Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-07

towering rage.
He had not forgotten the way in which
vausittart. when president OF the French.
had played political poker with him. He
wanted no more raising at his hands, but
had cooled somewhat by the time the sec
rotary for the navy raced back with the
Hurried Won Gossler.
Admiral" he shouted, there are four
we'll defined routes across the Atlantic?"
Yes, sire"
Read this. order a fast cruiser to pro-
coed along each route and bring this man
Vansittart, with or without his ship, to
Hamburg. The commission Of each captain
depends upon the success OF one OF them.
They must start forthwith, and avoid con-
fiict with French vessels at any cost.
1t was thus that, twelve hours after the
Seafarer passed the Sandy Hook lightshiI
and turned her smart fgurehead eastward,
four fast and well-armed German cruisers
sailed from Hamburg and Bremerhaven in
tent upon her capture or destruction. The
stars and stripes futtered in the breeze over
her tetIrail as the gallant little ship plunged
steadily onward through the long Atlantic
rollers.
Reuters correspondent was not mistaken
in describing her as a sixteen-knot ship.
Her small size, 1900 tons, and her owners
desire to be able to voyage In her anywhere.
precluded a higher engine power.
On the third day out, although on a SOUTH
erly course, they plunged into the heel of q
fog that had swept down from the New
foundland banks. But to Evelyn the chilly
mist was refreshing, and she walked this
deck, leaning on her husbands arm with a
sense OF exhilaration at the vastness OF their
enterprise.
During Vansittart's brief halt In New
York he had done much. Not every man
| can contrive to expend twenty-five millions
sterling in half that number of hours. But
he had done this, to the huge benefit OF
France, as will be seen hereafter.
Now he spent most of his time in reading
the records of the war OF 1911, together
with much porting over maps and jotting
down of memoranda.
This evening Evelyn protested against so
much preoccupation, and carried him off for
a constitutional before dinner.
During their walk they noticed Arizona
Jim leaning against a ventilator away for
ward, gazing fxedly into the wall of fog.
Jim was wrapped in a brown study, and
looked so serious that they both laughed.
What are you thinking about so deeply,
Jim?" inquired the millionaire.
Bates started. II was thinkin', boss, that
things air tolerable thick ahead"
Here, do you mean?"
init. S'long as we keep tootin' the fog
horn 1 guess we're all right here, if the
other Teller does the same
I'm France, them"
Eyes, guv'nor, that's the locality. You
won't find no Injun signs on rocks to help
fix this business"
why, Jim, you are the one man in the
world l should not suspect of doubling the
future. Have you lost faith in me?"
"No, guv'nor. Not L. Nary a bit. What
/ you SEE goes. But you'll have to kill off a
blamed lot Of Germans"
Evelyn clutched Jerome's arm more
tightly. Bates had an unpleasant knack Of
revealing the truth without any circumlocu-
tion. For the first time she realized that
the conquest of men meant carnage-that
her husband might be called upon to direct
red and horrible war.
Next morning, while Evelyn was pouring
out a third cup of coffee for Jerome and
Dick, the captain of the seafarer hurriedly
entered the saloon.
t'There's a British man of-war about three
mile ahead on the port bow, sir, and it has
signalled us to stop he said.
ITO stop? An English ship? Are you
quite sure it is English?' cried Jerome.
quite certain, sir. 1t Is the fast cruiser
Hawke. 1 know 1t we'll by sight. What shall
we do?'
"obey the signal, by all means. What's
up now, I wonder?"
They went on deck and scrutinized the
handsome war ship, for the overnight fog
had wholly disappeared and the fine vessel
supplied a human interest to the vast
panorama of blue rolling sea and sunlit
sky.
The Hawke, first class cruiser, 1850 tons,
Of 1000 horse power, and carrying twelve
guns, was evidently in earnest. 1t slightly
altered its course in order to come nearer,
and when half a mile ahead slowed down
to lower a boat. An officer took his seat in
the stern sheets, and the steady pull Of eight
strong-armed blue jackets soon brought him
alongside the Seafarer.
Within hailing distance he cried:
as Mr.. Vansittart aboard?"
Eyes" replied Jerome. 81 am he"
81 am very glad / have fallen in with
you. l wish to speak with you privately
Suiting his actions to the words he quickly
climbed the rope ladder which had been
lowered and gained the deck Of the Sea-
farer.
With smiling courtesy he introduced him
self: II am Captain des Voeux Hamilton
Of her majesty's ship Hawke, which you
see there. / have information Of great i'm
p%ortance for you. Shall we go to the
saloonH"
Jerome led the way, saying:
my wife and brother-in-law may ac-
company us?"
"Assuredly, Mr.. Vansittart."
Once out Of earshot of others the officer
explained his strange appearance in mid
Atlantic. He began with a question:
"Do you know that war has broken out
between Germany and France?"
Evelyn uttered an involuntary exclama-
ton, Even Vansittart was surprised by the
suddenness of the announcement.
Surely matters have not reached that
stage already?" he exclaimed.
''There can be no doubt about IL. The
German armies commenced the invasion OF
France on Thursday night. / left Ports
mouth at noon on Friday and several slight
affairs had already taken place on the
frontier, while in military circles IL was
generally believed that the first pitched
battle would take place yesterday Sunday
somewhere In the neighborhood of Mars la
Tour"
Jerome was powerfully moved, but his
anger at this catastrophe only manifested
itself by a tightening of the lips as he said
This is indeed grave news for me, Cap