Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-12-31
CHAPTER lII-continued.

B
But not an inch of canvas did she
lower. fioundering on in her stolid
fashion, while little black ball ran
up her peak and the rare old flag
streamed suddenly ont from the hal
lard. Then again came the rap-rap-
rap of her little guns and the boom
boom of the big carronades In the
bows of the lugger. An instant later.
the three ships met, and the merchant
man staggered on like stag with two
wolves hanging to its launches. For
stricken hour the hell-cloud moved
slowly across the face of the water.
and still, with our hearts In our
mouths we watched the flap of the
nag, straining TO see if it were vet
there. And then suddenly the ship,
as proud and black and high as ever,
shot on upon her way, and as the
smoke cleared we saw one of the lug
gers sqIatterlng like a broken-winged
duck upon the water. and the other
working hard to get the crew from
her before she sank.
For all that hour l had lived for
nothing but the fight. My cap had
been whisked away by the wind but
| had never given it a thought Now.
with my heart full, l turned upon
Cousin Edie. and the sight of her took
me back six years. There was the
vacant, staring eye and the parted lips
Just as | had seen them in her girl
hood. and her little hands were
cfnched until the knuckles cleaned
like ivory.
"Ah, that captain !" she said. talking
TO the heath and the whin bushes.
There Is man-sO strong. so resO-
lutte! l would give year of my life
to meet such man. But that is what
living In the country means. One
never sees anybody but just those who
are fit for nothing better"
do not know that she meant to
hurt me. though she was never very
backward at that; but. whatever her
intention. her words seemed TO strike
straight upon naked nerve.
very well. Cousin Edie," said, try
ing to speak calmly "That puts the
cap on IL. I'll take the bounty In Der.
wick tonight"
"Oh. you'd look so handsome in a
red coat. Jack, and 1t improves you
vastly when you are In temper. l
wish your eyes would always flash like
that, for 1t looks so nice and manly.
But I am sure that You are joking
about the soldering"
I'll let you see if I'm joking" Then
and there | set off running over the
moor. until ! burst into the kitchen
where my father and mother were sit
ting on either side of the ingle.
Mother" I cried, I'm off for a
soldier
Had / said that | was off for a bur-
glar they could not have looked worse
over 1t. for in those days among the
decent, canny country folks II was
mostly the black sheep that were
herded by the sergeant. But, my word,
those same black Sheep did their coun-
try some rare service. too. Ny mother
put up her mittens to her eyes and
my father looked as black as a peat
| hole.
"Hoots. Jock. you're daft" says he.
Daft or no. I'm going
"Then you'll have no blessing from
me-"
"Then I'll go without"
At this my mother gave a screech
| and throws her arms about my neck.
| saw her hand, all hard and worn
and knuckly with the work that shs
had done for my npbringins, and II
pleaded with me as words could not
have done. Ny heart was soft for her
but my will was as hard as a flint
edge. l put her back In her chair
with a kiss, and then ran to my room
to pack my bundle. 1t was already
growing dark. and | had long walk
before me; so ] thrust few things
together and FASTENED out. As | came
through the side door someone touched
my shoulder. and there was EdIe In
the cleaning.
"silly boy" said she you are not
really goingf | don't want you to go.
Jack"
"You said that the folk In the com.
'ry were At for nothing better. You
always speak like that. You think M
more NJ me than of those doves In m,