Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-03-30
"A GIRL E GRIT.
BY MhJoR ARTHUR 6RirrlThS.
Copyright 1900 BY RI f. FSnno l. Co.
BY MhJOR ARTHUR 6RlFFlTHS.

says she must be steaming 20 knots an
hour"
she's after those papers. Captain
Shearborne, unless I'm much mistak-
en-" l put In. with a little laugh of sat
isfaction. Perhaps there will be some
one on board who knows rne."
The captain glared at me. but his
eyes fell before my ste idy glance. and
/ could read his thoughts plainly: the
growing doubts. the fear that he might
be all in the wrong, the trouble hat
might come upon him " lie misused me
without clearer proof. Yet he CARRIE
II with a high hand 20 the last.
"I1l settle with o later. my fine
FELLOW, and handsomely. You shan't
bluff me-
IF / might suggest. Captain Sher-
borne, your place Is Oh your bridge. |
don't presume to teach you your duty,
but a man Is apt to forget II when he
loses his temper and his self control.
we CAN square our little matter later.
But | warn you against using end vio-
lence. 1 may have friends in that ship
astern''-
I could see fresh rage gathering in
his face at my words, but he restrained
himself, and with no more han Il part
ing oath and an order to cast me loose
he floufdered out Of the cabin.
| went on deck without further let or
hindrance and took my situation by
the fore companion. l was much inter-
ested in what went on II Every
one was excited at the approach OF this
splendid warship. The rumor that she
had some business with us had already
run like wildfire around, n II was
strengthened by the many colored fut-
tering bunting with which she con-
increased when orders were given to
slow down. Any change in a steamers
progress always attracts attention on
board, and our decks fore and aft were
| crowded with passengers. l could see
those OF the first class talking eagerly
together, gesticulating and pointing to
the warship, Many glasses were level
ed at her, and I could gather that her
interference with our voyage was not
taken In good part. In these days Of
record passages across the ocean fer
ry" the delay even an hour is a ser.
ious matter.
Now the butcher of the Chattahoo-
chez Joined me where / stood, some
what apart. He was an acquaintance
through Roy, somewhat surly and UNI
communicative, but / found him sud-
denly quite garrulous and friendly. He
was an old man-of-war's man, and his
spirit was stirred at the sight Of the
white ensign.
III 3 Rranu, yOn. bTdHu 10 see mat
iron kettle, $4,000 tons displacement,
riding triumphant like a wee birdie on
the surface OF the mighty waters. 1t
means mans conquest Of nature,
science and knowledge and above all
pluck. There's a SIGHT, my man! The
finest and newest cruiser afioat-H. M.
S. Victr!x'-
You know her, them"
AYE, laddie. My W sisters third
cousin Is fourth engineer aboard, and l
was all over her not a week syne when
she lay In the Solent. She was under
orders then for the China seas. Dell
ha' me II l know what brings her into
midatlantic."
Some special order, / suppose?'
"Wor mayhap. These are fearsome
times, laddie, and l read In the papers
there was erouble brewing. What II
she is sent to warn our shipping?
1--WE shall soon know. See, she has
lowered a boat, and we're going now
under easy steam to take them on
board" d.
The Victrix lay half a mile off, and
her boat, looking like a bookshelf
compared to her great bulk as 1t left
her side, came bravely along, ntted
over the long Atlantic swell by the well
cadenced stroke OF 16 oars. In the
stern was a group of three, and as they
got within range of my glasses l saw
tina one was a naval officer, no II
I'm command Of the boat, n two other
persons in plain clothes.
One was my colleague in the intelli-
gence office, Swete Thornhill. The 9TH
cr-yes, there was no mistaklnB that
rosy, scorbutic visage-the other was
Snuyzer, the detective. / decided then
and there what l should do. l saw
-. T.. 49,. .A.,sI1A hNr acting nrnm MI "
to tell Swete Thornhill all ] knew and
yet preserve my ~incognite. So slip
ped down into the second saloon and
wrote him a half dozen words.
Dear Swete-I got the papers and nave
thrown them overheard. Don't, let on
about me more than necessary, put MAKE
the skipper bring you and Snuyzer down
here, forward, for a Few words private
talk In nv own cabin or anywhere ont
of earshot with others. ] have strong Ita'
son for still lying low. Yours,
I took this to the purser's cabin and
was lucky enough to find him there
poring over interminable and Volumi-
nous accounts OF victualting. They In
terested him far more h What was
going on above.
You will oblige me by getting this
into the captains hands at once" /
said very peremptorily. 1T Is for one
of the gentlemen who are now close
under our quarter in the man-of-war's
boat"
He took the letter and read its super
scription with some surprise, not to say
alarm. 1t was: ION her majesty's
service. To Major Swete Thornhill, ID.
S. O., r. A. C. o. Captain Sherborne OF
the $. s. ChattahooChee. Confidential
and almost immediate"
Certainly, sir" said the purser, his
whole manner suddenly changed, and
then / returned TO my post OF observa-
ion on deck TO wait events.
saw my friend como on board, the
naval lieutenant first, who raised his
hat TO u captain as he received them
at the gateway, then introduced his
companions, after which the whole par
ty quickly and silently passed through
the crowd of passengers, who were dy-
ing to hear what IT all meant, and en-
tered the captains cabin.
l had not long to walt for the mex
act. Within a minute or two l was
hailed by the second cabin steward,
who old me a little abruptly, but he
knew no better, that l was wanted by
the captain below.
Halo, Master Willie" began Swete
Thornbill after a brief shaking hands
all round. you've led us a pretty
dance and no mistake. How the mis-
chief did you get here, and are you GER
tain about the papers?'
"All that will keep, man. As to the
papers. ask Captain herborn He
knows what became Of them"
Il will not be a party to this. / saw
you throw certain papers overheard
which / still believe you stole
Captain Wood will answer for that
to the proper persons, and so will you
as to the charges o bring" interpos-
ed Swete Thornhill stiffly. You can
rely OF that. We shall proceed straight
to New York ahead OF you, and you
shall be met by the British consul and
other authorities"
That is all l wanted to say" l cried.
Get there first and set everything in
trim-you understand, Mr.. ]