The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-05-02

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Il don't care" cried Debbie. begin
ming to whimper.
i guess you can stop crying" an
swered Ellen, contemptuously, for we
have no more chance Of escaping from
that boat than we have Of getting
aboard yonder ship"
Ellen's face gloomed as she spoke.
To be foiled after all she had gone
through by Sir Charles Seton. whose
pursuit Of her, after all, was simply
for this mawkish, whimpesing Debo-
rah, whom for the first time in her
life she hated, was more than she
could bear, She came to a sudden res
olution.
"T1l run the boat ashore and es-
capt through the woods rather than DO
caught by them"
She swung the tiller over, hauled
aft the sheet and in a moment the
boat was running toward the island.
In those days a long shoal, Of which
Ellen knew nothing, jutted out into
the roads. She did not throw her boat
deliberately on the shore, but ran
along it looking for some suitable,
place to land. Seton's lugger, Of
course, followed her motions. They
we're both under the lee Of the island.
which broke the force of the breeze
somewhat, but Ellen's vessel, being
the smaller, got the worst Of it and
felt the wind less, Seton's boat was
rapidly o%verhauling the other. In five
minutes it would be alongside. Ellen
swung the helm over and desperately
headed straight for the shore.
stop! stop, Lady ~Carrington!' cried
Seton, who was now in plain view. y
mean you no harm. Mistress Debo-
rah, can't you-?"
Il can't do anything" cried Debo-
rah, t~raitorously. "she won't let
me"
IF you run down my boat" an
swered Ellen, handling her pistols, Il
swear I'll use these weapons"
There are no bullets in them"
cried Deborah. Don't be afraid"
Ellen turned on her like a young
tigress. She could have struck her
with her pistol. Sir Charles only
laughed. He was in high glee.
Il wouldn't care II there were a
thousand bullets in them. l intend to
have you out of that boat, Mistress
Debbie, and"
There was a sudden cream from
Mistress Debbie. The boat in which
she sailed met with a sudden check.
The little cutter grated upon the edge
OF the shoal. Ellen sprang to the
helm, forgetful of everything else but
the present peril Her boat go
ing at a rapid rate had taken ground.
She hoped that the touch had been so
light that the beat would not be
stopped and wrecked. Indeed, she
flung herself violently to starboard
and the sudden shock swung the boat
of the shoal. There was a scraping
: Of sand beneath the keel and the
: little shallop slid on.
: Sir Charles was close aboard. Not
!" being a sailor, he had not noticed. and
> in the excitement of the chase, Sir
: Charles offering reward upon reward
: to the fishermen If they overhauled
I the other boat, these men forgot the
i peril, If, indeed, they knew it. For
? coming down at full speed and draw
ing half again as much water as
! Ellen's cutter, they ran hard and fast
> upon the shoal.
. Ellen had counted upon their doing
: this very thing, She looked back with
eyes Of experience, and saw exactly
! their position. Indeed, they had bare
ly escaped ripping a mast out Of the
: lugger. They were rocking their boat
~furiously and making every effort to
: get off, but they had gone on fair and
square, the tide was on ebb, and
7 Ellen concluded they were fixed for
some time.
! She rose in the stern sheets and
! laughed gleefully. She put her boat
about and ran down to pass in easy
: hail of Sir Charles and his men.
"Good-by," she called, laughing
: with mockery that stung him, before
!. an hour we shall be aboard yon ship.
1 am sorry that you we're baked. A stern
. chase is a long chase, Sir Charles, as
! you will fad upon the sea"
Poor Sir Charles had little to say for
himself. He felt very much cha
: grined and bitterly disappointed
"Gooy-by, Sir Charles called Debo-
:, rah, sadly. "'Tis not my doing,
v and
= Mistress Deborah" answered Sir
Charles. plucking up heart, you have
y not seen the end of me, / shall find
= some means Of following you wherever
4 you 60"
L There, Debbie,' said Ellen, heart
= up. You did your best to betray me.
! but I forgive you since we've got free
y, | told you Sir Charles would follow
= you and he'll find you all the sweet
! er for his mad chase. Now for yor
y ship"
y And Ellen laid a course which would
in half an hour intercept the oncoming
~ merchantmen.
no b. continuedl
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