Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-02-10
I Judged, upon our port bow, q light
flashed out brilliantly above o sleeping

Judged, upon our port bow, a light
flashed out brilliantly above q sleeping
ocean.
Plainly directed by a skillful hand, I,
said that a trained officer worked the
lantern as they worked 1t on board a
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 a jest
OF it.
I'VE are carrying no lights our-
! selves, Larry?" l exclaimed, and add
ed, apologetically, Tina goes without
saying"
do you think we dare run up to
her, Larry?"
There would be little risk when they
got tired of their fireworks, doctor"
Wen do It, Larry. Don't forget
Joan Fordibras is aboard there.
He nodded significantly, and rang
/ down his orders to the engine room. l
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. l turned to Timothy and as.
tonished him by my greeting.
"a steady hand now-is 1t that,
Timothy?"
Take a grip of It yourself, me
bhoy?"
1T certainly is not the cold hand OF
the poets. Would it help with the ma
chine guns If need be, Timothy.
Whist, could it not! Are We not
speaking over loud, doctor, me bhoyf"
"Oh, come, you think they can hear
us five miles away, Timothy? Shout,
If you like, old boy. l hope to God
there will be silence enough by and
by. We are going to have a look at
them, Timothy. TITS to learn the color,
Of their coats, as you would say"
"Te are not going within shot of,
their guns?"
Timothy" I said, speaking now IN,
that low tone he had desired, 81 ami
going to learn how 1t fares with Joan
Fordibras." I
"Ah, bad cess to IT, when a woman
holds the lantern, there goes Jack the
Giant-killer. Twill help her to be
sunk, Fan"
Il do rot think they will sink us,
Timothy"
God be good to me, I'm no better
than a coward this night. What was
1t I said?''
That you were quite of my opinion,
Timothy"
We. laughed together, and then fell
to silence.
So we crept on, mile by mile. Every
eye aboard the White Wings watched
hat resting searchlight as though it
had been endowed with telepathic pow
ers, and would Of itself warn the
rogue's crew. I 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 yet the fact so stands. |,
The resting beam OF light In the sky
was u goal. We drew upon it mo-
inent 10y moment as TO some gate OF
destiny which should tell q story fruit
full beyond any we had heard. And
still the Diamond Ship did not awake.
Suddenly, vast, monstrous, blazing,
the fearful eye OF light OF the Diamond
Ships searchlight focused upon us fort
a terrible instant, and then swept the
whole circle Of the seas with its blind
ing beams. Twice, thrice, it went
thus-hearts standing still almost as t.
approached us, leaping again as it
passed onward. Then, as surprisingly,
it remained fixed upon the farther side
of the Diamond Ship; and in the same
instant, far away to the northwest, a
crimson rocket cleaved the black
darkness Of the night, and a shower OF
gold-red balls burst hoveringly above
the desert waters.
What do you make OF that, Larry? 2"
MOI d sisIaf from any carnrnen sh:S
sir. We don't use that kind of rocket
"'Tis the fourth OF July, bedad, orr
the Crystal Palace that's lying!" cried
Timothy.
Larry said /, that's on Of their
patrols / rather fancy a man of thee
name Of Colin Ross is aboard her. IL
so, Imroth is to receive some Shocks!
Il wish to heaven they came by way
OF a seaman's arm, sir. Yes. it's as you
say. Yon is q steamer, and here goes
the answering rocket"
He pointed to the sky above the Dia-l
mond Ship, ablaze with a spray of
vivid green radiance, the answering
signal to the distant ship. The nature
OF w escape now became quite
clear to me. The lookouts over yenderl
hid espied the lights of the relief
steamer. and had used the sea-chi;=t
to signal her. The great arcs. the
circling beams, were but those pre-
liminary movements with which every
operator tries the lantern he is about
to use. No eye had followed their
aureole, I made sure. We had escaped
observation, simply because every man
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 it, SITS now or meyer. Let her go
while they are at the parley. I'll stake
-, i!sc ,. < there 40 LOOKOUT to-
starboard. Let's have a look at them
when they least expect u.s."
"Do-you mean to say, sir, that you'll
risk itf"'
There Is no risk, Larry-if you don't
delay"
Il do believe you are right, sir. Here'sl
for IL anyway, and luck go with us!"i
CONTINUED Next Week.