The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-12-04

his head Until his eyes looked into her
| own. In the face of that girl. in the
limpid light of her magic glance, in
| that mystic night, there was but one
answer to be made.
Il say no more" he replied, kissing
her softly. 'You are right. l have
you. You are worth it all. I will try
| to be philosopher about all the rest"
Meanwhile the intermittent reports
had been succeeded by a steady roar
of artillery which reverberated and
| rolled along the surface of the water.
The Scarborough. some distance from
| the Scraps and the Richard to the
northwest. was apparently hotly en-
| gagged with the Pallas. while the ALI
| ance seemed to be sailing back and
forth between the two groups of CON-
batants. pouring i'll a random ire upon
| friend and foe alike. Great clouds of
| smoke, punctured by vivid flashes OF
| light. overhung the ships.
The feelings of the young officer can
be imagined. Adrift in that little boat,
| watching the awful combat, not even
| the presence OF the woman he loved
| could compensate him FOR his absence,
| in spite of his attempted philosophy.
| The fever of the conflict possessed
| him. His breath came hard. The
| sweat stood on his forehead. He pray
| ed as never before for breeze to take
him TO the fight. He murmured inco-
| herent words which told to the tender
| listener something of the terrible strug-
| gle which ragged within his bosom. So
| the long hours wore away.
Toward II o'clock they heard ter
| rife explosion, and then the roar of
! the battle slackened and finally died
| away. When the smoke drifted off
| the two ships were lying side by side.
| Farther off, almost hull down, were
the Scarborough and the Pallas, which
had ceased their fight some time before.
The battle was over. Who had won?
But it was late, and the breeze so
! long wished for NOW sprung. mp once
more, and the little boat sat. = I'd way
and began to slip through the water
! again. The sky had become overcast.
. 1t grew very dark. The wind fresh
ened steadily and finally blew so strong
that it required all the skill and adj
dress of which O'Neill was possessed
to keep his unsteady little craft from
capsizing. Finally he was forced to
drop the sail and take to the oars to
keep afloat at all. About o'clock in
the morning squall of rain came
down, and they lost sight of the ships.
vi I'D TOD
again, and they were enabled to set
sail once more. But the ocean was
covered with dense mist. They were
in the thick of it and could see moth
ing. AS nearly as he could judge with
out the aid of a compass O'Neill head
ed the boat toward the place where
they had last made out the two ships.
! eve ought to pick them up in a few
moments now" he said to the COVER
ing, frightened, exhausted girl crouch
ing down in the stern sheets in her
wet, sodden garments, which chung to
her shivering figure. The night had
been too much for her. Her physical
strength had almost given way though
nothing could abate the affection he
saw shining still in her tired eyes.
Therefore in a few moments we shall
know our fate"
"How is that?" she said. rousing her
self little.
eff Commodore Jones has been cap
tured,' he answered, Il have but to
give myself up and redeem Coventry.
andyou know the rest"
"Yes," she replied YEARLY and list
lessly. LET it come. We have fought
good fight, you and l. We can do no
more. And the other alternative?'
''Why. in that case" he said. 1--WE
shall be there under our own flag. He,
too, will be saved, and the rest of our
troubles are over"
"What think you of the prospects,"
she asked Frightening little.
at is difficult to say. The Scraps
and the Scarborough should easily be
more than a match for our whole
squadron. The Richard is almost
worthless as fighting ship, as l said.
Landais, who commands the Alliance,
is insane. I can't prophesy what Cot
tineau will do with the Pallas. We
have but one advantage-JOhn Paul
Jones himself! He alone is worth
thousand"
The light from the rising sun, assist
ed by the fitful wind. began to diSpel
the mists of the morning.
'See!' cried the girl, pointing.
"There, right ahead of us! Are not
those the sails of ship? What ship?"
Wraithlike, as she pointed at rift
in the mist, and wreathed in clouds Of
vapor. there appeared for second the
light canvas of great ship. Follow
ing her outstretched finger he caught
fieeting glimpse Of it. but saw moth
Ing to reassure him as to the result
of the battle. The sight struck terror
to his heart. Such canvas as that was
never set above the decks of the Rich
ard. AS he looked the mist closed
round them again. The ship had van
ished.
"Ah, tits gone, but I am certain l
| saw it. Which was it?" she continued,
| hastily rousing herself at the prospect
| Of decision. "'Tis ship, is it not?
But which oneT'
'"The mist is thinning again. Twill
clear away in a moment" he answered
evasively. 1--WE shall see more dis
tinctly then. She was making toward
US, think" He could not bear to
dash her hopes with the assurance that