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


Jones himself! He alone Is worth q
thousand"
The light from the rising SUM- assist
ed by the ftful wind, began to dispel
| the mists of the morning.
"Seev cried the girl. pointing.
"Thcrc, right ahead of us! Are not
| those the sails of ship? What ship?'
Wraithlile, as she pointed at rift
| in the mist and wreathed in clouds OF
vapor, there appeared for second the
| light canvas of a great ship. Follow
ing her outstrctched finger he caught
| a fleeing glimpse of It, but saw moth.
| ing to reassure him as to the result
of the battle. The sight struck terror
to his heart. Such canvas as that was
never set above the decks of the Rich
! ard. AS he looked the mist closed
round them again. The ship had van
ishcd.
"Ah, tits gone, but 7 am certain I
saw it. Which was it," she continued.
hastily rousing herself at the prospect
! of decision. Its a ship, is it not1
But which oneT
THE mist is thinning again. Twill
clear away in a moment" he answered
cvasively. I'VE shall see more dis.
tinctly then. She was making toward
us, | think" He could not bear to
dash her hopes with the assurance that
| 1t was not the Richard. though he had
resigned himself to death in conse.
quence Of his glimpse at once. 1t was
useless to try to fly. The mist was
rising in every direction, and befors
they could have gone hundred yards
| they would be visible to the ship In
front of them, now showing her huge
| bulk through the thinning clouds Of
vapor which enshrouded her. The next
moment it rolled away. The sunlight
flooded the heavens in transforma ton,
The breeze tossed the sea into a thou
sand white capped waves. 1t waS
morning. Some one on the ship saw
the little boat with its two occupants
at once. An officer leaped 10 the rail.
Boat ahoy" rang out over the wa.
ter. The great white frigate, deep
sunken. as if deeply laden was NOV.
ing sluggishly through the water and
was almost upon them.
The shipw screamed the girl wild.
ly.
at is the Scraps" answered ONeill
in a hollow voice.
"Ah.' she said. sinking back ex-
hausted. "Aftcr all, it is over. l shall
never survive you
Boat ahoy, there~ again cried the
officer, standing on the rail, pistol in
hand. Answer my hail or I fire!
Who are you:"
Il am your prisoner, escaped last
night from that ship" cried O'NeiIl.
II wish to deliver myself up!'
"Come alongside, then" said the Of.
dser, turning inboard and giving a
sharp command. The way of the ship
was checked; she was thrown up into
the wind, and as her broadside slowly
swung opposite O'Neill he saw that
her mainmast was gone and that she
was frightfuly cut up and bore evil
dence of having participated in a tre-
mendous action Away of to the north
east little cluster of ships was seen
on the horizon, too far off TO distin-
guish them. There was no sign of the
Richard that he could see In few
seconds the boat was brought along
side the gangway. Elizabeth clam
bered up the ladder with his assist
ance, and they stepped upon the decks.
A frightful scene presented itself.
Upon one side, amdships. dead men,
half naked, covered with coagulated
blood, were literally piled up in a great
heap. The deck itself was covered
with CRIME and blood and a handful
of men, most of them wounded In some
way, were distributed about the ship
endeavoring TO effect some restoration
to order. Guns here and there were
dismounted ropes cut in every direc-
ton were lying entangled in wild con-
fusion about the fife rails and masts.
The broken mainmast thrust its jagged
end few feet into the air above the
deck. The rest of it was gone.
Spars everywhere were shattered, and
great riffs appeared in the Tapping
canvas. The rail and bulwarks were
broken and smashed on every side.
There was not a single boat left swing
ing at the davits. Splintered wood
work showed where numberless shots
had taken effect, and charred pieces
of timber on every hand added heart
breaking evidence of COntiagration'
devastating touch. From the depths
beneath the deck came low groans and
murmurs of pain, accentuated by the
sharp shrek of some deeper sufferer
or the delirous raving Of some fevered
patient. Elizabeth shrank back ap-
pallcd.
How horrible!" she murmured.
He caught her IN his arms. A little
more and she would have tainted.
Good heavens" he said. I'm all
my battles | never saw such a ship!
What frightful scene, They didn't
get off without a fight" he added
slowly. An officer, with head bound
up in a handkerchief and his arm in
a sling, was approaching them,
sir" said O'Neill. salutinG the
while, II am the officer who escaped
last night. l deliver myself up to
why, it's Stacey" he cried in great
surprise, recognizing brother officer
of the Richard. What do you here.
man."
"'Forc CAD, it's O'Neill" cried the
other. GLAD are we to see you, man.
But this lady-this is no place for
her"
"Sha rooa with mo " said O'Neill