Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-12-13


When our heroine found herself held
up as a barrier between her lovers troops
and the enemy, a terrible desperation
seized her, and she cried:
Fire, Griffith, fire! Don't let me be
in the way Of your duty to our country.
Fire; it VIII be but one life more.
ooh, I cannot, cannot, cried Griffith,
in agony of despair. ~POltroOns, towards
who screen yourselves behind a woman,
if you would dare to come on shore, Z viii
fight you alOne!'
Derisive shouts and jeers we're the only
answer, and the Oarsmen bent to their
oars, pulling straight out from shore, so
there was no opportunity to fire broad
side at the boat, or at any of the occu-
pants, without endangering the life of
the pale. beautiful girl.
Fire, Griffith Never mind me.
@Ha, ha, hat" laughed the officer of ma
rines; we'll now lay to and blow your
little town bout o. the water. Ye won't
dare fire at the ship when this damsels
aboard.
Griffith for the first realized the object
of the infamous plan. So wild was he
with rage and modification that the
militiamen had to exert force to prevent
his throwing himself into the sea and
swimming to her rescue.
Meanwhile the boat had pulled straight
out from shore, and was now beyond ordi-
nary mUsket range.
The Americans retired a short distance
and stood gazing after the retreating boat,
stupefed with establishment. The ma
neuVer of the marines had been so sud
den, so bold, and so unexpected that one
| cannot wonder at the establishment of the
Americans.
Griffith, who supposed the guard he
had placed over the Gatreu mansion was
still there, could not understand how the
marines had made their way into the
Z I Id
Doubtless the shots he had heard fired
shortly after midnight were at the guard,
and had killed them. He did not take
into consideration the fact that the raw
recruits, who had been left on guard, had
utterly deserted their post, and Fastening
to the first scene Of excitement failed to
return.
In the meanwhile the boat had almost
reached the side of the vessel.
Suddenly a wreath of white smoke
curled up from the fOrecastle of the man
Of-War, and a shell came kissing and
screaming through the air. 1t struck the
beach a few yards from the Americans,
buried itself in the sand aid exploded,
sending showers OF sand and gravel IN
/ every direction, but njUring no one.
@It is folly to stand here, said Griffith;
/ we must get back to the fort and lay
! some plan to rescue her.
/ The Americans, greatly chagrined at
| having been SO completely OutWitted by
/ the dastardly act of the British, beat a
/ hasty retreat. Two more cannOn-shOt
were fred at them, but all missed their
! mark and the Americans reached the fort
| in safety.
In the meanwhile the boat came up
alongside the ship and the fair captive was
| taken aboard.
Captain Monteith, dressed in the garb
of a civilian, came forward and said:
ALLOW me to welcome you aboard the
! Xenophon, Miss Gatre1, and to assure
you that you will be treated with all the
| courtesy due a lady"
For a moment Ola gazed at him in
amazement. Her proud spirit seemed to
| rise in Indignation against him, and with
all the pent-up scOrn her commanding
voice could gather she asked:
Are YOU Captain of this vesse1?"
! Il amp"
HAS not his Britannia Majesty better
and more available material for the serv-
ice than one who abducts innocent wOm-
| en-. A brave mode of warfare, indeed, fOI
| one to hold a helpless female between
himself and danger"
Captain MOnteith for moment was
too much confused by the cutting retort
to make any answer. His cheeks flushed
and his eyes sought the deck After 6
moments hesitation he said:
''YOu must know, Miss Gatrell, thai
in war every strategy that can be aVajla-
bic is adopted. With yourself aboard
this vessel there is no danger of the lOng
gun being used"
"Then you will stoop to an act so COW
ardly as putting my own life in jeopardy
to accomplish your ends. You, who have
fired for two days upon women and chill
dren, viii now either force my friends tC
fire and risk my life, or surrender"
''It is only little strategic movement
1 can assure you, Miss Gatrell, saic
Captain Monteith, bowling with gentee
pOllteness. "And 1 am certain you vii
be in no danger. That lover of yours
would not fire upon the vessel that yOJ
were aboard, under any circumstances
He would sooner sink the town than thii
ship"
''You base coward, how dare you at
| tempt so Infamous a thing? How dar,
you in the midst of danger hold up
weak, defenseless woman to be sacrificed
/ by her friends, or they forced to surren
der. All, just heaven, the god of battle
will surely never allow your infamou
plan to succeed"
81 like to hear you talk, Miss GatcelI
but we have cabin, the best aboard TIT
ship for you, and perhaps you would lik
to retire to it.
At am your prisoner, Captain MOnteith
and in any sort of a prison you seek tt
confne me I shall be forced to stay"
You do me a great injustice, Miss
} Gatrell, said the Captain blandly. ~YoI
are not my prisoner, but our guest.
"A guest, indeed" she answered spirit
eddy, as she was conducted to the cabiI
below. "A guest who is taken aboard 4
vessel, and there detained against he
will"
T ooh, do not be too cruel, Miss Cat
reIl," said the Captain; all is fair il
love and war, and in this case love anC
war both become moving factors. Maio
Bridges, whom you know"
@Ah. supposed Major Bridges had
{ hand in this Infamous work. interrupted
Ola with considerable spirit. Il knew b
would be the prime mo, or in such das
tardly act. He has an able cOadjutOr il
the person of Captain MOnteith. A MAJ
well suited 20 this infam Gus business