"A SECRET SORROW."

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8611, 16 March 1897, Page 1

"A SECRET SORROW."

» I BY MRS MAY AGNES FLEMING. Author of " A Mod Marriage," " Carried By Storm."

CHAPTER XVIII. (Continued.) As he spoke, he approached Kate, who stood waicdin* with breathless interest the chase. Touching her on the shoulder, he paid, hurriedly, as he passed- • There may be danger at hand-you had better go below.' In a moment he was (rone, and giving his directions rapid'y at the other end of the brig to his men. Kate looked after him a moment, and then turned again to watch the result of the chase with an interest scarcely inferior to that of the smugglers themselves, ' Heaven grant that they may escape!' was her frequent ejaculation, as she; glanced at the kindling eyes and fierce faces of the smuggler crew. The moon had now risen in its radimfc sp'endour, flooding the sea with silver? light It was a lovely night; ove>y object cou'd be seen as plainly as by day, as tbe smu.gler bns; rapidy approached the merchantman. As the men passed to and fro on their various errands across the deck, Kite { caught the sullen looks of discontent and fierce glances bestowed upon her, now and then accompanied by a prowl or a smothered curse. Sti'l she remained (oo deeply .excited by the chase and the thought of the approaching contest to quit j the deck. ' This ia no place for you—there is danger at hand! Go below!' Kate look up; it was Captain flaymond who had rapidly spoken the words as he passed, There was a kindling light in bis eye?, and an impetuous tone in his voice that she had never heard there before. And still sho lingered, unheeding the fierce growls and oaths from the smugglers, which were ere-y moment growing louder, The intense anxiety Tor the fate of the

Englishman overcame every other feeling and she remained. The two vessels were now within a short distance of each other, and Kate could almost distinguish the throng of forms leaning over the bulwarks of the merchantman. _ 1 By my soul, this will be a g'orious niiht's work,' cticd the voice of the chief at a little dis'ancefrom where she stoop). • She will be a splendid p^rize. IftOpfre >;oes h*r flaa !' **', An he spoke it fluttered for a moment on its way, and the next, the red cross of St George floated proudly from the ship's peak. The next instant she fired a gun.

• I nai s a pome aim ior us io auuw out bunting.' cried the chief. ' Hallow, Simon! up with the black flag.' A shout arose from the orew, and the next moment the ominous black flag, with its sku'l and oiossbones, fluttered in the nijihfc brerze. There was a moment's deathlike silence; then Kate fancied something like a groan of despair came from the merchantman. It might be fancy, however, for the next moment a fierce shout of defiance ai ose the bral c English crew. By all the fiands, they sha'l repent this boldness!' shouted the captain, maddened

by the taunt * Ahoft my men ! take your stations for working ship. We'll rake her fore and aft.' The men flew to ob*y the ord-r, and Captain Raymond approached the spot where Kate still stood. As he caught sight of her he advanced, and said sternly ' Why will you be so obstinate ? Don't you see you are creating disorder among my men ? Go below!' Kate oared disobey no longer. Casting one look after the brave merchantman, she turned and descended to the cabin. Syra stood in the middle of the floor, her

hands clasped, her eyes a'most straining from their sockets, and listening intently to every sonnd ; Kate knelt down and covered her face with her hands, as, with a sickening feeing of horror, she waited for the conflict to commence. The few moments seeemd <• her like ages. She could hear the harrying to and fro. the tramp of many feet, the confused mingling of voices, and, clear and distinct as the sounds cf a trnmpet, the clear commanding voice of the pirate captain high over all, lhe restraint grew inio'erable. Kate's high spirit chafed like a caged lion at the restraint. Springing to her feet, at length, she exclaimed, •I will see !' and she cautiously ascended the cabin stairs. , Here, crouching in the shadow she was about to remain when a deafening uproar, as thonsh heaven itseU was annihilated, crashed upon her ear. as ihe merchantman, suddenly turning, discharged her who'e broadside on the smaller brig. . For an instant the air was fi 1 led with the shr.eks of the dying the groans of the wounded, mins>led wi;h the cries of rage »nd fie; cc caths of the survivors. • Death to ihemurderine;dogs! Onward! m y men—follow me!' shouted the smuggler chief, hoarse with rage, as he , spranafrom the rig&in« of h.a own ship, ' ssrord in hand, into tuatof the merchanti iu«o. followed by dia bloodthirsty crew. ■got a few moments the carnßge was awful. Shouts, oaths, shrieks and groans, singled in horrible discord with the clash of steel, and the report of firearms. The deck <qf the doomea ship was /literally slißpary with blood, and the w«res around *re/o pnrplewith the same

blooiy hue, ' Onirard! my menj slay, and spare aiot'!' *aled the fierqe -tones of the smuggle* chief, .»> the .crew of the 'vrAantman fled, like grass before the {^ fctmeath the rapid blows of his, BW.O^Goa«iaSt. George! death t« f»,-«;, *©!* shorted ths brave English, the pir *• hand to hMd wllh the tr.ued hm.rd. n Kil |, blood M the, Burely decreasing. . . Suddenly they all £ >«* laws, closely wedged t m» able to retreat, saw thet'«*3^e« ■>"* ■ by the muzzle ol a bmi ««hfe^

plunder, loaded to the tbr wt with grape. J hero was a second's de ajhlike pwte; then the clear, calm voice of »C»ptam Kaymond shouted, as he sprang forward, pistol in hand — it 1 Down with the gunner! But it was too late. Even as he spoke, with a deafening roar, it was ducharged, dealing death through the denselycrowded pira'es, cutting a lane nght through the centre, At the same moment, a bailment era»hinf throat the ekull of th. gunner, from the pistol of the pirate chief. • For God and our country ! Death to tLo piratea!' cried the crew of the me rchantman, eialtiagly, as^hey sprang from their retreat, dealing death among ' the still astonished rovers. J -Slain the best man m my. crew! :| shouted tbe pirato chief, frenzied with race, as the man Simon fell dead at bis feet warding ofl a Wot aimed at the ■>■■ young cßpuin'a life. • Follow me, men; \ho quarter for the murderers! Slay, and i sptre not!' ! • Death to the ■pirates .'' come defiantly bick from the brave handful, who alone remained of the nomeiaua crew of the ! With one concentrated J«U of n.,0. t

the maddened pirates sprang upon them. The carnage—for such it now was—grew terrific; one by cue the craw of the English abip were butchered and east overboard-a few crimson babbits mark* inn for a moment the spot where tbej bad sunk, as they, one by one disap* peared for evt>r. And, high orer aU, still rose the voice of Captain Raymond, with the death-cry of the englishmen— ' Death to the murderers!' Like one in some horrible trance, Kate stood with straining eye'ults, and face blanched to the hue of death, immovable as h statue, watching the fearf al oarnage. For the first time she realiisd they were really pirates, and he—whom, in spite of all, sbe had esteemed—h#, the wont of all! Ob, the dreadful feeling of horror that filled her heart, and rooted her to tbe spot, as site watched him dealing death around. 'Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!' cams exultingly from the pirate crew, as tbe last of the merchantmen wore cast over* board. Yes, they had conquered, bmt th« victoiy was dearly bought. More than half of their own crew lay dead and dying on the deck of the ship. The smugglers now b^an busily carrying their wounded companions to their own vessol, whi'e the remainder employed themselves in t anspo tini everything valuable from their prize. 8h« proved to be the Lady Ma ry, of Liverpool bound from Jamaica home, with a cargo of su. ar, rum, coffee, and • lage amount of valuables. These were quickly conveyel on board the Water Witch, and then, setting fire. to the to the doomed ship, tbe smuggler! act on their course. It seemed to Kate as though the whole affair was the work of a moment. Tbe moonlight still fell as calmly over the waves as before; bit tbe burning merchantman before her showed it to be but too deadly a reality. , Rapidly the fire spread on its devouring course, now licking its forked tongue around the tapering masts—now bursting forth here and there in different patta of the vessel, new shooting straight upward in a red, lurid column, and, anon, winding its deadly coils, like the fo'ds of • serpent, around the ship. Suddenly, a bright, lurid column of ire shot upwards, tinging the sky crimson, then followed an awful crash, that seemed to rend the very heavens, as the magazine exploded. The smuggler brig herself, thongh already hu>l down on the horizon, quivered and trembled inecery joint at the terrific explosion. The next moment the wares: were flowing peacefully vver the spot where the doomed ship went down, as though death and destruction had never been there. The moonlight shone as ca'mly and peacefully over the bright waters a« though they had never been dyed with human blood. (To be Cant nued.)