Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-23

sea. off the English coast, near this
mouth of the Merscy. The whaicboat,
manned by six of the smartest seamen,
armed with cutlaSs and pistol, and
| dressed in their best clothes. old Price
being cockswain again, was just being
made ready. The ship was presently
hove to. and a side ladder was dropped
overheard at rhe gangway whore Miss
Elizabeth Howard and her maid were
standing waiting for the lowering OF
the whaleboat and around which the
| officers of the deck speedily congregat-
| ed.
They were a sorrOwful lot of men.
! these imprcssionable sailors for ONeill
was not alone in his captivity. True to
| his promise, Captain Jones had shifted
| his course and was about TO and his
! fair passenger. He had chosen to put
her ashore upon "A rocky beach four or
five miles away from fort at Birken-
! head which guarded the mouth of the
river which gave entrance to the har-
Dor, not caring to venture his ship in
any closer proximity to the fortfica-
| tions and the war vessels probably in
the river. 1t was a risky performance
at best. but he trusted to the known
! speed of the Ranger and his own sea
manship to effect his escape in case the
ship should be discovered and pursued
in force.
once on shore it would not be a diff
cult matter for the lady and her maid
| to procure n conveyance to take them
10 the city, a little farther inland. The
melancholy duty of landing the two
women, by special request, had been al
lotted to the first lieutenant, much to
the disgust of the various midshipmen,
who conceived that the matter Of TAX
ing charge of boats appcrtained more
properly to one of their number.
The farewells We're soon spoken by
the grateful girl TO the officers, who
had done their very best in making the
days pass pleasantly and tightening
the tedium of the voyage, and TO the
captain. who had been kindness and
consideration itself. The young lieu
tenant, still somewhat pale from his
adventure, had clothed himself in a
handsome full dress uniform and. with
splendidly jeweled sword swinging
by his side, came on deck from his
cabin, the envy of all the others.
The ship had been hove to. the ac-
commodatio ladder shipped, the whale
boat was lying ut the gangway now,
and the three passengers at once took
their places in the stern.
See Miss Howard safely landed, Mr..
| No tni
leaning over the rail. land assure your
self as far as possible of her ability to
reach the town without harm and then
return at once. In any event do not
leave the beach. We will watch you,
sir"
AVE, aye. sir" answered O'Neill
"ShOve o(f-out oars-give way" and
the little boat at once shot away from
the side, and, under the tmp' tus given
by the watchful men, dashed toward
the not distant shore.
Miss Howard should have been ra-
dainty happy at leaving the Ranger
and in her proximity 10 Liverpool,
where she was about to meet not only
friends and family connections, but
one who was destined to be something
more. This person was Major Edward
Coventry. a gallant and distinguished
young officer, the son and heir of her
guardian, Lord WestbroOke, and TO
whom for many years-from infancy,
in fact-shc had been betrothed. But
an unaccountable tinge of sadness how
cred over her lovely face, though she
strove to conceal it under an alfectauon
of lightness and gayety.
As for O'Neill, he made no effort
whatever to hide his misery. The i'm
questionable young lrishman had fallen
deeply in love with Elizabeth Howard.
He had fallen in love thousand times
before, but not in this way, and the
heart which had withstood the sue
cessful assaults of the brilliant beau
ties of the gay court of France had lit
orally succumbed at the first sight Of
this beautiful English girl whom be
nignant fortune had thrown across his
path.
She, and she only. was his fate. then
and thereafter. A new and hitherto
unknown feeling had been excited j.
his heart at the sight Of her. In that