Morris tribune., 1905-04-22

illness consequent upon his wound. Il
was his interest which had prevented
further ill treatment of them by the
brutal and tyrannous Dunmore, and
had Katharine so elected, would have
secured her freedom She had, how
ever, to Desborough's great delight
chosen to accompany her father to
England, where he was to be sent as
a prisoner of high political conse-
quence.
After waiting many weary days at
the camp of the fugitive and deposed
governor at Gwynn's island, they had
been separated from Desborough and
unceremoniously hustled on board the
frigate Radnor, which was under or
ders for England. They had stopped
long enough at Norfolk to witness
Dunmore's savage and vindictiye &C
ton in bombarding and burning that
helpless town, and from that point
Katharine had been enabled to send
her letter to Seymour, through friend
ly American spy, just before taking de-
parture for their long voyage across
the seas The orders of the Radnor
had been changed at the last moment,
however, and she had been directed to
! go in pursuit of Jones and the Ranger,
which it was currently reported had
| got to sea from the Delaware bay
| bound for. Canada and the Newfound
| land coast.
No vessel being ready for England at
| that time. the two prisoners had been
| transferred. fortunately for them, to
| small ship bound to the naval sta
| ton at Barbados, and thence, after
another weary, dreary wait, had been
sent on board his Britannia majesty's
ship Yarmouth, Captain John Vincent.
bound home for England. The frs;
lieutenant of this ship happened to be
a certain Patrick Michael Philip O'Neai
Drummond. Lord Desborough, son and
heir to the Earl Of Desmond. He con
graduated himself most heartily upon
his good fortune.
Providence had, then. again thrown
a lover at katharine's feet Not that
there was anything unusual in that
She might not regard it in providcn
| tial light, however but he at least did
so, and he had intended to improve the
shining hours Of what would be Il long
cruise in the close, association permit
ted by the confined limits of the ship
to make final desperate effort to VII;
the heart which had hitherto so entire
ly eluded him that he could not fatter
himself that he had made the least i'm
mn DIM
the first three or four days of the
cruise had not been brilliant. She had
been unaffectedly glad to see him APP
parently, and gentle and kind in her
reception-too kind, he thought, with
the circumspection of a lover-but that
was all. To add to his trials, he soon
found himself not without rivals near
er at home than Seymour.
Judging by present results, Washing
ton if he had few regiments Of Kath-
arines, could carry CONSERVATION to the
whole British army, for the captors
had apparently taken the oath of allie
glance to the captured, and the whole
ships company, from that gruff old
sailor Captain Vincent down through
all the other officers to the impudent
and important little midshipman, were
her devoted slaves.
Early one afternoon in the beginning
Of February the Yarmouth, being I'M
der all plain sail, with the wind two Or
three points abaft the beam, was bowl
ing along under a fresh breeze about
a days sail east Of Martinique The
weather was perfect, and because Of
the low latitude, in spite Of the. winter
season, there was no touch of sharp
ness in the air, which was warm and
delightful. All the necessary drills and
exercises having been concluded earlier
in the day, the whole ships company
was enjoying a period of unusual re-
Taxation and idleness.
Colonel Wilton was standing aft with |
Captain Vincent in the shadow Of the |
spanker. Miss Wilton, with Chloe, her
black maid, behind her chair, was sit !
ting near the break Of the poop deck, |
looking forward, surrounded by several |
lieutenantS, Desborough being at her |
right hand, Of course feeling and look |
AAiS oh1ioOAiiJ SoiNSiAJ uiiu LiolOoC. OIIT
or two of the oldest and boldest mid |
shipmen were also lingering on the
outskirts Of the group, as near to their
divinity as they dared come in the
presence Of their superior officers. The
conversation, happening to turn, as it |
frequently did, upon the subject Of the
present war between England and the
colonies engaged in rebellion against
the paternal power, was unusually ami
mated.
''Sail hop 1oated down from the
foremost head at this moment, and the
idle ship awoke again. g.
''Where away?" I
Fright ahead, SIR"
Holmeaa and BIeaucha mp walked for
ward to get a look at the stranger, and
the captain and the colonel stepped
across the weather side Of the deck.
Chloe was sent below to procure
wrap for her mistress, and Katharine
was left alone for few moments with
DesbOrOugh. 1t was his first oppor