Gilpin observer., 1906-11-15

the commodore's door and Lieut.. Lang
| lois entered with a genial smile on his
face.
Il was obliged to read it, you know,
sir-a message for you-and, having
read it, perhaps you will allow me to
felicitate you on the anniversary. /
shall be delighted to send any reply
you desire to Madam Samson and the
fortunate twins"
He handed message to the COM
modore. Samson took the paper and
read:
Have you forgotten the birthday of
the twins? They send their love, and
wish you were with them, even though
they were obliged to embrace your
French fellow voyagers.
From your wife,
Constance"
The bronzed face of Commodore
| Samson flushed. He ran his fingers
| through his hair.
You had forgotten?" laughed the
lieutenant
Il had, indeed / had, indeed"
stammered the commodore. II should
have remembered, but, but"
"Ah! Madam did not forget"
with your permission. will think
over the wording Of my reply to hide
the stupidity of forgetting"
The lieutenant bowed, and having
accepted proffered cigar. departed.
The commodore sat staring at the
message. Now, what the devil does
1t mean?" he muttered. Then he sent
"a discreet messenger for Commander
Frazer.
Frazer folded the message carefully.
and, placing 1t on the table, pressed it
fiat with the palm of his hand as he
said in a iow voice:
you have neither wife nor twins?"
The commodore shook his head
This IS from the admiralty. Has
1t anything to do with The Twins
rocks off dOuessent?'
by heaven, you're right" said the
commodore, his eyes blazing like ire.
He snatched up a pen. and wrote:
Beloved, will think of you and the
twins all the rest of the night
He personally gave this message to
Lieut.. Langlois, saying that he
thought he had successfully evaded
answering the question put to him in
the message. Then he stealthily sent
for Lieut.. Tarry.
Commodore Samson sat baci; IN his
chair and allowed Commodore F-azer
to do the talking.
Lieut.. Tarry, you know The Twins
off d'Ouessent?"
81 have passed them scores o. times,
sir, running from Southampton 10
Bordeaux
"You are certain of their position?"
Il think | could clear them on 4
dark night with my eyes shut. sir"
This time we want you no. to clear
them; we want you TO put us right
over them"
Wreck the ship. s.r?"
No, not If the trick can be done
without. What we hope you can do is
to put the Frenchman on the rocks.
but we want you TO know that. If In
trying to wreck him, you lose this
ship, nothing in the way of reprimand
will be said TO you, and nothing held
against you. The Frenchmnn has all
along allowed us the navigation, him
self content 20 stand off at TWO cables
distance. At our present rate VIZ pass
those rocks at between three and four,
o'clock tomorrow morning. Borrow
clothes from bluejacket. and be
ready to take the wheel when call
you"
At three o'clock the next morning,
the Emilia and Serpent were slapping
through the waters at 20 knots an
bridge The French Lieutenant. one
hand in his pocket to make sure of
his telegraph key. stood in an angle
of the bridge, laughing NJ the tales
Lieut.. Farringdon. especially selected
for the duty, was telling. Alongside
TO starboard was the Serpent. the
sleepless odette on the bridge
Half-past three. Samson turned ana
scanned the waters ahead. Yes. a
patch laid on the face OF The water
like a great globule Of grease. rs II
some marine monster lolled under
meath. The commodore snajched up a
megaphone and bawled out 20 the Ser
pent. Anything to distract attention
from what was ahead.
II do not think. sir" he raid to
Lieut.. Odette. that you have the right
to take me into Brest with t.c hags
flying as they are
Odette came to the end OF tie bridge
nearest the Emilia.
What are the grounds of your OBJ
lection. sir? | will give them consid-
eration." answered Odette.
They are these. sir, loosely stated;
II you wish 1t | will put them In writ
ing. am not prize In the ordinary
sense. you know. 1t Is only because OF
my passengers that you can cOerce me
to follow you"
Close behind him hoarse. loud cry
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