The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-06
II! The Richard is fearfulIy short OF
ofncers at best; Landais. who has the


Alliance, is crazy and coward; Cotti-
neau in the Pallas is an unknown
quantity, and the rest have fled. Jones
has only Richard Dale and lot Of
midshipmen with him upon whom he
can absolutely depend, and there are
over two hundred prisoners in the
hold He needs me. If this breeze
holds on | think we may intercept
the Richard before the battle is joined.
Pray, dearest, as never before, for the
success of our arms! 1t means life,
and you, for me-"
at means life for me as well" she
answered, nesting against him and
nerving herself up to the inevitable
confession How he would take it she
did not know, or rather she would not
permit herself to say. She was con-
scious only of an impelling necessity
to tell him the whole story, though she
had deliberately waited until she be-
ieved he could do nothing.
"Ah, yes, it's sweet of you to say so,
but not the same. Me they will hang,
but not YOU" he answered fondly.
"Yes, they WILL" she replied. IL
/ must confess it to you before we go
further. 1t weighs upon me. l also
am guilty."
Guilty! You, Of what, pray? OF
loving me too much?" he queried,
laughing in pure lightness of heart.
"No, not that" she answered, "but
that-that order-your reprieve. 1t
fbo oil, irol cin or, ~ - clio
added desperately.
The secret was out.
'And who did it, then?' he asked,
still unsuspicious of her meaning.
81 did it myself" she answered,
with averted head.
at is not possiblep he exclaimed
Withdrawing from her little in his
establishment.
"'Twas for you-for you l did it.
Reproach me not-nay, you shall notv'
she cried, on fire to defend herself and
her love, now the truth was told.
captain Jones said six hours delay
and you were saved. There was no
other way. I begged, implored, en-
treated the admiral. He left me-went
away. l saw the man fixing that
block-the rope-I ran to him to make
one more appeal. He was not there.
On his desk was an order giving me
permission to see you, which he had
intended to give me and had refused
at the last moment and left unsigned
His watch was there and his seal.
added the rest and signed and sealed
1t myself Do not shrink from mew
she pleaded, with changed mood again.
"Your anger-your disapproval-kills
me. Is there no excuse that you can
find for me?" Her appeal was so ten
der, her affection so apparent, she was
her own justifica ton.
mo man would have done it." he
said irresolutely, wavering.
"But every woman would" she re-
piled promptly, pressing her advan-
tage. ''Why are you so silent? Your
precious honor is safe, and as for
mine
at last, in complete surrender. There
is not a woman in the world but would
honor you for it. Not Il man who
would not love you. You have done
that which l could not, and for me.
My heart before, and now my life is
yours, my hearts dearest
81 knew gou would not like it," she
answered simply. 'but there was no
other way. l confess l was terrified
when Edward
"Good heavensr cried O'Neill. HE
saw the order?
EYES," said the girl, covering be-
fore him again. In truth! this phase
of the transaction had actually es-
capped her memory.
Captain Pearson accepted it with
out questioning him?" he queried. She
would have given all the world to lie
to him, but even in the darkness she
could not be further untrue, in his
very presence, though now like flash
she saw it all.
"He-he doubted it," she whispered
hesitatingly. 'He handed the paper
to Edward and asked him if tiff it
was all right"
"And Coventry?"
"He took it and looked at it, looked
at mel had forgotten him, l must
confess"-she went on brokenly-"and
then he handed it back to Captain
Pearson and-and said it was correct
the signature, l mean"
"He knew, think your asked her
lover, with deadly calmness.
Eyes, he knew" she faltered
"And the sentry-our unheeded es-
capeT
Edward took his place. might as
well tell you all now" continued the
girl desperately.
"Ahw he said coldly and sternly.
"And do you know, Lady Elizabeth,
what the penalty is for such actions
as his?"
mo-" she replied in alarm. 81 never
thought. They will not harm him. He
is the son Of the admiral. What is it?'
'They will shoot him or hang him
pared for mev' he answered with stern
emphasis.
"No, no! 1t is not possiblep' she
cried, appalled, at the naked fact.
aye, but it is" he replied, land it is
through your actions and my blind
acquiescence therein that this honor
able gentleman is done to death. This
puts another face on the whole thing.
You have made me a craven. I am
dishonored. his life is sacrificed for
mew
II did not mean to do it, l did not
know" she walled, stricken to the
heart by his bitter reproach.
aye, but you should have known.
But when women NEEDLE in affairs of