Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-02-12

leSSly. Let IL come. We have fought
a good fight, you and l. We can do no
more. And the other alternativeY
why. in that case" he said, I'VE
shall be there under our own flag. He
too, will be saved. and the rest Of our
troubles are over"
what think you of the prospect"
she asked. Frightening little.
1T is difficult to say. The Scraps
and the Scarborough should easily be
more than match for our whole
squadron. The Richard is almost
worthless as fighting ship, as said.
Landais, who commands the Alliance,
is insane. l can't prophesy what Cot
tineau Will do with the Pallas. We
have but one advantage-John Paul
Jones himself! He alone Is worth
thousand"
The light from the rising sun. assist
ed by the fitful wind, began to dispel
the mists of the morning.
"See!' cried the girl, pointing.
''There, right ahead Of us! Are not
those the sails of ship? What ship?"
Wraithlike, as she pointed at rift
in the mist, and wreathed in clouds Of
vapor, there appeared for second the
light canvas Of great ship. Follow
ing her outstretched finger he caught
a fleeing glimpse Of 1t, 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
ished.
"Ah, IT'S gone, but 1 am certain 1
saw it. Which was itT she continued,
hastily rousing herself at the prospect
Of decision. "'Tis a ship, is it notr
But which oner"
1.-THE mist is thinning again. Twill
clear away in a moment" he answered
evasively. 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 before
they could have gone a 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 transformation
The breeze tossed the sea into q 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 to the rail.
Boat ahoy" rang out over the wa
ter. The great white frigate, deep
sunken, as II deeply laden, was NOV
ing sluggishly through the water and
was almost upon them.
THE shipr' screamed the girl Wild
".
1T is the Serapis," answered ONeill
in hollow voice.
"Ah," she said, sinking back ex-
hausted after all. It ia over. shall
never survive you"
BOAT ahoy, therew again cried the
officer, standing on the rail, pistol in
hand. Answer my hail or I fire!
Who are your
II am your prisoner, escaped last
night from that shipv' cried O'Neil
Il wish to deliver myself upv'
"Cone alongside, then" said the Of.
dcer. turning inboard and giving .
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 frightfully cut up and bore EVIL
6ence 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 OF to distin-
guish them. There was no sign Of the
Richard that he could see. In a 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, amidships, 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 a few feet into the air above the
deck. The rest Of 1t 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 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 confiagration's
devastating touch. From the depths
beneath the deck came low groans and
murmurs Of pain, accumulated by the
sharp shrek Of some deeper sufferer
or the delirious raving Of some fevered
patient. Elizabeth shrank back ap-
palled.
How horriblew she murmured.
Take me away. I cannot stand itw
He caught her in his arms. A little
more and she would have tainted.
Good heavens" he said. I'm all
my battles I never saw such q shipi
What a frightful scene! They didn't
get OF without a fight" he added
slowly. An officer. with head bound
up In handkerchief and his arm in
a sling. was approaching them.
"Sir," said O'Neill. saluting the
while, Il am the officer who escaped
last night. l deliver myself up to
why, It's Staceyw he cried In great
recognizing a brother officer
of the Richard. what do you here.
man"
"'Fore CAD. it's O'Neilly" cried the
other. Glad are we to see you, man.
But this lady-this ia no place for
her"