The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-17

Il
ing circumstances.
Getting his clothes bag from the bag
room. as the other men were doing,
Welch dressed in clean working suit,
with his big black kerchief correctly
knotted about his throat, aud hurried
down to report to Mr.. Karl.
In the steerage the naval cadets and
Junior officers were just finishing an
early breakfast. and the japanese serv-
ants were hurrying back aud forth
with tempting dishes and steaming
pots Of coffee. The cockswain's q knock
at the door brought the steerage
steward, and to him WEIGH repeated
his message. His words were heard by
the youngsters at the table, and one of
them sang out in clear, boyish tones:
] ''Come in. Welch.''
| The cockswain, hat IL hand, entered
the room end found himself facing
Naval Cadet Karl, who was making
short work of a regulation navy break.
fast of bacon and eggs.
| 'b was ordered to report to you. sir. %
said Welch. g.
"All right. cockswain; come in here
l want to see you minute, land Karl,
jumping up from the table, pushed open
the door Of his stateroom and motioned
to Welch to enter the little room where
the tumbled hunks and general untidy
| appearance showed that Karl's Japanese
boy had not yet put this apartment in
condition for inspection.
Such an unusual proceeding on the
part of their messmate as tc invite a
sailor into his stateroom made the eyes
OF the other young gentlemen at the
table protrude from their sockets.
''Karl always was a genius in eccen-
tricity, but this move beats me-" re-
marked one of the cadets.
There was but one chair in the etate-
room, and in this Karl seated the sea-
man as soon as the heavy drapery at
the door had fallen behind them.
3fSee here, Andrew was visi-
bly, excited. and his voice trembled a
little as he spoke-''you're going with
me today into veritable bell trap, and
before we 60 want to tell you some
+ thing. Until after you had told the
commandant Of cadets at the academy
that you were guilty cf 'gouging' at
that skinny exam. never knew that
| you cared anything for my sister I
acted like coward about that affair,
and l am willing to acknowledge it. I
| permitted you to take the whole blame
because was too cowardly to let on
that I was the guilty person. asked
| yOu to help me at that examination,
and You did it. When old Crook saw
on the floor that piece Of paper with
the skinny problem on it, which you
had tried to pass to me, should have
owned up at once that the problem was
intended for me and not for you. Well,
I didn't own up to it, as should have
done" F." Karl's face was now fushed.
and he was raising his voice alittle.
'iYou were dismissed and never lisped
a word to anybody in the academy
about my treachery.
''You took my punishment. You were
| disgraced and your life was ruined.
You could have ruined me had you
been less of man. No, no''-Welch
had now jumped to his feet and was
trying to say something-''I say you
could have ruined me, but you took my
Disgrace and for my sake became q
homeless wanderer. After you were dis
missed from the academy / learned
that Nellie loved you. Yes; she wrote
me that she loved you. and, see. here is
the letter."
Karl drew from pigeonhole in his
| desk G dainty envelope anu passed it to
Welch, who sat with his hand shading
his eyes. as if dazed.
''Then began to see how selfishly
had behaved, Karl went on. "When
you came on board this ship, an enlist
ed man. I knew you at once in spite Of
your mustache and yonr changed ap-
pearance. but Bill and the other fellows
didn't recognize You. Ihave done what
could for you here, but it hasn't been
much that could do. I knew you
would want to go on this cable emitting
trip, and asked the first luff to send
yo1 with 1aS In tire cutter.
II have kept my secret, but in this
letter, which have Just written,
have told the fellows all about You and
how You took my punishment like q
hero--yes, that's the word, hero, for
you are hero, Andrew, and I'm con-
founded rascal IF don't get back
from this trip we are going on today,
the boys will find this letter in my
desk. have written home, too." and
Karl's face became pale again, and he
nervous]y shuff1ed the papers in his
| desk, stNellie will know about it too
have told her all in this letter"
The naval cadet and the seaman
faced each other in silence a moment,
then they separated. each to prepare
for the hazardous venture in which
they were to participate.
When Welch walked out through the
steerage country to the forecastle,
tightly claspirg in his hand the dainty
envelope Karl had given him, his face
was paler than usual.
At II o'clock the battleship ami the
rest Of the squadron moved in toward
the harbor and opened fire on the Span
ish batteries, several miiee distant
While the big guns roared and the
shells were flying toward the beach,
sending the Spanish gnnners scurrying
Ike frightened rats into their holes, the
steam launch with the cutter in tow
showed of from the battleahip.