The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-11-12

"We didn't know he was there.
miss" said one.
The firing now appeared to increase
in volume and accuracy. Several bull
let's changed against the funnel or
broke huge splinters off the boats.
"Great heavens, listen to thatw
growled a voice. "An' we cooped up
here. blazed at by lot Of rotten da-
goes. with not gun to our name!'
Iris was still supporting Hozier,
whose head and shoulders were pill
lowed against her breast as she knelt
behind him.
"Can nothing be done?" she asked.
81 believe Captain Coke has been kill
cd. Mr.. Hozier is badly injured, 1
fear. Bring some water, If possible"
yes yes: water. Only knock on
the head. How did it happen? And
what is that noise of firing?'
HoZier's scattered wits were return
ing, though neither he nor Iris remem-
bered that the Andromeda was water
less. He looked up at her, then at the
men, and he smiled as his eyes met
hers again.
Funny thing" he said, with nat
ural tone that was reassuring. 81
thought the windlass smashed itself
| into smithereens. But 1t couldn't.
What was it that banged2"
/ "a shell fred from the island" said
the girl.
Hozier Strengthened himself little.
He was hearing marvels, though far
from understanding them as yet.
"a shellp' he repeatedly vacantly.
Had she said ga comet" 1t could not
have sounded more incredible.
Eyes, 1t might have killed you. Sew
eral Of the men are dead. l myself
saw three of them killed outright, and
two others are badly wounded"
"Here you are, sir-drink this" said
fireman, offering a pannikin Of beer.
1t was unpalatable stuff, but 1t tasted
| like the nectar of the gods to one who
had sustained blow that would have
felled an OK. Hozier had almost emp
tied the tin when an exclamation from
an Irish, stoker drew all eyes to the
after part of the ship.
"Holy war! VIII ye look at that"
shouted the man. "Sure the skipper
isn't dead at all, at all!'
Iris had failed to grasp the mean
ing of Coke's antics In the chart room,
but they were now fully explained.
The bulldog breed of this self confessed
rascal had taken the upper hand Of
him Though he had not scrupled to
plot the destruction of the ship and
thus rob marine insurance company
of a considerable sum of money, though
at that very instant there was actual
proof of his scheme In the preparations
he had made to jam the steering gear
when the anchor was raised after the
tanks Vert replenished, it was not in
the mans nature to skulk into COM
parative safety because foreigner, a
pirate. q Observation-Disclosures
society Portygee, opened tire on him in
this murderous fashion. Moreover,
Cokes yillainy would have sacrificed
no lives. The Andromeda might be
converted into scrap iron and thereby
give back, by perverted arithmetic, the
money invested in her, but her white
decks would not be stained with blood
Whatever risk was incurred would be
his, the responsible captains, his only
1t was a vastly different thing that
shot and shell should be rained on al
! unarmed ship by the troops of civi
lized power when she was seeking the
lowest form of hospitality. No Won
J der If the bull necked skipper foamed
| az No fnrhfd
: den by the catechism, no wonder II ht
tried to express his helpless fury In
one last act of defiance.
He rummaged the lockers for &
union jack and the four flags thai
showed the ships namo in signal let
ters. He determined that she woult
go down with colors flying II he wer'
not put out of action by bullet be
fore he could reach the main halyard
The sweIye in the ships course a
she passed the island gave him an Op
portupity. In justice to Coke 1t shoult
be said that he rocked naught of this
but 1t would have been humanity i'm
have missed him. And now, while tn,
vessel lay with straight keel in the Sc
Of the current, the national emblem o
Britain, with the Andromeda's cod
flags beneath, luttered up the main
mast.
There are many imaginable condi
tions under which Coke's deed woul,
be regarded as sublime; there are non
which could deny his splendid audac
ity. The soldiers, who seemed to b
actuated by the utmost malevolenct
redoubled their efforts to hit the squa
Hercules who had beloved at ther
and their fellow artillerists from tn
bridge. Bullets struck the deck, lodge
In the masts, spllntered the roof an
p panels Of the upper structure, bu
not one touched Coke. He coolly mad
e fast each flag in its turn and haule
away till the union jack had reache
lp the truck; then, drawn forward by
In hoarse cheer that came from the for,
castle, he turned his back ON the en-,
rs my and swung himself down to tn
fore deck.
Is AS he numbered along the deck b
mopped his face vigorously with
Dr DOcket handk erchiaf and this homal