University of Virginia Library

13. CHAPTER XIII.
THE FISHING EACURTION.

Nelson Osrorne finding himself recognized
by the officer, did not deny
his identy, and, indeed, knew well if he
did so, it could only be for a brief period,
as they had only to take him to Augusta
to have it clearly decided who he was.

Though suffering from the wound,
which was very painful, but not dangerous,
he was able to ride after the officer
placed him on his horse, by which he
walked till they reached Augusta. Here
the police officer at once proceeded to
the prison, and placed him in custody of
the goaler, at the same time sending for
a surgeon. It was not until towards
morning that Nelson Osborne found
himself alone upon his pallet in his cell,
the surgeon and the goaler having left
him to that repose which he needed, but
which his pains and his conscious guilt,
with his fears of the future, would not
suffer him to enjoy. He had understood
from the officer the cause of his
arrest, and knew that in the future before
him, if he lived, lay years of imprisonment
and of toil, and of infamy.
The reflection that Blanche was lost to
him forever maddened him; and between
rage, pain, and fears unutterable,
he tossed upon his hord couch in a state
of the keenest torture.

Early the next morning, the day proving
fine, the Captain and his daughter,
accompanied by Aunt Sarah went down
on board the `wind-Eater,' for the purpose
of going on their excursion down
the river. Jack had got every thing
ready, the sails bent, and the locker supplied,
while the companion-way was
strewn with lines for all sorts of fish.

Upon reaching the boat, the old Captain,
finding the wind fair, would have
put off at once, but he could see nothing
of Osborne whom he expected would
have met him at the boat.

`I wonder where he is?' he at length exclaimed,

with some pettishness, `we must
go without him.'

`Who, father?' asked Blanche, for he
had not told her he had invited the young
man to be of the party.

`Nelson Osborne, or rather Lieutenant
Nelson Osborne. He should be here.'

`I am, for one, glad he is not,' she answered
very firmly.

`He is a great scamp, your honour,' said
Jack, `if he is the one I mean. I heard
all about him last night, and went up to the
house, you see, to tell you about him, coz
he was cruising about the place. But
findin' the dead-lights all in, and every
body gone to bed, I put it off till this
morning. He is a great rogue, your
honor.'

`How do you know that?' demanded
the Captain, with surprise.

`I got it from his nigger.'

`The negro had his reasons for abusing
him, I dare say,' said Aunt Sarah, who
had been very much taken with the young
man's uniform and his flattery, to say nothing
of his title of Lieutenant.

`No doubt he had, no doubt,' answered
the Captain,' and if this is all you
know, Jack, you had best belay your
queer talking. The young gentleman is
a man of honour, at least I shall think so,
until it is proved to the contrary. Come,
cast off, and let us make sail, if he is not
coming. I dare say he has over-slept
himself, or fallen in with some of his old
friends.'

The wind-eater was now unloosed from
her fastenings at the little pier, and Jack
aided by a lad whom he used to employ
as his `crew,' hoisted jib and fore-sail
and ran out from the shore. The main-sail
then followed, and the fine little
bark went merrily down the river before
a pleasant north wind.

The boat with its occupants was distinctly
seen by Nelson Osborne from the
window of his cell, which overlooked the
river, and towards which he crawled with
difficulty on account of his wound, remembering
his engagement, and wishing
to see if they embarked.

`There they go as happy and forgetful
of me as if I had never lived!' he
muttered bitterly. `They will soon, if
they have not already, hear what has become
of me. If my glances were curses
how I would like to annihilate them.—
This, then, is the end of all my hopes.
It would have been better, I see, for
me to have been honest and virtuous,
than to have tried by crime and fraud to
have win her. In pursuing the course
I have, I find I have only been playing
into Worthington's hands; for even if he
has not distinguished himself, he certainly
has not made a villain of himself
as I have; and so the hand of Blanche
will be his, while mine clanks with
chains.'

The Wind-Eater sailed down as far as
the Half-way Rock, and there by the captain's
order, came to, and anchored, the
main-sail being lowered and the fore-sail
trailed up, while the jib was left
hoisted to keep her stationary.

Blanche was too muce excited with
the prospect of seeing Archibald to give
her full attention to catching fish. She
lost no less than three hooks within the
first ten minutes; for her eyes were on
the green banks instead of the line, and
she was thinking more of discerning
Archy rowing up the river road than in
capturing fish.

`Blanche, girl, you will be more likely
to catch birds than fish, for you look
more at the woods than the water,' said
the captain.

`I never knew Miss Blanche to have
sich bad luck in hooks afore,' said Jack.
`There's Miss Sarah had caught a red
perch, and is as proud of it as if it was a
baby.'

`A what?—Why Jack!' exclaimed
the blushing spinster. `Really, if you
are so indelicate, I shall have to be set
on shore.'

`Capital Jack. But she wants to be
set on shore, I see, because there's two
fine young fellows coming down that
bank as if they'd break their necks.'

`What bank?' cried Blanche; and
looking in a direction above the path, on
which her eyes had hitherto been fixed,
she beheld two officers descending the
bank, followed by Cesar. At a glance
she recognised in the leading one, Archibald
Worthington though he had altered
so much for the better, that her heart
bounded with joyful admiration. The
other officer was a stranger.

`I am sure I did not see them before,'
said aunt Sarah, `I wonder who they
can be.'

`One is a naval officer and the other
an army officer! That is clear!' said
the Captain, who had dropped his line to
observe them.

`And I guess I know that navy officer,
your honor,' said Jack. `He looks
amazingly like Master Worthington!'

`So he does! It must be! But how
the deuce comes he to be in uniform?
Yet it must be he, Sarah, for look at
Blanche's face! She knows him, at
least! I will at any rate hail 'em and
ask 'em aboard!'

`Not for the world, brother! Dear
me!' cried the spinster, looking as if
quite shocked at the idea of having two
gentlemen on board. `Besides, it isn't
young Worthington. He can't be an
officer, that's certain!'

The boat was anchored about twelve
fathom from the Half-way Rock out in
the stream, and the two officers, who
were Worthington and Lieutenant Osborn,
were already upon the rock, both
raising their caps to the party.

`Come aboard, gentlemen, come
aboard!' said the Captain; `Jack, put
off after them in the yawl!'

Jack cast off a small green boat that
towed astern, and, springing into it,
sculled ashore. The officers, followed
by Cæsar, entered it, and in a few moments
were alongside the shallop.

`You are welcome, gentlemen!' said
the Captain, who was now satisfied that
one of them was indeed Worthington,
though he wondered and stared at his
uniform. `I am glad to see you back
again, Master Worthington!' As he
spoke he shook hands with Archibald as
he stepped on deck; and then offered
his hand to Lieutenant Osborne, though
Archibald, in his anxiety to speak to
Blanche, neglected to introduce.

`God bless you, dearest Blanche!' he
said, as he grasped both of the hands of
the happy girl, and holding them for a
moment in his while he gazed into her
face with all his heart in his eyes. `God
be thanked that I can see and speak with
you once more!'

Blanche did not speak. Her joy was
too great for utterance. But she eloquently
looked her happiness.

`And you, too, Miss Talbot,' said
Archibald, extending his hand to Aunt
Sarah, `how well you look. Time has
not troubled himself to make any change
in you, since I last saw you!'

`And you are looking so finely and
so handsome. Who would have thought
it?' said Aunt Sarah, quite flattered at
his words of commendation, and disposed
at once to feel kindly towards him. But
she wondered, as well as her brother, at
his uniform.

Blanche could not keep her fond eyes
from him, and thought how handsome
and noble-looking he had grown, and how
his beautiful uniform became him. These
were very happy moments for the faithful,
loving girl.

`I beg vour pardon, Captain Talbot,'
said Archibald; `but I should have introduced
my friend. `This is Lieutenant
Osborne, of the army. Doubtless you
have heard his name as one of the officers
who so highly distinguished themselves
in the battle of New Orleans.'

At this an exclamation of surprise escaped
all three, Blanche as well as the
father and aunt.

`Why, what does this mean?' cried
the Captain. `We have already had
one Lientenant Osborne. He was to
see me last night, and promised to have
been here to-day. Explain this, gentlemen,
for, in faith, you mystify me.'

`I will explain it, sir; for I see you
also have been imposed upon,' said
Lieutenant Osborne.

`But first, sir, how am I to know you
are Lieutenant Osborne?'

`Of that I will shortly give you proof;
but I will now say that I shall be the
guest to-day of Judge C—, who knows
me well, and to whom I will refer you.'

`That is enough, sir,' answered the
Captain.

`The person who came to you and
represented himself as a lieutenant, is a
fugitive from justice. His name is Osborn,
and tempted by the similarity of
name, he assumed my character and position
in Boston, and passed himself off
as myself upon the citizens, and even
was honorably spoken of in the papers.
While there he stole a vnluable diamond
and suddenly left the city. I arrived in
Boston two days afterwards, and found
my name intamous. I took a police officer,
and pursued the man who had so
deeply injured me, and succeeded last
night in capturing him, though not without
wounding him in his attempt to escape
from the officer. He is now lodged
in the gaol in our village, and will tomorrow,
if he is able, be removed to
Boston for trial; as he has had three
warrants issued against him.'

`Can this be possible?' exclaimed
Captain Talbot, who had listened with
amazement.

`It is true, sir. If you will return to
town you shall have proof of it; for I see
that he has imposed upon you, and it is
proper you should know what a villain
he is.'

`I am satisfied, sir: I am now convinced
that I have been imposed upon.
Sir, you have done me and mine a great
service—I was about to take this fellow
into my confidence and family.'

`No, dear father,' said Blanche; `only
if there were no other claimant who could
prove a better title to your confidence,'
said Blanche with a smile. `I suspected
him from the first.'

`I never will have any confidence in
man again,' cried Aunt Sarah. `Who
would have though it! I shall look on
every body as imposters after this!' and
she cast an ominous glance at Archibald.

`It is time for me to speak now and
advance my pretensions, I see,' said Archibald.
`If you will listen to me, I will
endeavor to prove to you all that I have
not been forgetful in the war that I had
two motives to valor—my country and
Blanche!'

`But how is it you return a sailor, as
Cæsar said you were?'

`An ossifer am still a sailor, massa,'
answered Cæsar with a broad grin.

`And are you indeed an officer?' asked
the captain. `I have been so deceived
I must be pardoned for doubting.'

`I will answer for him, sir,' said Lieutenant
Osborne: `This is Lieutenant
Worthington, of the United States Navy,
—and a more gallant officer is not in the
service.'

`And yet, Archibald, we have not
read your name in the papers.'

`For this reason, sir,' answered Archibald,
smiling; `and I will relate to
you what I have related to my friend this
morning; for you must know that he
spoke to me last night on his way to
Augusta with the police officer, and inquiring
about Osborne, informed me of
his character and of their intentions.
Fearing Nelson might have imposed on
you, I could not rest, and at day proceeded
to learn of you if he had imposed
on you.

On the way I passed the gaol and called
to know if he had been taken, where
I met this gentleman at the door, and we
instantly by day-light recognised one
another as having both dined with each
other ten days before in Washington; for
he was there receiving his commission
and I mine. The meeting was a gratifying
one, and he having informed me
of Osborn's arrest, I gave him as we
breakfasted together a brief account of
my own history, and of my hopes in
reference to Blanche! He started to go
with me to your house when the toll-keeper,
of whom we inquired if you were
at home pointed to your boat down the
river; and hither we hastened, I to lay
my claims before you sir, for Blanch's
hand, and Lieutenant Osborne to remove
the stigma upon his name brought upon
it by Nelson's assumption of it; if by
chance he had appeared cefore you in
the assumed character, and also to bear
testimony that I am the Lieutentant Archer
whom he met in Washington!'

`Lieutenant Archer,' repeated the
Captain.

`Lieutenant Archer,' exclaimed Aunt
Sarah.

Blanche made no exclamation of surprise.
She merely smiled and looked
very happy.

`Yes, Captain Talbot,' said Lieutenant
Osborne. `This is the William Archer
of whose promotion you have doubtless
heard!'

`This is more and more perplexing,'
said the Captain looking from one to the
other with a bewildered exprassion.—
`Gentleman this needs explanation!—
There seems to be a changing and assuming
of names all round! If you can
prove yourself, Archibald Worthington
to be honorably this same William Archer
I have read of, you have my daughter
for you have fairly won her.'

`Read, if you please that commission
of my rank as Lieutenant in the Navy,
sir.'

`Read it, Blanche! But no, I won't
believe any eyes but my own. You will
cheat me!'

The Captain then put on his spectacles
and opening the parchment, first
glanced at the signatures, then the huge
tofficial seals, and the imposing aspect of
he splendid copper-plate heading. He
then read aloud the words of the commission
in their usual form; but when he
came to the sentence which read to W.
Archibald Worthington, late known as
William Archer, &c., he looked round
with surprise.

`Why how is it, boy! Have you had
two names? Are you then this William
Archer?' cried the Captain, his eyes
sparkling with joy.'

`Yes sir. My real name is William
Archibald though every body has called
me only by the middle name since I was
a child. I kept the usual name until one
day I was upon an island getting water
for the ship, when Nelson Osborn, who
was a marine in the same ship, and no
doubt sought the ship and came on shore
for his purpose, led me aside to show me
as he said, a large quantity of silver he
had found in a cave.

Osborne had professed the warmest
friendship to me for months before, having
professed to think no more of Blanche
and no longer to consider me in the
light of a rival. I believed him, and

when he asked me to go with him, I went
without suspicion. I crept into the cave,
which was a low narrow orifice under a
cliff, when instantly I found myself in
darkness, and he called out to me that `I
was now safe, for he had let an over-hanging
rock previously loosened by him,
and propped, drop in front of the mouth;
and wishing me a `happy new year,' for
it was new year's day, he said he would
now return home and fear no rival for
Blanche's hand!'

`Can this be possible!' exclaimed the
captain with horror.

`He will be made to confess it,' answered
Archibald.

`And how did you escape from that
horrible place!' cried the captain, while
Blanche sat pale and trembling, as if her
lover was still in peril.

`Cesar saved me! Tell them Cesar!'

`I misses massa Archy after few minnit,'
said Cesar, `and when somebody
say he walk of wid de naime I spects
someting, coz I al'ays hab my 'spicions
ob dat soger, and tell massa Archy, but
he hush me up and say he him berry
good friend. So I goes arter em, and I
comes in de wood, and den I soon meets
de marine runnin toward me alone! I
stand afore him and axes him `whar
massa Archy!' But stead o' answerin,
he make at me wid his baggonet and
run me froo de arm, sayin, `I kill you
too and you can go and wait on you'
master!' But I show fight, break him
baggonet and cut him wid my knife, but
he beat me ober de head wid de but ob
him gun and lef me dead! But he no
kill Cesar all ober. By'm by I come to
myself! Den I hears sombody holler.
I 'cognise master's voice under ground,
and dreful hard work I hab to get him
out; but I got him at last!'

`Yes, wounded as the faithful fellow
was,' said Archibaid, he worked for
twelve hours to remove the rock and re
store me to liberty. But our ship had sailed
for it was morning before I was relieved.
We remained seven weeks on the island,
living on roots and turtles, and finally
were taken off by a French brig which
landed us at Porto Rio where I found a
merchant vessel that took me to Norfolk.
Here I shipped again, but under the
name of William Auber, for I supposed
Archibald Worthington was dead, and I
said to myself, I will earn a distinguished
name as William Archer, and when
Blanche and the Captain hear of my
deeds they will little suspect who it is
that they commend! On my arrival at
Washington I told my story to the Secretary
who had my commission made out
to me as you see!'

`This is wonderful. But you have
written to Blanche, eh?'

`Yes; for I was so fortunate after
being four months at sea to do some service
for which the captain recommended
me for promotion; and then I wrote
Blanche, telling her my history thus far.'

`Then she has known all along that
William Archer was yourself. Oh, you
baggage.'

`Who would have thought!' exclaimed
Aunt Sarah.

We now close our novelette with but
a few words more. Nelson Osborne
never left the prison but to be borne to
his grave; his wound having inflamed
and afterwards mortified. He died confessing
the wrongs done to Worthington
and asking his forgiveness, exhibiting to
all those who came after him the truth
that vice always overreaches itself and
virtue alone meets with honorable recompense.
In a few weeks afterwards
Blanche was led to the altar by the happy
Archibald, and at the wedding the
old captain forgot his gout and danced a
minute with aunt Sarah for a partner.