The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-03
morning would tell the story Of their sue
cess and loss.
CHAPTER xxxlV. ..
The Sinister Effacement of a Ship.

The Sinister Effacement of Ship. |
Meanwhile what. of Grafton and the
Torbay? AS we have seen, he had first
engaged LIE Formidable and poured his
broadsides into L'Heros and LIE Magni-
fque, land had successfully hammered his
way through the French rear until he
brought his vessel alongside LIE Thesee.
De Kersaint had we'll and worthily up
held his reputation as a skilled seaman
and a great fighter upon that day. and all
of the advancing British ships bore the
marks Of his prowess. r. 1t so happened
that neither LIE These nor the Torbay had
been materially, injured in their previous
fighting, and it also happened that the
chance arrangements of the battle, which,
placed them side by side, left them to fight
it out unhindered. Never were two ships
more fairly and equally. matched in size,
gun power, crew and captain. -.
Grafton hads:no personal luminosity
toward de .Kersaint On the contrary, he
had pursued him as a: foeman entirely
worthy Of his steel: - He knew the Srnan,
and that he would certainly be found in
the thick Of the action He trusted to
compel. him to strike, in which case he
could at once obtain possession Of Anne
and that was the guiding hope of his
heart. Other captains might be fighting
for duty alone, or for the sheerslov of the
combat, he was swayed by all of these
emotions, but he fought for love, too-for
| woman, his wife! ....s ~
! He resolutely put out Of his mind the
| peril she would be in He had to do it.
| To dwell upon it would have unnerVed
| him. Like most men Of action, he was
| something Of a fatalist, and he believed
that Providence, which had brought about
the present state Of affairs would newt
/ ably bring them together again happily in
/ the end. He knew that some one had to
| fire upon LIE These, and he preferred to
do it himself. He treasured himself by
thinking that. Anne was slowed away
safely in the chain lockers-which was
true-and that her peril would not be
great.
At any rate, he found himself At last
| along side his desire, but to leeWard, a
fact which, though he deplored itiat the
/ time afterward turned out fortunately for
| him. The leeward ship practically has to
await the decision of the weather ship,
i which may attack at pleasure hence the
advantage Of the windward position. The
windward enemy may attack or wait. the
/ leeward must wait or run.
1 De Kersaint had no idea Of refreating,
| however. His national hatred Of hll Eng
4 lishmen had at last got itself localized and
! was. correspondingly deadly and bitter
He had learned-indeed, it had been i'm
possible to conceal it from him-rthat his
i promised bride had been married tc
a Captain Grafton. He hoped and
a intended to kill the Englishmar
some time,s perhaps on that day pr battle
and then marry the woman he loved, al
if that previous marriage had never taker
= place. Her loss only intensified his love
for her. 80 s.s.ss
:, She did not love him, evidently; indeed
she made no secret Of her love for hel
). husband. What mattered it? The passion
/ Of the old makes UP in intensity and per,
81 sistence for the lost opportunities Of
q youth. The follies OF love-thd creates
) Efollies,, that is, after all-are thes folIie,
i not Of youth but OF old age! He would
81 have her, anyway, with or without he
lslove, IN the end. De Kersaintl had sur
: lmised that Grafton would certainly b