Evening Star Newspaper, April 23, 1898, Page 19

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1898—24 PAGES. HNO NONE ONO MONE TONNE MONOMER Ge) oo) »; yee WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING Ge Ged ! If any one announced in the captai at Hallett’s that a man could tea ctum shortly before turning-out | and be forthwith kidnaped in the “pen streets of South Shieids, every mus- | ter mariner within hearing would have pvt | him down contemptuously as a gratuitous iar. AN opinions in the captain's rocm were expressed strongly, and with due mar- | me force of language. ' The place seemed to its frequenters the embodiment of homelmess and security. Trere a faint smell of varnish in the acmosphere, and always had been, within | y of the oldest habitue, and sters came back to the cdor with a pleasure, as men do return to the | ef an old and unobtrusive | . Captains met in that room who Jed to all parts of the giobe, talked, and soon found acquaintances in common. It } Was @ sore of informal ciub, with no sub- | seription, avd an unlimited membership. | The helding of a master’s “ticket” was the only entrance qualification, and it was not corsidered pelite to ask your neighbor whether he was at that moment in or out of employment. 2 If you were a genuine master mariner, but of an unciubsble disposition, you did 9 to the captain’s room at Hallett’s a cond time, and always made a point of getting red, and speaking of it rather con- | temptuously, when the place was mention- } fterward. If you did not hold a m n if you were that dashing fledged mate, the bar-maid- enon g potted you on the instant and said “that door was private,” and directed you to the smoke room down the passage. Into this exclusive chamber Capt. Owen Kettle had made his way that day after tea, and over two modest half pints of bit- ter heer had done his share in the talk and listening from 8 till 10:30 of the clock. He had exchanged views with other shipmas- ters on cargoes, crews, insurances, cli- mates and those other pi which the profane world (not in the ship- ping interest) finds so dreary, and had been listened to with deference. He was a man who commanded attention, and though you might not like what he said, you would het dream of refusing to listen to it. ‘That special night, however, Capt. Ket- personal views on maritime affairs Were listened to with even more deference than usual. A large, red-haired man swung the captain's room some few minutes r Capt. Kettle had seated himself, and r ordering his beverage and a cigar, redded with a whimsical smile in Kettle’s direction, and asked him how he liked the Leighborhood of Valparaise as a residence. thing. “1 forg said the little suilor, dryly enough. “All right, captain,” said the red-haired man, “don’t you mind me. I never remem- ber too much myself, either. Only you did | me a good turn out there, although you | probably don’t know it, and I’d be proud if you'd have a drink or a smoke with me remembrance. re very polite, captai t mention ft, captain,” said the red- i man, and struck the bell. “Same? Half a pint of bitter, please. miss, and one ef your fourpenny smoke: The ge talk of the captain's room, which had halted for the moment, went on again. One worthy mariner had re- an bill of health in Barcelona, and had been sent to do twenty days’ penance at the quarantine station, which is in Port Mahon, Minorca. As a natural consequence, he wanted to give his views on Spain and Spanish gov- ernment with length and bitterness, but mehow the opportunity was denied’ him. + red-haired man put in a sentence or and a question, and it was Kettle’s son the question to which the cap tain’s room found itself listening. A sal- Vage question was brought up by a stout gentleman in the Baltic timber trade, who was anxious i his sentiments, but the red-haired man skillfully intervened, and “Kettle on salvage’ was asked for and heard. And so on all through the evening. ‘The red-haired man did his work cleverly, ne resented it. Now Kettle was a man who liked being listened to, and there is no doubt that his vanity was tickled by all this deference from his professional equals. There is no doubt also that the snug security of Hai- let's lulled his usual vense of wariness, which may in part account for what hap- pened afterwards. And so without further excuse for him, it !s my painful duty to| record that an hour after he left the cap- tain’s room the little sailor was entrap- ed and kidnaped by what to a man of his knowledge was one of the most vulgar} of artifices. He emptied his tumbler, stood up, and said he must be going “The red-haired man lovked at the round cabin clock on the wall, and mentioned that it was his time also, and tegether they went éutside into the damp, dark main street of Souta Shields. “Going back to your ship, captain?’ ask- ed the big stranger. said Kettle, “I live “Why. no, captain, here and I'm off hom “Then I suppose | must say good-night. Hope to meet you again, though. What boat are you on now, captain?” Well, I'm putting in a bit of a spell just now. captain. Fact is, 1 haven't come across any employment quite to my taste lately. ’Tisn’t every shipowner I care to serve under. “No, ired man. They are brutes most of them. But look here, in my gettin captain, there'd be no off th, would there?” you the refusal of a Kettle flushed. ‘aptain.” he said, “you're very good. You see, I'm married, I've never earned cently failed to show a cl with children, and enough to put anything by. Between men, I don't mind telling you I'm on my beam. ends. If I can't get hold of an advance note this week, it will mean going to the Pawnshop for Mrs. Kettle’s next Sunday’s dinner.” The red-haired man sighed. “Wall, cap- tain.” he said, “you needn't thank me. It's just my duty to my employers to put this thing in your way. But we'll not speak of rd in the open. ume al ws (if to my said Kettle. Where have you “She's lyirg at a buoy in the river. can get a boat from the Steps.” Nothing much more was sald between them then. The big red-haired man seem- ed indisposed for further talk, and Kettle Was too proud to ask questions. Together Walked with their short seaman’s down the wet new Streets of the s and Capt. Kettle made his brain ache hoping that this would not be another long list of disappoint- ¢ had not earned a day wage ths, and he was in such straits for want of n that he was growing We * down to the steps and took a! Waterman's boat: turned up the picce of | plank which ley in the stern sheets and | Sat on th> dry side; and then pushed off | into the dark river. The red-haired man Picked up the yoke lines, and steered th. boat amongst the dense shipping; past t of coasting schooners, and timber drog! Tada er’ ‘d out-of-work clink-r-built tugs; past uu. iron steam tremps, fishing craft, ers and the other resting traffic of the and finally rounded up under a frieze sand ran alongside the gangway pn steam yacht said Kettle, “pleasure?” hardly that" said the red-haired | rp aboard, captain, and Fil pay Off the waterman. 2 fe os ae better wait again. ‘No, let him go. We talk. Tl! put you ashore beats when you go. Now. rt to take me ashore may have a long in one of my own , captain, here we me bslow to my room. “You've got steam up, I see, as they walked Gecks. “My orders,” said the red-haired man. “Sail soon?” “May start any minute. We n2ver know. My owner's a rare one for changing mind.” “Huh!” said Kettle. “Might be a wo- “Devilish, like a woman,” said the red- haired man, dryly. He opened a door at the foot af the companionway, and turned an electric light switch. “This is my room, captain. step right in. A drop of whisky Would be a good thing to keep out the cold ‘Whilst we talk. Excuse me a minute while " said Kettle, aft along the white wei THE RAIDING OF DOKNA CLOTILDE (Copsright, 1898, by Cuteliffe Hyne.) | where. | you've got to keep steam in the STAR BY OUTLIFFE HYNE. swe Ase se) sense) seh se) 5222) 22) 92. 2) 452. I go get a couple of tumblers. I guess the steward’s turned in. Kettle s-aied himself on a velvet-covered and locked round at the elaborate fit- ings of the cabin. “Satin-wood panels,” he commented, “nickel battens to put’ the charts on, ylass-backed book and silk burk curtai ro expense spared any- Lord! who wouldn’t sell a farm and ? But the old man said she wasn’t I wonder what the many a yacht’s gr |, anyway, I've got to hea red-haired man came back with two half-filled — tumbl and a water jug. “Here's the poison, id he. “Mix it ac- Bo to sc rather more than my _ usual said Kettle, eying the tumbl “but's it's a cold, wet night, so here’s—B; the way, captain, I'm afraid I've forgotten said the red-haired man. i'm Douglas, Capt. Douglas. Dougla le, thought- No, I ci Nit at pres- “Well, ent. gcod heaith and prosperity sir, anyway, 's your very man, and ab- r with the dex- Out of politeness, Capt. hed his tumbler also; there {s an etiquette about these matters. -nce filled the cabin for a minute or so, only by the distant clatter of a shovel on a firebar, and Kettle looked at the cabin clock. It was 11:0, and Mrs. Kettle would be expecting him home. “Hullo!” he said, “firing up? Oh, I suppose donkey boiler whilst you're in the harbor to run your dynamo. By the way, you were talk- ing about some employment you could put in my way, captain,” he added suggestiv>1 “Employment,” said Douglas, uneasil ‘Oh, was I? Employment—yes, to be sure. Well, you se: my owner I was speaking for, and I've been thinking it over, and perhaps, on the whol-, you'd bet- ter see her for yourself.” “Her!” said Kettle. “Is there a woman at the head of this concern?” “A lady, call her. Lut look here, captain, you're g2tting sleepy. Why not turn in here for the night, and see her yourself in the morning?” Kettle yawned and his head nodded. “I am sleepy, and that's a fact, though I don't know why I shouki be. But’ it wouldn't do for me to turn in here for the night. Mrs. Kettle’s expecting me at home, and I've ne broken word to her since 1 married. I should take it as kind, cap- tain, if you could give me some notion about this piece of employment now, so that I could see whether it's worth"— He yawned again and struggled with his heav eyelids. “You must understand, plea captain, that time is scarce with mi must get employment at once. I I can't stand by and see my missus und young- sters hungry.” ‘apt. Douglass swore and hit the table with his fist. It's beastly hard,” he sald, and I hate myself for bringing’ you here. “What's that noise overhead?” said Ke} tle. “What are your crew doing on deck? He tried to rise, but fell back stupidly on the sofa. A harsh bell clanged from some- where beneath, and the slop, slop of water came to him through the yacht's side. She's swinging round in the stream, and some one’s rung ‘stand by’ to the engine “Sounds Ike it,” the red-haired man ad- mitted. Again Kettle tried to rise, and with an immense effort tottered to his fect, but he had been given a drug too powerful for even his iron will to fight against, and he swayed, and then pitched helplessly side- Ways to the carpet. The last flickering gleams of conscious- ness were passing away from him, but the truth of what had happened had flashed upon him at last. “Shanghaied,"” he mur- mured; “by James, yes, shanghaied; that's what this means. Well, I pity the man that shanghaied me. By—James—yes." H breathed stertorously a time or two more, as though trying to get out other words, and then dropped off into a deathly stu- por. Thea the door of the stateroom creaked slyly open. and the red-haired man started violently. He turned and saw a tall, dark woma just crossing the threshold. “Don- na Clotilde!” he said,nervously. “1 thought you were ashore. Then it was by your orders—" “That the yacht was got under weigh? Si senor. I saw you come on board with the man we have been hunting for these last two years, and as soon as the pair of you got below I sent word to the mate to call all hands, and get out of the Tyne a5 soon as the pilot could manage it—" She knelt beside Kettle’s prostrate body, and assed her hand caressingly over his damp forehead. eu are sure you have not overdone it?” she asked. “I am sure of nothing like that,” he an- swered, grimly. “But I gave him the dose you measured out yourself; so, what's done {s your own affair. I only added enough whisky to drown the taste, and the poor little beggar drank it all down in one mouthful.” “I don’t see you need pity him much. He will be all right when he wakes.” “When he wakes it will be at sea, and I have heard him speak of his wife and kids. That's why I pity him, Donna Clo- tlde. Incidentaily, I'm a bit sorry for my- self.” He stooped over the prostrate man ard took a revolver from the back pocket of his trousers. “Look there! You sec the fellow took a gun with him, even tu Hallet’s. It's grown to be a habit with him. He's a dead shot, too, and doesn't mind shooting.” SL didn’t think you were a coward?” “You know quite well I'm not, senorita. But this Capt. Kettle will remember that I was the fellow that decoyed him on board, and he'll be pretty anxious to square up the account when he wakes.’ “You are well paid on purpose to cover any risks,” said the woman with some contempt. “And I shall be earning my pay,” said the red-haired man doggedly. “This smail person here's a holy terror. Well, I must be getting on deck to see the pilot take her down the river. Here, I'l put him on the bed before I go. He'll sleep it ¢ff more comfortably there. “You shall not touch him,” sald Donna Clotilde. “I will do all that is needful. 3 have waited for this moment for three Jeng years.” “Well, you must be pretty keen on him, if you can sit by him when he does not know you.” “I have loved him since the first_mo- ment we met and he kuows it, and I do rot mind who else knows it also. I am en. tirely without shame in the matter: i glory in it; T am not of your cold- blooded European “Well,” he said ‘ou're paying me to run this yacht, and I must be off to see the pilot take her out of the river without los- ing us any paint.” And he went out of his room and left Donna Clotilde La Touche alo. with this man by whom she was so fiercely attracted. ‘The yacht steamed out between Tyne ferheads and the pilot left her in the coble which had been towing stern first alongside. Her destination was the Med- iterranean, but she did not port her helm at once. Instead, she held on straight out into the North sea and then turned off to make thd Mediterranean, north about: that is, through the Pentland and round ‘Scot- land. She kept clear of Ireland also, mak- inj a course for herself through the deeper nesses of the North Atlantic, avoid- ing the north and south traffic of the bay, and, in fact, sighting scarcely a single ves- sel til the red-haired man at last star- boarded his helm and put her east for the straits. The voyage was not one of monotony. Captain Kettie lay for the first twenty- four hours in a state of snoring uncon- sciousness, and when he did come to his wits again found himself in a cabin alone. He got up and stretched. His limbs were heavy and languid, but he was not con- scious of having received any hurt. He clapped a hand to the region of his loins and nodded his grim head significantly. His piztol was missing. glass and saw that his face.above the red torpedo beard was drawn and white, and that his eyes were framed in black, dissi- pated looking rings. was an evil taste in his mouth, too, which even a bot- tleful of water did not allay. However, ail of these were minor detalls; ther right be repaired afterward. His firs: regulvercent was revenge on the man who had lured him aboard. His natural instincts of tidyness made tins and biscuit, and then coming on deck again, stowed it away in the lifeboat,which hung in davitg.out board without being no- thi h the ceremony of toilet, and | ticed. Wi! jal success he took the then “he put on his cap, ‘and, spruce and | boat's break ard, filled it from a wa- pale, went out through the luxurious cabin | ter tank, an@goz it fixed on its chocks ‘and passageways of the yacht and found | again still Outbeing seen. The moon his way on deck. was behind uds#jand the darkness fa- The time was night, the cold air was full | vored him. thréw down the coils of the of moonshine and fortune favored him in- | davit on decMcast off one from where it somuch that the red-haired man whom he | was belayed, Kk a turn, and carried the sought was himself standing a watch. He walked up to him without any concealment, and then, swift as light, slung out his right fist, sending every ounce of his weight af- ter it and caught the -red-haired man squarely on the peak of the jaw. Tho fellow went down as if he had been poleaxed. and Kettle promptly on top of him The three other hands of the watch on deck were coming fast to their big cap- tain’s assistance, and Kettle made the most of his time. He had been brought up in a school wher: he was taught to hit hard, and hit first, and keep on hitting, and, moreover, he was anatomfeally ‘skilled enough to know where to hit with most effect. He had no time then for punetil- ious fighting; he intended to mark his man in return for value received; and he did it. Then the three lusty deck hands of the watch came up and wrenched him off and held him for their officer in turn to take vengeance on. Kettle stood in their grip, panting and pale and exultant. “You great, ugly, red-polled beggar.” he said, “I’ve made your fdce match your head, but you needn't thank me for it. You'd dare to shanghai me, would you? By James, I'll make your ship a perfect hell till I'm off it.”” “You hit a man when he’s not looking.” “Liar,” said Kettle. ‘You saw me plain enough. If you were half a sailor you'd never have been hit.”” “You're half my. size, I couldn't fight bight to the lower away But he was ther. The di: nér davit so that he could tackies at once. fot allowed ¢o get much fur- ed blocks screamed like a parcel of ci ag the ropes rendered through them the@p was a shrill whistle from the offidgr ef$thé- watch and half a dozen men fréyn varjous parts of the decks came bounding along to interfere. Captain Kete let; go both falls to over- haul as they oRose-and picked up a green- heart belaying: pin ‘gut of the pin rail and stood on the flefengive. But the forward fall kinked afd jarfimed, and, though the little man fought like a demon to keep off the watch till he got it clear, they were too many for him, and drove him to the deck by ~sheer weight ,of numbers. He had cracked one man’s forearm in the scuftie, laid open another's face and smashed in the front teeth of a third, and they were rather inclined to treat him roughly. but the red- haired skipper came up, and by shccr su- perior strength. picked him up, kicking and struggling, and hustled him off below, whether he liked ft°or no. The lifeboat dangled, half-swamped. from the forward davit tackle, and all hands had to be piped before they could get her on board again; and by the time they had “completed this job there was another mat- ter handy to occupy their attention. A fire- man came up from below, white-faced and trembling. “The yacht’s haif full of water!”’ he said. Now that their attention was called to it, they noticed the sluggish way she rode the water. “She must have started a plate or some- thing,” the fireman went on excitedly. “We got both bilge pumps running, and they won't look at it. The water’s coming in like a sluice. “Carpenter,” sung out the red-haired man, “come below with me and see if we can find anything,” and he led the way to the companion. Between decks they could hear the water slopping about under, the flooring. It seemed a bad, an almost hope- less case. Instinctively the red-haired man went to his own room to pocket his valuables, and by a chance he was moved to lift up the door of the floor which covered the bath beneath it. Ah, there was the mis- chief. The sea cock which filled the bath was turned on to the full, and the iron tub was gushing water on every side. The next state room was empty, but the bath cock » and The big man tempted, but he swal- lowed down his inclination. He ordered the men who were holding Capt. Kettle to set iim free and go away forward again, and then he thrust his own fists resolutely in his pockets. ‘Now,’ he said, when they were alone, “I'll own up to having earned what you've given me, and I hope that'll suit you, for, by Jove. if it doesn’t, I'll shoot you like a rat with your own gun. You've handled me in a way no other man has done before, and so you can tickle your pride with that, and simmer down. If ;ou want to know, I was a man like yourself, hard up, and I was paid to kid- nap you, and I'd have kidnaped the devil for money just then.” “I know nothing about the devil,” said Kettle, acidly, “but you've got me, and you couldn't very well find a worse bargain. “YOU ARE SURE YOU HAVE NOT OVERDON 2? SHE ASKED. there was also turned on to the full; and after going around the ship and finally en- tering Kettle’s room fand covering him with a revolver), and turning off his water If you are not a fool you will set me ashore at once.” 5 “I shall act entirely by my owner's or- ders.” “Then trot out your owner, 2nd I'll pass | supply, he found that the sea had been the time of day with him next. I'm not | pouring inboard fram no less than elght particular. I'll kill the whole blooming oneal run takes k iHeereen : any if I don't get my own| “And this fs your work, you little devil, eaib a company, ee I suppose,” said the red-haired man, sa “Man, don't be a fool. You ‘can't hit a | agely. “Certainly,” said Captain Kettle. “Shoot me if you like, put me ashore if you choose, but don’t grumble if you find me a deuced ugly passengef. I'm not in the habit of being made to travel where I don't wish.” That afternoon Kettle contrived to set the yacht afire in three separate places, and @ good deal of damage was done (and night had fallen again) before the scared crew managed to extinguish the flames; and this j time Donna Clotilde intervened. She asked for Kettle’s parole that he would attempt no further mischief, and when this was flatly refused, incontinentty put him in Irons. The lady was somewhat tigerish in her affections. A second time Captain Kettle managed to get the yacht in a blaze, at the immi- nent peril of immolating himself, and then from lack of further ypportunity to make himself obnoxious lay quiet in his lair till such time as the yacht would of necessity go into harbor to coat. The exasperated “crew wquid cheerfully have murdered him if they had been given the chance, but Donna Clotilde would not permit him to be harmed. She was a young woman who up to this had always contrived to have her own way, and she firmly believed that she would tame Kettle in time. When the yacht passed the straits she had only four days’ more coal on board, and the executive (and Kettle) expected that she would go into Gibraltar and lay alongside a hulk to rebunker. But Donna Clotilde had other notions. She had the yacht run down the Morocco coast and brought to an anchor. So long as she had Ceptain Kettle in her company upon the waters she did not vastly care whether she was moving or at a standstill. “You cannot escape me here,” to him when the cable house pipe and the dandy steamer had swung to a rest. “The yacht ts victualed for a year, and I can stay here as long as you choose. You had far better be phile osophical and give in. Marry me now, and liking will come afterward Kettle looked at the tigerish love and resentment which blazed from her black eyes, and answered with cold politeness that time would show what happened: though, to tell the truth, indomitable thos he was as a general thing, he was al at time feeling that es \- most impossible. Tay SG more or less resigned himself to captivity, Under the baking blue of a Mediterranean sky this one-sided courtship progressed, Donna Clotilde alternating her ecstacies of fierce endearment by paroxysms of invec- tive, and Kettle endured both in equal coldness and immobility. ‘The crew of the yacht looked on stolidly non-interferent and were kept by thélr officers at cleaning and painting, as‘nece&sary occupiers of the mind. But one or other of them, of theit own free will, atwav8 kept an eye on their Guest, whether she Was on deck or below. He had given them ‘% wholesome taste we his quality, and:theg! had an abject dread of what he lent beup to ne left alone. ey quite underst, Prould destroy the yacht and at hands 1 ibecone so ee regain his personal But others, it’ seefiis, by ready mentioned in°thts taking a lively imterey: in and her people. Shé wa: the bay of the Riff oust, who inhabited the bétch ¥; Villages in the kélls benind woman. “A woran?” “Yes; [ told you before. Donna Clotilde. You know her well enough.” “Donna Clotilde who?” “La Touche.” The stiffening seemed suddenly to go out of the little man. He stepped wearily across the deck, and leaned his elbows on the yacht’s polished topgallant rail. “By James,” he murmured to the purple arch of the night, “Ry James, that—that woman. What a ruddy mess.’ And then he broke off into dreary musing. He had known this Donna Clotilde La Touche before; had entered her employ in Valparaiso; had helped her revolutionary schemes by cap- turing a warship for her. In return she had conceived a mad infatuation for him. But all the while he regarded her merely as his employer. In the end he had been practically set edrift at sea in an open boat as a penance for not divorcing his own wife and marrying her. And now she was come to add to his other troubles by beginning to persecute him again. It was hard, bit- terly hard. By some subtle transference of thought, the woman in her berth below became conscious of his regard, grew restless, woke, got more restless, dressed, came on deck, and saw this man with whom she was so fiercely enamored staring gloomily over the bulwarks. With her lithe silent walk she stepped across the dewy decks under the moonlight, and with- out his hearing her, leaned on the rail at his side, and flung an arm across his shoulders. Captain Kettle woke from his musing with a start, stepped coldly aside, and saluted formally. He had an eye for a gocd-looking woman, and this one was deliciously handsome; he was always chiv- alrous toward the other sex, whatever might be their characters, but the fact of his cwn kidnaping at the moment of Mrs. Kettle’s pressing need made him almost as hard as though a man stood be- fcre him as his enemy. “Miss La Touche,” he said, “do you wish me to remember you with hatred?” “I do not wish you to have need to re- member me at all. As you know, I wish you to stay with me always.” “That, as I told you before, miss, is tm- pessible, for more reasons than one. You ve done me infinite mischief already. I might have found employment by this time had I stayed in South Shields, and mean- while my wife and children are hungry. Be content with that and set me ashore.” “I repeat the offer I made you in South America. Come with me, get a divorce and your wife shall have an income such as she never dreamed of, and such as you never could have got her in all your iffe otherwise. You know I am not boasting. As you must know by this, I am one of the richest women ih the world.” “Thank you, but I do not accept the terms. Money is not everything.” “And meanwhile, remember. I keep you on board here, whether you like it or not, and until you give way to what I want your wife may starve. So if she and your children are in painful straits you must recollect that it is entirely your fault.” “Quite so,” sald Kettle. “She will be content to starve when she knows the rea- son." Donna Clotilde’s eyes began to glitter. “There are not many men who would re- fuse if I offered them myself.” she said had roared from the esides those al- narrative, were the smart yacht 'S_at anchor in and the gentry illages, and the the beach, had “Then, miss, I must remain curious,” always looked !upon? anybody aid any- She stamped her foot. “I have hungered | thing they could grab as their just ‘and for you all this time, and I will not give |lawfut prey. The Swftan of Morocco, the You up for mere words. You will come to love me in time as I Icve you. I tell you you will, you must, you shall. I have got you now, and I will not let you go again.” warships of Framce,1Spain and clsee: and the emissaries ‘of other powers Med time after time endeavored to school them in the science of civilization with ou: “Then, miss,” said Kettle grimly, “I shall | and so they still remain today, Ee have to show you that I am too hot to | regularly practicing pirates in. the weet, hold.” ern worid. She faced him with heaving breasts. | The yacht. was sighted first from the “We will see who wins,” she cried. hills, was reported to the beach villages of robubly,” sald Captain Kettle, and.took | and’ was reconnoitered under. cover ot off his cap. “Good night, miss, for the | night by a tiny fishing boat. The report Present. We know how we stand; the | was pleasing, and the word went round. Bearded brown men collected at an a) pointed spot, each with the arms to which he was best accustomed, and when dark- ness fell, four large boats were run down to the feather edge of the surf. There was no indecent hurry. They did their work with method and carefuiness, like men who are used ta tt, and they arrived alongside the yacht at 3 a.m, and confi- game appears to begin between us from now.” He turned deliberately away from her, walked forward and went below; and after a little waiting, Donna Clotilde shiv- ered, and went back to her own luxurious state room. But if she was content to spend the rest of the night in mere empty longing, Cap- tain Kettle was putting his time to more practical use. He was essentially a man of knew what piece of dangerous mischief their little captive might turn his willing hand to next, and, as a consequen when the anchor watch sung out his first alarm not many seconds elapsed before every hand aboard was on deck. from below and distributed, so (ha the Riffians attempted to poard the de- fenders were quite ready 19 do them battie. Be this how it may, however, there is no doubt as to which side got tne first advantage. The yacht’s low ‘01 made but a small obsiacle to from the large boats alongside, and neither the deckhands nor the stokehold crew were any of them trained fighting men. In their ‘prentice hand the kicking revolv- ers threw high and were only useful as knuckle dusters, and till they aad thrown them down and got their cu ini Play they did hardly any exeentic Speak about. The Riff men, on ih hand, had been bred and born in ene of skirmish and made gro: Ss ° At an early point of the seuifle «apt. Kettle came on deck with a cigar in The Fellow Went Down. mouth and hands in his pockets, and watched matters with a critical interest, but did not offer to interfere one way or the other. It was quite a new s ation to him to watch an active fi without being called upon to assist or And then came «ip from Clotild, la Touche, dressed ant ed, and, without a bit of hesitati herself into the turmoil. She tle standing on one side, but neither be- sought aor commanded him. She would have died sconer than ask for his help and then be met with a refusal. Into the melee she went, knife und pis- tol, and there is no doubt that nor exam- ple and the fury of her rush anu the yacht's crew and made them stionger to drive the wail of their assailants back. To give Donna Cletilde her due, she as brave as the bravest man, and, more over, she was a certain shot at mode wearon- fluns Rei- ated rarge. But after her revolver was empty and the press closed around he long before an expert knife from her grasp, and thea the end came quickly. An evil-smelling maa noted her glorious beauty and marked her out as his especial loot. He clapped a couple of sinewy arms reund her and dere her away toward the bulwarks and hi: art. Some one had switched on the electric deck lights, and th> fi; was in a glow of radiance. Everything was to be clearly seen. Donna Clotilde was being dragged. resisuing, along the decks, and Kettle look- ed on placidly, smoking his cigar. She was heaved up on the bulwarks. In anotasr moment she would be gone from tis path forever. Suill her lips made no sound, th great black eyes were full of wild But the 2yes were more than Ket stand. He stooped and picked up pon from among the litter on deck, rushed forward and gave a blo: ~~ 2 Riflan dropped limply, and Donna ¢ stcod by the yacht’s’ bulwark, and gasping. “Now you get away below," he ordersJ, curtly. “I'll soon clear this rabble over the side.” He watched to see her obey him, and she did it meckiy. Then he gay2 his attention to the fight. He broke a packet of car- tridges which iay on the deck planks, pick- ed up and loaded a revolver and commenced tc make himself useful to th» yacht's crew; and from that moment the fortune of the battle turned. Capt. Owen Kettle was (and is) a beauti- ful fighter, and this was just his fisit. Against his cool-headed ferocity the Rif- it was not hand twisted the ugh her reaty. could wea- and the “otild thle fans gave way like sand before waves. He dii not miss a blow, he did not waste a shot, all his efforts went home with the deadhest effect. His voler, co, was a splendid ally. The yacht’: y had been doing their utmost alre: y had been f'shting for their bare liv But with Ket- tle's poisonous tongue to lash them, they did far more, they raged like witd beasts at the brown men who had inv their sacred decking, and drove the resistless fury. “Hump yourselves, you lazy dogs,” Ket ue shouted. “Keep them on the move. Drive them over the bows. Murder th you can reach. Am I to do all this job my- seif? Come on, you mongrels.” The red cutlasses stabbed and hacked. and the shrieks and yells and curses of the ight grew to a climax, and then the Riff- jians, with a sudden panic, gave way, and ran for the side, and tumble over into their boats. There was no qrirter asked or given. The exasperated yachtsmea cut down all they could reach. t they were escaping; and when the sound had gen, they threw after them the killed and wounded to be rescued or lost as they chose. Afterward, having a moment's respite, they loaded picked up their revolvers again them, and kept up a spatter fir> till the boats were vut of r when they turned to look to their own kil ed and hurt they found a naw crisis await- ins them. Captain Kettle was on the top of the deck house, which served as a navigating bridge, ostentatious!y closing up the breach of his revolver after reloading it. He wished for a hearing, and after what they had seen of his deadly marksmanship they gave it to him without demur. His needs were simple. He wanted steam as soon as the engineers could give it to him, and he intended to take the yacht into Gibral- tar right away. Had anybody an objec- tion to raise? ‘The red-haired man made himself spokes- “We should ‘have to go to Gib any- y,” said he. "Sume of us want a doc- tor badly, and three of us want a parson to read the funeral service. Whether you can get ashore once we do run into Gib, captain, is your own concern.” ‘ou can leave that to me safely,” said Captain Kettle. “It will be something big that stops me from having my own way now.” The men dispersed about their duties, the decks were hosed down, and the deck lights switched off. After awhile Donna And so for the while he | Clotilde came gliding up out of the dark- ness, and stepped up the ladder to the top of the deck house. Kettle regarded her uneasily. To his surprise she knelt down, took his hand and smothered it with burning kisses. Then she went back to the head of the ladder. “My dear,’ she said, “I will never see you again. I made you hate me, and yet you saved my life. I wisn I thought I could ever forget you. “Miss La Touche,” said Kettle, “you will find a man in your own station one of these days to make you a proper husiand, and then you will look back at this crutse and think how lucky ft was you so sickened and kicked me away from you.” She shook her head and smiled through her tears. “You are gencrous,” she said. “Good-bye. Gocd-bye, my darling. Good- bye.” evhen-she= went) Qown the lnaaen” and Captain Kettle never saw her again, 4 quartermaster came up und took the wheel. The windlass engine had been clacking, and the red-haired man (who bad constituted himself temporary mate) called out “Quart from forward, “All gone.” ‘master,"” said Kettle. said the quarterm: or'west and by west.” '-no’west, no’west it is, sir,” riermaster briskly. oe A New Use for Trash From the Kansas City Star. Every day brings out some new use for the street corner trash cans. The latest waz discovered last night by a boy at 13th and Walnut streets during a game of “hide and seek.” The youngster who was “it” buried his face in his hands at a telegraph pole on 13th street near Grand avenue as he began to count the other boys scattered. Around the corner of Walnut street stands er. said dently expected to take her by surprise. crouching inside and had action. ‘ But the crew of the yacht. thanks to | newspaper over his head. “Ii Cautiously he found his way to the stew- | Capt. Kettle’s vagaries, were not in the | vain for the trash can boy and was finally ard’s store room, @ case with meat habit of sleeping over soundly; they never compelled to give him up * try. This only 3.9 Hineat miles of roa for evry 1 square miles of terri ew England alone has as many miles tailroad as has Spain and her territe 4 LAND OF THE DONS y ee is not nearly as «reat. The same a as Spain picked of the: upper eastern Some Interesting Facts About the | United States has nearly 3009 mules’ of read. But the people of Spain still achere = to their guyly caparisoned imutos, Kingdom of Spain. perhaps © up. in. wor ny what they k in speed ete ee The domination of the a in ts almost abs 1 NATION WITH A BRILLIANT PAST | 20! portation an. va t of worship is allowed ee ee teed publicly consus How the Members of the Cortes | 1: asteries and Ther . Are Elected. ge devoted t rel = Es LUrposes. A restricted liberty of w . . is allowed the Protestanis. t mt bh HER FOREIGN POSSESSIONS j be kept very privaie, ana no publ nouncement of the fact is permitted hurch digaiiaries are Written for The Evening Ster. The general desire in this country for some exact knowledge about Spain just | & n of forts and fortitied towns drawn now is clearly evidenced at the libraries | Completely ercund her frontier. on of all the large cities. The libraries have | “orth there is Fuenterrabia, the fo 1 been so pestered by the demands of the | Port of Passuges and the inilitary ports of public that they have placed all the books | S¢"tona, Santander, Ferro! Ce relating to “our friends, the enemy,” on hep Eel panes provi % \. ” e le < shelves where the people can pick them out | Detuplona, “Tatatlan oe for themselves. Even, then the general | gon, Puycerda, Seo alaquer ¢ thirst for facts about Spain does not seem | Lerida. N t the Mediterranean are Cor to be satisfied, and all kinds of impossible ry Sree Ripoll, Ge requests are made for information which etthicnan cee es go! the cannot be furnished. It would seem, there- jalaga, Almeria. Carthag. fore, that a few plain statements concern- Logrono, Tud: ing the actual condition of the land of tho | Meauine: aS ene ate 8 dons will make timely reading. ere Bebiiad. Seite Oe mee he The kingdom of Spain constitutes what rque 2nd Bendajoz along she might be called the southwestern arm of | Portugue frontier, Tar md Algeciras Europe, where it reaches down and almost 2 qed of « and touches northern Africa. It is a true pe-| withstand the a these could washed on three sides by the! Sing hur cute Brest of the Mediterrane: “ nods prevail und an army of invasion would hav ne difficulty in breaking through the | Over a Mil n, the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic ocean, and joined by a wide neck of land to France. The jreat Fort of Gibraltar, cut from the solid rock of its southera extremity, completely commands the entramce to the Mediterra ean. It is, however, owned and garrisoned by Great Britain. Spain is a monarchy founded by the union of the houses of Ara gon and Castile during the 15th century lon Soldiers. Spain maintains a permanent army. She also has what is known as serve an active re- and a sedentery reserve, eaca of which could be relied up time of war. n for support in Any Spaniard above the Phe has been ruled intermittently by the of nineteen ts Mable to be called une e houses of Aragon, Bourbon, Savoy and | verve in the permanent ae seen Hapsburg for 400 years, except once when From this part of the ae the Joseph Bonaparte was proclaimed king by ths mcicn pemek Ber his brother, the Emperor Napoleon, and rs’ servic =i themes te once when the country was a republic, dur- sedentary aie rea ga ad ing 1873 and 1874. ‘The house of Bourbon is | service Be Siseh’ ineabtan at in power at present, although its suprem- 4 ue tae one may escape — servic The col- onial army requires every able-bodied sub- Ject to serve eight years in the various re tves. Thus most of the king's sub are militiamen, and it ts estimated tha time of need Spain could e efficient army of 1,083,505 is opposed by the Carlists, who claim a bar sinister interferes with the purity ot the descent. The present King is Alfonso XII, who, however, is but twelve years old, and whose mother, Maria Christina, 1s the regent of the country. in sily mobilize an The stand- How Sp: is lGuycemeal ing army numbers about 70,000 men. al. The present constitution of Spain was| WUE tecent Tevies” make ths yur Proclaimed in 1876. It prociaims the gov-ycapable, | SPAIM’S Mavy is Mkewis: ernment to be a constitutional monarch M the executive resting in the king, the pow- make Jaws “in the cortes with the The cortes are composed of a sen- ate and a congress equal in authority. There are three classes of senators—tirst, senators by their own right; second! ators nominated by the crown, and, thirdly, senators clected by the corporations of state, that fs, the communal and provincial states, the church, the universities, acad- emies, and by the largest payers of contri- butions. Senators by their own right are the grandees of the kingdom whose titles and possessions entitle them to the priv- ilege. The congress is formed by deputi in the proportion of one to every mm population. In 3878 Cuba was given the right t8 send deputies to the cories in th, Proportion of one to every 40,000 fre habitants paying 125 peseias . + notably Viscaya Presa, exceed this rate. Spain also has a numerous fleet of torpedo boats and torpedo boat destre Her fighting navy Is manned by LW oy marines and 14.0%) sellors. esides about 1,000 mechanicians of various kinds. Her Bri 1 Hixtory. This is, in fact, the army and this the navy which will protect the beautiful Span- ish cities which have known less change since the days of the Moors than any other in Europe. all, a modernized nation in th other nations are modernized. Her are governed by the spirit of Quix that caused Isabella to pledge her so that Columbus might start westward: almost Spain ts not, after that sense 6 in- in taxes year- responsible, and am ieee a sters are | walls of the Moorish strongholds that the Romtereneiny oe ee Ss example might incite the chivalrous meat Spies kee ae om ane Cortes | bravery of their followers: that caused the lage before he can ie contract it, and he cannot marry any one | MOUses of Urena and De Leon to pledge = bag their estates that the Moors a cing orpaial slected Decome extinct the | that period, the most romantic avo brilliant be elected by a “vot e nation.” After the king 2 fo ernment are guid council and min in Spanish hist half the world was theirs, never dies in their breasts, and it, more than anything else, would sustain ng the reins of gov- led by a president of the Justice, finance, the tntoro a2 Atairs, {them in a war of nations, This pride vt Reet fares Sonne eee War, marine, | race, however, is not what they would fight and a minister of the colontee 2’ Werks | for. Out of the ruins of their past great Spain’s area and ates. ness have risen beautiful monuments— Population, as it ts resent time, steresting, in view = the feet that once her possessions were great, er than those of any other European pow- er. Her present are; including the Ba- leerlc and Canary Islands, each of which is considered a province, is 11 Madrid, the capital city, with its and its 470,00) worshipers of the throne; Barcelona, with its. quarter million, mostly eager for war. and blind to all but its romance; Malaga, with its WM», 000, who daily have the remains of M 0 Square states above named, Nes Neen, pyione is to ‘teach them what manner of fighters enaein or ee eee were their ancestors. Cartagena, Cadiz @itned inves an arse aay Valencia, Seville and Gre where mem- Spain 1s, therefore, a trift Beaeettol tee ent these states 3 2 besques of the great Moorish temple lift . one out of the nineteenth century and s. ry one back to the time when war in miles larger than the = Spain.meant honor, valor and glory. |. "Texas fs, in its turn, | sl 74,620 square miles larger than Spain 7+ Pepulation of Spain Is estimated to be If earnings peice a ahead Set, about the same as that of the | From the St. James’ Garctte. New England and middle st ates ni above. — It is rare in France to find a family in which there are more than three children In fact, the statistics show that the gre: majority of married couples have only on child. In the tenth arondissement of Pari however, yesterday, a young man named 1 Bouillier presented himself before the med ical council examining the conscripts Mail» to enter on their mililary service this year who is the thirty-fourth child of his father. He has had twelve brothers and sisters by a first marriage of his father and twenty-one by the second. a Bright Excuses, From the Chicago Trine. “Shiftless as ever, Thom: said the wealthy uncle. “Still making a failure of Ife, as you always have done? “I don't know that I'm such, a terrible failure,” sulkily answered the’ poor rela- Besides the Canary ana Balearic Islands, Spain holds the colonies of Cuba, area 41 655 miles, population before the war 1. Porto Rico, area 3.500 square miles, Population 806,708. Total area and popu- lation in America, 45,205 Square miles and 438,395 persons respectively. essions in Asi Her pos- are the Philippine Islands, area 114.326 square miles, population 7,00 (#0; the Sulu Islands, area 950 square miles, Pepulation 75,000; the Caroline Islands and Palaos, area 560 square miles, population 000; the Marianne Islands, area. 42 square miles, population 10,172." ‘Total area and population in Asia, 116,256 square miles end 7,121,172 persons. Her possessions in Africa are Rio de Oro and Adrar, area 243.000 square miles, population 109,000: Ifui (near Cape Nun), area 27 square miles, Pepulation 6,000; Fernando Po, Annab tien. Coriseo, Elobey’and San Juan, area ssi] “Why, you have nobody but yourself to square miles, population 30,000. Total area |SUPport, and you can't make both ends and population in Africa, 243,877 square | meet.” miles and 136,000 persons. The total urea |. “Well, the rainbow has only Itself to sup- of Spain's foreign possessions is 405, square miles. The total population is’ 9, 605,567 persons. So that her foreign pos- sessions have an area more than twice as large as her own and a foreign population nearly half the size of her own. Of course, if she loses Cuba, her foreign area will be reduced one-ninth and her foreign popula. ticn, if the loss of garrison is considered, will be reduced nearly one-sixth. Cannot Read or Write. Census returns show that a very large proportion of the inhabitants of Spain are illiterate. Nearly 12,900,000 in the king- dom can neither read nor write. In the whole of Spain it was found that but 004,400 persons could read and write, 005 persons could read only, and yet Spain supports 24.529 public and 5,576 private schools. A law making educatton compul- scry was passed in 1857, but it was never enforced, partly for political reasons, and partly because of the wretched pay of the teachers—$ to $100 a year being a usval fee. In higher education Spain is not be- bindhand. She has ten large universities, carrying @n enrollment of 16,000 students. Spain gets its revenue by a system of direct and indirect taxation, stamp duties, government monopolies, etc. Direct taxes are imposed on landed property, houses, live steck, commerce, registration acts, titles of nobility, mortgages, etc.; the in- ! direct taxes came from foreign imports. articles of consumption, tolls, bridge and ferry dues. Her revenue for 1896 and "97 was £30,771,450; her expenditures £30,456,- i. She had besides this, however. an ex- tracrdinary expenditure of £9,390,000. Her public debt is now over $17,000,000,000, in- cluding over $350,000,000 incurred in Cuba. Her Resources. Spain is an agricultural country. In thé carly part ofthe century the country was owned by landed proprietors who had ac- quired great tracts of lard, but in recent years these tracts have been divided and The most critical period in a woman's life may be properly called “ Blossozing ‘Tis It is the period when she biossoms from girlhood into womanhood. _At this momentous time the best medi cine for a woman to take is Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription. It acts directly up- on the delicate and important organs that are to bear the burdens of wifehood and motherhood. It makes them strong, healthy and Sigorous.| Tt corrects ali irregularities es and stops exhausting drains. Taken during the pe- riod of expectant maternity, it Fae t 2 the usual annoyances and makes baby's ai. and almost painless. It in- sures mew-comer's health and an ample Tt transforms im have passed into the hands of small farm-| ™ectits of this cra and fruit growers. The vine 1s ihe Sag de ER most inrportant ‘ure, it rge quan something ties of oranges, raisins, ‘nuts and olives are | sk for, for thessake of a few exported every year. ‘Spain in rich in min- | ded profit. erals, the annual value of her mineral ex- os: perts being abou £6,640,000. “She also | - ,,M™=_, Anna manufactures cotton goods. She has heur-| {orto years ly 70,000 looms. Her imports for 18-7] So. "mnc’ amounted to £2306.008 Her exports | Tenia brought £34,800, The most im vorite of pe thene ge — a ‘The by the hand. This is due to the meager aly. means of communication, there being but | cases di ‘1546 miles of rattway im the whole coun-{ Peilets.