The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-02

| VftuC uIC utC COft0tctOHoE
! be some conditions to the royal gift.
The admiral bowed. "And Major Gov
[ entry?' cried the Irishman.
"His desires must give way to-er-
| reasons of state" said the admiral de-
cisively. 81 will arrange all that. If
you can obtain her consent to your
| suit she is yours. provided He
paused significantly. All, the condi-
tons.
| "AIy consentw thought Elizabeth,
| happiness flooding her like a wave.
and then she remembered that she was
a woman. and indignation found a
Judgment in her being. Twas not
| thus she would be wooed and won,
not in this bartering way disposed of.
| By what right did any one, even her
guardian, presume to- O'Neill was
speaking again.
"What are the conditions-what is it
you wish me to do? If it be in human
power, it's done. Torment me no
more. AS you are a man and have a
heart speakv' In his agitation the
younger man seized the elder by the
arm.
81 desire you to 90 back to your ship
and arrange to put in my possession
| the person of John Paul JONES'" said
] the admiral, with the greatest deib-
GRAFTON, concealing his anxiety by an
appearance of great firmness as he nom
chalantly helped himself to pinch or
snuff. An accurate observer would
have noticed that the trembling of his
hands belied his simulated calmness.
1t was out now! What would the
man say or do? Elizabeth sank back
appalled, So this was the condition;
| this was the test. He was to choose
between her and black treachery-dis-
Had her idol feet of clay, after all?
Her fate hung in the balance. She
could never survive his shame if he
| fell; if not-ah!
O'Neill released the admiral at once.
stared at him long moment in horri-
| fed silence, shrank away from him
and sank down in the chair and buried
his face in his hands for little space.
His two auditors waited, hope for diff
| ferent results trembling in either heart.
! Presently he looked up and rose to his
F., feet.
"Treachery -dishonor-shame! And
| with her innocence and youth and
beauty you bait your trap!' CALCULATED
| O'Neill brokenly. The admiral still
played with his snuffbox, his eyes
averted, his hands trembling still. Was
it age or
ooh, my God, my God" continued
| the sailor, stricken to the very heart
ITO raise my hopes to such pitch
to put the cup of happiness to my very
| lips-to open the gates of heaven in my
| very presence, and couple your propo-
| sitions with this-this infamy! l am
| lover, sir, you know it well, but you
| should not have forgotten that am,
before everything else, a gentleman.
| How could you do it? 1t ill becomes
your years." he went on impetuously,
| in mounting Indignation. 81 am your
prisoner-your captive, but knew not
that misfortune gave you right to in
suit me thus. My lord. my lord, the
ladder upon which you put my feet
leads down, not up. He'll, not heaven.
is its end"
''Thinkv' said the admiral doggedly,
feeling the game was lost. but, like a
desperate gamester, playing on. 1.-The
Lady Elizabeth is at the end, where'er
it be-"
81 love her. God only knows chow
much love her. From the moment
saw her have had no thought but for
her. l could not look her in the face
and be guilty of this thing" The girl
in the picture almost cried aloud for
JOY in this triumph of her lovers hon.
or.
"She shall never know replied the
admiral. II will pledge my word of
honor"
The honor of the tempter for the dis
honor of the tempted. O'Neill laughed
bitterly.
1T has not in forty years of service
been called in question" replied the
old man. sitting his growing shame.
"Nor has mine" said O'Neill, until
this hour. You are her guardian, an
old man. Your gray hairs should pro-
tect you, but IT'S well for you that
have no sword, for swear l would
plunge it first into your heart and ther
into my own
think what it is Offer" persisted
the other. Compare it to what yot
now have in the way of worldly hon
or. What do you care for that bit OF
striped bunting and those beggarly reb
els who have presumed to declare re
public? What is a republic anyway
and what function has it in gentle
mans life. pray? What have we tt
do with the common people? VIVA
are their aspirations to you? What at
filiations have you for that low borI
gardener, turned pirate and buccanee
tn rayaoq orr cooStS diShOnor O1r fin o