Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-16
steel seized the plant wrist; slight
wrench and the concealed dice fell on

Aake Oack your gOlu. purser. YOU
have Deen tricked, cheated. These dice
are loaded;;" and Ralph, calm and collect
ed, confronted the Spaniard, the detected
cheat, with a glance that compelled his
glittering eyes to quail and his swarthy
complexion to pale.
The spectators had hastily withdrawn,
leaving the principal actors the central
figures.
A furious oath burst from the Spani-
ards lips as lie Kissed forth torrent OF
fiery threats.
"You shall pay for this with your life's
blood. you cursed Yankee! Here's my
card" But the words died away in his
throat with convulsive rattle, for the
sinewy fingers of Ralph had compressed
his throat with the strength of wise.
'Your card, you miserable theft Do
you suppose gentleman would sully his
weapons with such as you? No; I treat
you as would the lowest cur skulking in
the cutters Of the city;' and, suiting the
action to the word, he applied his boot
vigorously to the Spaniard's person, who
fled from the salon amid the jeers and
laughter of all who had witnessed the
affair.
The breeze of excitement which for the
instant had occasloned q ripple Of dismaS
| amongst the giddy throng soon died away
and was forgotten. The games Of chance
were renewed, the clink of gold again re-
sounded on all sides, and Ralph, accom-
panied by Captain Jack Weathersby anc
the purser, retired from the establish
ment.
Walking rapidly to the mole, a boa
was signalled, the gold of Mr.. Sundries
no insignificant weight, carefully deposit
ed in the stern-sheets, and with sigh o
relief the officers babe adieu to the hot
steaming shore of Jamaica.
The sun was gliding the lofty summit!
of the Blue Mountains with soft, purp
lish light as the shrill whistles OF the
boatswain and his mates on board the
FREELY summoned all hands to thei
stations.
Ralph, trumpet in hand, was walking
impatiently to and fro the quarter deck
waiting for hammocks to be reported
slowed before loosing sails and getting
under way. His attention was arrested
by the movements of a topsall. schooner
which at that moment emerged from thu
light, silvery haze obscrreing the shore
Steering close to the corvette, Ralph hac
au opportunity to note the beautiful line
OF the hull, the sharp bows, clear run, ant
immense beam of the stranger. The spar
appeared heavy enough tor vesse
twice her tonnage, while the snow-whits
canvas, taut as a board, set without
wrinkle, its immense area catching thu
falntest breath of the land breeze which
sent the water bubling and gurglins
around the graceful curve Of the cutwate1
Every rope was hauled taut, not a rope
yarn could be discerned flying from alott
and as the beautiful craft swept by, heel
ing slightly over to the treshening breez
until the sun played on the BURNSIDE,
sheathing, Ralph could not but acknowl
edge her as perfect specimen of nautica
beauty as he had ever seen
''lt's pity she does not mount battery
with Uncle Sans pennant flying from
her maiu-truck,' he muttered.
Standing on the quarterback of tn
schooner, mis- tail, well-knit form dis
played to advantage in a well fitting sui
OF flannel, his dark, curly hair surmouutet
by cap bordered with gold lace, stood
the Spaniard. With hooking smile h,
lifted his cap, and bowling low, shouted
to Ralph, whom he had singled out from
all others:
MY account with you is still open
But we shall meet again; then I viii
have such settlement as shall satistify
even Jules G :spardo. Adios."
And almost before Ralph had recover
ed from his temporary rage and amaze
ment, the schooner had shot ahead, and
kept off for the entrance to the noble
harbor, but not before the naval officer
noticed on the beautiful yacht-Eke stern
OF the schooner the name in large gold
letters, Esmeralda.
At that moment the master-at- arms re-
ported the berth deck clear, etc.; the sail
loosers sprang aloft, the drum and fife
struck up q merry strain as the blue
jackets walked round the captain and the
anchor broke ground, the topsails, topgal-
lantsails and royals were sheeted home,
jibs run up, head-yards canted, and the
FREELY, gathered Roadway, swept
through the wafer with a speed not IN.
worthy the fame she had acquired, bound
Tor the west coast Of Africa.
The corvette was scarcely thirty-six
hours sail from the mouth of the Rio
Pongo River, when the lookout reported
a brig looming out of the haze, and but
a short distance to leeward. Keeping off.
the corvette swept down upon the stran-
ger,who presented a singular appearance,
braces hanging slack, courses hauled I'D,
jibs down, and not a soul to be seen on
board to answer the repeated hail of the
officer of the deck.
The old gray-haired commander of the
FREELY ordered the stranger to be over
hauled, and, as the corvette came to the
wind with her main-yard aback, the
second cutter, in charge of an officer,
pulled alongside. But a short time
elapsed before he returned with the mas.
ter of the Inflated vessel in the
stern-sheets. He was bleeding from a
dozen wounds, any one of which would
have been sufficient to have cost him his
life.
He was the only survivor, he said, of
the English brig Nabob. His name was
Ashton, and his craft had been boarded
by gang of ruffians from schooner
whose guns had forced him to heave to.
His daughter, his motherless child, Win
ME, had been torn from his arms, and he
left to die in the cabin; while the crew,
to man, had been compelled to walk a
plank. To the commanders inquiry if
he could describe the craft, the dying
man responded, family, 'sTopsail schooner
rig, name, Esmeralda-save my daugh-"
And, throwing back his head, the sea-
man died without groan.
The story OF the murdered man ran
like wildtire throughout the ships CON-
pany, and the sympathy OF the man-of-