The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-11-06
Copyright. 1912. BY Cyrus townsend Brady


day you can better imagine than | can
describe. And nv occasional visits
had scarcely reassured her greatly.
Yet in an emergency | have never
known a woman who had more spirit.
She had left her noon meal practical
ly untouched. and she was sitting there
in the cabin nervously clutching the
pistol. frightened half to death Poor
grill don't blame her Whatever
may have been the cause of 1t, she was
genuinely glad to see me when came
in and lighted the cabin lanterns
oh" she cried. II have been in
agony the whole day. Every sound
has caused me to seize this weapon,
and when | have not been watching
the door | have been on my knees
praying for you and for myself | do
not think | can stand another day like
this"
please God. dear lady, you shall
not" | said, smiling reassuringly at
her.
What do you mean? Have you a
plan?"
81 have. The men are all drunk. !
am going to leave the ship and take
you with me-"
But how-whenY
For answer | threw open the stern
window of her cabin. On level with
it swung a small boat, a whaleboat
Now l had taken occasion during the
day to lower that boat little by little,
few inches at time and then a few
inches at another time. as | had op-
portunity to get near the falls and to
manipulate them unobserved. but /
had brought it down to the level of The
cabin windows. Its sea lashings We're
cast off, and | had no doubt if condi-
tions on deck were as | expected them.
could lower it all the way later with
impunity
What do you meanF' she asked.
staring out of the window and into
the empty boat
81 mean that you and | are going to
embark in that boat tonight and leave
this ship"
But where are we going?"
There is land not a league and a
half under our lee. 1t seems to be the
most easterly of a cluster Of islands
rs it the island we seek. do you
think? 2"
I'VE are in exactly the latitude and
the longitude of the chart If my calcu
lations are correct"
The island was uninha bited when
my ancestor was cast away upon it,
Yes" said ]. but there may be ma
tives there now, but no savages of the
south seas could be more cruel and
ruthless than the men on this ship"
Let us CO." she said. shuddering.
What is your plan?"
~ want you to dress yourself in your
st0utest clothes. with your hea West
shoes, wrap yourself up in a boat cloak
and take with you a change of clothes
and some few necessaries for your
comfort | will go and rummage the
lazarette for provisions and ! will see
y ] can turn up any more weapons n
the captains room. dare not go tC
the arms chest"-it was below In the
hold anyway, and | could not waste
the time to hunt it out-"we must
hurry"
why, you said they were insensi
ble."
They'll recover their senses before
we know it. ! want as long start az
possible"
Wait moment" she said She
opened a drawer under her berth and
drew out a leather case. which she
opened and placed before me There
were two ivory handled silver mounted
pistols in it. They belonged to my IA
ther," she said with one Of them he
he Her voice broke. | nodded
knew what he had done with one of
them. She rummaged further and
drew out an exquisite sword. quite un-
like my heavy one. but. if | could Judge
anything about weapons. of fine tenn
per and strength and with its hilt
studded with diamonds. This was
my fathers too," she said. And I rec
ognized 1t also II was that l had tax
en- from Arcester
The pistols were smaller than my
huge barkers. better suited for her
hand. and 10 load them from the
TASKS which accompanied them was
the work OF few minutes thrust
my own heavy weapon back into my
belt ] then buckled her two pistols
around her waist and bade her take
the sword also We might need all
these weapons
Then ! left her and went out on
deck. The men were in a profound
drunken stupor Pimbal was sound
asleep: Glibby was nodding He leer
ed at me as | drew abreast of him
"Everyth-th-ing a-all r-right?" he hic.
coughed
Everything" | answered. THE old
bark doesn't need much watching to
nf0hf