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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1924)
(T I\pmanem~ef th» $pantahjffain. /Sr^V "■ —awKloopA :(6_V RAFAEL SABATINI Lmljf (Continued from Tfiterday.) CHAPTER XXVII. THE LAST FIGHT OF THE ARABELLA. It wag the afternoon of that same day, and the two buccaneer ships rocked gently w^jh idly flapping sails under the lee ^ the long spit of land forming the g*at natural harbor of Port Royal, and less than a mile from the straits leading into It, which the fort commanded. It was two hours and more since they had brought up thereabouts, having crept thither unobserved by the city and by M. Rivard’s ships, and all the time the sir had been aqutver with the roar of guns from sea and land, announcing that battle was joined be tween the French and the defenders of Port Royal. That long, inactive watting was straining the nerves of both Lord Willoughby and Van dor Kuylen. Blood faced them, smiling confidently. "It's this way, now; there's nothing at all to he gained hr precipitancy, and a deal to he gained by delaying, as I shall show you, I hope. Sure, It’ll be time enough to go forward when the fort has shot Its bolt. . . ." He broke off to listen. “Aye, I was right. The fire's slackening. Ho. there, Jeremy!" Came the padding of feet along the decks, the creaking of blocks and the hoisting of sail. The helm was put over hard, and in a moment they were moving, the Elizabeth following, ever In obedience to the signals from the Arabella, whilst Ogle the gunner, whom he had summoned, was receiv ing Blood's final Instructions before plunging down to his station on the main deck. Within a quarter of an hour they had rounded the head and stood In to the harbor mouth, within saker shot of Rlvarol’s three ships, to which they now' abruptly disclosed them selves. ' Where the fort had stood they now beheld a smoking rubbish heap, and the lily standard trailing from his mastheads was sweeping forward to snatch the rich prize whose de fenses he had shattered. Blood scanned the French ships, and chuckled. The Vietorieuse and the Medusa appeared to have taken no more than a few scars; hut the third ship, the Baleine, listing heav ing to larboard so as to keep the great gash In her starboard well above water, was nut of account. The sight of that gireat red ship w-ith her gilt beakhead and open ports swinging broadside on must have given check to Rivard's soaring exul tation. Yet before lie could move to give an order, before he could well resolve what order to give, a vol cano of fire end metal burst upon him from the buccaneers, and his -„ New York --Day by Day _j By O. O. MclNTYRE. New Tortc, Oct. 7.—They trapped one of Broadway’* biggest ependara, wanted on a criminal charge. In a tiny walk-up apartment In Harlem the other day. He had been hiding away for a month while the ehrewdest de tectives sought him. It la axiomatic among criminals that ths best place In the world to hide ts In New Tork. And it is. Tet nearly all criminals are captured be cause they overlook the first lesson In detective work: "Cherche* la feme!” This man had many Broadway loves. He spent J250.000 a year In the cabarets and cafes but when cards turned against him out of all those upon whom he had squandered fortunes only one showed any degree of loyalty. ' Detectives working on the "Look for the woman!" theory found out the address of every woman to whom he had paid attention. A sleuth was detailed for each one of them and Instructed never to let them out of sight. One night one left her apartment heavily veiled. She took a taxi to a subway station, boarded an uptown express, doubled back downtown and took an elevated train. It was all done with a rush but she never got out of his sight. And he followed her to a tiny apartment where her fugitive sweet heart was hiding. He who had tasted of the sweets of Broadway was alone —trembling from the Indulgence In liquor. All his fair-weather friends had shunned him. His bankroll consisted of 25 cents. This la the Inevitable toll Broadway exact* from those who stem the whirlpool. And the laughing waters mock the lips of those who sink. Men have been able to play Broad way a night or so at Intervals and survive but those who make Broad way a habit are Invariably losers. New Tork has several lost streets. Fhlnbone Alley Is on*. It Is tucked away down town and seems uncon scious of the world about It. It Is ahabby and run down at heel. Ths cries crossing of cloths lines from housa to house suggests ships aloft and there Is enough canvas strung on them to send a barkentlne spank ing along. Many washwomen live In Shinbone alley. Thera la the pungent odor of suds and the smell of cabbage cooking. Then, too, there la Cherry Lane where city dwellers have fled for a little of quiet. Away hack It bloom ed with cherry blossoms. It Is the home of F.dna St. Vincent Millay, the poet. Where there was once an old malt house there la now the Cherry Lane playhouse with a smart little porte-cochere. Many sculptors live there, quite a few painters and a novelist or so. A few years ago a single cherry He* stood In Cherry l^n* but. It waa cut down. It was old guarled and a bit pass*. The other day I vislled a man held in the psychopathic ward of Bellevue He had been untrussed by booze and for three days was In the stralt Jacket. He had been a friend of other days—a clear eyed, manly fellow with much ambition. “What mad# you taka to hard drinking?" I asked. "Because I waa a damn fool," he replied. I don’t know how It will Impress others but It. struck me as being a ser mon straight, from the shoulder. Truth without frills. The venerable orderlies about hos pitals are odd characters. Kach boa pita I has them. They, like the Cherry r.sno tree, are old, guarled and a bit passe and New Tork In its usual fashion passes them by. They are very comforting to the sic?* (Coprrlsht. 1124.1 decks were swept by the murderous scythe of the broadside. The Ara bella held to her course, giving place to the Elizabeth, which, following closely, executed the same maneuver. And then whilst still the Frenchmen were confused, panic-stricken by an attack that tcok them so utterly by surprise, the Arabella had gone about and was returning in her tracks, pre senting now her larboard guns, and loosing her second broadside in the wake of the first. Came yet another broadside from the Elizabeth and then the Arabella's trumpeter sent a call across the water, which Hap thorpe perfectly understood. “And now, Jeremy!” cried Blood. “Stand by, there! Prepare to board! Hayton ... the grapnels." Briskly he explained himself to his two guests. “Board is our only chance here. We are too heavily outgunned." Of this the fullest demonstration followed quickly. The Frenchmen having recovered their wits at last, both ships swung broadside on. and concentrating upon the Arabella as the nearer and heavier and therefore more immediately dangerous of their two opponents, volleyed upon her jointly at almost the same moment. The Arabella rocked and staggered under that terrific hammering. For a moment she seemed to hesitate, then she plunged forward with a gap ing hole forward that was only just above the water line. Meanwhile, the Frenchmen going about, gave the like reception to the Elizabeth. The Ara bella, indifferently served by the wind, pressed forward to come to grips. But before she could accom plish her object, the Victorleuse had loaded her starboard guns again, and pounded her advancing enemy with a second broadside at close quarters Amid the thunder of cannon, the rending of timbers, and the screams of maimed men, the half-wrecked Arabella plunged and reeled Into the cloud of smoke that, concealed her prey, and then from Hayton went up the cry that she was going down by the head. The blue and gold flank of the Victorleuse loomed through the smoke. But even as Blood caught that enheartening glimpse he perceived, too, how slug gish now was their advance. They must sink before they reached her. But they had not yet completely failed. Hayton himself and a score of sturdy rogues whom his whistle had summoned, were crouching for shelter amid the wreckage of the forecastle with grapnels ready. With in seven or eight yards of the Vic torleuse, when they way seemed spent, and their forward deck al ready awash under the eyes of the jeering, cheering Frenchmen, those men leaped up and forward, and hurled their grapnels across the chasm. Of the four they flung, two reaehed the Frenchman's decks, anil fastened there. Fnhesttatingly all threw themselves upon the chain of one of those grapnels, neglecting the other, and heaved upon It with all their might to warp the ships to gether. Blood sent out his voire in a clarion call: “Musketeers to the prow!” Fifty of them dashed forward in stantlv, and from the ruins of the forecastle they blazed over the heads of Hayton’s men. mowing down the French soldiers who, unable to dis lodge the irons, firmly held where they had deeply bitten into the tim bers of the Victorleuse. were them selves preparing to firtf upon the grapnel crew. Starboard to starboard the twro ships swung sgainst each other with a jarring thyd. The advance guard of the boarders, a hundred strong, were ordered to the poop, grapnel men were posted, and prompt to obey Flood's command at the very moment of impact. As a result, the founder ing Arabella was literally kept afloat hy the half dozen grapnels that in an Instant moored her firmly to the Victorleuse. Bed now by Blood himself. t..e\ launched themselves upon the French like hounds upon the stag they hare brought to bay. For fully ba!f an hour that battle raged aboard toe Frenchman. The French resisted stubbornly, and they had the advan tage of numbers to encourage them. But for all their stubborn valor, thev ended bv helng pressed hack and back across the decks that were danger ously canted to starboard by the pull of the water-logged Arabella. The buccaneers fought with the des perato fury of men who know that retreat is Impossible, for there was no ship to which they could retreat, and here they must prevail and make the Victorleuse their own, or i>erlsh And their own they made her in the end. and at cost of nearly half their numbers. Driven to the quar ter-deck the surviving defenders, urged on by the Infuriated Rivarol. maintained awhile their desperate n slstanee. But in the end Rivard went down with a bullet in his head, and the French remnant, numbering scarcely a score of whole men, called for quarter. Even <hen the labors of Blood s men were not at an end. The Bliztt heth and the Medusa were tight I locked, and Hagthorpe’s followers were being driven back aboard their own ship for the second time. Prompt measures were demanded. While Pitt and his seamen bore their part with the sails, and Ogle went below with a gun crew, Blood ordered the grapnels to he loosed at once. Lord Willoughby and the admiral wfft al ready aboard the Victorieuse. As they swung off to the rescue of Hap thorpe, Blood, from the quarter-deck of the conquered vessel, looked his last upon the ship that had served him so well. A moment she rocked after her release, then slowly and gradually settled down, the water gur gling and eddying about her topmasts, all that remained visible to mark the spot where she had met her death. As he stood there, above the ghastly shambles in the waist of the Victo rieuse, some one spoke behind him. "Captain Blood, never before have I seen the impossible made possible by resource and valor, or victory so gallantly snatched from defeat.” He turned and presented to Lord Willoughby a formidable front. His headpiece was gone, his breastplate dinted, his right sleeve a rag hang ing from his shoulder about a naked arm. He was splashed from head to foot with blood and there was blood from a scalp wound that he had tak en matting his hair and mixing with the grim and powder on his face to render him unrecognizable. But from that horrible mask two vivid eyes looked out preternaturally bright, and from those eyes two tears had plowed each a furrow through the filth of hts cheeks. CHAPTER XVIII. HIS EXCELLENCY THE C.OY ERNOR. It was not until the evening of the following day that. Van der Kuy ien's truant fleet, of nine ships came to anchor in the harbor of Pori Royal, and its offirevs, Dutch and English, were made acquainted with their ad miral's true opinion of their worth. Six ships of that fleet were instant ly refitted for sea. There were other West Indian settlements demanding the visit of inspection of the new governor general, and Lord Wlllough bv was In haste to sail for the An tillles. "And meanwhile,” he complained to his admiral, “I am detained here by the ahsence of this fool of a deputy governor.” "Aha! But Id is not necessary you remain for dat. And meandime de Vrench will haf delr eye on Barda dos, vieh is nod veil defended. You half here chust the man you vant. He vlll require no lnsdrucshons, dls one. ITk vlll know how to make Port Royal safe, bedder nor you or me.” "You mean Rlood? Egad! I had thought of it; and, rip me, why not?” Blond was sent for. He was a trifle dazzled by the honor proposed to him. when Lord Willoughby made It known. It was so far beyond any thing that he had dreamed, and he was assailed by doubts of bis capac ity to undertake so onerous a charge. "Damme!" snapped Willoughby, 'should I offer it unless J were satis ded of your capacity? If that's your only objection—’’ "It Is not, my lord. I had counted upon going home, so I had. I am hun gry for the green lanes of England.” He sighed. "There will be apple blos soms In the orchards of Somerset." "Apple blossoms!" His lordship’s voice shot up like a rocket and cracked on the word. "What the devil—? Apple blossoms!” He looked at Van der Kuylen. The admiral raised his brows and pursed his heavy lips. His eyes twinkled humorously in his great face. "So!" he said. "Fery boedical!" My lord wheeled fiercely upon Cap tain Blood. "If you want your past forgotten and your future assured, this is your chance. Your duty lies here, at least as long as the war lasts. When the war’s over, you may get back to Somerset and cider or your native Ireland and ite potheen, but until then you'll make the best of Jamaica and rum.” Van der Kuylen exploded Into laughter. But Blood remained so! •ran to the point of glumness. His thoughts were on Mias Bishop, who was somewhere hern In this very house In which they stood, but whom he had not seen sine# .his arrival. Had she but shown him some com passion. . . . And then the rasping voice of WII Ioughly cut in again, upbraiding him for his hesitation, pointing out to him his Incredible stupidity in trifling with such a golden opportunity as this. He stiffened and bowed. "My lord, you are In the right. It shall be as you wish; and very gratefully, let me assure your lord ship. I shall know how to earn liTs majesty's approbation You gnay de pend upon my loyal service. Thus It was settled Blood * com mission was made out end sealed In the presence of Mallard, the com mandant. "We sail tomorrow morning,” his lordship announced. Blood was star tled. "And Colonel Bishop’’" he asked. "He becomes your affair. You are now the governor. You will deal with him as you think proper on his return. Hang him from his own yardarm. He deserves it." "Isn't the task a trifle Invidious?" wondered Blood. “Very well. I ll leave a letter for him. I hope he'll like it." Captain Blood took up his duties at once. With the sanction of L,ord Willoughby he marshaled his bucca neers and surrendered to them one fifth of the captured treasure, leav ing to their rholce thereafter either to depart or to enroll themselves In the service of King William. A score of them elected to remain, and amongst these were Jeremy Pitt. Ogle and Dyke, whose ouilawrry, like Blood's, had come to an end with the downfall of King James. They were —saving old Wolverstone. who had been left behind at Cartagena—the only survivors of that hand of rebels convict who had left Barbados over three years sgo in the Clnco Llagas. On the following morning, whilst Van der Kuylen's fleet was making finally ready for sea. Blood sat In the spacious whitewashed room that was the governor's office, when Major Mallard brought him word that Blsli op s homing squadron was in sight. "I am glad he comes before Dord Willoughby’s departure. The orders, major, are that you place him under arrest the moment he steps ashore Peter Blood sat back in his chair and stared at the celling, frowning Came a tap ft the door, and an elder ly negro slave presented himself. Woyld his excellency receive Miss BisHop? He sat quite still, drum ming In a manner wholly unusual to them. Then quietly he assented. He rose when she entered, and if he was not as pale as she was. It was because his tan dissembled It. j-’or a moment there was silence between them. a» thev stood looking each at the other. Th»n she moved forward, and hegnn at laat to speak, haltingly. In an unsteady voice, amazing In one usually no calm and deliberate. “ . , . I * • • Major Mallard hai Juat told me . . "Major Mallard exceeded hts d it ' said Blood, and because of the off. I he made to steady his voice It sound ed harsh and unduly loud. You alar nr yourself without reason, Mias Bishop Whatever may li» between me ant your uncle, you may be sure thal I shall not follow the example he ha» set me. I shall not abuse my posb tion to prosecute a private vengeance On the contrary, I shall abuse It 14 protect hint. I,ord Willoughby's rec. emmcndation to me is that I ahail treat him wl’hout mercy. My 0*1 Intention Is to send him to his plantae tion in Barbados," She came slowly forward now. "1 ... I am glad that you will do tha’. Olad above all. for your own sake. ’ She held out her hand to him. He ionsidered It. critically. Then he bowed over It. "I'll not presume to take It In the hand of a thl'f and a pirate,” said he bitterly, (To Br Contlnnod Tomorrow.) A naval captain who substituted for a missing aviator and took his first parachute Jump at Rea Dirt, N. J., the other day, made the leap without a quiver, but he was afraid to tell hie wife afterwards. Well, they don t teach domestic diplomacy at Anna polis,—Providence Journal. THE NEBBS OH HAPPY DAY Directed for The Omaha Bee by Sol Hew ' (Cojijrirht 1924) /well SuERtrr. in/~\ //r moo tvajo’X just NME*J SORPK VOO'RE LEAVING \ ( B'ROS RUN TuiC, \ rv/rOvTUikir- SO SOON) . IMIS ISN'T U BuSiNE-SS I'LL EVL'^WINO SUCM coviroRTABLC £1 BE BACK BEFORE J l SEEDED, PLACE AmYVs/av _ I LO«nG y DARKEST MOPE TMCNErr PLACE / - YWE PRESIDENT 0ETi4E BANK DROPPED ini VsJ'TH ft CERTiriED CmECK AND SAVED ‘ NE8B amD . Slider tijom BANKRUPTCY m_ (toudwee^coowAb'rLOAT^\ &$&$&!SS&SSSun Ws^^iuN M83&*?S,VgF?£^&r:' sjjMpi EVER STARTED AMO SPEMO A POQTiOM H CmAuGE SOUP \ HE vjA^^TEmtiomailw "TRnikiG to <*%<■ BWHfc $ ^r ■< Lie peer OTVOuP ttcr ShOvajimG "3 muwO A SOOT 'TVU& i CC'PPLC MOU FvNiANiOAV.l.'i So ur. OWEOr TwEbL I ryr nriRCCPFCT AKiO f OMC,\rvOA"Tlf*».i B ■ OAN^YOU CW$T HAVE. 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