Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1893 — AN IDYL OF HONOLULU. [ARTICLE]

AN IDYL OF HONOLULU.

A Bold Stroke for a Husband. Written for This Paper.

BY LEON LEWIS.

CHAPTER X—Continued. The surprise of this man, as Ralph, tale and perspiring, suddenly entered ais presence, was most intense. “Is it really you, Mr. Kemplin?" he demanded, offerings his hand. “Take a seat, sir. Where have you been all this time?” “Why, I have been taking a walk in the interior, Mr. Lane, as I told you this forenoon I thought of doing.” B e sank wearily Into the proffered chair, as he uttered these words, and Mr. Lane dropped into another, opening his eye 3 wide with a wondering astonishment. “You’ve been ill, I suppose—or shipwrecked —but where?” asked Mr. Lane, with a gaze expressive of his curious Interest. “No; I’ve been waylaid by three runaway sailors from the Nor’wester, at the instigation of Hank Ripple,” returned Ralph, in turn scrutinizing Mr. Lane, and wondering at his remarks. "They seem to have left me for dead, taking my purse and papers. ” “And when was this done?" “This afternoon —within an hour, in fact, after I left you!” The gaze of Mr. Lane became concentrated still more strongly upon his visitor. “See here, Mr. Kemplin," he said, “it has been three months since you tpok leave of me upon the forenoon in question!"

four post, Mr. Lane, and knowing that am here yes, here they come!” CHAPTER XI. A JOYOUS RESTORATION. The event verified the word, the father and daughter hurrying into the office—the former pale and. with his head bound up, and the latter flushed and nervous. “So! I’ve found you, villain, have I?” oried Bullet, angrily, as his eyes rested upon Kulu. “What do you mean by robbing me? Traitor! spy! robber! Where are those papers?" “Draw it mild, old man," returned Kulu, ooolly. “Having procured the reading of the papers by a friend, I was struck by their importance, and instantly came to the conclusion that I ought to serve Mr. Kemplin instead of serving you. As the papers are now in his possession, and as he is present to speak for himself ” A yell of consternation escaped the ex-sailor as his gaze encountered the young Chicagoan, who sat looking from him to Alma with a strange smile of wonder and contempt. The latter at sight of him had dropped into a chair, unable to articulate the least expression as her surprise at encountering him so unexpectedly in Mr. Lane’s office. “Ak—Mr. Banning 1” stammered Bullet. The scornful smile of Ralph deepened. These, then, were the conspirators who had taken advantage of his misfortune. "The Benning business is just now under a cloud,” he said, quietly. The words struck a chill to the hearts of the father and daughter, but the latter rallied her powers for a final effort.

“Three months?" stammered Ralph. It was now his turn to stare, and the wonder with which he took in the purport of the agent’s words was akin to sonsternation. ““One of us must be dreaming," he muttered. “I’ll go off to the Yokohama ■ “The Yokohama,., sir,?" interrupted the agent. “Shq has been to China and back sinoe I saw you! She sailed, as intended, the morning after you vanished so strangely." Ralph gasped for breath. “ Impossible!” he muttered. ■ “And here’s a letter from your father inquiring after you,” pursued Mr. Lane.- “The date will tell you that you’ve been taking a Rip Van Winkle sleep of the strangest description." The young Chicagoan looked shocked and bewildered as he took in the purport of the missive in question, and the agent resumed: “Capt. Cross received a line purporting to come from you,-and saying that you had suddenly decided to make a voyage with Capt. Stepp to the Arctic Ocean. This letter, I can now see, was the forgery of some enemy or plotter, for I am aware that you have not been in the Nor’wester, the survivors of the ill-fated ship ” “ 11l - fated ? Survivors ? ” gasped Ralph, as everything seemed to reel around him. “Has anything happened to the Nor’wester?" “She’s a total loss, probably. Got nipped in the ice beyond Behring’s Straits, after securing an immense cargo of oil. Mr. Hadley started out on a scout, With part of the crew, and was in turn followed by Mr. Grabell and several others, leaving Miss Stepp and her aunt with the Captain and a few frost-bitten sailors. Hadley and Grabell, with the most of those who left the ship with them, have arrived in town this morning, after the greatest perils and fatigues. As to the ship, Hadley fears that she has been crushed, and that the women are lost, with the Captain and those with him ” Ralph raised his head imploringly. “Please go over all the facts again, he said. “I—l don’t understand. ” Mr. Lane oomplied, giving details. When the narration was ended, Ralph passed his hand nervously across his eyes.

“What! Don’t you recognize me, dear Ashley?” she demanded, rushing to Ralph’s side and throwing her arms around his neck. “Don’t you know your own poor Alma?” “Yes, the trouble is I know you too well."replied Ralph, as he gently, but firmly, repelled her embraces. “The conspiracy in whioh you and your father have been engaged attests that you have a fair share of brains, and you will not now fail to use them. You will accordingly comprehend that your projects are all detootod and exposed, and that all that is left you and Mr. Bullet is a graceful retreat." “What! do you mean to repudiate me, to prove false to your vows, after going to the churoh with me to be married?” demanded Alma, in a shrill voice of wrath that would have disenchanted the most ardent wooer. “Ask Benning,” returned Ralph, with smiling soorn; “ask Benning wherever and whenever you can find him! As to myself, Miss Bullet, my name Is not Benning, nor am I your suitor, nor your friend, even; and it is hardly necessary to add that under no circumstances will I have any dealings with you or witli your father!” “Monster! I ” “Silence, my child!” interrupted the ex-whaler, dapping his hand over Alma’s mouth. “Our harpoon hasn’t held worth a cent this time, and our whale has escaped! We shan’t fill our barrels this v’yage, but there’s no occasion to rage or snivel. Not a word! Let’s retreat in good order. If you want a husband, there’s Keeri still at our disposal " “So he is.” exclaimed Alma, starting up and drying her eyes, “and I’ll marry him before the day’s ended!” “Bravo! that’s the true spirit,” commented Bullet. “If you can’t strike a forty-barrel whale, why, put up with one of twenty. Not a word to any of these ruffians. A dignified silenoe fS our best reply to them.” And with this he stalked from the office, dragging his daughter after him, neither of them looking behind them. “That disposes of all that business,” commented Ralph, as the smile of scorn faded from his face and a look of keen anxiety settled upon it. "Let us now turn to more important matters. To begin with, Kulu, it seems that you are out of Mr. Bullet’s employ?” “That’s clear enough, sir.” “Is there anything to prevent you from taking service with me?” “Nothing, sir. I shall be very glad -” “You are in my employ, then, from this-moment. Like all of your people, you are, doubtless, something of a sailor?"

“I must have been ill—fearfully ill— In some farm house—or elsewhere,” he faltered. “I know nothing whatever of this lapse of time —nor where I have been—nor whom I seen —nor what I have been doing!” “You don’t?” cried Mr. Lane, starting up, abruptly. “I think I see, in part, how the case stands. You must be the ‘singular stranger’ who has been stopping at old Bullet’s!” “Bullet? Bullet? That’s the man about whom some inquiry was made of me by a native as I came into town,” said Ralph. “Indeed? Then there’s no doubt about it. You are the ‘mysterious idiot,’ to borrow a current phrase, who has been stopping at Bullet’s. As to the native in question- ” Here a shadow darkened the door of Mr. Lane’s office, and the man under discussion entered—Kulu! “Good-day, Mr. Lane,” he said, producing a package of papers. “I have followed Mr. Kemplin into town," and he indicated Ralph bv a nod, “to repair, so far as in me lies, the imposition and wrong of which he has been a victim. About three months ago he was waylaid by thyee sailors near Kaliki Bay, and received such injuries on the head that he lost all knowledge of his past, where he came from, his identity, and everything else.” “I see,* cried Mr. Lane. “The light is coming at last.” Finding such appreciative hearing, Kulu went on to relate the whole conspiracy, detailing how he had found the “mysterious Idiot” and taken him to Bullet; how Bullet had learned his identity from his papers, and oonceived the project of marrykig his daughter to him; and how had duly culminated, through Keeri’s jealous rage and violence, in the disasters of the morning. “But all is coming out right, it seems,” was the Kanaka’s conclusion. “Mr. Kemplin is himself again, thanks to his latest beating. Keeri and his hired ruffians have been pursued, and the girl has been recovered. Old Bullet has been set upon his pins by a pint of brandy, more or less. And as to my humble self, I have taken advantage of the general oommotion to enter Bullet’s house and recover these papers, which a friend has read to me, ana I’ve ridden into town at a gallop to make the whole matter plain to the man most concerned —Mr. Kemplin.* A few questions from Ralph and Mr. Lane brought out the whole situation in suoh clear colors that they comprehended all its phases and episodes, just as they are known to the reader. “Well, this is the strangest case I ever heard of,” said Mr. Lane, beginning to recover his equanimity. “It seems ” Kulu started violently at this moment, and uttered a strange cry—half of wonder, half of fear. “Oursed if there isn't the old whaler now!” he muttered, staring through an open window into the street, “And his daughter is with him. They’ve followed me to town, having missed the papers, and seeing my horse hitched at

“I have been at sea ten years, sir.” “In that case hurry home as soon as you can and get your affairs in readiness to sail immediately.” “I don’t need to go home, sir. I can leave my horse With my brother, who works just aronnd the corner, and be ready in five minutes to take hold of any job you may give me.” “Good,” said Ralph. “Get rid of your horse and come back here.” Kulu vanished. “And now for a few words more about the Nor’wester,” resumed Ralph, turning to Mr. Lane. “You think she is lost in the ice, and the ladies with her?” “That is rather Mr. Hadley’s opinion than mine, of course,” was the answer. “He judges by the weather that followed his withdrawal from the ship that her situation soon became one of great peril. He believes, in fact, that she was promptly destroyed, and that all those left in her perished.” “But he has no certainty to this effect?” “Of course not.” “You know, I suppose, that I am betrothed to Miss Stepp?" “Certainly—that is, the matter was so understood, and hence we did not wonder particularly at the forged statement that you were going to the Arctic Ocean with her."

“That letter was forged by Hank Ripple, Ido not doubt,” said Ralph, speaking more to himself than to his companions. “Without troubling you with details, Mr. Lane, I may say that I am worried greatly about Miss Stepp. I am even worried about her independently of the ice and all those considerations—afraid, in short, that she is beset by some sort of villainy, even as I have been. I shall accordingly sail at once in quest of her or of tidings of her fate. ” Mr. Lane could oomprehend this purpose without approving it, and he knew Ralph too well to seek to combat it. “Of course I shall be glad to help you in every way possible/* he said. “Then help me to find a stanch little craft and a few good sailors for this voyage,” said Ralph, arising. “I’ll start in an hour, if possible. Ah, that’s that noise? Are the Bullets returning?" Ere another word oould be uttered, Kulu came bounding into the office, a prey to the wildest excitement.

“The best of news!” he cried. “Thd Nor’wester has just entered port safely, with fifteen hundred barrel* of oil, and here come the Captain and his daughter!” With one bound Ralph was at the door, and in another moment his betrothed was sobbing for joy on his breast, while Capt. Stepp inclosed him in a vigorous embrace. ‘’Back again, Ralph, as you see!” cried the old navigator, in a voice husky with great joy. “And not only have we got Hank Ripple in irons, but the Chief of Police has arrested the three runaways who have so nearly killed you in our absence IV “Hurrah! Glorious! Nothing could be better!” cried Mr. Lane, tossing his cap into the air. “Three cheers and a tiger for Captain Stepp and his family!” The suggestion was duly honored bv the large crowd, which had gathered around the new-comers, and nothing more was needed to tell Ralph ana Maiaa Stepp that they had reached the end of their troubles and trials. We need not pause upon the joyful wedding that took place the following evening at the American consulate, nor upon the happiness which has from that hour been the portion of the worthy Captain and all his family, including Maida’s aunt. It is enough to say that the return home was not marred by the least drawback, and that the young couple are now among the most useful and honored residents of Chicago. Capt. Stepp and his sister make their home with them, and vie with each other in the care given s&reral promising members of a new generation. iTBE END.I