Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-25

I had been engaged 1t had been Miss
Hurlb$rt's intention from the FIRST to
disappear with the valuables among
these islands so effectually that
through her attorney. she might make
such terms as she desired with the
plaintiff in the suit She had not
counted on being followed. but when
she found that she would be. being
woman OF great determination, she
had the nerve to prepare for defense.
She fattered me and every member
of the crew, treating us all as her
equals and constantly sending to the
forecastle delicacies from the cabin
mess. As for me, she insisted that l
should eat at her table, since she would
otherwise be obliged to eat alone.
We spent the first two weeks sailing
no farther east than Bath that Miss
Hurlbert might occasionally run into
Portland for letters, but Mt the end OF
that time she told me she had been
advised that the plaintiff had left Bos-
ton. bound east, and she directed me TO
move on. | asked her il our pursuers
had made preparations to fight, and
she said she didn't know; she hoped
that we should avoid them till the 9Th
of November had passed. But why she
placed stress upon this date she did not
tell me.
We heard of yacht called the Spray.
which we suspected TO be the one look
ing for US. Ours was tho Dawn.
Nearly all yachts but the two had gone
out of commission. for by this time it
was the 2Sth of October. On that date
we were concealed in a cove in Penob-
scot bay under trees hanging from a
cliff. Had we remained there we
would have avoided a meeting with our
antagonists. They had tracked us and
! had sailed past our hiding place when
we We're pulling out As soon as we
did so she turned about and came for
us before the wind.
This was in the morning, and two
! hours after noon she had outsailed us
! and was within half mile of US In
/ open water. Miss Hurlbert came up to
me and with as devilish a look as l
ever saw on any woman's face asked
me If l was ready to keep my contract
with her. l wished l was out of 1t, for
had never felt much faith in the JUS
tice of her cause. and l feared to be
mixed and mix my crew in a violation
of the laws However, told her that
l would stand by her.
"Well. then" she said, "go about and
while doing so give her a broadside
from the barkers."
| raised glass to examine our en-
envy and was astonished to see on the
after deck woman. who appeared to
be giving orders like the captain Of a
battleshlp. The popularity of the stu
alton amazed me. Here were and my
crew serving under a woman while
another was in command of our enemy,
and we at least about to engage in an
illegal alteration. Nevertheless
obeyed orders, sent a couple of men
below to work the guns, and while
turning the yachts nose before the
| Spray the port gun was fired, aud as
| we swung round the starbONrd gun fol-
lowed suit Neither shot took effect
Our enemy paid no attention to our
messengers. standing right for us.
ITO your rifles, menr' shouted Miss
Hurlbert
The men obeyed. though reluctantly,
while | stood by, wondering what
would happen next Six rifles were
resting on the gunwale of the Dawn,
while the Spray was advancing head
on. man stood on the latter yachts
bow holding a paper in one hand,
megaphone in the other. Raising the
megaphone, he beloved:
"You. on that yacht! You're wanted
| I'm the sheriff of - county, Maine"
And holding up the paper he read
Z ~, for
the arrest of Matilda Hurlbert
That ended the matter for me. / did
not propose TO resist an arrest. though
not knowing whether the warrant and
the sheriff were genuine.
"Fire!" cried Miss Hurlbert TO the
men.
They looked at me for instructions.
and | told them to lower their rifles.
The look our employer gave me was
something frightful.
There seem to be but few persons
aboard of her" | said. and we are
seven men. well armed Let us have
parley"
Well. the upShot Of the matter was
that Miss Hurlbert was no relation to
MIR Townsend. but a nurse who had
got control of him and was trying TO
get him away where she could marry
him. IFS only child. daughter. was
aware Of her object and had been en-.
deavoring to thwart her. Miss Hurl
bert had been deceiving me as TO her
playing legal game. She was simply
trying to get her charge into position
where she could tie him up In wed
lock She dare not 20 ashore for the
purpose. for the police IN every port
had been given orders by Miss Town
send to arrest her If She appeared She
dare not bring n minister aboard. for
this would give her design away to me
and her crew.
I proved that I and her crew were
not aware OF her real scheme, and We
escaped prosecution. Miss Hurlbert
was sent to ayison for abduction Miss
Townsend was 50 happy nj her success
that she paid US what her enemy had
promised Us.