Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-20


owners arrived by the last train on the pre-
vious night. They met the seller on board,
paid the purchase money, and at once sailed
for months cruise, they said.
II have an urgent message for them, - said
Frank to an old salt. "Would it be possible
to get q fast steamer here and overtake
themf"
swell, sir, eff ZEE could borry that thur
craft" pointing to small rakish looking
steamer, whose brass fittings cleaned in the
morning sun, Eyes. They must IA gone
| south; and her'n go nigh ON to twenty knots
an hour"
Frank looked longingly at the vessel; and,
upon hearing the name of the owner, his
heart bounded. 1t was the person to whom
MIR. Grubb's letter was addressed.
II fear yours is wild goose chase, /" said
that gentleman, when the young man had
told his story and explained his object.
However, the Grubbs are dear old friends,
and the Lorna is at your service. Come with
me, and l shall give directions to the mas
ter"
In little more than an hour the Lorna was
steaming swiftly out of the harbor, and
Frank, standing on the bridge beside the cap
tain, felt almost intoxicated as the vessels
head rose and fell, and fresh breeze blew
across the sunlit sea, tanning his hot brow.
There was light nor'west wind all
| night" remarked the captain; ''and If we
say they're eighty or ninety miles ahead we
sha'n't be far out l don't suppose we'll over
| take her before dark" the captain went on,
$50 we'd better take it easy, lest we might
pass 'em In the night"
They left their course several times. in or
der TO make inquiries Of passing vessels
Some had not seen "a thirty ton yacht,
schooner rugged, green below the water line,
and with broad gold stripe" Others
thought they had, and gave such contradic-
| tory information that 1t was of no benefit.
As the sun went down dark clouds arose to
windward and it became wet and stormy
Ali through the night the wind moaned, the
| waves swirled and Kissed about the Lornas
bow and fell in masses on her deck and the
| rain fell heavily at intervals. Five pounds
| a man." Frank had said, ''if we overtake
herr" He had promised the captain and the
policeman whom he had brought with him
| liberal gratuities If the chase ended success
| fully; he himself was too agitated to think of
| repose. Accordingly, throughout the night
all were on the alert, peering into the dark
ness as the vessel slowly pursued zigzag
course.
"A wild goose chase indeed, l fear" Jack
son said, sorrowfully, as morning broke, find
ing him cold, hungry and exhausted.
Never fear, sir" replied the skipper
Twill be hard If we don't meet 'em before
they get out of st. Georges channeln
The warm autumn sun again poured down
upon the sea, the wind fell to fresh breeze
! and save in the lofty crested pillows that sur
rounded them there remained no trace of
last nights storm.
At length they got positive news. A yachts
captain met the object of their pursuit an
| hour before steering due south He could
| not be mistaken; he knew the Eulalie very
well and his crew recognized her too. The
Lorna was put at full speed, and bounded
| forward, throbbing and panting-not climb
| ing the waves, but cleaving them, and over
either side of the bow constant stream of
water poured inward and rushed along the
deck.
There she is!n exclaimed the captain who
for some minutes had been silently scanning
| the horizon, and he handed the glass to Frank
1t was some time before the young man could
discern anything; then he saw the dark hull,
the slender spars and the white sails like Cos
samer against the sky.
Soon figures were seen on board the Eulalie
then the sails were slightly altered, and as the
little craft heeled over the foam flew in clouds
from her bow. Pursuit was evidently slis-
pected, for two men at the stern did not take
their eyes from the steamer, which was rap
idly overhauling them and darkening the sea
with dense cloud of smoke.
At length the two vessels were abreast, the
Lorna about fifty yards to leeward of the
other. There was no one on the Eulalie's deck,
except three or four sailors in blue guernseys
and red caps.
Tell your gents" roared the master of the
steamer, that there's some one here wants
EN-"
One Of the mea thrust his head down the
cabin stairs, and in a few moments replied
with a grin: HE is to come on board if he
likes tor
There was heavy sea running and the
Eulalie was going at perhaps ten miles an
hour, so that boarding, if not impossible, was
at least dangerous. The policeman, who was
in plain clothes and whose identity no one on
board the Lorna suspected, came forward and
said:
Now, my lads, / am a police officer and
have a warrant for the arrest of two men for
a bank robbery. You are all known, and, If
you aid them to escape, will get into trouble"
The jaw of the ocular yachtsman dropped,
and he went forward to his fellows. After
short consultation they sprang to the hal
yards, and the mainsail coming down with a
rush and a clatter, the vessel righted and her
speed at once diminished. At the same mo-
ment Frank saw at port hole Seeleys face,
white and terror stricken.
The Lorna was brought nearer, a boat
was lowered, and Frank, the officer and the
master went on board the Eulalie As they
stepped on the deck pistol shot was heard,
and they rushed toward the cabin.
Frank was the first to go down. and he
say tha txsrT. tI I.xr
cushion at one side of the compartment, his
face covered with blood Opposite him sat
Mark Seeley, an expression of abject terror
on his pale face, one hand hanging loosely
and holding revolver, which dropped from
his nerveless fingers as jackson came down.
He uttered a hoarse cry and made feeble
effort to seize the weapon; but Frank grasped
his arm and he fell back on the couch faint
ing The young man turned toward Will
Jams, who, amid his agony, was looking con
temptuously at his accomplice.
1--WE thought of sinking the vessel" he
said, in weak voice, "but found it too
slow. Then we agreed to shoot ourselves. l
led of, but that cur backed out, though it
was all his doing. He took the impression
Of the other key, and"- His eyes became
glazed, he fell back and In a few moments
was dead.
After a search Frank found i'm locker the
two Gladstone bags, which, to within thou
sand pounds-the purchase and fitting out Of
the yacht, bably-contained the whole of
the stolen property.
''She's leakingl" exclaimed the skipper of
the Lorna.
small stream ran from under closed
door, and trickled across the floor 1t rapidly
grew larger, and suddenly the door was burst
/ l.
little cabin, rising to the height Of the
couches. The master of the steamer sprang
up the stairs, Frank followed with the pre-
cious bags, and the officer, grasping See