upon
the honor of her father had been removed. Doubt and fear scarcely
disturbed her; the battle yet to be fought seemed but a trifle. Maxwell
had said her uncle was left at a wood-yard. This was strange. It looked
not like an accident, but the doing of the wily attorney; and perhaps
Jaspar had voluntarily withdrawn; perhaps her uncle had made _her_ the
reward of Maxwell's silence. But these reflections were now robbed of
their bitterness. She felt that in Henry Carroll she had a sufficient
protection.

She retired to her state-room with a light heart, and even Maxwell's
villanous designs were forgotten as she revelled in the bright hopes
before her. She knew nothing of the foul plot which had been concocted
for her abduction. She knew not that Henry Carroll was then watching
over her. In blissful ignorance of the danger that hovered near her, she
sunk into the quiet sleep of innocence.

After midnight her slumbers were disturbed by the unusual creaking of
the boat, and the hasty puffs of steam from the escape-pipes. She
awoke, and was at once sensible of the immense pressure to which the
boilers were subjected. Awhile she lay and listened to the ominous
sounds which indicated the danger of the boat; then, much alarmed, she
rose and dressed herself. For nearly an hour she sat in the darkness of
the room, during which time the danger seemed momentarily to increase,
until, no longer able to endure such agonizing suspense, she was about
to leave the room. At this moment Vernon was about to enter, when the
explosion took place.

The forward part of the Chalmetta was completely torn in pieces. The
gentlemen's cabin was lifted from its supports, and torn into fragments.
The unfortunate occupants of berths in this part of the boat were either
instantly killed or severely wounded. The ladies' cabin, being at a
greater distance from the immediate scene of the explosion, had not
suffered so severely. Although torn from its position, and shattered by
the shock, it had proved fatal to but a few of its occupants, who had
been crushed by falling timbers. The hull of the boat was not injured by
the explosion, but before those who had escaped a sudden death could
recover their disordered faculties, the flames began to ascend from the
wreck of the cabin, which had been precipitated upon the furnaces.

The scene surpassed description. The groans of the wounded and scalded,
the shrieks of those who were on the boat, expecting every mo