The true northerner., 1886-05-06
A ROMANCE OF The SEA.

During a visit to some friends in Charles
ton, while on leave of absence from
III. NJ. s. Diana, Lieutenant Howard Gran
Vile fell in love with dark-eyed girl OF
eighteen named Haena Riol.
She was an orphan, living at the house
of her uncle, Alfonso Riol, who was an
American by birth and a Spaniard by
descent.
For some years he had been a sailing
master aboard an armed United States
schooner, where, he informed Granville,
he had often been promised promotion, bul
was still neglected, which he ascribed to his
descent. He instanced several persons,
who had not been so long in the navy as he,
ind yet had obtained places above him.
IF were like some men l would be re
renged," he added, bitterly.
"A man should always do his duty,
whether promoted or not, said the British
officer
fortnight later the schooner sailed on
a surveying expedition off the African
coast. Helena Riol accompanied her uncle
Although she and Granville were lovers,
there was a singular coldness in her man
tner when they parted.
The lieutenant often thought of it after
ward, ard imagined that the sailing master
had prejudiced her against him.
A month later Granville's ship was or
dered TO cruise for a SLAYER, which, it was
reported, had lately been noticed off the
coast of Africa.
In due time, passing the Cape verdes,
the English frigate stood on herway toward
the Gold Coast, in the vicinity of which
the outlaw craft had last been SEEN
On the starboard side Of the upper deck
the captain was one day walking to and
fro, and ON the larboar1 side stood Lieu
tenant Granville, now and then glancing
aloft.
Suddenly, from the young lookouts at
the masthead came the cry of Sail o."
-"Where away?" shouted Granville
Fright ahead, sir About five miles Off"
The Captain seized his glass, and sprang
rupon the horse block.
~She looks suspicious, SIR" he said to
the lieutenant, as he passed the glass to
him.
Granville had an eye like hawks; he
e. could see further than most men on the
water.
"Ay, ay, sir, suspicious craft, he re-
marked, after a brief inspection. at seems
ITO me she has familiar look, although /
cannot recall where have seen her before. "
"She is not very low in the water, sir"
said the captain; "but / do not like her
looks for all that"
Granville said he thought she had some
thing the appearance of an armed craft
"These, sir, are not the days of pirates, !"
rrejoined the captain, smiling. "Why do
you think she is armed?"
81 may have been mistaken, sir at so
great distance" answered the lieutenant,
'"but, when l looked through the glass, |
fancied | saw port closed"
"Try her with the colors, quartermaster. 4"
"Ay, ay, SIR"
And up went the union jack even as the
old tar spoke.
The other vessel hoisted the same colors.
Now, signals, quartermaster.
The signals were hoisted and responded
TO, until the one questioning the strangers
name shot up aloft.
Then there seemed TO be some hesitation
aboard the schooner long delay, that
caused the quartermaster to move the sig
nal flag up and down peremptorily.
All at once a white flag, with the letters
~L-o-s-T" distinctly revealed upon it, with
the aid of glass, appeared at her gaff.
"Ahl Try George!" cried the frigate's Cap
tain. Caught now, my fine fellow! And
yet" he added thoughtfully, "she may
Ireally have lost the signal.
Meanwhile the schooner, which now was
not more than half mile of, held on her
way; but, instead of adding TO her canvas,
she began to take some of it in.
Nimble forms, in dark blue shirts and
trousers, swarmed all over her graceful
smasts and yards, and sail after sail was
rolled up until she showed nothing but a
close e-reefed main-topsail and topmast
staysail.
"One would think she expected storm, y
said the captain of the frigate.
He glanced up at the sky, but he could
see no indication of tempest
True, the wind had fallen away a little,
and there was a thin, hazy strip of cloud on
tile otherwise clear surface of the heavens;
bot in these, in his opinion, were no signs
of gale.
He at once ordered carronade forward
TO be fired as signal for the schooner to
Iheave to.
The quarter-gunners sprang TO their
places; there was flash, and the gun
roared, sending shot vhirring past the
strangers bow.