Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-27
CHAPTER III.
CoNTRABAND OF WAR.

The breeze died, rose and died again.
Over the narrows Of the sound lay o
iaze, simmering in the April sun. The
white cottages Of Vaedbek and other
ongshore villages nestled into the
yreen Of the beech woods, showing
'potlessly against the glare. It was
perfect day in perfect Scandinavian
Ipring.
Barr rolled, stretched himself and
lhen sank luxuriously back into his
air among the cushions. His face ex-
pressed beatitude Of content. His
sgar smoke encircled him like a lus.
aous halo. His yawn concentrated in.
10 its expansiveness the languorous de-
lights Of seven days Of uninterrupted
dleness. He blinked upon the Danish
lhores with n placid sense of propri-
storshlp in their beauties as by right Of
discovery. He was soaked and surfeit-
,unshine. His blood ran within him as
wine. o.
To him entered Desmond from the
.ompanionway. A businesslike air and
he Importance of command lay thick
ipon him. He bawled his orders with
10 uncertain sound, and the whir of
he wheel spokes followed swift upon
his words. Before a sudden gust the
,row crept round to starboard. The
racht began to nose inland to where
Copenhagen showed dim in the man
lie of the heat haze. girt with the for
sst of her shipping.
Barr raised his eyebrows. "Going in,
I'D MANI" he queried.
Desmond nodded. "Yes; going to call
'or an hour"
"You said you shouldn't stop short of
Dleaborg. Why, this waywardnessY
Desmond shrugged his shoulders.
There were all these rumors Of war
before we came out. Best to hear
what's happened, If can. couldn't
make out what those men meant that
We hailed just now. Something about
Russia. If we're going to shove our
leads into the bears jaws. we may as
veil know how we stand"
Barr groaned loudly. "If that isn't
ny luck exactly! Here am on my first
eal holiday for two years, and then
he blighted emperor Of Russia must
Itep in to spoil the whole show. /
Ihould have thought my little egg bas-
ret might have been spilled without
plunging the nations into war. But, no;
ny luck is the kind that impresses It.
Ielf upon you with stupendous and
sarefnlly thought out cataclysms. With
my ordinary folk 1t would have been
measles. or broken arm, or, at most,
shipwreck. With me It's either drop
he whole business or a probable FIVE
Tears Of a Russian fortress. or, may
zap, bullet. Well. well, mans born
% trouble as the sparks fly upward.
Pm sorry my eternal destiny has drag
red you into Its baneful orbit. Billy"
Desmond laughed and Hllcl his pipe.
'AlPs experience. my boy, even the in
idc Of Russian prison. Not that !
lhink it'll come to that. We needn't
make our moan till we hear more ccr-
tninly. Curl yourself up again and
more peacefully. I'll waken you when
we clear FOR action"
They drifted slowly along, the two
Knot zephyr tanning irregularly upon
their canvas, and passed into the chan
nel that runs between the island and
the blunt spit of land upon which the
Danish capital stands AS the chain
ratified in the hawse pipe the dingey
took the water and Desmond was set
ashore. Barr returned happily to his
Numbers.
Two hours later he was awakened by
the sound of his friends voice and by
the din of the anchor coming home.
He was aware as he blinkingly sur
veyed his surroundings that the yacht
was under weigh again and was creep
ing out Of harbor. She was heading
FOR the Swedish coast. Desmond had
returned to his chair and to his eternal
pipe, which he was methodically stuff.
,ng with birdseye. The grin that
usually lurled ON his ingenious coun-
senance was lacking. He seemed to be
considering something with. absolute
seriousness and concern. This phenom-
.non was so entirely foreign to his
temperament and customs that Barr
Iat up to regard him with anxiety.
"How now, BillyT he questioned.
'For goodness sake, what's upY'
Desmond blew cloud at him. Moth
lng at present. Everything probably,
IN the near future. Victoria, queen of
Great Britain. and Napoleon. emperor
" the French. have conjointly espous-
ID the cause of Turkey. They have
notified Nicholas, the Russian, that he
10 to quit pounding the sons Of Islam.
Most unjustiflably and unaccountably
hey have failed to consult me. A rum
pus must needs ensue. The question is.
What about us and our little game"
'Is war an absolute certaintyW
"Nothing's n certainty, my boy, but
the odds are thousand to one on.
Nicholas Is not the man to take that
sort Of thing sitting down."
Barr shrugged his shoulders. How
ran say, old man? risk nothing but
my very inconsiderable self. You risk
your ship and crew Certainly it's for
you to decide"
Ing up here, too," mused Desmond.
ut would be ripping to see the turn
up. Besides, why should an absurd ru-
nor put us from our purpose? Any
way. we've got to decide within ten
Minutes. When we're opposite Malmo,
must either swing port for home or
hrboard for the Baltic. Now. which
IT to beW
finn yours to command in peace or