Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-08-27

| kc.sy,,5q beth, land / am not there.
&ExSGy O God. give us a little
breczer' he cried. In anticipation he
swung the oars inboard, stepped the
mast once more, letting the sail hang,
and then resumed his place by her
side.
God is good to me-" she said at
| last. Gle will not let you be there
to be killed. You have had trouble
enough and have run enough risks. He
wishes to keep you for me-
lie shook his head.
my place is there. My duty is on
yonder deck. Would that l had re-
turned to the ship without going up
to the castle.'
"Why, then" she said reproachfully,
"you would not have seen Lt"
II know" he replied, but then l
would be in my rightful place, fighting
where 1 should be. Coventry would
be honored in doing his duty. The
admiral would be happy. Your mar
rage would take place.
"And you" she cried, womanlike,
placing him in the balance as opposed
to all the rest, would you have been
hap,y?"
Happiness has nothing to do with
that" he answered impatently. at is
question of duty. l have been a
fool"
HAS the fool been rewarded in ac-
cordance with his folly?' she asked
him. Nay, look at me before you re-
ply" she cried imperiously, turning
his head until his eyes looked into her
own. In the face of that girl, in the
limpid light of her magic glance, in
that mystic night, there was but one
answer to be made.
Il say no more" he replied, kissing
her softly. you are right. l have
| you. You are worth it all. I will try
to be a philosopher about all the rest"
Meanwhile the intermittent reports
had been succeeded by a steady roar
of artillery which reverberated and
rolled along the surface of the water.
The Scarborough, some distance from
the Scraps and the Richard to the
northwest, was apparently hotly en-
gagged with the Pallas. while the Ali
ance seemed to be sailing back and
forth between the two groups of COM
batants, pouring in a random fire upon
friend and foe alike. Great clouds of
smoke, punctured by vivid flashes Of
light, overhung the ships.
The feelings of the young officer ca n
be imagined. Adrift in that little boat.
watching the awful combat, not even
the presence of the woman lie loved
could compensate him for his absence,
in spite of his attempted philosophy.
The fever OF the conflict possessed
him. His breath came hard. The
sweat stood on his forehead. He pray
ed as never before for breeze TO take
him to the fight. He murmured inco-
heront words which told to the tender
listener something of the terrible strug-
gle which ragged within his bosom. SO
the long hours wore away.
Toward II O'Clock they heard ter
rife explosion, and then the roar OF
the battle slackened and finally died
away. When the smoke drifted off
the two ships were lying side by side.
Farther off, almost hull down, were
the Scarborough and the PalAs, which
had ceased their fight some time before.
The battle was over. Who had won?
But 1t was late, and the breeze so
long wished for now sprung up once
more, and the little boat gathered way
and began to slip through the water
again. The sky had become overcast.
1t grew very dark. The wind fresh
encd steadily and finally blew so strong
that it required all the skill and adj
dress of which O'Neill was possessed
to keep his unsteady little craft from
capsizing. Finally he was forced to
drop the sail and take to the oars to
keep afoat at all. About . o'clock in
the morning squat of rain came
down, and they lost sight of the ships,
Toward morning the wind moderated
again, and they were enabled to set
sail once more. But the ocean was
covered with dense mist They were
in the thick of 1t and could see moth
ing. AS nearly as he could judge with
out the aid of a compass O'Neill head
ed the boat toward the place where
they had last made out the two ships.
I'VE ought to pick them up in few
moments now" he said to the COVER
ing, frightened, exhausted girl crouch
ing down in the stern sheets in her
wet, sodden garments, which tlung to
her shivering figure. The night had
been too much for her. Her physical
strength had almost given way, though
nothing could abate the affection he
saw shining still in her tired eyes.
"Thoreforc in few moments we shall
know our fate"
"How is that?' she said, rousing her
self n little.
IF Commodore Jones has been cap
tured," he answered, Il have but to
give myself up and redeem Coventry,
and-you know the rest"
YES" she replied YEARLY and list,
lessly. "Let 1t come. We have fought
a good fight, you and I. We can do no
more. And the other alternatives"
"Why, in that case" he said, tive
shall be there under our own flag. He,
too, will be saved, and the rest of our
troubles are over"
"What think you of the prospect
she asked, Frightening little,
1T is difficult TO say. The Scraps
and the Scarborough should easily be
more than match for our who'll
squadron. The Richard is almost