Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-03-11


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
| We're 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-
tons, after a glance at Seymour
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 elapse before her
helm was shifted and the wind brought
on the other quarter. The courses of the
two ships now intersected at an angle
of perhaps seventy degrees, which
would bring them together in 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-
thirty-six; just the rating of the
Radnor. Talbot had made ready his
fieldpiece, and IN 9 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 fastened to load the piece
again, while the Mellish 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
~ because in order to bring a gun to
bear on the chase it would have to huff
up into the wind and thus lose valuable
distance, and also because the rapidity
with which the Mellish was being over
hitherto refrained from using it's bat
teries. The chances Of escape under
the present conditions were about even
had it not been for the complication
introduced by the presence of Kath-
arine and her father upon the frigate.
in inf n fri h
full state of indecision 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
between his love and his country. If
he held on when he reached the mouth |
Of the channel and passed it by, the
capture of the ship was absolutely in
evitable. If he went through the chan
mel and enticed the English ship aftei |
him, the death Of his sweetheart was
likewise apparently inevitable.
Chasing with the determination |
shown by the English captain. who |
had his topgallant sails still set. anG I
with the little warning he would have |
of the existence of the Shoal. owing t" |
the rapid closing of the day, the frig-
ate would have to attempt the channel |
and in that way for that ship lay de
struction.
Save Katharine, lose the ship. Save
the ship, lose Katharine. Love or
should it be? The man
was attacked in the two most power
full sources Of human action. He saw
on one side Katharine tossed about by
the merciless waves, white faced with
terror, and stretching out her hands to
him in piteous appeal from that angry
sea in the horror of darkness and
death. And every voice which spoke
to the human heart was eloquent of
her. And then on the other side there
stood those grim and frozen ranks
those gaunt. hungry, naked men
They. too. stretched out hands to him
Give us arms, give us raiment,' they
seemed to say. you had the oppor-
tunity and you threw it away for love
What's love-to liberty?"
And every incentive which awakens
the soul Of honor in men appealed to |
him then. Behind him stood the des-
tinies of great people. the fate of
great cause. On him they trusted upon
lis honor they had depended. and be-
'ore him stood woman He saw her
again as he had seen her before on
he top of the hill on that memorable
hight in Virginia. What had she said?
eff stood in the pathway Of liberty
or one single instant / should despise
he man who would not sweep me
lside without moments hesitation"
80 Katharine, Kathariner' he groan
ID in spirit. pressing his hands upon
his face in agony, while every break
ng wave flung the words ''duty and
lonorT, into his face and every thnoh
II his beating heart whispered ''loye-
owe"
CHAPTER XVII.