The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01
Is BY
"A. Conan DOYLE
7Iritllng Sen Story 71tat Relates the End Of
III the .t.Siapping Sal md Her Captain.

, banks. The FrenolltnAtl had gone about
also, aud both Fnips were now heading
slowly for the sea under fore-and-att
cnnvns, the uloiro hundred yards In
advance. sho luffed Up 10 aross the Les
das bows, but the British ship came
nrot,nd also, and the two rippled slowly
on In stitch Silence that tho ringing IL
the ranrods as tho french marines drove
homo their charges olanged quito loud.
~ upon the car.
mot much son room. Mr.. wharton" re-
married tile onptnin. 5 st
II hDve fought actions In loss, sir,
"We must keep otir distance and trust
to our gun1lery. sho ia very heavily
manned. and II shc got alongside We
might find ourselves IN trouble"
~ SOC the shakoes OF soldiers abonrd
of her" "a III
Two companies o. light infantry from
Martinique. Now wo havo he,, n lard a.
port, and lot her have It "a We cross her
stern is,sa II a
The keen eyes yof the little commander
had seen tho surface ripple, which told
OF a passing breeze. He had used I to
dart across the big Trenchman and to
rake hor with every gun els he passed.
But. once past ier. tho 14edn had to como
back into the wind to keep out OF shonl
water. Tho mnnoou2ro brought her on
tho starhoard sidc OF tho Frenclmnn,
and the trim little friBate seemed to heel
right over under the crashing brondslde
which burst from tho gaping ports. q
moment lator her topmeri wore swarming
/ aloft to set her topanlls and royals and
she strovo to cross the Gloire's bows and
rake her again. Tho French captain.
however, brought his, frigate's hcad round
and tho two rode side by side within easy
pistol shot. pouring broadsidos into each
other In one OF those murderoua duels
which. could they all BE- recorded. would
motte our charts with blood. 55
In that heavy tropical air, with 30
faint a breexe, the smoke formed q thick
haze around tho two vessels. from which
the topmaBts only protruded. Neither
could SEQ anything Of It's enemy save
the throbs OF fire In tho darkness, and
the guns were sponged and trained and
fred into q dense wall OF vnpor. On the
poop and the forecastle the marines In
two little red lines. wore pouring in ther
Yolleys, but neither they nor the searr,en
gunners could see what efreot their fro
was having. Nor. indeed, could they. tell
how far they were suffering Themselves,
for. standing at a gun. one could but
hazily 500 that upon tho right and the
left. But above tho roar OF the piping
shot, the crashing OF rlven planks and
+ the OCcaSl Onal neOVy LnuQ aS y spar OF
block came hurting onto the deck The
lieutenant paced UP and down the lins
OF guns, while Captain Johnson famed
the smoke away with his cooked hat
and peered eagerly out.
'.This Is rare, Bobbyl'' said no. as the
lieutenant Joined him. Then suddenly ro.5
stra,ning himaelf, What have no lost.
Mr.. Wharton7'
"our maintopsall yard and our Kafr.
SIR" -
s5s'''yvhere's the nag7"
"Gone overheard. SIR Isl
I They'll think we've struck Lash a
boats ensign on the starboard arm Of
the mizzen cross jackya I'd"
Yes, sir" .ss5 5 IA @F
A round shot dashed the pinnacle TO;
bp,eces between us. A second shot knock
ed two marines into a bloody. pa lptat!ng
mass For a moment the smok 50 Csc.
and the English captain saw that his lad- y,
yersary'a heavier metal was produ cling
a horrible effect. The Leda was q sha II;
tered wreck. Her deck was strcwn With
corpses Several OF her poTt olcs wsrs
knocked into one, and one OF her eight
cen FOUNDER guns had been thrown right
In ok on to her breech and pointed stralRht
IN to tho sky. The thin limo OF marines
stlll loaded and fired. but half the guns
we're silent and their crews wern piled
thickly around them. Is 11y X.
STAND i BY to repel bonrders yelled Nsc
tho captain. y 5Sl5