Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-01-02

iS6SSS04 tween those ships decides
yAsSsy my fate. hope to God
may arrive in time to take my part in
II! The Richard is fearfully short OF
| officers at best; Landais, who has the
Alliance, is crazy and coward; Cotti-
neau in the Pallas is an unknown
quantity, and the rest have fed. Jones
has only Richard Dale and a lot Of
midshipmen with him upon whom he
can absolutely depend, and there are
over two hundred prisoners in the
hold. He needs me. If this breeze
holds on | think we may intercept
the Richard before the battle is joined
Pray, dearest, as never before, for the
success of our arms! 1t means life,
and you, for me-"
ut means life for me as WE'LL" she
answered, nesting against him and
nerving herself up to the inevitable
confession. How he would takeit she
did not know, or rather she would not
permit herself to say. She was con
scious only of an impelling necessity
to tell him the whole story, though she
had deliberately waited until she be-
ieved he could do nothing
"Ah, yes, it's sweet of you to say so,
but not the same. Me they will hang,
but not you," he answered fondly.
eyes, they WILL" she replied. @I-I-
l must confess it to you before we 60
further. 1t weighs upon me. also
am guilty. $500
Guilty! You! OF what, pray? OF
loving me too much?" he queried,
laughing in pure lightness Of heart.
mo, not that" she answered, 'but
that-that order-your reprieve. 1t
was-the admiral did not sign it," she
added desperately. -.
The secret was out.
''And who did it, then?' he asked,
still unsuspicious of her meaning.
Il did it myself" she answered,
with averted head
''It is not possibler he exclaimed.
withdrawing from her a little in his
establishment.
"'Twas for you-for you i did it.
Reproach me not-nay. you shall not"
she cried. on fire to defend herself and
her love, now the truth was told.
"Captain Jones said six hours delay
and you were saved. There was no
other way. l begged. implored. en-
treated the admiral. He left me-went
away. saw the man fixing that
block-the rope-I ran to him to make
one more appeal. He was not there
cri1,
permission to see you, which he had
intended to give me and had refused
at the last moment and left unsigned
His watch was there and his seal.
added the rest and signed and sealed
it myself. Do not shrink from mev'
she pleaded. with changed mood again.
''Your anger-yOur disapproval-kiis
me. Is there no excuse that you can
find for me? Her appeal was so ten
der, her affection so apparent. she was
her own justificat ton. IS
"No man would have done it." he
said irresolutely, wavering.
''But every woman would" she re-
piled promptly. pressing her advan-
tage. "Why are you so silent? Your
precious honor is safe, and as for
mine
"'Twas nobly DONE" he answered
at last, in complete surrender. '"There
is not a woman in the world but would
honor you for it. Not a man who
would not love you. You have done
that which I could not. and for me.
My heart before, and now my life is
yours, my hearts dearest
IL knew you would not like it." she
answered simply. "but there was no
other way. confess l was terrified
when Edward
"Good heavensY' cried O'Neill. "He
saw the order?"
EYES," said the girl. covering be-
fore him again. In truth. this phase
of the transaction had actually es-
capped her memory. . -
Captain Pearson accepted it with
out questioning him?" he queried. She
would have given all the world to lie