Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-22

eu NY teluPcI, uuI INV eAdt 1uuSC nave |
recourse to deception, 7 let him bide the |
ting out of the danger bearing down from
windward. Putting curb on my temper,
/ said:
"You will get up the British ensign and
hold the course. We will clear them yet"
And with this / turned toward the com
panion.
Now, whether he feared / was about to
arm myself, and preferring to take me as
stood (which was more than most men
dare attempt), or whether his plans were
ripe for action, I know not; but he inter
posed his square figure betwixt me and
the door, and with mighty patronizing air,
spake thus:
Faith, captain, had no call to harrow
we, seeing the game is in my own two hands;
but list bit, and we may yet be comrades
again. No matter how know, but do
know We look to cozen yonder ships by false
papers, seeing tits impossible to dodge them
as they have the weather gauge of We an
We are in the blight of the land. Now what
use might be yer papers should see fit
to damn we as rebel with cargo of rebel
lead consigned to rebels? About as much
sarvice as rabbits tail to COW in flytime.
Ye be man O. sense an have little liking,
I take it, for taste o either Cunningham
1.-THE British provost marshal at New York;
or one O. the prison hulks, an We can escape
them both if my standing by ye will help,
by just handing over the bit O gold We have
snugged away below"
The shock of this demand with the knowl-
edge of what might lay in store for me
caused me to lose thought of all else save
how the fellow had gotten 30 familiar with
my private affairs, and to this day have
never entirely fathomed it. And it was
here 1 was clutched by fear Of the danger
bearing down on me, for my best-laid plans
were rendered valueless by the scoundrel
had too easily taken on trust. cannot
account for his insight, save that he had
probed my locker when was absent this
fact being plain enough), and had in some
mysterious way come at the fact that l
possessed treasure which, by search, he
had discovered hidden somewhere beyond
his reach. Be this as it may, saw that
my secret was no longer mine alone.
It is very possible my emotion showed
in the face, and he, nightly astray in guess
ing my temper, doubtless thought I was
completely in his power. And, in fact, for
had given thought to it. Before could
6otASA WSAoo W AAoAiC oA ohSWCAy AS SOa-
tinued, though with lowered voice:
"'Tis five hundred pounds to the penny,
] fancy; if more, We can keep the rest. Did
We play Jack Lounsbury for sucking? l
, started this voyage on your farms, but we'll
finish on mine. Have We slept since the war
i began that We knew not the color o Louns-
bury O. Rye? Come, now, speak out!"
] "Then We looked to fall in with yonder
! ships, did ye, We scoundrel" said 1, while
! gathered myself together.
Gay, two O. them. The one 70 east is q
fight O. luck"
''What are they?"
"The tail O. Howe's feet from Philadel.
phia. Ye may swear that Clinton has evacu-
ated the place an is marching across Jersey
! for New York. So it was to be. Am I plain
enough? They be bound for the same
place, an, d-n it, man, shall we go with
them or no? Speak out!"
| docs anyone know of my private mat.
ters save YOURSELF" asked, as knitted
my strength to fulfill the purpose had ar
rived at.
"None O. that now! Isee yer game! What
l know, know! An We think if am made
way with, all's safe" With this he backed
a pace, and, drawing pistol from his pocket
presented it full at me. Now" he con
tinued, with devihsh look in his half
closed eyes, Eye are my prisoner an I cap
tain; an as for the matter O that, hav,
been all along"
had guessed the man was armed. Know
ing me, he would hardly have had the dar
ing to thus speak to my face without mean
Of defense. OF his possible backing by tn,
crew, had given no thought (which came
near making an end of mel, but my wrath
was boundless, and, as his firearm came
nearly within reach, quickly stretched out
my left hand and struck up the weapon, then
with an oath l made step forward and
planted my right fist in his face. The blow
fell far too short to bring him down, only
knocking his pipe from his mouth; but, as il
surprised, his little eyes opened wide as he
turned under its force, and again with ali
my power struck him fairly beneath hii
left ear.
Though it may be unbecoming in me tc
chronicle my own strength, the blow was .
fearful one. It lifted him clean off his feet;
the pistol and spyglass went spinning into
the larboard scupper, where he followed
them, falling with a crash, the blood squirt
ing from his ears, nose and mouth. had
little doubt that I had killed him, and az
little care, but with a natural instinct fol
| loWeu anu DenC over MIN.
At that instant the fresh wind from the
south struck us. Possibly we had lain in 9
calm for space while the breeze veerec
from the east, but of that have no knowl
edge, only, as we presented full beam tt
the blast. it lurched us to larboard, ant
caused me to straighten myself to got bal
ance.
1t was well did, and have since looked
4 that Or1ef NO nm mt 81 Il.
4 Almighty to save me from the knife Of al
assassin, for az lifted myself caught
glimpse of the bare feet of negro making
toward me. he was on me In breath.
saw the glitter of his knife, and wheeled il
time to catch the descending blade in my
left arm just above the elbow. With ,
mighty wrench / twisted about, breakin,
the steel in my flesh, and, catching the fel
low by the throat, held him for one instant
then, lifting him, flung him clean over til,
rail into the sea. From first to last he ut
tered no sound, and if ever he came to til,
surface saw him not.
In the maddened fury possessing me m,
wound felt no more than the prick Of
needle, though found the steel was through
and through the flesh. Plucking it out, ra1
forward with the determination of takin,
the status of the remaining hand, but I coulc
not find him at first, for both galley and fore
castle were bare of everything human. As
came up from the latter 1 saw him astrid,
the starboard spreader of the foremost will
pistol in his hand. doubted not that h,
would have shot at me as passed under
him on my way forward, only that the helm
being relieved of pressure the vessel had
gone into the wind, and the violent motor
of the headsails and tremor of the mast un
der the thunderous thrashing of the foresai
made an aim impossible. His attitude and
the pistol told the story of the part he wa,
expected TO play in the mutiny which had
probably been Matched before leaving Nor
folk But the cowardly cur had either
skulked at the last moment or had beer
too rapid for him, and he had swarmed W
the shrouds to be out of reach, and there
sat looking down at me. passed no words
with him, but, running back on the lar
| board eide, fetched my rifle from the cabin
apaA atAndlpG hx thu lbreAk q Ahs noep,