The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-01-27

| tam VI bAC bpdildihs hICooCu III
the uniform of the Spanish
navy, and holding by the hand
a beautiful girl, apparently twenty
years OF age The features of the latter
were almost deathly white, while her
eyes were turned with an appealing eX-
preston toward the Captain of the
sloop. In one hand the Spaniard held
a revolver, whicl he pressed to the
! temple of the maiden. Fearing to run
afoul of the schooner, Despilfaro
brought the sloop's head about, the
! Spaniard having drifted partially TO
the starboard of the former and gave
the order to grapple the latter as they
ran along side. The order was obeyed
and the crew of the Emerald stoodready,
with their weapons in their hands, to
board the Del Solida when our hero
should give the order. Before the lat
ter could give that order, however, the
Captain Of the schooner cried, in gTuff,
menaeing tone:
/" Don't You let man of yours step
aboard my craft, unless you wish me to
blow out the brains of this girl! She is
Cuban, and is the daughter of one of
your crewl A single hostile demonstra-
ton on your part will insure her instant
death! Permit me to depart in peace,
and hair of her heard shall not be
harmedl There is too much treasure
aboard of my craft to hazard an encoun-
ter with you. Doubtless you recognize
the necessity of obedience to my COM
mandin
Before Benito could reply, Diego, his
bronze face pale and anxious, stepped
to his side and exclaimed:
"For Gods sake do not eXasperate
him, CapitanO! That girl is my daugh-
ter, Josefa, and he will surely execute
his threat"
The girls eyes sought the face of the
| speaker, and with a cry of agony she
swooned in the arms of her captor.
Despilfaro gazed into the face of his
faithful gunner moment in hesitation.
Suddenly an idea seemed to occur to
him, and he gave the order to let 90 the
! schooner.
"You have the advantage this time,
senor!" he said, in answer to the Span
lard. "But you may yet be taken at a
disadvantage and have to succumb. |
do not wonder that you dare not permit
your crew to encounter mine, if they are
all as cowardly as yourself!"
The Spaniard was compelled to swal-
low the taunt of his foe, though he
ground his teeth in rage.
The two vessels drifted slowly apart,
and the moon was once more obscured
by cloud. DespilfarO had been watch
a1n IN, nd N1vbn
had cast its shadow upon the sea, he
gave the command in a low tone to low
er a boat. The command being obeyed
with alacritv, he entered the boat, to-
gether with Diego and three of his crew.
Scarce a sound disturbed the silence of
the night, save the operations of the
crew of the Del Solida, as they got her
under way. The boat was rOwed silent
| lv toward the schooner, and, ere the
moon again appeared, was close under
the stern of the latter, grappled fast.
In the meantime the sloop stood a few
points to the south of the course of her
foe, but kept carefully within range of
her guns.
Despilfaro listened intently to the
sounds upon the deck of the schooner,
and, evidently satisfied with their i'm
port, waited for the moon to become
| again hidden, watching the ScUdding,
squally clouds impatiently. Presently
the coveted moment came, and with cat
like stealth, he climbed upon the deck
of the schooner, having first made sure
that his maneuvers were unobserved.
He glanced hastily about him and took
in every object at glance. The crew
were all forward, while only the Cap
tain and his fair captive were aft. The
former was engaged in resuscitating
JOsefa, and, in the dim light, was bare
ly visible to our hero. Benito walked
boldly toward the Captain and touched
him upon the shoulder. He turned, and,
with a silent, adroit movement, the Gu
ban caught him by the throat, and, with
his clenched fist, struck him a terrible
blow upon the temple, rendering him
absolutely insensible.
He laid his foe lightly upon the deck,
and, seizing the girl, ran noiselessly tC
the side of the vessel, and sprang into
the sea, uttering a shrill whistle at the
same instant.
The sloop, whose crew heard the sig
nal, quickly came about, and bore down
directly upon the schooner, while the
sloop's barge came quickly to the res
cue of our hero, and he, with his charge
was unceremOniously hauled aboard by
his friends. The barge, no Longer
striving to move unheard, was roweC
rapidly toward the sloop, and in a min
ute more was hoisted to its davit:
aboard the latter. Cries of chagrin anC
dismay came from the Del SOlida as the
moon appeared and revealed the aspec
of affairs. To add to their demOraliza
tion, the gun of the sloop sent charge
into the midst of the Spaniards. Theil
Captain was unfit to lead them, and
without a leader, they gave favorable
reply to the summons from DespilfarC
to surrender.
The schooner was found to contain
munitions of war and large amount o.
Spanish gold. She was valuable cap
ture, but, as Josefa Diego ultimately
repaid her rescuer, I}enito Despilfaro
bv becoming his bride, she was, think
moro nSnacialIV HThe Cuban'S Prize :