Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-01-16
AAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA
THE GRIP
OF HONOR
BY
Cyrus OosO1Se7d Brady.
Author of The Sovtherners,"
In the Wasp's Nest" Etc.
Copyright. 1900. by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
Copyright. 1900. BY CHARLES scRIBNEa's SONS
Confined from page 81

SOL.
This is the Richard"' shouted Jones
at the top Of his voice at the first fire.
"Hold your fire! Show the private sig
nails there" he cried hastily to the
faithful Brooks; but the Alliance paid
no attention to these and other warn
ing cries. AS the three brOadsides
were delivered by the American frig-
ate the men i'll their perfectly eXcusa-
BILE terror at this trea cherous blow in
the back actually began to break from
their quarters and leave the guns.
That was never to be thought Of I'M
der any circumstances.
"Backv' shouted Jones promptly.
Back to your quarters, every moth
er's son of you! Shoot the first man
that fiinches from the guns! Dale.
and De Weibert and the midshipman
gallantly seconded his orders, and the
Alliance, sailing away toward the Pal
las and delivering no more shot upon
them. the conflict was resumed. That
the men could be got to the guns again
after this frightfully unsettling at
tack was a supreme testimony to the
quality Of their officers and to their
own as we'll.
Indeed, upon the part Of the Scraps
the battle had never been intermitted.
The Is Founders of her main battery
had simply silenced and dismounted,
knocked to pieces and put out Of action
nearly all the - Founders on the main
deck Of the Richard. The starbOard
in and the port side beaten out by
the heavy fire at close range until the
British were literally firing through
a hole, the shot hurting through the
air and falling harmlessly in the wa
ter far on the farther side. The I'M
derpinning Of the upper decks of the
ship was of course nearly knocked to
pieces. Why the decks did not fall
in and the whole thing collapse was
mystery.
There had been no fighting at all
on the berth deck since the bursting of
the three guns, but poor little Payne
had hung grimly to his post. One by
one the men of the guarding squad
had been picked off by stray shots
until there was none left but he and
the master at arms. Several shot from
the British had entered below the wa.
ter line of the Richard, and she was
making water fast. There was nearly
four feet Of water in the hold then.
and it was rising. The prisoners be-
low were in a wild state of terror. I'M
precautions. curses. appeals. had come
up through the gratings over the
hatchway. to which the young man
had turned a deaf ear
To the other dangers Of the battle.
fire now added its devastating touch.
In fact. both ships were atame in sew.
eral places. The burning gun wads
had lodged in the chains and other in.
fammable positions. and writhing
tossing. serpentlike torches threw
their hot light over the scene Of ter
ror. AS the smoke drifted down the
hatchway The prisoners in the hold
could stand it no longer. There was
q sudden rush below toward the open
ing. The gratings were splintered and
broken by the thrust Of piece Of tim
Der. A head or two appeared in the
clear. Hands clutched at the comb
ings.
Back" shouted Payne. trying to
steady his boyish voice.
'NO" shouted the first prisoner furi |
ously. clutching desperately at the
while he was being lifted up
In the arms of the men below. Dye |
think We'll stay here and be drowned !
like rats in hole?"
With white lips and sinking heart |
the boy thrust his pistol full into the
mans face. and with trembling fin !
ger pulled the trigger. He did the like
to the next man with second pistol. |
To seize the musket of a dead marine
If second. Awed by this resolution
md the prcmptitude Of his action the
>ther prisoners fell back for the time
The sweat stood out on the forehead
If the young midshipman. He had
shot man-two men-in cold blood!
!
lone his duty. The words of the cap
ain rang in his ear: Keep them
town."
1t was hot on the berth deck. The
moke poured In thick. sufocating
LIQUIDS between decks. The wavering
eaections from the flames on every
ide acceptuated the horror Bands
t men fitted by ghostlike here and
herr. with buckets Of. water, striving
0 fight the danes Lances Of light {
capped across the deck from the. pro :
rudjng muzZles of the guns on the
EZRA pis. piercing the gloomy darkness {
With angry flashes Bullets grape,
piintars Of timber, solid shot. bits or t
Orn humanity. whistled past his head t
lie was wild. crazy. The hugeness Of t
be tragedy about him oppressed him a
irefutly There was q weight in his E
osom. a choking in his throat, The
liter acrid taste of the burned pow
er was in his mouth. The sickening f
nell of reeking blood pervaded his +
eng. He longed to throw down his 2