The Irish standard., 1909-11-20
WELL" said Mr.. Van Torp, finding

me ashore at Messina. l thought you
were going to stop there-the stew
ardess told me where we were, but
she knew nothing else-and now we're
off again."
Il can't help it, Maud" said Van
Torp, almost in whisper, II don't be-
lieve it. don't believe in impossi
bilities like that beard of his. 1t may
sound ridiculous in the face of your
recognizing your own husband, but
It's solid fact, and you can't get
over it. wish could catch the Erin
ma and show him to that Tartar girl
Shed know in minute. He can't be
her man and Leven, too. There's only
one thing to be done that can see."
"What?" asked Lady Maud sadly
and incredulously.
Tell him you'll take him back on
condition that he'll shave"
Mr.. Van Torp, who was in dead
earnest. had just given his best friend
this piece Of sound practical advice
when the door opened, though he had
not rung, and the steward announced
that the second mate had a message
for Mr.. Van Torp. He was admitted,
and he delivered it.
The owner sprang to his feet
by thunder, we've caught emf" he
cried. as he rushed out of the deck sa-
LOOM
Lady Maud leaned back and stared
ut his empty chair, wondering what
was going to happen next
This was what happened. The Ian
cashire Lass reversed her starboard
engine with full speed astern, put her
helm hard over to port. and turned
back towards the straits in the small
est space possible for her, passing
less than a cables length from the
Scylla rock. and nearly running down
half dozen fishing boats that pulled
like mad to get out of her way; for
they supposed that the steering-gea
had broken down. unless her captain
had gone raving mad.
While this was going on, Capt.
Brown himself. with the international
signal code In his hand, was calling
out letters Of the alphabet to quar-
termaster, and before his ship had
made half circle the flags ran up the
single stick the yacht carried
my owner has urgent business with
your owner" was what the flags
meant in plain English.
The Erinna was going slow, for Ba-
raka was only Just ready to come on
deck haste being in her opinion, an
; invention of Shaitan's. Logotheti,
who wished her to see the straits, was
just inside the door of the deck sa-
loon, waiting for her to come out of
her cabin. The officer of the watch
read Off the signals of the other yacht,
ran up the answering Dennant. and
sent for the sailing master, but could
Of course do nothing else without or
ders. So the Erinna continued to go
| slow. All this took some minutes, for
the officer had naturally been obliged
to look up the signal in the code be-
! fore answering that he understood 1t;
and In that time Van Torps yacht had
completed her turn and was nearly
alongside. The Lancashire Lass
slowed down to the Erinna's speed,
and the two captains aimed their meg
aphones accurately at each other from
their respective bridges for a little
pleasant conversation. Capt. Brown,
instructed by Mr.. Van Torp at his
elbow, repeated what his signals had
meant. The other sailing master an
swered that he had already informed
his owner, who was coming to the
bridge directly.
At that moment Logotheti appeared.
There was not much more than q
cables length between the two yachts,
which in land-talk means 200 yards.
Van Torp also saw slim young lady
In blue serge, with veil tied over
her hair, leaning on the rail of the
promenade deck and looking towards
him. With his glasses he recognized
the features OF Baraka
Got 'em!" he calculated In a low
but audible tone of intense satisfac.
| ton.
Logotheti had also seen Van Torp,
| and waved his hand in a friendly
| manner.
ASK the gentleman II he'll come
aboard, captain" said the American.
II can't talk through your cornopean
| anyway. I suppose we can send the
| naphtha launch for him II we stop,
can't WEI"
Cant stop here" answered Capt
Brown. 'The currents might jam us
into each other, and we should most
likely get aground in any case This
is not even safe place for going
slow. when the tide Is running"
well, you know your business, and
don't. Tell him we don't want to in.
terfere with any arrangements he's
made, and that II he'll kindly set the
pace he likes we'll trot along behind
him till we get to nice place, some.
where where we can stop. suppose
he can't run away from us now, can
he?"
Capt Brown smiled the smile of q
man who commands a 23-knot boat,
and proceeded to deliver the message
In more concise form. Logotheti heard
| every word, and the answer was that he
tn 1,,rr