The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-04-12
CHAPTER XvIIT.-Covrr

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CHAPTER XVIII -CoNrrSuED.
As time went, we saying little or nothing
betWixt Ms. ] marked our followers growth
Is she drew on. Littls by little out came the
details Of her canvas, and, a. | picked point
after point, there dawued ou nc the almost
certainty that our pursugr was none other
than the Sprite, the last vessel Of his maj
srty's hotilla ! cared to meet.
From the deck OF the AJAX ] bad been
Informed OF the Sprita's abscncc on patrol,
and through the whole morning had held
Ia my mind the dread oi meeting her, oniy
feeling safe from that particular craft since
noQp. Probably she had been snCak,uE un.
der easy sail along the Long island coast,
and had only fairly sighted ne after the
vcstering sun had thrown broad light on
cur convaS Then With keen nose for
anything lcss than a thrrci,gk,r, 10, had
Filed on her clothes the sooner 90 come by
about what business trader had To call
the kings sea without being under CONVOY
| dared not unfold my suspicious, but the
girl, with the eyc of hawk aud The 90
s.inct Of a woman, saved the necessity
u
look al our purnrr che sad.
Capt Thorndyks, that vessel looks like
the one that took me from Philadelphia 10
New York. ! hardly know why ! think
90 hut fear me 'tis the same
"Ay," | answered, hoarscly, ~ have that
fear, and God help ~ Il they overhaul u7, as
they an Ike 20 do, barring m,aclo!-ilayc
you aught 20 offer Amrs sa'd ], nid'cs,
ing her brother, whose face had taken on d
look OF hardur,s che like OF which ! bad
marked at the Dove when be was posing o.
A. old man.
NAY, friend. Re returned, suddenly fal,
ma into the Quaker style of speech and
without taking bis eyes trsm the vessel
astern may friend, ] have but a light
knouledgc Of sea possibilities. To run az
thee be running means to be hntCu in the
race Thee has q head for .uDls Are thee
lost! II so. lhprc Is but one thing iur thee
sad me" And turning h.s eyes tu mine. b.
made a quick gesture toward the water
which IaJii1n ! thought was unohscrycd by
the girl. but | was wrong ia ms uumisc.
Has it come TO tins then 90 shr rIlru
lated with sudden terror u face aud yDic,
Am ! 20 be left alone and 90 thr mercy oi
those Wonder g. Beverly brother yuu will
not oomml, suicide and leave ma without
protector Donald Thorudyks." she con
ruucd, her terror giving place ta an im
periouncss royal "a ITS effect. 'luu have
sworn not TO desert me- Are sou ucryois-s
II last! Nay, / know sou ton well l,k
Your pardon. she ialtsrei wlth % bond Of
her head aud q rapid change io humility;
Il am wrong Better give back t1 the Al
mighty direct the lie lie gave you rather
man have those yondor, il enrmIys th1} hr
take the giving into their mcTo,le-s hands
| was wrong bet the woman in 'ug speak
ilrs;. Nou' burden is greater than mime
Md with this she placed both hands .u her
face and sobhrd aloud
listened ~ silence to this outhurst with
Is shifting emotions There ua. un an.
swcr to make The hlackursy of the last few
days seemed to gather and settle Itself over
me Ike palT We had been cu ihr brink of
safety, the threshold Of content honor and
success, and to see the puzrs sn1lchcd
away at this late hour was lr1ond human
endurance The softuess OF the AR. the
msllowng light, the silky vc.iur on the
sky above us. and the lively sparkle ui the
ocean. suddenly changed from gay congrat.
uiatlon to a hidC0us gru OF IRONY aud malice
m
sptsscs Of the wheel with my whole heart
seemingly bent on meeting each surge ln
manner 10 save our speed 10 comfort the
RIrl was beyond my power even hal 10 lain
in my province. and IN real llic uu man,
fancy, ever iuggles with the truth thc ii
never 30 bitter while looking sluarciy into
he face Of death.
Neither did Ames go TO his sister rescue.
As though 20 lc, her gather the full import
Of the future. he stood apart, only saving,
As the poor girls sobbinr decreased There
is God in Heaven, and what muS be,
must be-"
n, however. ! had remained silent 4 was
not because ] was stunned, iur, though my
tongue was dumb my brain was active
enough There was one chance in q million
that our pursucr was not the Sprtr, OF
even one Of the British fleet II sH, well.
II not ! would sell myself O., such O. price
that there would be but little triumph for
them over my carcass Turning at Ast 10
Amcs said
Until It be made certain that we be lost
TO one another, shall hold ms lir M dearly
ak ever The mere capture OF the schooner
unlez that fellow asteru be the Sprile-
need not bring despair" We viii run as long
=. run we can. and then fight; after that the
action Of each lies with hts own conscience.
As for me, shall not be hanged from n
British prison, hut swear again that while
sou or your aiatcr live and can lft an arm
Tor either ] will still cling 20 the breath God
mas given me. IT, becoming powcrlcss, |
choose 20 cheat the rope, ] will but I've Ike
many a captain who goes down with his
ship. | take Il 'twnuld be 10 common sui.
tide, for my honor would not have suf-
tered"
"Ay, ! aaid naught to mean the cowardly
taking Of ones own life, answered the
yonlh stoutly Fight we viii 70 long ~
.awder and shot hold out Quaker OF no
Quaker. We be seant Of the first, though,
| would 20 Heaven a sudden darkness Ike
that which fell on Calvary would settle ON
.p nowl We might then take 10 the ilnFy
astern and sneak Tor the Long Island shore
lie had hardly spoken when the mainsail
iiappcd, and the wind. which had been rap.
Idly growing lighter, almost went out. |
cast my eye on the following schooner, and
saw with some satisfaction that She, too,
had lost the breeze she had been carrying
with her. for no longer did she heel TO Us
pressure, and, thought no longer were her
sails bclying. hut. like ours, hung in folds,
only occasionally rounded by the diving
puffs. By this Sho had drawn to within a
couple Of miles Of us and was still coming
on. Under our stern there was barely
wake tso slowly We moye1l, the fro,h from
cur bends and rudder having given place 10
an oils aatness filed with tiny cddies,
through which the boat we still towcd slow.
Il dragged ta way Now there was yellow
haze on all the horizon, that told of the
waning day. but the suns broad light still
lay oversize ocean, and il would be hours
ere darkness oould furnish us shelter. by
.aen our fate would be known
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CAPTURE OF THE SCHOONER.