Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-06-13

lage, which was a model of n~eatness, and on
up a winding path for nearly a mile, when a
sharp turn around a flank of the mountain
brought us to a large bungalow-the palace Of
the queen. =.
While breakfast was being prepared she
made herself more beautiful by changing her
dress of European style for a native costume
of flowing silk so becoming that | wondered at
her ever wearing anything else. After break
last she looked down at the little town and far
out to sea in silence for a long time and then
told me the story of her life.
Her name, she said, was Katherine Crofton;
her father one of the younger branches of a
family headed by a baron. Her father was a
lieutent-commander In the British navy, and
to prevent an accident he disoboyed the order
OF an incompetent and arrogant superior off cer.
In a quarrel that followed, her father knocked
his superior down and otherwise abused him,
for which he was court-martialed and dis
missed.
my father was a high-spirited man." she
continued, land his disgrace embittered him
against England and everything English. He
soon left home, and when we next heard from
him he was in Hong Kong. When l was about
fifteen, he wrote mother and me to take a P.
& 0. ship for Singapore, where we would find
further instructions. When we got there father
was waiting for us on a handsome yacht, the
Queen. / am still using her. He brought us to
to this island. where he had established a small
settlement and built a warehouse and a ma
chine shop for repairs. He had taken great
pains to make his rendezvous secure from dis.
covery.
When / was not much older than nineteen
father and mother were taken desperately i'll,
and he called me into his room and made a
confession. He said that in his hatred of the
British he had turned pirate and had been for
all those years preying on ships flying the flag
he despised. He had also, occasionally, waged
war on the native pirates and taken their loot
from them, which explained why he had FREE
quently come In with wounded men on board.
and he made me swear that IL he died | would
continue the work he had begun. He told me
| could rely on Frank Deverell, his chief officer,
whom he said he hoped l would some day mar
I, ry,"-thls last with just a trace Of sarcasm.
my father died the next week and my mother
three months later.
That was four years ago. I-have kept the
oath, but the fulfllment has brought me In
creasing misery. My attacks on the British
flag have been few-in fact, I have given timely
assistance to many more English ships than |
have robbed, and hundreds Of their passengers
and crews owe their lives to me, but | have
preyed on the natural pirates Of these waters
49, AAApo 90 uLd IL hIuCt M
After luncheon the queen and / set off toward
the mountain-top, nearly one thousand feet
above us, but we did not reach 1t, for the heat
was intense.
well, what do you think Of us now?P she
asked, on our way down, after l had told her
how l had spent the forenoon.
Il think enough Of you to devote my whole
life to your service!" l quickly replied.
When | came back to dinner she was waiting
for me in her bower. AS she came to meet me
and extended her hand she said, earnestly and
almost sadly: II believe you were honest and
sincere in what you said this afternoon, but
can only say Thank you What you suggested
is impossible"
In the three weeks that followed | urged my
love upon her with all of my determination, but
she refused to change her decision and ap
parently was a firm In 1t as she was at first
1t was agreed that We should both give III
piracy, but all of our arguments ended there
until finally, one afternoon, as we sat looking
out over the sea and talking of the ordinary
affairs Of life, she said, slowly and emphatic
ally, "Deyerell was my fathers right-hant
man. | am going to take the next ship fol
England, lay my case before the home secretary
and ask him for a full pardon. will confess tt
him that ] have taken from the pirates what
they had stolen from others. 10 Offset that
ohense | have hundreds Of written statements
from people whose lives I have saved from the
pirates. | believe | can secure. a pardon. ant
II | do ! will meet you with a clear conscienc,
and become your wifel"