The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-07-13
CHAPTER M.
We Meet the Pirate

We Meet the Pirate.
A s look back - the events Of
n that memorable August aay. /
1 ask myself whether they really
happened or whether only
dreamed them Then 7 lift my hand %
the ridge along the side Of my head
and know that il was made by no
dream bullet
Even with this mute testimony. the
Incidents seem well-nigh incredible.
mat q european power should Sr0u
an American merchant steamer on
the nigh seas. in time Of peace. and
take from her. forcIbIE- two OF her
be believed.
Ny own opinion-wlich can never
be verified uOW-iS thar Baron HofSrei1
showing now essential the capture of
-1lss LaJour was considered By his En-
peIoIs went 70 lengths not contemplated
oS anyone III Berlin, relying on ST.
eeSS-aIQ CeulaiS-to clear his skirts
Few rulers really disapprove action. no
matter how strenuous that achieves
-le-r wishes If il Is done secretly and
In this case Baron HofsteIn-s chances
OF success were a hundred 20 one. and
me risk that the crime be brought home
10 him was practically nothing I found
out later that no German torpedo boar
was supposed 10 be IN American waters
at the time
II IL lllLA not DEEn 10Y the CEurfuEEe
the uaron.s craft would doubtless have
quietly reached some rendezvous
where % would have been swung on
board a waiting vessel and carried
come The attack on the CrOss5acE
would have some into history as one
81 the many mysteries OF the sea-
NJ ciLs we all know what often happens
10 the TiSesr plans Of mice and men
The wireless message the long sIs-
leEses I4e amazing sucdenness OF the
crisis when it came, had aroused me
10 @ HlSH pitch or excitement. and
now wren Mariana CRY for aid came
ringing across the waters, I was
driven to desperation
The SunfiOWer'S guns were loaded
and ready the men in their places be-
/ hind them. Knowing what 7 knew, 7
Stlll believe that I would have been
justified in opening fire without par
ley Some lingering sense OF civfl5za-
ton restrained me. however and
s1alched meEaphone from the
bridge and challenged
"HaIrH- I yelled Halt or fire.
In reply tauatinE laugh came
ringing across the waters. bell
changed family. and the torpedo Ieaped
forward with added speed 4 single
E5aDce told ne that she must be very
Iast- every second widened the strip
OF water between us soon she would
Dr. out OF reach and Marian would Be
talk TO time TO think barely was
there tine to act
n ] q
20 oEoer my men TO o1eu FIRE But.
quick as rhOught-far quicker than
can tell 1T thrust one Of the gun
captains aside threw my weight
gun on the midship section Of tic
torpedo boat, and fired
4 nisSGC- I was a narzsnlzn or land.
but was not used 10 the sea
Load ordered and a seaman flung
open the breach. thrust in another nro-
JeCtile, and sprauE back
But before could ire again there
came a NnOuT from the torpedo boat
Looking az Il. 7 saw Count T-uuauoFT
throw up his hands. and heard his
did not understand his words. br,t
Captain Martin did and he rushed to-
stop. Stop ne cried. They're
Friends, Rot Are they stopDinz7~
- sianeed al he torpedo boat saw
that II was moving faster than before,
once more 7 missed
The man who held the next urofectfTe
hesltated, and grabbed it from him
and thrust i into the open breech. I
heard C plain Martin shrek an order
and out IF the tail Of nv eve 7 saw
men rushing toward me with uuIifted
weapons To turn and defend myself
would be TO lose The chance for the
the gun
The cartridge stuck in the breech.
Some lntnitesiulsl 1lpeTfeCti0u pre-
vented its going home. F7rantfcallv I
struggled with IT. feeling IN anticipa-
zion. the impending blows.
But they did not come. Instead, a
Wild yell sounded yell I had last
heard on the plains Of Texas. I knew
IL, and knew. too the quick following
crack Of the pistols behind me.
'Whoopee- Come on. you blamed
DEtChni2nt Wh0Opee-
\ glance showed the situation Behind
me stood Curly. less wide apart 20
meet the roll Of the deck In either
land a pistol smoked He had oppor-
tUnely fired, and she captain ana his
men had gone down before them
Saved for an instant 7 strOve 20
jerk the cartridge from the gun, but q
strong hand put mine aside, and with
szinfui twist shot it home
QUICK You've only q moment more
cried SIT Henry L-ascelles-
Not DauSing to wonder at the unex-
pe-red arc, I flashed my eye along the
siChtS- Less than q minute had passed
since MY first shot, Vet the torpedo boat
had already drawn ahead Some Of her