The Raymer enterprise., 1911-12-21

them" With . sudden motion of bis
arm he tossed the envelope into the
sea. 80 much for your accusations, /"
he continued. But now that / have
done with you, will pay my respects
and leave you" :.
well. murderer. what are you 80.
ing to do with me!" asked. Fling
me overheard to Join the captain!"
6tapfhaus unused, while waited. l
did not dars to hope, thought that II
was merely ruse whereby he might
enkindle my hopes again, only to
crush them.
"Adams." he said at last, when !
was sent to prison In Berlin for for.
gerry you were one, Of the witnesses
against mo. had forged check, Of
yours to the amount OF q thousand
marks. You had the power Of adding
another count to my Indictment
When you were called upon to testify
you refused. pleading your diplomatic
privilege. Why did you do so! Be.
cause you pitied me!'
because ! wpuld not trouble to 70
to court" responded. tJsTl
stapfhsus Jumped forward impul.
sively.
That's well said" he cried. IT you
had pitied me should have flung you
'hto the ocean. But now-well, why
should 1! You are . prisoner Of war,
and. 30 long as remain In Germany,
my government will never deliver me
up to pay the penalty for this tech.
nical piracy. So you shall be left to
the arbitration Of fate. Get up!"
rose unsteadily, with aching head.
could draw my breath only with
the greatest dimculty: there was a
brulse on my side the size Of plate
the result Of q spent fragment Of
shell. as discovered afterward. II
had exploded, knocked over the deck
house. and killed the sailor Petersen.
before knocking me over.
"Tie him to the wheel!" stapfhaus
commanded. and l was speedily dashed
up. Then. bidding me . mock fare
well. he was gone to his own vessel.
Their sails were unfurled and they
began to draw away from Us, but not
more than a hundred feet. straining
my eyes through the murk and gloom
Of the gathering night, perceived
that we were still linked by 4 cable.
and that the Lena was towing me, for
some reason Of her own. toward an
unknown destination.
Night fell: nothing was any longer
visible. did not even know that the
Lena was within sight, except that the
steady soughing Of the waves against
the vessel on which stood told me
that ! was still being towed along.
The night wore on: was shivering IN
the cold. 1t was growing rougher, too,
and flying spray drenched. me. Pain
from my wound and weakness At
length produced semi-comatose con.
dition. from which l was awakened
suddenly to find that the Yankee Girl
was no longer being towed through
the waters. but drifted helplessly at
the mercy Of the waves. The Lena had
gone.
Suddenly long beam Of light fell
upon the waters on the port side,
played there. and disappeared across
the surface Of the ocean. Now. fol.
lowing 1t to Its source, perceived a
single eye Of light at great distance;
and behind 1t another; then another.
instantly knew the solution Of this
mystery. 1t was the Russian squad.
ron, feeling Its way cautiously to.
ward the coast Of England.
Then from the depths beneath me I
heard cry.
"ship ahoy!" 1t came.
And suddenly rocket few into the
air. not 80 yards away. and descend.
cd In shower Of sparks.
It was rocket fred by the fishing
fleet, In warning OF danger, or to keep
the vessels together. Undoubtedly the
Lena had towed me into the middle
Of the fishing squadron and left me
there. with no lights showing. to their
imminent danger.
Suddenly the finger Of light from
the Russian vessel pointed full at me.
illumining every inch OF the ship. In
1t saw the little fishing boats tossing
like cockleshells. here and there, on
every side Of me. And suddenly I
heard roar as Of an express train
in the air above. My ears had been
schooled to that cry the previous aft.
ernoon. But whereas the Lena's were
toy shells. these were from the heavy
guns Of battleships.
1t was the Russians. shelling the
fishing feet.
pass over the scene that followed,
In the dark, save where those fiery
fingers picked them up. the fishermen
were helpless. Again and again the
giant shells hurtled through the air,
plunging all round me. bringing death
and destruction In their wake. Cries
and curses came to mo an the fisher.