Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-12-01

each Of us arming ourselves with heavy
Delaying pins. l called TO Miss Rob
orison TO keep the ship steady as she
was.
The boat, urged fuiiously through
| the water, came up 10 US hand over
fist, the carpenter cursing US iuriously,
and swearing that he would do for US
yet
got my pistol ready. meaning TO
shoot the rullian the moment he should
be within reach Of the weapon, but
abandoned this intention from a motive
Of hate and revenge. ! knew II killed
him n ho sat there In the stern-sheuts
that the others would take fright and
run away, and such was my passion,
and the sense Of our superiority over
them from our position In the ship NJ
against theirs in the boat, that made
up my mind TO let them come alongside
and get into the chains, so that we
might kill them all as n warning TO the
occupants of the long boat, who were
now coming down upon us before the
breeze.
took one glance at Miss Robertson;
her figure was visible by tho side of
the wheel She was steering ms steadi-
ly rs any sailor, and with an emo
ton Of gratitude 10 God for giving us
such help, and her 80 much courage ut
this supreme moment, | addressed all
my energies to the bloody work before
me.
The boat dashed alongside, and the
men threw in their oars. The fellow
in the bow grabbed hold OF one Of the
Chain-platos, passed the boats painter
around II, hauled 1t short and made IL
fast with incredible activity and speed.
Then, pulling thoir knives out of their
sheaths, they all came clambcring into
tho main. chains.
So close rs they now were. / could
make out the faces Of tho men. One
was big johnson, another Cornish, the
third Fish, the fourth Schmidten.
alone was visible. The boatswain
and the steward stood with unified
arms ready 10 strike at the first head
that showed itself.
The carpenter sprung on to the bul.
wark just where | stood. He poised
his knife TO stab mo under the throat.
Now you murderous, trcachoroui
rullian" cried, at the top OF my
voice, ''say your prayers" loveled
the pistol ut his head, the muzzle not
being yard away from his face, and
pulled the trigger The bright flash II. /
Illuminated him like ray of lightning. |
lie uttered scream, shrill rs child's, Z
but terrific in intensity. clapped HE .
hands to his face and fell like a stone
into the main-chains.
at Is your turn nowl' I reared to
johnson, and lot fly Mt him. lie was
holding on to one of the mnin-shrouds .
In the act Of springlng in to the deck. .
| missed his head, but struck him on
the arm, | think; for he let 90 the
shroud with deep groan. reeled back.
ward and toppled overheard. and !
heard the heavy splash of his body as
he fell.
But we were not even now, three to
three, but three 20 one; for tho boat.
swain had let drive with his frightful
belaying-pin at Fish's head, just as
that enormous protuberanco had shown
itself over tho bulwark, aud the wretch
lay dead or stunned In the boat along.
side; while the steward, who had SO.
cretud hugo carvng-knife in his
bosom, had stabbed the Dutchman
right IN tho stomach, leaving tho knife
in him; aud the miserable creature
hung over the bulwGtk, head aud arms
hanging down toward the water. and.
suddenly wrilhing rs he hung, dropped
overheard.
Cornish, of all five men, alone lived.
| had watched him aim blow at the
boatswain' $ back. and fired, but misscl
him. But no too had missed his aim.
and the bOatswun, suing round,
struck his wrist with the behaving um
-whaokl 1t sounded like the blow Of
a hammer on wood and the knife fell
from his hand.
"Mercyl spare my lifo" he roared,
seeing that | had again covered him,
having two moro shots left
The steward, capable, now that things
had gono well with US, of performing
prodigics of valor, rushed upon him,
laid hold of his legs, and pulled him
OIL the bu wark on to the deck.
thought the fail had broken his
back, for no lay grooming and motion
less.
Don't kill him. Icried. "Alake his
hands fast and leave him for the pres
ent. We may want him by and by"
The boatswain whipped u ropes end
round him and showed him against the
rail, and then came running up the
poop-ladder, wiping the streaming per-
spiration from his face. /.
The breeze was freshening, and the
boat alongside wobbled and splashed
as the ship towed her throu Oh the
water.
l ran aft and stared into the gloom
nstern. l could sec nothing Of tho
long-boat. looked again and again,
and fetched the night-glass, and by Its
aid, sure enough, | beheld her,
smudgo on the even ground of the
gloom, standing away close to the
wind, for this much / could tell by the
outline Of her sail
Miss Robertson" | cried. "wo are
savcdl Honder Is tho lOng-boat leaving
us. Our lives are our ownn
81 bless God for his meroyln she an
swered, quietly But then her pent-
up feelings mastered her; she rocked 10
and fro, grasping tho spokes of the
wheel, and extended my arms lust IN
time TO savo her from falling.
"Bosonr' | shouted, and he came
hurrying TO me. "Aliss Robertson has
taintedl Reach me dag out of that
locker"
lie handed me signal lag, and I
laid the poor girl gently down upon the
deck with the nag Tor pillow under
her head.
Fetch mo some brandy, bosom.
The steward will give you wine glass
full"
And, with one hand upon the wheel
to steady tho ship, l knslt by tho girls
side, holding her cold fingers, with 30
much tenderness and love for her In