The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-04-19
CHAPTER xrx.-CoyrIxrrp

CHAPTER NTN.-CuyTrNrTp.
Saving the two shots from the Hrst boat,
not small arm had been fired by ,h,m up
10 this time, their determination to carry
tho weasel by cold steel alone being apparent
III through the attack A. my cyc ranged
,ycr the circle Of men that spread about as
and hemmcd ~ to the taiifail lyct tor al
heir numbers were held of hy the com
nand Of their ofhorrl, ! saw many a face
g,ll known 70 me ashore, bat not ono cy.
,ressing an atom Of mercy. With a watch
al look ! anticipated any possible onset,
,nd yet through all the peat ,lFor oi tight
.ned nerves and stifisnsd mu,r.ys my gaze
played beyond their lines aud marked the
lctails Of the surroundings.
The broad ocean lay almost IKE fiass save
iJr the regular hsave that passed over o. like
a wave over the surface OF molten metal
10 our starboard beam was an upturncd
boat floating lazily away, It probably having
been stove or capszed by the hatch had
'4st into Il. and near It duflcd thc hatch
itssli On deck tl4q fallen canvas covered The
vessel amidships, and alutt the ragged ajUmp
Vt the iopmast. standing clear against thr
iappled tky. looked like a Pine shtyuci hy
lightning. 4 profound silence had iailcu
whsrp u momeEt before had been a dlu Of
shouts and crashing timber profound save
Tor dull humping forward which knew
came from the prisoners, whu a,r, thus s'g
mailing ior release. The moment U1g near
al hand when ! should pass my s0uI Co It-
Maker. and yet. though TIE r-sn'yt was aa
strong a. ever. / warcrll, not iu fear u, Che
next world, but drcsdiHg ,hg terrible slfug
Ilt that would come when % healthy body
llo mine wrcstles IN the grip OF sditu"atfou.
II our cdptafs could not br FHIdul into
shooting me- nothing was lrit iut to cast
myself into the sCa. aud this ] would not DO
70 long a. the young Quaker stood @, Ey
side.
A sudden cry from the bow. soon followed
10y the sound oi metal striking wr'l io'H
me that the prisouets were out and hur-
freed from their irons. Rg'dru, without
vouchahug 60 answer my defiance, hung
hesitating evidently awaiting thy arrival
oi his superior to direct 'u'UFu movements.
narmsd save Tor the ilfn steel FOO our
hands, we were an easy prey tu him IHt our
dya,ha now been his Object, b,t as lh'rr
had been Io show Of force a.'os boarding us.
I the peppcry royalist. still smaFing ilum lhr
disgrace under which had been !. means
oi placing him. felt sure Of h.s ultimate 'ri.
umph over me, aud. giving the order 'o ho'I
~, where we stood, turned toward th.T.r'
OF tho disturbance forward and hurried off,
I wss a step in advance oi Nm,s. who 20
l,ancd ngatnst the wheel. when heard hla
voice IN my car,
"Therc'ss fair chsuoc for leap. p.rl'd, %
lc whispered. THE last tir e gone Er
/ thrc ready
.N-.. - % .....s.....1 s.ttI, sNl.. 4,..
20, 90, parted. still hang 90 n'y noih. !
have sern nothing at Gertrude Whore can
| she bey'
"She is past the sight Of this, thank Cod"
| lee returned She BE- dead. man, dead and
zone, and We viii soon follow hrr. ! -nn
/ her"
Again he was interrupted. TINS time hy
/ uild veil from the bow, add the man wh0ul
/ tered It started aft chased hs half @ dozen
marines. IL was Scammel With litl,
/ upon him save q shirt and Als small r'uihes
| be- broke through the half circle 'h1t ruW.
! Iss-ed Us. haltiua Just within i.a limits. llo
va, q horrible object lis hafr hung iau
| sed over his shoulders; hi~ eyes v.lt fierce
! and boodshot hls lace was distorted hy
| rage, and its pallor was startling NHhuu.
/ q word Of warning be called mc q wife U..uu,
sud with sn oath raised pistol h. hsd
probably snatchcd from some one aud, level
| ns It ct me. fired The ball pl.soi hcIVlNf
| my body and elbow without tnughiug the
! ,lin. but il struck Amcs. who was lus br.
| find me. ] heard a deep groau a. the youth
/ ftlI to the dock. his head striking ihr p.arE
| ing with heavy blow, and % number oi
hands sprang upon the iniuratcd officer raud
/ iTaEgcd him backward
| Il wac done IN an instant The shook aud
audiences Of the attack came like o. thur.
| derhOlt. and yet | retained mN rrgsruC, ui
rund. With my eve still hyed on my enc.
E.ics, ] stopped to one knee and felt Tor The
! hand Of ms friend. calling on him to speak
! bat no sound came 10 Wy repeated appeal
| and the hand | found gave no answering
| pressure. lie was dead past doubt, and had
| quickly joined his sister, who, 10 some man
ncr unknown to me. had gone before him.
| II was the eliminating wave OF disaster,
aud for the moment felt like sinking Dc
meath IL. Within a quarter hour ly y.o'
| lrnce / had been hcrcit of my two CON.
panions. and thus was suddenly freed from
my obligation to live. With none left for
| whom TO combat, surrounded by triumphant
I enemies, and before me ruin IN the shape oi
! the moose, 10 was nov my right, a. well al
| considered duty. 10 preserve myself from the
dikgrnce oi being hanged a. a spy. 'Iwouid
he but & short struggle, moments Wild
agony, perhaps, and then the end bra,rl
myself for the ordeal Rising 90 NY feet,
gave a lasi glance around, my eye taking IN
the vast sweep Of the sea, on deck thr ma
iines still wrestling with the murdcrous
rnyalist, aud, hurrying al,, Iielden, followed
by I4ounsbury. Then turning my thoughts
aloft, ! had a revelation, without the
slightest mental effort, without the slightest
bending Of the mind toward any refuge this
side Of the great unknown, possihlc-ay
probable--way Of escape opened before me.
"A the angel Of the Lord at the last moment
called on Abraham 70 desis, Srom the Ncri.
! fee Of his son, 40 burst this ligh, out oi
thick darkness ard showed me my work wus
rot yet finished. More than willing was ! To
Lrasp this more than chance. As though q
stone had been rolled from my chest, I took
a deep breath. and quickly unloosing my
tclt, threw both cutlass and seabbard to tho
itck, then turning, with a stride | reached
the rail and cast myself headlons into the