The Van Buren press., 1895-12-21

exactly what was depending on our
not losing time. lie was fine fellow,
was Capt. Mariner, and he fully sympa-
thized with me. We debated the mat
ter, and considered it ali around fer a
few minutes. To get full steam ahead
was terribly dangerous, as the lookout
men could see no distance to speak of,
owing TO the fog, but the captain at last
determined to do it.
"Ill do it, Sparton," he cried. 81
feel that this man was sent on board my
ship and injured SO that he felt himself
dying and bound to confess, by Prov
idenee, and if / don't try and save Ru-
pert Rowling, | shall consider that
have been the cause of his being hanged.
If I do try. and anything happens TO
our ship, then may God preserve us!"
To which | answered solemnly;
"Ameni"
Rushing off to the chief engineer,
briefly explained matters to him and
gave him the captains orders, The en-
gineer was a big, hard-headed Scotch
man, and, gripping my hand in grasp
like wise, he cried:
an maxi the ship go, Robert. But
it'll be bad thing for onything we run
into. Pm thinking. 1t will that
Well, we tore along through the fog
all day Tuesday. I was In a dreadful
state of mind On the one hand was
all anxiety to reach port in time to
cable to England and stop the execu-
tion of Rupert, while on the other we
were rislSing the lives of the crew and
some $50 passengers, to say nothing
of the ship and cargo.
| didn't leave the deck for a moment
all day. promised the captain would
not leave stone unturned to insure
the safety of the vessel We put three
times the ordinary number of men on
the lookout and kept fog-horning and
whistling all day long, but by merci-
full providence we had a clear course.
We only sighted one vessel, about mid
day, but | could not discern what she
was. Toward night the fog lifted and
the stars shone. MeGreig, the engineer,
now had the Goals piled on at fearful
rate, and we shot through the water
like an arrow; but earlysnext morning
the wretched fog came on again.
We were, of course, nearing land,
and the risk of collision was every
minute more serious. We kept on our
mad career. The passengers knew there
was something queer about steaming SO
fast through a fog, but answered them
all:
"Oh, we're all right. We're on our
usual track. and nothing gets in our
way"
This was true to some extent, but the
risk was enormous, and every mile that
we got nearer land got more and more
nervous.
However, to cut long story short,
we gained New York harbor at $3.50 ON
Wednesday afternoon, after nearly rum
ming down an outgoing steamship some
20 miles out, and which we avoided by
the skin of our teeth.
As soon as we arrived | hurried
ashore, by the captains permission,
and hunted up the British consul, whom
| dragged off to the cable company's
office, and we sent a joint telegram
from him and the captain to the home
secretary in London. | also wired to
the governor of the jail where Rupert
was waiting execution, to Rupert him.
self, and to my sister. The message to
the home secretary was long one;
remember it cost me about five pounds.
! | waited at the cable Office for a re-
ply. 1t came within four hours, which
was pretty quick work, as my message
would not reach London till about nine
o'clock at night, English time being
about five hours ahead of New York.
Rupert was respited till our evidence
could be brought home and inquired
into, and in less than another month
had the pleasure of shaking him by the
hand as an acknowledged innocent
man, her majesty having, in the pc
cular fashion of the English law, been
pleased to grant him ''free pardon
| for an ofrense he had never committed.
However, all was right at last. Ru-
pert succeeded to his uncle's property
and married my sister Patty in due
course.
But the two days following Capper-
mole's confession were the most anx.
ious time in my life. was thoroughly
upset and almost PROSTATE for week
afterward, which is saying a great deal
for strong-nerved sailor.-Tid-Bits.