Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-03

the girl would lie killed at one stroke,
so that the murderers companions, who
had already begun TO ascend the YES
sells side, could pounce on the drowsy
male occupants OF the deck, and, slay-
ing them, make themselves masters Of
the ship almost before a warning could
be given.
Like lightning flash the instinct Of
love. the resolution TO save Belle in
some way from his immediate attack,
sent sudden thought through the
brain of the agonized spectator.
The Hinioo murderer, IN his posi-
ton on the outside OF the ship, was IN
der the yard, although about forty feet
below him, while the girl, standing
two feet from the rail, was within easy
reach Of the native, whose arm and
body, as already stated, were drawn
back from the bulwarks to give force to
the meditated blow.
The Young man, therefore, deemed
it would be an easy matter 10 reach the
Hindoo in the only way it could now be
done with sufficient rapidity to prevent
the accomplishment of his deadly pur
pose-a way at once novel and desper-
ate, and which would, perhaps. involve
his own destruction.
In a word, not hesitating to risk life
or limb for the woman he loved, Lieu
tenant Winfield resolved to drop down
from near the end of the miZzen-top-
sail yard upon the Hindoo, forty feet
below, and thus dash him from the rail
into the sea, perhaps killing himself, ere
he could deal the fatal blow with the
uplifted dirk. He would utter shrilr
cry-a warning to the crew-as he
cleared the AIR, thus arousing them,
perhaps, in time to meet the attack of
the robbers, and insure the further
safety of Belle and the ship.
The emergency admitted OF no delay.
The young man clutched the yard-arm
near the end, hung by it for second
to make sure he was in line with the
Hindoo beneath, then, Just as the dirk
was about to descend, he let go of the
spar with long, wild cry that pierced
every corner of the ship, and down he
went, cleaving through the air with ter
rible velocity. There was whirling,
rushing sound, then loud thud as the
heavy boot.heels of the falling body
crushed upon the head of the native
ere he could use his knife, dashing him
from the rail into the sea, and killing
him instantly.
The watch heard the warning cry of
the lieutenant, and before the other ma
tives could recover from their surprise
at the occurrence which had so sudden
ly and unexpectedly broken upon them,
the decks were alive with the whole
crew, and the entire gang of robbers
beat hasty retreat.
Meanwhile Belle Upton had been so
bewildered by that sudden fearful cry
she had heard, and the subsequent
splash of the bodies in the water, that
not until the boat was lowered and the
lieutenant, who had been struggling in
the sea, was brought aboard and into
the cabin, to explain in faint voice
how he had saved her life, did she clear
~ comprehend all that had happened.
Then she threw herself down by the
PROSTATE form Of her lover, and hung
over him in agony, fearing that he was
fatally injured. Soon, however, the
doctor gave cheering information to the
contrary.
The young man had sustained fear
full shock from his contact with the
Hindoo's body, but as that body had
offered little resistance to his down.
ward progress when he struck it. being
simply driven before him into the sea,
his lower limbs, although partially
paralyzed for the time, were not broken.
He had, however, fallen dangerously
near the rail. A roll of the ship to tho
other side, ere he could let go the top
sail yard to descend, would have caused
him to fall on the bulwarks, when of
course he would have been killed.
"Never BEFORE" said the doctor,
"did hear of such daring perform
ance."
"Ay!" exclaimed Major Upton.
"God bless him Here, Belle, he shall
have you, girl, for he has earned you"
He put both hands of his daughter
in the lieutenant's, and turned away to
hide few tears upon his bronzed
cheek.
Immediately after the young man
had been brought aboard, an off-shore
breeze sprang up, enabling the captain
to head seward. In due time the YES
sci reached her home port, when the
lieutenant, who by this time had fully
recovered from the effects of his fall,
claimed his beautiful and willing bride.