Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-08-20
tcopyrighs. 1909, by Stanley J. weyman.JI
I.
on BOARD THE CoRMORANT
SLOOP.

history turing WHICH, dcCOrulHB " AlS'
~torians. the distressful country had
none-to be more precise, on a spring
morning early in the 18th century, and
the reign of George the First. a slQor
OF about 70 tons burden was beating
up Dingle bay, in the teeth of a stiff
easterIy breeze. The sun was two hours
high, and the gray of the bay
was fecked with the white horses u
rying seward In haste to leap upon
the Blasquets, or to disport themselves
in the field of ocean. From the heaving
deck Of the vessel the mountains that
shall not be removed were visible-on
the northerly tack Brandon, on the
southrly C%erntual; the former sunlitr
with patches OF moss cleaning like
emeralds On it's breast. the latter dark
and melancholy, clothed In the midst
OF tradition and fancy that In those
days CARRIED so much OF Ireland's bog
and hill.
The sloop had missed the tide, and,
close hauled 10 the wind, rode deep In
the ebb, making little way with each
tack. The breeze hummed through the
rigging. The man at the helm bumped
q shoulder to the sting Of h spray,
and the rest of the crew. seven or eight
in number-tarry, pigtailed. outlandish
sailor men-crouched under the wind
ward rail. The skipper sat with a COM
RtbAAAOAA OA a ~ VA a0PV va ~ aAJ ~
OF the skylight, oblivious alike Of the
weather and his difficulties, his eyes
fixed on his neighbor, In wondering,
fatuous admiration.
Never" he murmured, respectfully.
Never" his companion answered.
MY faithl" Captain Augustin re-
Joined. He YVES a cross between a
Frenchman and an Irishman. For 20
years he had carried wine to Ireland.
and returned alden with wool to Bor-
deaux or Cadiz. He knew every inlet
between Achill Sound and the Head
OF Kinsale, n was SO far a Jacobite
that he scorned to pay CIty to King
George. Never? My faith!" he re-
peated, staring, II possible, harder
than ever.
NO" said the Colonel. Under no
~provocation, thank God!"
But it's DONE" Captain Augustin
rejoined. 1T would bother me sorely
10 know what you do"
What we all should do" his passen-
ger answered gently. "Our duty, Cap
tain Augustin. Doing which, we have
no more to fear, no more 10 question"
but west OF Shannon. where there
Is no law" Augustin answered. And
in Kerry-where wen be, the saints
helping, before noon-what with Sui
livans, and Mahonies, and O'Beirnes,
that wear coats only for a gentleman to
al uDOllf gin NO0ih OOOitCN
a friend before breakfast than spend
the day idle, par ma fol. I'm not seeing
what you'll be doing there, Colonel"
"A man may protect himself from
violence" the Colonel answered soberly.
-and yet do his duty. What he may
not dds this: he may not go out to
kill another in cold blood. for a point
of honor, or for revenge, or TO sustain
what he has already lone amiss! ! hope
/ make myself clear. Ca. tain Angus
tin?' he added courteously.
He asked because the shippers face OF
wonderment was not to be misread.
And the skipp answered, Quite
clearl" meaning the reverse. Clear, in
deed? Yonder were the hills and bogs
of Kerry-l.wless. impeE etrable. abom-
inable-a realm OF Tories. On the
sloop itself was scarce a man whose
hands were free from btevd. He, Au-
gustin, mild hammered as any SNUG
gler on the coast, had spent his life
between fleeing n fighting, with his
four carronades ever crammed to the
muzzle, and his cargo ready to be jetti-
soned at sight of a cruiser. And this
man talked as II he were In church!
Captain Augustin cast a wild eye at
the strafning, shrieking rigging: the
sloop was lurching heavily. But wheth-
er he would or no, his eye iuttered
back and rested. fascinated, on the
colonel's face. Indeed. from the hour,
10 days earlier, which a seen him
mount the side In the Bordeaux river,
Colonel John Sullivan had been a sub
ject of growing establishment to the
skipper. Captain Augustin knew his
world tolerably. In his time he had
conveyed many q strange passenger
from strand TO strand, and had talked
with them, learned their secrets, and
more often their hopes.
But such a man as this he had never
carried. A mar who had seen outland-
ish service; but who neither swore. nor
drank above measure. nor staggered.
nor threatened. Who would not dice,
nor -gaIne-save for tribes. Who. on the
contrary, talked of duty. had a peace
full word for all, openly condemned
the duello. and was mild as mild and
as gentle as an owl. Such a one seemed
the tabled 'Phaynix." or a bat with
six wings, or any other prodigy which
h fancy, Irish or foreign. could con-
ceive.
Then. to double the marvel, the coll
onel had-a servant, a close tongued
fellow, William Bale by name, reputed
an Englishman, who, If he was net
like his master. was as unlike other
folk. He was as quiet spoken as the
colonel, as precise, and as peaceable.
He had even been heard to talk OF his
duty. But while the colonel was tall
and spare, with a gentle eye and long,
kindly face. and was altogether OF a
pensive cast. Bale was short and
stout. OF a black pallor. and very for
bidding. His mouth, when he opened
tt--which was acknowledged honey.
I'M his silence invited no confidence.
But his brow scowled. his lips sneered,
and his silence invited no confidence.
Such being the shippers passenger,
n such his man. the wonder was
that Captain Augustin's establishment
had not long & melted into con-
tempt. But 1t had moi. For one thing.
a cana had been hurt. and the COL
onel had exhibited . skill In the treat
ment Of wounds which would :.3t have
disgraced an experienced chirurgeon.
Then In the bay the sloop had met
with half a gale. and the passenger. In
circumstances which the skipper knew
60 be more trying TO landsmen than to
himself. had maintained a serenity be-
yond applause. He had even, clinging
to the same ring bolt with the skipper,
while the Southwestern tore overhead
and the gallant little vessel lay over
Wellnigh to her beam ends. praised the
conduct or the crew.
This Is the finest thing In the
world" he had shouted, amid the roar
or things, ITO see men doing their