The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-08-26

CHAPTER I.

S9&g "Dccldcdly. This is our
best point of sailing and our best wind
too. We can't be going less than 10
knots" said the captain, looking critic
ally over Ii bows ut the water racing
alongside.
II can almost make out the name on
her stern now with the naked eye" re-
Piled the other, staring hard ahead
through the drift and spray.
"IIave you Il glass there, Mr..
O'Neill?" asked the captain.
Yes, sir; here it is" answered that
gentleman. handing him 4 long, old
fashioned, cumbrous brass telescope.
which he mt once adjusted and focused
on the ship they were chasing.
"Ah!!' said the elder of the two speak
ers, a small, slender man, standing
lightly poised on The topgallant fore
castle with the careless confidence of a
veteran seaman as he examined the
chase through the glass which tho tall
er and younger officer handed him. 81
can read It quite plainly with this. The
Neutrality-suspicious., n trader evidently,
as L sec ito gun ports nor anything that
betokcnS an armament" He ran the
tubes of the glass into each other and
handed 1t back, remarliing, this
rate we shall have her In n short time"
"Shc 10 Il fast one, though" replied
the other. ITS no small task for my
thing aloat to show us her heels for so
long a time. Let me see; it was six bells
in the morning watch when we raised
her, was 1t not, sir?"
Yes, tits rather remarkable going
for a merchant vessel, but we have the
heels of her and will get her soon I'M
less she goes to the bottom on those
reefs round the Lands End yondcr.
It's a nasty place to be tearing through
in that wild way" he added thought
fully.
"Shall 1 give her n shot, sir, from the
starboard bow chaser!"
"Not just yet; 1t would be useless, as
we are not quite within range, and she
would pay no heed; besides, we shall
have her without 1t, and It's hardly
worth Willie wasting n shot upon her
at present"
The brief conversation took place for
ward pom the forccastlc of the AmerI-
can Continental ship Ranger, between
her captain, John Paul Jones, and her
first lieutenant, onc Barry O'Nclll, mar
Quis dc Richcmont, sometime officer in
the navy Of his most Christian majesty
the king of France. O'Neill was tho
son Of n marshal Of France, an Irish
gentleman of high birth and position,
who had gone out as n mere lad with
the young Stuart I'm the 40, md whose
property had beer contiscated and him
self attaintcd and sentenced to death
for hinl fI.nncnn EnriInntp1v hn to1
escaped TO the continent. and had en-
tered the service of the king of France,
where, through his extraordinary abil-
ity and courage, coupled with several
brilliant opportunities he had made and
clioycd. he had risen to exalted station
and great wealth. IIc had always con-
tinucu more or less OF IL consplrator in
the cause Of the royal Stuarts, however,,
and his son. following IN his footsteps,
had been mixed up in very reasonable
.Iacobitc enterprise which had been
undertaken. and was under the same
Ian of the British throne as was his
iItIIcr.
When Paul Jones in the historic ship
Ranger came to France, O'Ncill, moved
by Il spirit of adventure and his ever
present desire to strike n blow Mt King
George, received permission to enter
tho American service temporarily, with
several other French officers. The
Ranger was already some days out on
her successful cruise, when, early on
Il morning In the month of April in the
year 1TTS, they had sighted Il ship try
ing TO beat around the Lands End.
Sail had at oncc been made In chase,
and the stranger was now almost with
In the grasp of the American pursuers.
at seems to me, sir" said O'Neill to
the captain, chat unless she goes
about presently she won't weather that
long reef over beyond her, where those
breakers arc"
aye" said Jones, "and if she goes
about, she's ours, and"- He paused
significantly.
"If not, sirf"
"Shc's God's!' added the captain SOL
cmnly.
The wind was blowing at a furious
rate. The Ranger had a single reef In
her topsails, with her topgallant sails
set above them. The masts were
straining and buckling like bound 81
ants, and the ship quivercd and trem-
blcd like a smittcn harp string as she
pitched and plunged in the heavy seas.
The wind roaring through the iron
taut rigging and the wild spray dash
ing over the sides rendered CONVERSE
ton almost impossible. The motley
crew OF the Ranger were gathered for
ward, clustering on the rail and lower
slrouds, keeping. Of course, at a re-
spcctful distance from their captain
and his first lieutenant and some Of
the other officers grouped near them.
"Sbe must tack now" said Jones at
last, "or she's lost. 1 know these wa
tors; I have smiled them many times
when 1 was n boy. I doubt if they can
weather that reef even BY heayensl
There's a OH board of her, tooI'
he exclaimed as his keen eye detected
the iutter Of drapery and q dash Of
color among the little groun nf mon on
tile deck 90 the Maidstone, evidently
staring aft at her relentless pursuer.
"Scc everything in readiness for
quick work here. Gentlemen" contin-
ned the captain, 'to your stations all.
Mr.. O'Noill, remain with me-" Tho
men FASTENED TO their places at once,
and a little silence s~upervened,
You may give her n shot now, Mr..
| O'Neill.' said Jones at last. at may
bring them TO lacking and save them