Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-01-06

immobility. The crew Of the yacht
looked on stolidly. noninterferent, and
were kept by their officers ut cleaning
and painting. rs necessary occupiers Of
the mind. But one or other Of them, of
his own free will always kept an eye
OIL the guest whether he was on deck
or below. He had given them whole
soma taste OF his quality. and they had
IN abject dread Of what he might be
uI. to next If he was left alone. They
quite understood that he would de-
gtroy lie yacht and all hands If by do
ina, so he could regain his personal lib
rty.
But others, it seems, besides those
already mentioned in this narrative,
were taking lively interest in the
smart yacht and her people. She was
at anchor in the bay Of the Riff coast,
and the gentry who inhabited the
beach villages and the villages in the
hills behind the beach had always
looked upon anybody and anything
they could grab as their just and law
full prey. The sultan Of Morocco, the
warshps of France, Spain and else
where and the emissaries Of other pow
ers had time after time endeavored to
school them in the science of civiliza-
ton without effect, and so they still
remain today the only regularly prac-
ticing pirates in the western world.
The yacht was sighted first from the
hills. was reported to the beach vii
lagos and was reconnoitered under COW
er Of night by a tiny fishing boat. The
report was pleasing, and word went
around. Bearded brown men collected
at an appointed spot, each with the
arms to which he was best accustomed,
and when darkness fell four large
boats were run down to the feather
edge of the surf. There was no indie
cent hurry. They did their work with
method and carefulness, like men who
are used to it, and they arrived along
side the yacht at 3 a. m. and conf
IDENTIFY expected to take her by sur
prise.
But the crew of the yacht, thanks to
Captain Kettles vagaries, were not In
the habit Of sleeping oversoundly.
They never knew what piece of dan
gerous mischief their little captive
might turn his willing hand to next,
and, as consequence, when the an
chor watch sang out his first alarm
not many seconds elapsed before every
hand aboard was on deck. The yacht
was well supplied with revolvers and
cutlasses, and half minute sufficed to
get these up from below and distrib'
uted, so that when the Riffians at
tempted to board the defenders were
quite ready to do them battle.
Be this how it may, however, there
Ia no doubt as to which side got the
first advantage. The yachts low fore
board made but a small obstacle to a
climber from the large boats along
side, and neither the deck hands nor the
stokehold crew were any of them
trained fighting men. In their prentice
hands the kicking revolvers threw high
and were only useful as knuckle dus-
ters, and till they had thrown them
down and got their cutlasses into play
they did hardly any execution to speak
about. The Riff men, on the other
hand, had been bred and born in the
atmosphere Of skirmish and made
ground steadily.
At an early point Of the scuffle Cap
tain Kettle came on deck with a cigar
in his mouth and hands in his pockets
and watched matters with critical in
terest, but did not offer to interfere
one way or the other. 1t was quite
new sensation to him to watch an ac-
tive fight without being called upon to
assist or arbitrate.
And then came up from below Don
ma Clotilde La Touche, dressed and
weaponed, and without bit OF hesita-
ton she flung herself into the turmoil.
She saw Kettle standing on one side,
but neither besought nor commanded
him. She would have died sooner than
ask for his help and then be met with
q refusal.
Into the melee she went, knife and
pistol, and there Is no doubt that her
example and the fury Of her rush ami
mated the yachts crew and made them
stronger to drive the wall Of their as
sailarts back. To give Donna Clotilde
her due, she was as brave as the BRAY
est man, and, moreover, she was a Ger.
tain shot at moderate range. But after
her revolver was empty and the press
Closed around her it was not long be-
fore an expert hand twisted the knife
from her grasp, and then the end came
quickly. An evil smelling man noted
her glorious beauty and marked her
out as his especial loot. He clapped a
couple Of sinewy arms round her and
bore her away toward the bulwarks
and his boat.
Some one had switched on the elec.
tric deck lights, and the fight was in
glow of radiance. Everything was to
be clearly seen. Donna Clotilde was
being dragged, resisting, along the
decks, and Kettle looked on placidly,
smoking his cigar. She was heaved up
on the bulwarks. In another moment
she would be gone from his path for
ever.
Still her lips made no sound, though
her great black eyes were full Of wild
entreaty. But the eyes were more
than Kettle could stand. he stopped
and picked up a weapon from among
the litter on deck and rushed forward
and gave blow. and the rufian drop
ped Imply, and Donna Clotilde stood
by the yachts bulwark, breathless and
gasping.
"Now, you get away below" he or.
dered curtly. T'll soon clear this rab-
BILE over the side"
He watched to see her obey him, and
she did it meekly. Then he gave his
attention to the fight. He broke a
packet of cartridges which lay on the
deck planks. picked up and loaded a
revolver and commenced to make him.
self useful to the yachts crew, and