Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-25

Ana ltnuagEt SD saiu lie. toucning MS
cooked hat g,ninily Proud 70 retnke
you, sir. And without moru ado he or
d.red them all into the boat before his
mon could bronk out again
On the way to the frigate he continued
very pleasant, telling humorous anecdotes
to keep up tho spirits OF his prisoners. They
were chiefly at his own expense, and tho
lack OF self respect no displayed was
sorry thing to see. for NOW and again there
was Earring ring Of bitterness In his buff
foonery that was not 10 DO mistaken, HIS
cynical self contempt made his fncetious-
ness but sorry fooling Mt best, and even
Curtis began TO look depressed
AS they nearcd tho frlgate tho officer
grew more subduod, and at last sank into
silence altogether till, suddenly leaning to-
ward the lieutenant, ho said In hia ear;
"Thure's worse than this IT'S worse TO
lose your ship"
THAT depends how you lose it." said
Curtis
II knew You would say that" answered
tho officer In tho strangest satisfaction,
and quito right too"
The mans manner made Curtis look at
him. and he found In tho settled grin Of
tIG lNCt NJ DlNltT u ibOh VI iltihbtitOif
for the moment be WIS quito carried out OF
his own trouble.
Have you ever lost oneS" no asked.
"Thiriy years ago, the Fronchman an
swered, my last command WINS n leu
tenant thom like you. and now. you soo
Twas sheer bad seainanship md nothing
else. blame no one Thirty years next
week Why, you will have forgotten this
In six months.
Upon my word" said Curtis. II am
very sorry for you
Sorry oh, thank you, there's no need.
Nobody minds mo ! am tho standing Jest
OF the service Thirty years an ensignl A
man must be fool, mustn't bo, for
thatf'
Toss onrs'' he cried sharply rs they
ranged alongside the Chute des Rois, but
the men tumbled their oars Into the boat
without my order, paying no more heed
to his command than he TO their neglect
OF IL
1t was not for long that Curtis could
spare n thought for the poor failure whose
career was such contrast to his own.
He had something pearer TO think Of
something even neaher than his own Ill
luck There was to wonder what kind OF
floating Ill II was they had fallen foul OF.
and what tie was in store for Lucille,
where discipline was so III maintained.
Once more she was beside him in the stern
sheets. and this time not shrinking from
his touch
With hot stirring Of his blood that SGT
him ready for any desperate action which
might be toi her good he felt the girls
shoulder trustfully against his 1t was ms
u she werH unconsciously leaning upon
J IA for support, as If her dread OF what
was coming was mora than she could bear,
and In his strength her only comfort.
For him It was victory, but no triumph.
u told too full tale OF her distress to
leave room for his rejoicing. At least it
was victory won only to be worse than
lost. The sense OF his powerlessness WAS
maddening, and she vas leaning ON hiin
like a little child In pain. He was sure
she must know as well as he what to ex-
pect where such disorder ruigned.
A score Of wild expedients were whirl-
ing in his brain. He began to CURSE him
self for not having fought It out us she
had wished, when suddenly the men be-
came still and orderly. Instinctively he
looked up the towering swel Of the frig-
atc's side TO find the cause and there
upon the gangwny, TO his unspeakablo
establishment, no saw tho American.
With the quick tact OF men well exer-
cised in danger neither betrayed surprise
nor recognition. Curtis looked away ut
once and saw Lucllos eyes were fixed upon
the gangwsy. She was relieved to SEQ SO
fine gentleman to receive them, and she
showed 1t In her face
AN extraordinary piece of fortune"
Curtis whispered In her chr. "'Tis the
man who cnno to save your mother"
There was light Of satisfaction In her
face Mt his words
II was Dunk, and the French officer who
helped her up the side, and the American
who gave her n hand in his bcst manner.
~ regret, madam" he said with that
dcfcronce she always drew from men, 81
regret this unhappy necessity, but our or
dcrs are more than ordinarily particular
concerning persons attempting to leave
the coast at this juncture
But we are from Santandor," objected
Dunk,
That's no good, answered the Amerl-
can quickly, and In low voice. "You AFRO
all known here. Don't you SEQ who com
mands this ship9'
Ho waved his hhnd toward tho quarter
deck, and there they saw Farochul, tuning
ana swelling up and down In tho incon-
gruous Uniform tho convention had adopt
ed-a great cooked hat extravagantly laced,
blue coat with colonels epsuiets in
gold, and for finish crimson hreechcs md
boots with yellow tops. He was plainly in
devil Of humor, and Curtis looked
quickly at Lucille fearful for the effect tho
sight OF the ruilian would have on her.
10 his surprise he found her erect and
LOOKING nNpnly Mt Enrp.hn1
her face and her eyes alight. Then he was
moro afraid for her than before Venue-
anco was written plain upon her, and
buckets words came into his ears ngain-
"a dovil Of n LADY," The stransest part
was he felt he had never loved her SO
much as at that moment.
AT FIRST Faroohol paid no heed to thcm.
but continued his angry trampipq aa If la
must DO showing his Importance and to-.
more them till they were reported. Indeed
no ono observed them much, for over the