Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-10-24

shes built only for speed and fight
ing"
The old lady said no more. Brought
face TO face with that which she had
heard of only at distance her non
resistant theory collapsed But she
was too proud TO admit it.
| The stranger was evidently steering
course to head off the Scotia. Miss
Macgregor sat immovable. while the
two ships were inevitably drawing
closer together There was no fear In
| her face. but thundercloud. Were
there NEUROLOGICAL goddess of war
she would have been its impersonation.
Presently the stranger broke the
skull and crossbones. firing at the
same time a shot across the Scotia's
bows. Immediately Miss Macgregor
heard the rolling of guns on a lower
deck.
| "Wha.s that?" she asked.
Guns" replied the captain.
| The curve of the old lady's lips
q grim smile But she said never a
word She had no encomium for Cap
tain Hardwick for disobeying her or
ders and no reproof.
Strike the flag" the captain ordered.
Up jumped Miss Macgregor Strike
the fagw she cried. Never. Not on
my sheep while I'm aboard OF her.
Its ruse." explained the captain.
81 wish to get her within range and
when our broadside faces her We'll run
out our guns for the fight"
"Ah, weel." said the lady, 81 did ma
think O that"
The pirate unsuspectingly drew near
Ter and the two vessels stood side by
side, cables length apart. The buc
cancer did not consider it worth while
to open his ports, thinking his prize
d mere trader Suddenly the Scotia S
ports flew open and a broadside thun-
dered forth
"Weel done, captainr' said the old
lady. Can We ma give him another
Some confusion was manifest on the
pirate, but nis guns were run out and
the fight was opened
A great change came over Miss
Macgregor. her appearance suggesting
her ancestor highlanders' "wha' wi
Wallace bled." Hardwick endeayored
to retain the command, but soon gave
way to the little Scotchwoman I'm
fortunately. she did not have the
knowledge of seamanship and ord
nance with which TO carry on such an
encounter and il went against her.
The pirate kept drawing nearer, final
ly getting into position favorable for
graphing Hardwick told the men to
60 below and bring up the muskets
and cutlasses They did so. and the
captain suggested to his commander
that the crew lie beneath the bul
warks and if the pirates attempted tc
board surprise them. She consented
and, taking q cutlass, screened herself
among them ON the bows near where
the buccaneers were evidently aiminI
to grapple
!" Presently above the heads of thos
u waiting WAS the sound Of irons catch
{ ing on the eunwale. Hardwick hat
= told the men 10 wait till he gave tn
u signal to rise but as he was about t
;. do so Miss MacGregor sprang with al
:. agility betting young girl on to tn
= bulwarks and. holding with her lief
> hand to the foremost ratiines, waved
, cutlass with the other.
"Come on. We imps O. Satan" sh
4 cried
N One OF the pirates was about Z
o leap to the Scotia, but this strang
Is apparition threw him fiat aback% Blu
n only for a moment. The Scotia's mel
Y supported their leader and for a tim
repealed the attack. But at last tn
lie bucca necrs gained a foothold on tn
i. Scotias deck. and her crew were driy
en- back
g Al hour passed. but the pirates coul
% not score a victory A number o
lie times the Scotias crew would hay
ID given up the fight but for the indon
ID table resolution of Miss Macgregoi
One glance at her adamant face an
IL they were ready for another thrus
IS The officers realizing her value pre-
|
IS would have cleft her like an apple.
Get awa'r' she cried to them. BIT
&c they refused.
Her men. fighting as they were fc
Is their lives, as time went on killed an
~ disabled more pirates than they lo'
ia themselves. Finally Captain Har'
~ wick. seeing that he had his enemi'
ne outnumbered. gave signal for OF
n concentrated effort. 1t so reduced Il
al pirates numbers that they gave wa
IN Miss Macgregor broke through tho'
IL of her own side in front Of her al
at followed the retreating buccaneer
chopping them with her cutlass, t
or CAPTAIN Har1wick caught her by b
o skirts and pulled her back. Most
the fleeing men were killed. The re
,or jumped into the sea- Then Miss Ma
he gregor stood on the forecastle, cove
Ike ed with blood. her skirts torn
IN shreds, her white hair Embossed al
lat flying In the winds, not whit OF b
en sternness gone. and said
lin Thurs ma kirk on the sheep, b
es. that's ma reason why we should
Ike have prayers Doom on yer knees a
give thanks for the victory
ted Not man but dropped Not m
ver dared disobey lest she cut him do'
far for mutiny. and Miss Macgree
EN- poured forth in her quaint Scotch d
zen lect thanks that they had not OF
EN- been spared. but had been enabled
lex smIte their enemies.
so The episode changed Miss Macg
hat gor's noncombatant principles. WI
her she returned from her voyage as 4