Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1894 — THE LONE CORVETTE. [ARTICLE]

THE LONE CORVETTE.

Gilbert Parke, in Westminster Budget. ” Capt. Richard Debney, of the British navy, .commander of the man-of-war Cormorant, was entertaining koine friends in the harbor of San Francisco, and the talk turned upon “Ted” Debney, his brother, who had resigned from the navy several years before because he had, chivalrously prevented a French cruiser from boring holes in a wretched opium Smuggling craft. “Ted” was impulsive, brave, daring and loved alike by his superiors and his men. “Have you ever got on the track of Ted?” “Onde I thought I had at Singapore, but nothing came of it. No doubt he changed his name. He never asked for nor got the legacy ■whichmy poor father left him.” An hour later they were aboard the Cormorant dining with a number men asked to come and say goodbye to Mostyn, who was starting for England the second day following, after a pleasant cruise and visit with Debney. Meanwhile, from far beyond that yellow lane of light running out from Golden Gate there came a vessel like a half-obsolete corvette, spruced up, made modern by~every possible de vice, and all her appointments were shapely and in order. She was clearly a British man-of-war, as shown in her trim-dressed sailors, her good handful of marines; but her second and third lieutenants seemed like Englishmen, and indeed, one was an American and one jvas a Hollander. Their general discipline did credit to the British navy. But they were not given to understand that by their commander, Capt. Shewell, who had an eye like a spot of steel and a tongue like aloes or honey as the mood was on him. This was most noticeable when he was shut away from the others in the cabin. Then his whole body deemed to change, The eye became softer, and the body had a careless alertness and elasticity, the whole man had the athletic grace of a wild animal, and his face had a hearty sort of humor which the slightlylifting lip in its .bizarre disdain could aot greatly modify. He certainly seemed well phased with himself, and more than once, as he sat alone, ae laughed outright. The next evening, just before dusk after having idled about out of sight if the signal station nearly all day, Tapt. Shewell entered Golden Gate vvith the Hornet, of no squadron. But the officers at the signal station lid not know that, and simply telegraphed to the harbor in reply to ‘he signals from the corvette that a British man-of-war was arriving. She came leisurely up the bay, with Capt. Shewell on the bridge. He jave a low whistle as he saw the Bormorant in the distance. He knew ;he harbor well, and he saw that the Cormorant had gone to a new anchorige, not the same as British men-of-;var took formerly. As she came to anchor the Cormorant saluted her and she replied instantly. Custom officers who were watching the craft from the shore or 'roffl their boats gave up hope of iny excitement when they saw and reard the salutes. But two went out ;o the Hornet, \yere received graciously by Capt. Shewell, who, over i glass of wine in his cabin —approariately hung with pictures of Coliingwood and Nelson—said that he ivas proceeding to Alaska to rescue shipwrecked crew on an island, ind that he was leaving the next day is soon as he could get some coai, though he feared it would be difficult coaling up that night. Still, he did aot need a great deal, he said — which was true —but he did Mod some, and he knew that for his own safety and the Hornet’s he must have it. After this, with cheerful compliments. and the perfunctory decoration on his part that there was nothing dutiable on board, the officers left him, greatly pleased with his courtesy, saluted as they left the ship's side by the marines and sailors standing at the gangway. The officers did not notice 'that one- of these sailors winked an eye at another, and that both then grinned, and were promptly ordered aft by the second lieutenant. As soon as it was very dark two or three boats pushed out from the Hornet and rowed swiftly to the shore, passing a customs boat as they went, which was saluted by the officers in command. After this boats kept passing back and forth for a long time between the Hornet and the shore, which was natural, seeing ihaFfirsF a sort" of a holiday for officers and men. If these sailors had been watched, however,it would have been seen that they visited but few saloons on shore and drank but little, and then evidently “as a blind.” Close watching would also have discovered the fact that there were a few people oil Shore who were glad to see the safe arrival of the »Hornet, and who, about 1 o’clock in the morning almost fell on the neck of Capt. Shewed as’ they bade him good-byei Then for the rest of the night coal was carried out to the Hornet in boats instead of her coming to dock to load. By daybreak her coal was aboard, cleaning up then came, and preparations to depart- Capt. Sbewed’s eye was now much on the Cormorant, He had escaped one danger, and lie had landed half a tail don'dollars’ worth of opium in the night under the very nose of the law. and while custom boatsi were patrol ing the bay, but there v|’as another danger—the inquisitivqness of the Cprmorant. It was etiquette for him to call upon the captain of the Cor- ! taorant, and he should have done so ! the evening before, but he dared not

risk, nor could he run it this mornipg. And yet if the Cormorant diseovered that the Hornet was. not a British man-of-war, but a .bold and splendid imposture, made possible by a daring ex-officer of the British navy, she might open lire “and he couid make but a sorry fight, for he was equipped for show rather than for deadly action. Just as he was lifting anchor tc get under way he saw a boat shoot out from the side of the Cormorant. Capt. Debney was coming to see the discourteous commander. He was received according to custom and was greeted at once by Capt. Shewell. As the eyes of the twe men met both started, but' Capt. Debney most. He turned white and put out his band to the boat-side .tc. steady himself. But Capt. Shewell held the hand that'had been put out, shook it, pressed it. He tried tc press Capt. Debney'forward, but the other drew back to thegapgway. “Pull yourself together, Dick, or there’ll be a mess,” said Shewell, softly. “My God, how could you do it!” replied his brother, aghast. Meanwhile the anchor had been raised afnTUuTllqrnet was moving toward the harbor mouth. —|‘You have ruined us both,” said Richard Debney. " '“Neither, Dick! I’ll save your bacon.” He"made a sign, the gangway was closed, he gave the word for the full steam head, and the Hornet began to race tnrough the water before Capt. Debney—guessed his purposes. “What do you mean to do?” he asked, sternly, as he saw his own gig falling astern. “To make it hard for you to blow me to pieces. You’ve got to do it, of course, if you can, but I must get a start.” “How far do you intend taking me?" “As far as theFarilones, perhaps.” Richard Debney’s face had a sick look. “Take me to your cabin,” he whispered. What was said behind the closed doors no one in this world knows, and it is as well not to listen too closely to those who part, knowing they will never meet again. They had been children in one mother’s arms; there was nothing in common between them now except the old love. Nearing the Farilones Capt. Debney was put off in an open boat. Standing there alone he was once more a naval officer, and he called out, sternly; “Sir, I hope 'to sink you and your smuggling craft within four and twenty hours!” Capt. Shewell spoke no word, but saluted slowly, deliberately, and watched his brother’s boat recede until it was a speck upon the sea, as it moved toward Golden Gate. “Good Old Dick,” he said at last, as he turned away toward the bridge, “and he’ll do it if he can.” _ But he never did, for as the Cormorant cleared the harbor that evening there came an accident to her machinery and with two days’ start the Hornet was on her way to be sold again to a South American republic. And Edward Debney, once her captain? What does it matter? His mother believes him dead —let us do -tke-same,—■—— -—.—