The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-09-09
CHAPTER w.
ENTER MAJOR COVENTRY.

60 ing along through the Irish
sea, OF the English coast, near the
mouth of the Merscy. The w~halcboat,
manned by six uf the smartcst
armed with cutlass and pistol, and
dressed in their best clothes, old Price
being cockswain again, was Just being
made ready. The ship was presently
hove to, and IL side ladder WAS dropped
overheard mt tho gangwry where Miss
Elizabeth Howard and her maid were
standing waiting for the lowering of
the w~halcboat, and around which the
officers of the deck speedily congrcgat-
ed.
They were Il sorrowful lot of men,
these imprcsSiorablc sailors. for O'Neill
WAS not alone in his captivity. True to
his promise, Captain Jones had shifted
his course M was about to land his
fair passenger. He had chosen TO put
her ashore upon Il rocky beach four or
five miles away from 4 fort at Birkcn-
head which guarded the mouth of the
river which gave entrance to the har.
Dor, not caring to venture his ship In
any closer proximity to the fortitlca-
tions and tho war vessels probably in
the river. 1t was q risky performance
at best, but he trusted to the known
speed of the Ranger and his own sea-
manShip to effect his escape In case the
ship should be discovered and pursued
In force.
Once on shore 1t would not he n dill.
cult matter for the lady and her maid
to procure n conveyance to take them
TO the city, Il little farther inland. The
melancholy duty of landing the two
women, by special request, had been al
lottcd TO the first lieutenant, much to
the disgust of the various midshipmcn,
who conceived that the matter of talk
ing charge OF boats appcrtnincd moro
properly to one of their number.
The furcwclls were o spoken by
the grateful girl to the officers, who
had done their very best in making the
days pass pleasantly and tightening
the tcdium Of the voyage, and to the
captain, who had been kindness and
consideration itself. Tho young leu
tenant, still somewhat pale from his
adventure, had clothed himself in n
handsome full dress uniform and, with
Il %splcndidly jcwclcd sword swinging
by his side, came on deck from his
cabin, the envy of all the others.
The ship had been hove to, the ac-
commodation ladder shipped, the whale
boat was lying ut the gnngway now,
and the three passengers at once took
their places In the stern.
"Sce Miss Howard safely landed, Mr..
O'Ncill," said the solicitous captain,
leaning owe the rail, "and assure your
self as far as possible OF her ability to
reach the town without harm and then
return at once. In my event do not
leave the beach. We will watch you,
sir"
"Aye, aye, sir" answered O'Ncill.
"Shovc olf-out oars-givc way" and
the little boat ut once shot away from
the side, and, under the impetus given
by the watchful men, dashed toward
the not distant shore.
Miss Howard should have been IA
dainty happy at leaving the Ranger
and in her proximity to Liverpool,
where she was about to meet not only
friends and family connections, but
one who was destined to be something
more. This person was Major Edward
Coventry, Il gallant and distinguished
young officer, the son and heir of her
guardian, Lord Wcstbrookc, and to
whom for many years from infancy,
in fact-shc had been bctrothcd. Blu
an unaccountablc tingc of sadness how
cred ovcr her lovely face, though she
stroye to conceal ii under an nffcctation
of lightncss and gaycty.
AS for O'Ncil, he made no effort
whatever to hide his misery. The i'm
questionable young Irishman had fallen
deeply i'm love with Elizabeth Howard.
He had fallen in love Il thousand times
before, but not In this way, and the
heart which had withstood the sue
cessful assaults of the brilliant beau
ties of the gay court of France had lit
orally succumbcd at the first sight of
this beautiful English girl whom be-
nlgnant fortune had thrown across his
path.
She, and she only, was his fate, then
ana thereafter. \ new and hitherto
unknown feeling had been excited in
his heart at the sight of her. In that
hour in The boat when he lay with his
head upon her knee, when lie had look
ed up at her, heaven had opened before
his gaze, and to his diSorlcrcd fancy
she had seemed an angel. Each paSs-
Ing IN discovered i'm her Il new
charm, and he loved her with the i'm.
pctuosity Of Il boy, the doting passion
of an old man and the conservation of
Il devoted.
With the daring of his race, lie had
not hcStitatcd TO acQuaint The girl with
his passion. either. though it was stale
news to her. There is nothing Il woman
discovers more quickly and moro GER
tainly than the feelings of Il man who
Owes her. That she had laughed at
his ardor had not in the least deferred
him from pcrsisting In his attentions,
which she had not found unwclcomc,
for he thoroughly understood the value
Of determined pursuit. She had told
him that they were like two Ships sail.
ing the great sca. whose paths hap.
pencd TO cross for Il moment. They
meet, nod To each other. and pass on;
the deep swallows them up. and they
sec each other no moro forever.
He had vowed and protested that it
would not be so; that England was n
little country and Admiral Westbrooke
n great man; that she could not be any
where without attracting the attention
of the world-shc could by no means
hide her light; that lie would withdraw
from the American service, which lie
cOuld houorabIy do ot fho nynirofiop of