Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-05-12
BY cHAUNcY G. HoTchKIss

FREE-L <ANCE
BY cHAUNcy c. HoTchKIss
Copyright. 1897. by D. Appleton & Co All
rights reseryedl
SYNOPSIS.
Chapter I..Donald Thorndyke. as cap.
tain of the schooner Phantom, leaves Nor
folk for New London with a cargo of leac
for continental ormies. His mate. John
Lounsbury. proves treacherous after they
get to sea and threatens to reveal the char
actsr of the captain and cargo TO British
ships then in sight, and from which they
sodd mot ape strikes him
dead. One of the other two members OF
the crew attempts Thorndyke's life. but he
He determines to impersonate the APP
parently dead mate, and tell the English
that he has taken the ship as prize and
has killed the captain and all of the crew
Ghapter fI.MW w he the boat is boarded, he
naval lieutenant but - doubted by
dragon officer. scammell. who is along.
shcWs Is Of mis-
seriousness. Thorndyke is taken to the
British vessel to repeat his story to the
Chapter 1II-The Phantom is taken to
New York and there turned over to the
kings authoritiss Thorndyke determnes
escape through the lines and deliver his,
inf9brmason mixes in fight
at an inn with young naval officer and
Chapter v.-scammell enters during the
progress Of the row and asks to take q
hand by relieving the naval officer of
Thorndyke. Belden; the naval officer, dis
looking for for Clinton, and stops the fight
after which challenge still stands be-
tWss ap Taospsyfa nhd seams tho IN
teryiew with Thorndyke for day, and
IN the meantime gives him papers which
n a Nen Ne York Is e na as as n M
with dispatches to the British general at
that place.
Chapter yII-During great fire in New
cape. and from him he gets the name of
Rex" After returning to his quarters
h chaptsp by s gEo Ras
the identity Of Thorndyke and comes TO ar
rest him as a spy. He is armed only with
!, Thorndyke manages to throw water, then,
overcoming Srammell. Thorndyke escapes
and makes his way to Clinton's headquar-
Chapter IX.-Clintoh gives Thorndyke
lines. Before leaving. a girl. Gertrude King.
enters and demands of Clinton that she
be allowed to see her brother. Clinton in
forms her that her brother was condemned
as a spy. and while waiting for execution
was burned to death in the fire of the day
before. She then demands pass outside.
her loyalty to America Mrs. Badely, Gin
TONS mistress. enters with the announce
ment that the brother. instead of being
baGs hapte has @Gnton orders rhorndyke
to arrest the girl, which he refuses to do.
then gives her his pass through the lines,
while he holds Clinton until she escapes.
He follows her and makes his way to the
n Hnn .tnnt~N 10 ,k,. H. \ -.
spGRGa apferk ilf TEsseshyd stops at the
Dove tavern for refreshments The waiter
takes an unusual Interest in him. While
there a British cayalryman and a card
sharper, whom he had met in town few
Chapter Mia Quaker enters the tav--
ern and tells the cayalryman of girl he
has seen In the woods to the north The
ccavalryman leaves to find her. Thorndyke
Is seen by the sharper and fight ensues.
body Of .ne
Thorndyke time enough to be concealed
bSe hihe t%sitff stTESas and the
leave the inn and go to a place of conceal
m ment H khown to the patriots Here they
Quaker friend. Ames, is the girls half
sfgehhh aper x ae their
Chapter efs rd. : R5V..MThorndyke proposes that
they slip down the river in boat to where
guard and take to the sea. A fog assists
s !hsyv the rea xsptn he phan
tom In safety and find Scammell and Louns-
bury on board, the guard having gone
ashore; The two men are imprisoned in
70 vii he tee &c bs
on British warship. but the fog again
hides them, and they escape for the time
Chapter NVIII--They are pursued by a
1nty tp1ya l.~t 1,oC
seems certain when the wind suddenly dies
aGGh hapter AKA boat is sent from the
warship. but is beaten Off Then three
| come. and the schooner Is boarded. In
| the fight that ensues Ames is shot and the
| girl disappears. The small boat behind
| the schooner has been overturned by shot
| from the war vessel, and. as last resort,
Thorndyke dives into the sea and comes
ehapser he ansyt the dingy rhorndyke
hears the plans made for the sailing of the
Charge He also ois hears Ms'l that Ames IS not
dead. and surgeon is sent to care for him.
'9Gfh a T5f Is nS1 feTrhd succeeds in
/ reaching the deck of the Phantom and inn
| prisoning the three men Of the crew. He
has fight with Lounsbury and kills him.
| The surgeon accepts parole and agrees to
ea Ghapeer sS WIG "a so nSs Sail wreck
I age caused by shot from the British ves-
/ sell Thorndyke finds Miss King still alive.
| He puts her under the Doctors care. A
storm comes UP and. single-handed. he
Chapter XIII. ---.Thorndyke goes into the
cabin and drags the drunken doctor onto
i Gnues In ride the heavy sea.
/ Chapter NSIV.--The imprisoned crew is
1 released to help man the schooner, and one
of them is swept off the deck into the sea
/ and drowned
4 Chapter XXV.-Thc Phantom is over
/ hauled by the American prvateer Jenny.
/ The storm breaks away. and, with the help
i of the Jenny's crew. Thorndyke and his
i little party reach his mothers home. The
/ Phantom with its cargo is sent on to the
patriot army at New London.