The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-04-20

lass and the skull of Officer Carr was
cleft il, twain.
By this time every pirate was on his
feet, fighting for life, and the cavern
echoed the reports, as volley after vol
ley was fired by either side.
Bullion was welding the cutlass as
though in no other way could he re-
deem his honor for having betrayed his
comrades. He had already stricken.
down two men, when he himself fell.
The giant frame of Black Beard, as he
dashed into the thickest of the fray
carried CONSERVATION with it:
Flight, men! you're fighting for your
lives!''
One-eyed Bill was fighting like de-
mon; bareheaded. his shirt sleeves
rolled to his elbows, his. voice rang
through the cavern, as his cutlass fell
Down with them! Down with
them!"
But the pirates were too greatly out
numbered, and it became apparent that
eventually they must be annihilated.
Cobb. Hendricks, PIunl<ett and many
others had already fallen, and now Bill!
Gibbs had struck his last blow, and
fell with groan, as ball from the
weapon in the hands Of the revenue
captain pierced his breast.
The captain fell in turn, his head leap
ing from his shoulders, as the blade of
Black Boards cutlass severed it from
| his body.
''Strike, men! Strike FOR your lives,
| these dastards come for money, give
| them DEATH
Bow Leggs, with an immense weapon,
was following in the wake of Black
| Beard, and more than one marine lay
on the damp floor of the cavern, vic
tim to this ungainly black, whose life
four months before Black Beard had
saved; but now the red blood was
coursing down his limbs from many
| wounds.
At this moment Black Beard fell
pierced by half a dozen musket balls al
once. He gave one cry as he fell to the
rocky floor of the cavern:
'The magazine! Bow Leggs! Fire
| the magazine!"
And Bow Leggs, bleeding from every
pore, reeled to the fireplace, and seizeG
burning brand. .''-s
A number sprang forward TO inter
ccpt him, while others endeavored K
rush from the cave.
The doors were closed. they could
neither tell where they were, nor hos
to open them.
AS Bow Leggs seized the brand. h
made a rush for the magazine, whicj
was a recess at one side of the cave
about midway between the entranc'
and the fireplace. e
A dozen pistols and muskets were
aimed at the fearful black, and tw;c,
he fell, but struggled to his feet agaiT
and finally, with a cry of triumph, fol
forward into the very mouth Of TIL
! magazine.
There was one cry from every mariii'
there; then Il deafening roar that shoo}
the island from center to circumference
and sealed the fate of ALL
The solid rocky surface of the cas'
was raised into the air, then sank, bury
ing beneath, officers, pirates and mt
| rines.
Not a living man or the vestige Of
dead one remained to tell the tale.
There was no longer a cave in e3
istence on Smith island, and no longs
did the rocky, uneven surface prescp
to view huge powders and shelving
rocks to be clambered over by tn
islands goats.
One mighty rock had fallen into b
estuary, bearing down beneath it III
Clara Belle, while the revenue boat ha
broken her mooriugs, as d result of IN
shock. and drifted out to sea.
When the sun arose, she lay in III
: trough some nine miles out from IL
inlet. Huge waves were dashing owe
her, and when an inbound steamer tha
had observed her and was hastenin
forward for the purpose of rescuin
any who might be in peril was yet som
distance from her, she sunk from sigh
and it has ever been supposed, that tn
two boats engaged in an encounter,
which both, with their crews, were sen
to the bottom.