The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-10-27
THE GIRL MUITNEER.
A STORY OF LOVE AND WAR.

Toward the close of an October dav in
17T7, vessel sailing in a south westerly d-
rection crossed the 57th degree of north
longitude. Her keel plowed the waves of
the North Atlantic. and her destination
seemed to be the Azores. She was ailing
! before strong wind and the arrangement
of her sail dictated flight. If flight from
! whom? The naked eye could perceive no
pursuer on the bosom of the ocean but the
sea glasses, leveled by number of British
officers who graced the clean decks, reveal.
ed dark speck on the watery rim of the
Northern horizon.
This distant object occasioned much anx-
iety among the officers A silence which
had regned among them for many moments
was suddenly broken by man whose bear
ing might have proclaimed him an English
admiral.
'.He still follows, - were the words that
fell from his lips ''but with the help of
Neptune we'll outsail him in the night"
Though the officer spoke with much as
surance, there lurked in his tongue a latent
fear which his companions detected, and
exchanged significant glances.
Over the face of the deep night was SET
ting, and the vessel kept straight before
the wind to the joy of its commander who
had lately spoken. The shadows gradually
veied the far away pursuer from sight, and
when the officers separated, expressions of
The British vessel was the Meteor, fast
sailor, whose armament consisted oftwenty-
eight guns. She was a we'll built double
decker, and had seen much service in the
war which had ragged almost three years
between Great Britain and her American
colonies. Her speed and her formidable
armament had made her a terror to Amer
lean vessels in European waters. Her
commander, a sea- born Englishman, named
nftcpr nf nn6nnhtaH
courage and cunning, to which he added
vindicitiveness that rendered him obnox-
ions to many Of his own crew.
The Meteor was flying from a new and
very formidable foe-fyiDg with a hold fill
ed with booty. On the day preceding
that one that had just closed upon her in
fight she had just captured an American
cruiser, after spirited contest. The prize
had proved one Of value, and Captain
Guilderoy did not wish to risk an engage
ment with the vessel following in his
wake.
Captain Cunyngham, the pursuer, was
second Paul Jones. He was one of the
most daring spirits of our. then infant navy
and his name had become a terror along
the coast of England. He pursued and
captured a number of British ships, which
lie either burnt or sent intO friendly ports;
and when he pescried the Meteor, fresh
from her victory he hesitated not to crowd
on all sail and give chase.
There were men on the decks OF the Re-
venge, as Conyngham's vessel was appro-
priately named, who watched the flying
Englishmeu. Much speculation concern
ing the result of the chase ran through the
several groups, and Conyngham smiled
when he turned to reply to the words of
youthful Lieutenant who stood beside him,
sea glass in hand.
eve can outsail her, Gilbert the
American captain said with emphasis.
"This wind favors both of us alike, and i'll
the calm that will soon prevail, she must
lie by till day"
The yonng officer turned from the cap
tain, and again his eyes were strained to
make out The form of the ship rapidly dis
appearing among the prevailing shadows.
Conyngham did not return to his glass,
but watched the face of his youthful COM
panion.
81 am confident that Miss Temple is
aboard the Engishmau," he said at last.
ssOf course she is p' exclaimed the Lieu
tenant with flush. 81 know she was on
board the Mischief when it fell into the
Meteor's hands, and | am satisfied she is
prisoner"
"The fa'r2st prize old Guilderoy has cap
tured i'm many a long day" remarked Con-
ynpham, with laugh at the Lieutenant
smile. and the flash that lighted up the
depths Of his anxious eyes.
The conversation was interrupted by an
unexpected veering of the wind that pa led
the cheeks of the numerous watchers on
tue deck, and the officers separated
Now, having learned something OF the
Meteor's pursuer, let us return to the En-
glish vessel.
The calm prophesied by the American
captain fell upon the ocean shortly after
the descent of darkness. 1t worried Gull
deroy, and he held frequent consultations
with the officers, now on deck. now in his
state room, He held consultations in the
latter place over bottle of choice wine,
and under the liquors influence he soundiy
cursed the Yankee privateer.
RecaImed on the water and beneath the
stars. she Meteor lay like huge slumber-
inc leviathan Her lights were hidden,
and the spectral figures that trod her decks
copvarsed in whispers,