The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-11-04
CHAPTER XVI.

ES51SFS Scraps, o'Ncill rose, threw
y@9&2a off the boat cloak, and
stepped aft around the oarsman to the
stern sheets of the boat, where Eliz-
abeth sat motionless, holding the tiller.
He knelt down before her.
elizabeth, dearest, we have actually
escaped" he said softly, STOPPING
toward her. 81 did not think 1t pos
sibleW She released the tiller, took his
head in her hands and kissed him in
wild exultation.
"Free! Free!" she murmured, "and
together-my own, my own!' Her
words, her look, her caress, set his
blood bounding again.
Eyes, yes; Is 1t not heavenly, and
with you? Oh, my soul, how can I
repay your he whispered, giving back
kiss for kiss, and stretching out his
hands toward her. There was a little
pause, broken by a rough voice, which
Its owner evidently tried to render
more gentle. In a hoarse. whisper
the man Mt the oars asked:
"Where are We a-headin' of the boat,
yer leddyshipf"
III know not!' she answered wildly,
SELLING the tiller again. "only away
from that awful ship"
"Who is this man at the oarsP'
asked her lover, rising and sitting
down by her when he took the tiller
from her narvous hands.
"Well, yer honor" said a low, deep
voice, with n ~smothering laugh In 1t,
"my name ashore, were 1 was left
by Captain Jones t'other night 10 look
| N ,.far ,,,p,,ohf lNo Sp,tt1, ~. - ,yn
or n old name; but yere in this BOAT
it's Price-William Z. Price-w'ich Is
wot my mother told me, at any rate,
though l amt got no evidence but
her wore fur it, an she's dead, an
God be thanked 1 see yer honor alive"
price! You'll" exclaimed O'Neill In
great surprise. GLOW did you find
him, dearestf"
II found her. please yer honor" re-
piled the man. II seed her leddyship
a-comin' down to the beach, an I
ups an captures q small. BOAT from
the English, witch the man u! be awful
disappointed like Wen he don't find
her tomorrow, an then 1 ups an Of
fers to take her off, an 1 tells her I
knows yer, an we fixes 1t up, an
here We are!"
They were not yet so far from the
Scraps, even by this time, but that
the quick ear of the girl detected the
confusion on hrr decks--the shrill pip
ing Of the b6atswain and his mates,
the sharp commands of the officers,
the trampling of many feet, We're east
ly heard. She clutched her lover nerv-
ously, all alert at the thought Of q
| yocci1>ln ft1rfbnr Jonnor fn hin,
"Oh," she whispered, "they are doing
something OH the ship. Our escape Is
discovered. They Will come after us!
Not with the whole ship" he an
swcred, smiling, though listening with
straining apprehension as we'll.
II think they're a-gettin' under way,
sir" said the old m "Listen to
the clankin' O. the pawls, yer honor"
You are right. 1t cannot be after
us, though. A cutter or two would
suffice for that"
at III be fur the Richard an the rest
Of 'em. Cap'n Jones, he said he'd cap
ture them ships afore the mornin'
watch, an IL you wasn't hung afore
that time he'd trice up the whole
crowd to the yardarms unless they'd
let you go free. Our vessels ought to
be a-comin' up from Famburry putty
soon now. But if j mought make so
bold, Were are ye headln' fur now,
slr?"
1--WE head for the Richard, of
course" said the young man promptly.
"That's Were we b'long," said the
sailor joyfully. T don't want no
fghtin' goin' on an I amt therer'
"Nor l." replied O'Neiil. ~ would
put you ashore, Elizabeth, before we
60, butt
"'Whither thou goest I will go; thy
people shall be my people," she quot
ed softly. "Whom have 1 now but
you? TO whom can 1 go but to your"
She murmurcd, laying her hand upon
his own 1t was dark OIL the boat, but
if 1t had been broad daylight he could
not have helped 1.-THE kissed her.
ooh. to be worthy of 1T all, to be
worthy he answered.
William grinncd sympathetically.
| wiped his mouth w%istfully with the
back Of his hand, and tried to look
away. Presently, %unshipping the oars,
the two men stepped the mast and
hoistcd the small sail. The little boat,
ulluct VIC lIeShcllnS DEeeTc, peBull
to draw through the water rapidly. In
order to win out of the mouth Of the
harbor, they would have to pass in q
direction which would bring them
once more near the moving Scraps.
They could hardly hope to escape dis
covery. They had, of course, gained
a good start on the frigate. But as she
was soon covered with sails, and her
great height enabled her to catch the
freshening breeze blowing over the
hills, which was lost to the smaller
craft, she literally rushed down upon
them.
A noble picture she made to those on
the boat. Ghostlike and eerie in the
pale moonlight, shining ftfully through
the overcast heavens, the great white
ship lowered above them, her soaring
masts covered with clouds OF snowy
canvas stretching far out on either side
of the spreading yardarms. HeC sails
swept the skies. He keel plowed
the deeps. The wind sang In the top
hamper. The white water, shot with
sparks, piled up In front of her, bub.
bled and played around her fore foot
and rolled away on either side in
broad sheets of foamy p~hosphores-
cence. Tho yellow lights of the battle
lanterns streamed through her open
ports. A drum was grimly rolling the
II naI1 IL INn4Nl- 80 49,. l1t. NAr.Ef