Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-02-18

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Durey steadied himself and took
long look at the distant strangers head
ing down on their port quarter.
"TheE,re- e-ef- orstrs-=---asEfr -S-fe
they doing there? / just reckon the
leading beat 8 smart thing, an IL
take some lickil'," he snapped out,
quick as his heart was beating.
The acting lieutenant nodded empha-
tically. That's my way Of thinkin',"
he screeched against the furry OF
wind. "rhe look l got before that
streak of cloud came up, gave them
away. Guess the Alliance have run
out flyin' squadron also. Keen look
outs they must have. They've sighted
us. They shifted nine points to the
west'ard, and put on speed. Looks as
if they know something about US"
They've taken the pass as we
cleared the Caicos Running for San
tiago and the transports" cried Dur
ey, and snatched the binoculars out OF
the lieutenant's hands.
AS he stared at the enemy, envy,
vehement and despicable, swept into
him, for we'll he knew the Speedy's
commander was cool and collected,
while it was himself who was growing
flurried and painfully apprehensive.
Was he a coward physically as well
as morally, he asked himself, and in
stantly was eating his heart in bitter
ness at his inborn pusillanimity.
He was moving to the pinnacle when
sharp cry broke from the acting lieu
tenant. "By the Powers. they've opened
fre!" and the smothered report al
most overwhelmed his voice. There
was a volcanic eruption Of red-hot
splinters and sparks amidship as the
night-spent projectile Topped against
the I ,Te of the mainmast, crashed
through the deck, and wrecked every
thing in the after-part of the vessel.
Durey recovered himself from the
port bridgc-rails against which he had
been hurled with the sudden topping
Of the. thrashed hull. The acting lieu
tenant lay in a bloody heap beside the
wheel, and from aft came shrill cries
and hoarse yaps of tortured bodies.
For the moment he WINGED, and felt
a hopeless feeling possess him, but
the next he wasendins over his in
sensible juni second projectile
.ricochetted ovefa34e seas wide to star
board, sending up great showers oi
snowy brine visible in the night; a
third plunged short by 10 feet off the
mort quarter. The enemy could play
a good game at long bowls.
Bear a hand, here, some OF you
forecastle men," Durey ordered. "Aft
there, report the wreck" as, with the
poor groaning lump of humanity In
his arms, he tried to stanch the flow
of blood from the mangled arm ant
ribs. Jagged segments and splinterf
of steel make ugly wounds.
Warm, sticky blood smeared nj:
hands and wrists; it made him fee
very sick. Disgust swept through hin
at his own weakness, and with tendel
but shaky handle he bound up tn'
ghastly decorations. Only little more
and the acting lieutenant would nav
been eviscerated.
AS Durey turned from assisting TN
seamen to lift him down the ladder
, the tight feeling in his throat becam
, more choking when he realized tha
{ the enemy were now visible to tn
: naked eye. The flashing from tn
{ foremost vessels bow chaser struc
| his senses like a blow, though not al
:. other shot hit his vessel. Betwee
/ 5700 and 6000 yards distant he wa
5 from the leading cruiser. r'our point
/ off the bow Great Anagua began t
n loom low and indistinct in the darl
v ness for the squally wind chopin
!. about had cleared the starry HEAVIER
of cloud and the thin drizzle Of rain.
g Onward rushed the Speedy, throw
t ing herself up the great swells an
Stamping down into the hollows as
/" lashed on by the great guns thunde
>. ing out behind her. Had the enem
]. aurnaised her erraad9