Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-06-28

till was nearly dead just for stand
ing up for this country on board OF her.
and me freubOrn American too! I've
got her sign manual on my back and
her picture here, and I'D give all the
rest of my life to see her smashed and
sunk and feel that I'd had some hand
in the doing Of it. Aye. / know her!
Could man ever forget herr contin-
ued the seaman, turning away, white
with passion and shaking his fist in
convulsive rage ut the frigate. which
made handsome picture in spite OF
all. Seymour's face was as white as
Thompson's was.
1.-THE Radnor! The Radnor! Why.
that's the ship Miss Wilton is on. Oh,
Bentley, what can be done now?' he
said, the whole situation rising before
him. If we lead that ship through
the pass it means wreck for her.
Dacres, who commands the RadnOr, is
new man on this station, and If we
don't try the pass this ship Is cap
tured and our country, our cause, re-
ccivcs fatal blow! Was ever a man
In such a situation befOreW
Bentley looked at him with eyes full
Of pity. "We are approaching the
shoal now, sir, and unless we would
be OH it we will have to bring the ship
by the wind at once"
This, at least, was respite. Sey-
mour glanced ahead and at once gave
the necessary orders. When the course
was altered it became necessary to
take in the fore and main topgallant
sails on account Of the wind. now blow
ing a half gale and steadily rising.
The speed Of the ship. therefore, was
unfortunately sensibly diminished. and
she was soon pitching and heaving on
the starboard tack, much to the aston
ishment of Talbot and the crew, who
were ignorant of the existence of the
shoal, and the latter Of whom could
see no necessity for the dangerous al
teration in the course. They. however.
of course. said nothing, and Talbot,
whose ignorance of seamanship did
not qualify him to decide difficult ques-
tionS. after glance ut Seymour's
stern. pale face decided to ask nothing
about it.
This present course being at right
angles to that Of their pursuer, whom
neither Seymour nor Bentley doubted
to be the Radnor, would speedily bring
the two ships together. They had
gained a small but precious advantage,
however. as the frigate. apparently as
much surprised by the unexpected ma
neuver as their own men, had allowed
some moments to eapse before her
helm was shifted and the wind brought
on the other quarter. The courses Of the
two ships now intefsected at an angle
of perhaps seventy degrees, which
would bring them together in a short
time.
The people on the Mellish could plain
" hear the drums of the frigate, now
almost in range, beating to quarters.
They were near enough to count the
gun ports-it was indeed heavy frig-
ate-thirty- six; just the rating Of the
Radnor. Talbot had made ready his
fieldpiece, and in moment the heavy
boom Of the gun echoed over the wa
ters. The shot fell little short, but
was in good line. Much encouraged,
the men hastened to load the piece
again, while the Mellsh crept along.
all too slowly for the eager anxiety Of
her crew, toward the mouth Of the
channel, Of which most Of them, how
ever, knew nothing. The frigate, part
ly because in order to bring gun to
bear on the chase 1t would have to luff
up into the wind and thus lose valuable
distance, and also because the rapidity
with which the Mellish was being over
hauled rendered 1t unnecessary, had
hitherto refrained from using its bat
teries. The chances Of escape under
the present conditions were about even
had 1t not been for the complication
introduced by the presence Of Kath-
arine and her father upon the frigate.
Seymour was I'm painful and fright
full state Of lndecision. What should
he do? The dilemma forced upon him
was one of those which Katharine had
foreseen, and of which they had talked
together. He, apparently, must decide