Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-02-09

- p1eS!sely lIiaS our Forward lOOkOut
discerned the lights of the Diamond
Ship upon a far horizon and that
Captain Larry burst in upon me with
this splendid news. Now. surely, had
1 no further need OF messages. You
may Judge how l followed him to the
deck to feed my eyes upon the spec
tacle.
Have YOU just seen her, IIarry?"
This very instant, DOCTOR"
went up upon the bridge with him
for a better view. Many miles away, as
l judged. upon our port bow, a light
mashed out brilliantly above a sleeping
ocean
Plainly directed by a skillful hand, I
said that a trained officer worked the
lantern as they worked 1t on board q
man-of-war: but as though to deny
that the unknown ship was a man-of-
war, the monster searchlight began
anon to answer as though to a dane
ing. drunken measure Of some hand
that wearied of duty and made u Jest
of 1t.
I'VE are carrying no lights our
selves. Larry?" 1 exclaimed, and add
ed. alphabetically, THAT goes without
saying"
DO you think we dare run up to
her, Larry?" IL
There would be little risk when they
got tired of their fireworks, DOCTOR"
We'll do 1t, Larry. Don't forget
Jodu EOTulDTdS Is ABOARD there.
He nodded Significantly, and rang
down his orders to the engine room. 1
perceived that McShanus had come up
from the saloon; he did not speak to
me, as he told me afterwards. under
the ridiculous apprehension which
comes to men In danger that any
speech above a whisper is a peril. The
clash of u engines remained the only
sound. / turned to Timothy and as
tonished him by my greeting.
"A steady hand now-is It that,
Timothy?' Z
bhoy?'
ut certainly is not the cold hand of
the poets. Would it help with the ma
chine guns If need be, Timothy.
Whist, could 1t not! Are We not
speaking over loud, doctor. me bhoy?"
'Oh, come, you think they can hear
us v miles away, Timothy? Shout,
N you like. old boy. 1 hope to God
there will be silence enough by and
by. We are going to have q look al
them. Timothy. Ills to learn the color
OF their coats, as o would say"
7 are no. going within shot Of
their guns?"
Timothy" I said. speaking now IN
that low tone he had desired, "I am
going to learn how it fares with Joan
Fordibras."
All, bad cess to 1t, when a woman
holds the lantern, there goes Jack the
Gtant-killer. Twill help her to be
sunk, Ean."
II do not think they will sink us.
Timothy "
God be good to me. I'm no better
than a coward this night. What was
it I said?" !
THAT you were quite Of my opinion,
Timothy"
We laughed together. and then fell
to silence.
So VIC crept on, mile by mile. Every
eye aboard the White Wings watched
that resting searchlight as though 1t
had been endowed with telepathic pow,
ers. and would of itself warn the
rogue's crew. don't think we believed
for an instant in the good fortune
which followed us. 1t seemed incredible
that they should not keep a better,
lookout, and vet the fact so stands.
The resting beam Of light in the sky
was u goal. We drew upon it mo-
destiny which should tell a story fruit
full beyond any we had heard. And
still the Diamond Ship die not awake.
Suddenly, vast, monstrous, blazing,
the fearful eye of light of the Diamond
Ships searchlight focused upon us for
whole circle Of the seas with its blind
ing beams. Twice, thrice, it went
thus-hearts standing still almost as it
approached us, leaping again as it
passed onward. Then, as surprisingly,
it remained fixed upon the farther side
instant, far away to the northwest, a
crimson rocket cleaved the black
darkness of the night, and a shower Of
gold-red balls burst h%overingly above
the desert waters.
What do you make Of that, Larry?"
sNnf a 0fOnoI frnrn INV mr. Ahln
sir. We don't use that kin of rocket"
Otis the fourth of July, bedad, or
the Crystal Palace that's fying!" cried
Timothy.
Larry" said /. that's on of their
name Of Colin Ross is aboard her. II
SO. lmroth is to receive some shocks"
II wish to heaven they came by way
of a seaman's arm, sir. Yes, it's as you
say. Yon is a steamer. and here goes
the answering rocket"
He pointed to the sky above the Dia-
mond Ship, ablaze with a spray Of
vivid green radiance, the answering
signal to the distant ship. The nature
Of u own escape now became quite
clear to me. The lookouts ove yonder
had espied the lights OF the relief
steamer. and had used the searchlight
to signal her. The great arcs. the
circling beams. were but those pre-
liminary movements with which every.
operator tries the lantern he IL about
to use. No eye had followed their
aureole. I made sure. We had escaped
observation. simply because every nan
aboard yonder vessel had been looking
at the incoming steamer, bearing from
Europe news which might be Of such
moment.
Larry" I said. jumping at the idea
Of 1t. ITS now or never. Let her go
while they are at the parley. I'll stake
my life on It there is no lookout to
%starboard. Let's have q look at them
when they least expect U.S."