The
Escapade
By Cyrus Townsend Brady.
thing must have alarmed them. They
left their own cabin, locked It to keep
us busy and give themselves time,
came In here and went overboard
through the stern window."
"Overboard Into what?" cried Sir
Charles In dismay. "You don't think
they've committed suicide?"
Collier laughed.
"Certainly not. Didn't you notice
Just before dark when we were over
hauling the ship that she had a small
boat trailing astern. It's pounds to
pennies that they've gone In that.
Here, wait; 1 11 find out."
He wriggled out of the window
himself, dropped down the Jacob's
ladder and peered anxiously aft. There
was no sign of a boat. It was dark
and he couldn't see very well, but he
could see enough to know that from
whatever cause, the boat that had
been dragging astern was gone.
"You've lost them again. Sir
Charles." he said gloomily, as he
climbed into the cabin again.
"I'll not believe it," cried Sir
Charles bitterly disappointed at this
unfortunate ending of so promising
a venture.
Captain Tuggles laughed. It must
be confessed that he hugely enjoyed
the discomfiture of his unwelcome
vis' tors.
"What's to be done now?" cried Sir
Charles.
"Nothing but go back to the Britan
nia." "What! without searching the
ship?"
"Well, we can do that," returned
Collier, "but I'm morally certain that
it'll "be of little use."
"Nevertheless," answered Sir
Charles. "I should like it, for they may
have been concealed elsewhere and
this all may be a trick to throw us
off the scent."
"All right." returned the naval of
ficer, "I'll have a dozen of the Britan
nias out of the boat and well over
haul the Flying Star from stem to
Etern and from truck to keelson."
"Gentlemen." said the captain. "I'm
terrible anxious to get ahead. I'll be
honest with you this time. I did take
In them two parties about nooa to-day.
I knowed that the one in men's clothes
was a woman soon as I laid eyes on
her, but she said she was the daugh
ter of Captain William Penn Slocum
cf Philadelphia, a man I'd knowed
for many years, an' I agreed to take
her to Bordeaux whither I'm bound.
She said she was runnin' away from
her husband. And the other girl was
runnin away from a lover. No, not
exae'ly," continued the captain, cor
recting himself, "the other girl was
runnin' away 'cause she had to. I
took it that she was no wise willin' to
come with us but she couldn't help it."
Sir Charles' heart leaped at this con
firmation of his hopes and dreams.
"An I give you my word." continued
the captain, "that they ain't nowhere
else in the ship. I was down here
just before dark, thought I'd fetch
them some supper, and they was both
asleep, an' I didn't have the heart to
wake 'em up. I think it's just as this
jreiitleiiian says, somethln must have
alarmed them, maybe they heard your
hail: their boat was dragyin' astern,
and they made off in her."
"1 have no doubt that you are speak
ing the truth," answered Seton.
Captain Tuggles startled violently.
Nay," said the soldier, "I mean no
offense at all, but you don't know
Lady Ellen Carrington, and it's quite
possible that without your knowledge
she's concealed herself la some other
part of the ship."
"If I produce her will you take off
your men and your, ship and lemme
go on?"
"Instantly," returned Seton.
' "I wish I could do it," said the cap
tain. "All I can do is to send my men
to assist yours. Mr. Rayker," he
called out to the mate, "have the ship
searched. Put no hindrance in the
way of these Britishers, and if them
two females can be found, fetch 'em
aft, for God s sake!"
It did not take the sailors long to
search the ship. They found no
.trace of Ellen and Deborah whatso
ever and so reported to Collier.
"I am sorry for you. Sir Charles,"
said Collier, "but they have evidently
escaped you. They're cruising around
somewhere in these waters in that
boat. Perhaps we can overhaul thm
at daybreak if we have good luck,"
he said. "At any rate, they are not
here, and we'll have to return to the
Britannia."
"My friend." said Sir Charles,
gloomily, "we owe you some repara
tion for stopping you in this way. If
this will compensate, I shall be glad."
He extended his hand with a rouleau of
gold pieces in it. Captain Tuggles took
the money, examined it critically,
walked to the side of the vessel and
dropped It overboard.
"What do you mean by that?" cried
Sir Charles, angrily.
"It's right that you should pay me
for the trouble you've caused and the
insult you've put upon me, but that
doesn't make it necessary for me to
take your money." '
"Why didn't you give it back, then?"
asked Collier, who was as much aston
ished as Seton.
"There wouldn't have been any pay
If I'd give it back. It goes into the
ocean, that'll clean it off. Now, if
you're through with me, although I've
enjoyed immensely this evenln's con
versation, p'raps you'll be kind enough
to call off your men. take your ship
i ,
Collier laughed.
"It wa3 that xort of sclrlt." b paid
to Seton, "that prevented us from con
quering them In the last seven years.
Come on. we have naught to p?. fri
ll ere. We'll let the American euIo
scream undisturbed."
"Yes." said 'Captain Tuggles, "mi l It's
this sort of spirit that's goin' to ma";e
It hot for you if you ever try to fi!?t
with us a-:ain. The American eagle's
never goin' to be any younger and
weaker than it is now, and look out
next time."
Seton laughed at the captain's gas
conading in which there was more
truth than either of them dreamed,
turned on his heel, followed Collier
to the gangway, descended to the boat,
which was shoved off and rowed to
the Britannia.
A few moments later there was a
shrilling of pipes, a hoarse growling, a
hurrying of feet along the decks of
the liner. Her helm was shifted, her
sails filled, her main yard swung, and
she went swashing away into the night,
an example that Captain Tuggles
was quick to follow.
"Captain," said the second mate,
whose watch it was, "I suppose them
females is lying off here in the dark
somewhere, p'raps if we stand on easy
we can pick 'em up again."
"I wouldn't have 'em in my ship
again," said Tuggles, viciously, "for
a thousand pounds. Women are all
right ashore, especially when men are
at sea, but when the two gits together
on a ship, God help us. An' so I says
to Mrs. Tuggles, she can keep house
in Boston, and I'll keep house on my
quarter-deck. I ain't there, and I
don't feel that way when I'm in her
presence."
With which bit of sea philosophy
the worthy captain fades into the dark
ness and out of the pages of this history.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Preliminaries to Danger.
Admiral Kephard was waiting the
return of the boat at the gangway of
the Britannia. Great was his disap
pointment when he discovered that
Seton and Collier were alone.
"Hey! What?" he exclaimed. "Where
are the ?"
"I'll explain It in your cabin, if
you'll permit, sir," answered Sir
Charles, gravely, unable to hide his
disappointment.
"Come aft. then," returned the ad
miral. "Collier, you, too. Gentle
men," he continued as he waved them
to seats in his spacious cabin, "what's
the story? Did not the ladies board
that ship?"
"They did, sir," answered Sir
Charles.
"Well, why didn't you bring them
off? Wouldn't they come with you?
Couldn't you persuade them?"
"We couldn't persuade them be
cause we didn't have a chance, sir,"
answered Collier.
"What do you mean?" exclaimed the
admiral in bewilderment.
"They had gone!"
"Gone? Where?"
"I wish we knew," answered Sit
Charles with a very melancholy air.
"But my dear Sir Charles, where
could they have gne? Did you search
the ship?"
"Every nook and corner in her, sir,"
answered Collier.
"But I don't understand," began th
admiral.
"They must have seen ns ranging
alongside, sir," returned the lieuten
ant, "for when we broke rnto the cabin
which they had occupied we found the
berths had been used, but the ladies
had fled."
"Fled where?"
"Into the captain's cabin."
"Did you not enter that?"
"We did. sir. They had left that"
"Left it for what?"
"For the small boat in which they
had boarded the Flying Star, which,
you remember, we noticed dragging
astern of the merchantman while w
chased her this afternoon."
"I see," returned the admiral.
"Lord, what a woman that is! She
has spirit and resource and readl-
Plunged Him Into a Black Fit of Jeal
ousy of Seton.
ness enough to command not a frigate,
as I said before, but, by gad, sirs, a
fleet! A lucky dog, Carrington!"
"The unluckiest on earth, I think, ad
miral," returned the baronet, warmly,
"and as for me, I prefer the gentler,
more womanly kind of women."
"Like Mistress Deborah, eh?"
laughed the old sailor. "Well, every
one to his taste. And she went along,
too, I have do doubt, under coercion."
"Admiral." returned Sir Charles,
haughtily, "from the evidences I have
had"
"Over Baxter's 'Saints' Rest? said
the admiral.
"Quite so."
tKhst do you Drooopa s(""
"I have no proposition to n:akc. X
suppose we can't hope to fin J tlieni
DOW."
"Might as well try to Lunt for a
needle In a haystack as to try to find
them in this darknes?," said the ad
miral. "It'll be ton hours at loast be
fore it's light enough to see anything,
and by that time they may have gone
anywhere. I'm expecting orders any
day for sea, and I shall have to get
back to the anchorage. There's no help
for it, Sir Charles. I'm sorry for you,
but you'll have to take a new de
parture and follow the course In an
other way. Mr. Collier, bid Captain
Beatty make the, best of the way to
the anchorage without further delay.
I can offer you a berth yonder, Sir
Charles. I have no doubt you'll want
to turn In after all you've gone through
and the disappointment you've met
with."
"Thank you," said Sir Charles, "I
do feel rather done up."
"Oh, these women," mused the old
admiral as Sir Charles disappeared
In an adjoining stateroom. "It's lucky
that I have no greater attachment
than his majesty's ships, God bless
him! And then an admiral has all he
can do to rule his fleet without having
to take orders from a pair of petti
coats " which . was the sailor's quaint
euphemism for the other Bex, and he
did not even know that the useful ar
ticle of dress he cited did not come
In pairs!
A couple of hours after the ar
rival of the two hot-headed lords at
the Blue Boar, an officer from the
squadron inquired for Lieutenant Car
rington. A servant carried his mes
sage up to the room where Car
rington was lying down waiting for
the next turn of events, and he
was instantly admitted. He proved
to be Lieutenant Miller, a shipmate and
intimate friend of Carrington's, who
had come from the Niobe to the inn
for two reasons. One was in re
sponse to Carrington's . urgent ap
peal that he act as his second in
the approaching affair with Strathgate.
and the other was' because he bore
orders from the captain of the Niobe
directing Carrington to report on
board at once, as the Niobe was un
der orders for the Mediterranean with
out delay. It was already quite late
in the afternoon when Mr. Miller laid
his orders before Carrington.
"I can't go," said the earl, reso
lutely, "I have to meet Strathgate in
the morning and beside that I can't
leave the country now."
"Captain Careysbrook is in a good
deal of temper about the matter now.
The orders were sent on to your
house and followed you here. He
should, have gone two days ago and
he's fuming like a caged lion."
"I can't help it. You'll have to go
back and explain the circumstances
to him and tell him if he can't wait
until to-morrow morning, he'll have
to sail without me."
"But that's disobedience of orders,"
returned Miller.
"Man," said Carrington hotly, "don't
you see this infernal scoundrel Strath
gate ran away with my wife "
"With your wife!" exclaimed Miller.
"Well, not exactly," replied Carring
ton, "that is, they went away together.
Oh, hang it! I've got to kill him and
I have to find my wife if it costs me
my commission. I can't go. No, you
needn't remonstrate with me," ran on
my lord, hotly, "just simply tell him
that that's the end of it and if he
wants to order me under arrest, he
can do it. I'll face a court-martial
rather than "
"Well, I'm awfully sorry, Carring
ton," returned Miller, "but I ean't stay
with you. I am ordered to return to
the ship without delay."
"All right, but I must have some
friend here. Let me have Parkman.
He's on the Renown. She's not under
orders, is she?"
"No, I believe not, although since
the Britannia sailed "
"Where did the Britannia go?"
"We don't know anything about it.
A small boat came alongside, looked
like a soldier in her, and then the ship
got under way, signaled to as to dis
regard the motions of the commander-in-chief
and left Lascelles in com
mand." "A small boat with a soldier in
her," mused Carrington. "Which way
did the Britannia go?"
"At nightfall she was going up the
channel In the wake of a big mer
chantman." "By heavens!" roared the earl,
"that'll be Seton."
"I don't understand what you mean,"
said Miller.
"Never mind," returned Carrington,
visibly perturbed, "send me Parkman.
Ask Captain Lascelles to let him off
for the night. Explain to him "
"And what shall I say to Captain
Careysbrook?"
"Say anything you like, except that
I can't come off, and I'll explain when
I can."
"That won't do much good," aid
Miller, "but I'll do the best I can."
- He shook the other's hand and left
the room.
"Seton on the Britannia! I see it
all now," mused Carrington. "What a
fool I was not to think of it myself.
They'll overhaul her without fail. The
Britannia will be back to her anchor
age at daybreak and I'll be there." He
stopped. "No, I have this cursed duel
on hand. I wonder if it couldn't be
postponed!"
For the moment his Intense love for
Ellen overbore every other possibility.
The thought that at last she would be
restored to him made him for the
moment forget the pressing demands
of the early morning hour, but further
reflection plunged him into a black fit
of jealousy of Seton. It was he who
had the wit and address to capture
Lady Carrington. It was he who would
reap the reward that might come to
devotion. And Carrington swore to
settle with him as soon as he had ar-r,-nr,i
-na't-ri with Strr'u ::f
M' r "'; w ' ' -r '(p(j
toward evening by the arrival of Park
man, to whom Lascelles had readily
granted permission to go ashore for
the night. Parkman had brought with
him a case of dueling pistols, havjng
been Inferred by Miller of what was
on. The two at once settled down to
business, but not until Carrington had
catechized Tarkman as to what was
known about the movements of the ad
miral and the Britannia. Nothing
further was elicited than what he had
obtained from Miller. A challengo
was duly drawn up and Parkman car
ried it to Lord Strathgate.
The baron of Blythedale had a seat
a few miles east of Portsmouth.
He was a bachelor, a congenial
spirit and an old friend of Lord
Strathgate's. He had agreed to act
as Strathgate's second. ' He and
Lieutenant Parkman soon came to an
agreement. The encounter would
take place in the park at Blythedale,
where the combatants would be
free from any possible interruption or
from prying eyes of any sort.
Strathgate, as the challenged, had the
choice of weapons, and selected
swords, to Carrington's great satisfac
tion. The other preliminaries were
soon settled. A surgeon was also
designated, and Parkman came back
to report the progress of events, most
agreeable, from his point of view, to
his principal.
Carrington was as expert with the
sword as with the pistol, and he made
no demur to any of the conclusions
of the seconds. All he wanted was
to have his deadly enemy opposite
him, with no one to intervene. He
had duties to perform before he went
to rest. One of them" was the writ
ing of a letter to Ellen, which, after
he had signed and sealed it, he gave
to Parkman, with Instructions to turn
it over to my Lady Carrington in case
the approaching encounter should ter
minate fatally for my lord. When
Parkman asked where Lady Carring
ton was to be found, Carrington re
plied bitterly that in all probability
she could be seen on the Britannia in
the morning with Sir Charles Seton.
"And hark ye, Jack," said Carring
ton, clapping his hand on his friend's
shoulder, "say to Sir Charles Seton
that as regards the unsettled differ
ence between us, I'm ready to meet
him here and now, if he'll come ashore
in the proper' mood for an encounter.
I might as well finish up all my en
emies in one day and leave myself
free for dealing with my wife, or get
a clearance for Davy Jones' locker my
self from one or the other of them."
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Witnesses in the Coppice.
Carrington was up early the next
morning. Parkman had procured a
carriage, and, as the meeting had been
arranged for seven o'clock, the two
rove out to Blythedale hall, whither
Strathgate had preceded them the
night before. The way lay along the
strand, and Carrington was not too
preoccupied to notice that the Niobe
was gone and the Britannia had re
turned. His wife was probably on that
ship. He looked long and earnestly
toward it. If he had consulted his
inclinations he would have repaired
aboard of it at once and asked for
giveness for all his folly and injustice
toward her, but the conventions of
life spelled in this instance by
honor constrained him.
He gave a thought, too, to the frig
ate which had departed without him.
Fof the first time in his life he had
failed in his duty. Kephard was a
kind old man, and weU-affected toward
Carrington, who had been a midship
man under him, but with the admiral
duty was always first and he knew
that there would be no condoning his
offense. He expected an order of ar
rest before the day was out. There
after he would come before a court
martial. To what a sorry pass he had
brought his fortunes by his own un
mistakable folly! In the bright light
of the fresh, brisk morning, he saw
Ellen in her right relation to affairs,
a woman, brave, strong, noble, true.
What if she did not shine . amid the
hothouse conventionalities of the fast
and vapid life of the crew whom he
had gathered at Carrington. In
stead of being ashamed of her, he
should have rejoiced from the bottom
of his soul that she was so frank and
fresh and free. What a splendid wom
an she was! Whatever she did, how
well it was done! No veteran of a
thousand ext-iting nights over the gam
ing table could have played with more
coolness and daring than she did in
that famous duel at cards with Strath
gate. And, although the minuet was
outside of her accomplishments, how
swiftly had twinkled her flying feet
when she danced the sailor's horn
pipe. It carried him back to slant
ing decks and fresh breezes and
bright skies. Would they ever re
turn?. Would he himself return un
scathed from this adventure? It was
by no means certain, for Strathgate
was a man of proven courage; he had
demonstrated that, and his reputation
as a sword player was deservedly
high.
His thoughts plunged him Into a
gloomy melancholy which Parkman, at
length perceiving, did his best to dis
pel by gentle raillery and pleasant
conversation. Carrington pulled him
self together, realizing that if he gave
way to his depression he would be in
no condition to meet Strathgate.
These gentle thoughts of his wife
did not in any way abate his enmity
toward the man whom he felt had so
wronged and insulted him. He was
as determined as ever that the ap
proaching duel should be no slight af
fair, but that if he could he would
kill Strathgate, and eliminate his pos
sibilities of evil forever from this
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From the Leader-Echo.
Mrs. Chas. Tighe, of Bancroft, Neb.,
came Monday morning for a visit with
her sister, Mrs. Wm. Smith.
John Oehlerking, who has been at
tending college at Naperville, Illinois,
returned home Wednesday for the sum
mer vacation.
Sager P. Cowger.of Lincoln, and Miss
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ty Judge Cosgrave. They will reside
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The Mo. Pac. has at last put on a
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Dr. Neely went to Omaha Monday
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A furious wind from the south west
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panied the storm, but there was very
little rain. Many peach and cherry
trees were badly damaged by the wind.
Our postmaster, Chas. Brann, came
very near reaching the end of his ex
istance Saturday afternoon. In com
pany with H. P. Hinds he had been
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work he was at once overcome by heat
and for a time his life was despaired of.
He was finally resuscitated and placed
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Nehawka
(From the Register.)
Work in the Van Court quarry is
booming and a number of men were
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East Nehawka.
Rev. Wachtel of the M. E. church at
Eight Mile Orove was visiting at the
Methodist parsonage on Monday. He
reports that they are building a new
church at Mynard.
Forest Cunningham, who had to have
two twists at it before he could get his
leg broken right, is getting around
again on crutches, and mighty glad that
he is able to use them too.
On Monday the 22nd inst, a young
ady arrived at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Joseph Goodman, and will make
her home permanently with them. She
weighs 9J pounds. Mother and babe
are doing nicely.
Mrs. Paul Kirkpatrick and little
daughter, Ermine came in from Dallas,
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main for sometime. Grandma and
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Mrs. Barbara Taylor of Union, had
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she fell to the floor. She is an aged lady
and quite heavy.
At the commencement exercises of
the Weeping Water Academy held last
Thursday, Miss Mabel Pollard and Miss
Evelyn Wolph received their diplomas
from that institution. Miss Mabel
winning a two-year's free Fcholarship
in Doane College at Crete. She was the
salutatorian and delivered an address
"The Marble Waiteth."
Thomas Mason, jr., is laid up by rea
son of a broken collar bone. He was
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noon and driving a team of mules, when
near "Dad" Wilson's the mules became
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running it into the ground and throw
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Rural mail carriers and merchants
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which no postage has been paid. A
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