a great worker, but I am also a great eater,” said Fox. When the meal was over, the Captain asked it there was any man near whom he could get to carry his bag. The chief said there was none; and as he made no offer to help, Fox threw the burden across his own broad shoulders, and raid he was ready to start. Don took up his own lighter load, and they went away. On the road they halted for a few seconds while the chief, by means of his rifle, pointed out the hill and the vault in which Capt. Denham was guarded.

CHAPTER XIX. RUMORS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. With the morning sun behind her, the Wanderer came sailing proudly up the bay, where the Sea Hawk lay at anchor; and the Indians to the east and the dwellers in the cozy town of Sag Harbor watched her progress with much interest, though with a different feeling from that with which they greeted her arrival when she first appeared in company with Captain Denham’s ship. Valentine Dayton was on shore talking to his cousin Lea and his betrothed, when the report reached him that Captain Fox’s ship was coming up the bay. As a good officer, who felt implicit obedience to superiors was the first requisite in a sailor’s character, Valentine was quite willing to do whatever Captain Fox ordered; tut it must be confessed that, at heart, he felt the prospective duty to be anything but pleasant, and, without being able to account for the feeling, he silently blamed Balph Denham for permitting any other man to assume even a temporary command of the Sea Hawk. The sailors growled about this change among themselves, and the older ones shook their heads ominously. The good people of the town, being untrammeled by naval rules, and entirely ignorant of the training that gives a blind obedience to superior officers, did not hesitate to give forcible expression to their feelings. The Sea Hawk, if not altogether the property of the dwellers in Sag Harbor, at least was owned by the province of New York. Her hoaie was in these waters. Because she volunteered to aid the motherland, that did not make her a queon’s ship. “If one of the provincial officers was to take command," said Squire Condit, who on all occasions was the oracle of the place, “why we’d submit, and say that was all right, so long as Ealph Denham was doing more good at headquarters, where he is now advising with the Governor, and no man can do it better. But for a stranger to come in, and be able to order our Sag Hart or boys about, and say to Lieu - . Hedges, •Come,’ and he’ll have to come, or ‘Go,’ and he’ll have to go, I must confess it rubs against the grain.” “And it goes against all our grains, Squire,” said a sturdy old farmer in the crowd gathered about Squire Condit. “And if so be that George Hedges he don’t want to obey, and this man Fox, who’s a stranger, wants to make him, why, I guess there’s plenty of men in Suffolk that knows how to handle matchlocks or flintlocks either, and we’ll drive this fellow off bag and baggage in no time, if need be.” This bold expression met with general approval, but, as a man of law, Squire Condit pretended to frown down what he at heart indorsed. “It’ll all come out right when Ealph Denham comes back'. Keep cool, neighbors, and depend on that,” he said, as he turned away to avoid saying anything imprudent. Valentine Dayton was going to take Lea and Ellen on board the Sea Hawk to spend the morning; but the unexpected appearance of the Wanderer caused them to change their plans. “I am sorry to disappoint myself and you,” said Valentine to the young ladies, “but as soon as the Wanderer comes to anchor. Lieutenant Hedges will want to go on board to report to Captain Fox for orders. We do not known what those orders may be; but it is best that he should find the Sea Hawk in good shape.” “But, surely. Valentine.” said Ellen, her pretty face pale with anxiety, “'Captain Fox will not order your ship away at once?”

“Hardly, as the Sea Hawk needs some more repairing; but if the necessities of the service demand it, we may have to leave just as we are,” replied Valentine. The young officer was about to step into the boat that had come for him, when Lea drew him to one side and said: “Are you quite sure. Cousin Valentine, that it will be right to obey this man?” “Do you mean, Lea, if it will be right to obey Captain Fox?” She answered that that was what she meant “It would be treason to disobey him, and there is not a man on the Sea Hawk who could be guilly of that crime. Captain Denham has himself written that Mr. Hedges is to report to Captain Fox for orders, and it would be disloyalty to Kalph, as a man—to Ralph, who, himself, could be disloyal to no one —if we did not implicitly obey." “You must be right. Cousin Val; but something tells me. it is a something for which I can’t give a reason to myself, that all is not right, but that a great wrong has been done to Ralph Denham, ” said Lea, her beautiful face showing the menial anguish she was suffering. Valentine, believing that her depression was due to the absence of her lover, and the fact that she had rfflt, heard from him directly since he left; tried to laugh away her tears; and believing he had succeeded, he kissed the young ladies, as he had a perfect right to do, and went on board the Sea Hawk. He found Lieutenant Hedges in full uniform, nervously pacing the deck, snu at every turn turning his eyes up aloft, as if the sails were set, and he had some doubts about the weather. On shore, these men addressed each other as “Uncle George,” and “Val, my lad,” but once their feet touched the

deck of their ship, they became officers, and all their intercourse was marked by the rigid formality and punctilious etiquette that is observed on board a man-of-war, as in no other place. After saluting, Lieutenant Hedges said: “Mr. Dayton, I have ordered the gig alongside, and I am going on board the Wanderer to report to Captain Fox.” To this Valentine responded with a “Yes, sir.” “I have ordered everything mad* ready for inspection," continued Lieutenant Hedges; “and as you will be in command during my absence, you will see that my orders are carried out promptly and properly. ” “I shall see to that, sir.” “And I may invite Capta'n Fox on board to dine, though properly it is hia place to invite me. so, on second consideration I shall not invite him.” “I think you are right, sir,” replied Valentine, consc.ous that his uncle was not himself, and would not be, until the business now on hand was over. Lieutenant Hedges, looking as if there was a great deal more he should like to say if he had the time,.turned and went down to the boat. Valentine went to work at once, and though the habitual cheerfulness of the Sea Hawk’s crew seemed to have left them for a time, they worked with their accustomed energy to get the ship into inspection condition. In a half hour Lieutenant Hedges came back, looking still more nervous and perplexed, and the moment he got on board he hastened to the cabin and sent for the second officer. “Mr. Dayton, I did not report for orders,” said the Lieutenant, as Valentine approached him. “May I ask the reason, sir?” "Becau e, sir, Captain Fox is not now in command of tho Wanderer.” “You Surprise me.” “The Wanderer, Mr. Dayton, is commanded by Lieutenant Freuauld, and Captain William Fox is now, sir, at this blessed moment, away among the Montauk Indians, whither I do not propose to go for orders.” [TO BE CONTINUED. 1