The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-14
By Morgan Robertson


that Of the white haired man confront
ing him. On it when it raised. flushed.
bright eyed and smiling. was the glory
u youth
Il trust, sir he said, that you will
telegraph her. am penniless at pres
ent and. besides, do not know her
name"
"Selfridge-which, Of course, is my
own name. Mrs. Colonel or Mrs
George Selfridge. Our New York adj
dress is we'll known. But shall cable
her at once. and, believe me. sir. al
though | can understand that our debt
to you cannot be named in terms Of
money, you need not be pennileSs long
You are evidently capable man. and
have wealth and influence
Rowland merely bowed slightly. but
Mr.. Meyer muttered to himself: Wealth
and influence. Berhaps not. Now. gen
tlemen." he added IN u louder tone, TO
pizness. Mr.. Rowland. will you tell Us
about der running down of der Royal
Age
WAS it the Royal Age:" asked Row
land Il sailed in her one voyage
Yes, certainly"
Mr.. Selfridge, more interested in My
"a than in the coming account, carried
her over to a chair in the corner and
sat down, where he f0ndled and talked
to her after the manner of grandfatherS
the world over. and Rowland, first look
ing steadily into the faces of the two
men he had come to expose and whose
presence he had thus far ignored told.
while they held their teeth tight to-
gether and often buried their finger
nails In their palms. the terrible story
of the cutting in half of the ship OF the
first night out from New York. finish
ing with the attempted bribery and his
refusal.
well, gentlemen, What do you think
of that| asked Mr.. Meyer looking
around.
"A lie, from beginning to end
stormed Captain Bryce.
Rowland rose to his feet, but was
pressed back by the big man who had
accompanied him, who then faced Cap
tain Bryce and said quietly:
Il saw polar bear that this man
killed in open fight. | saw his arm aft
erward. and while nursing him away
from death l heard no whines or com
plants. He can fight his own battles
when well, and when sick III do it for
him. If you insult him again in my
presence I'll knock your teeth doWn
your throat"
There was q moments silence while
the two captains eyed one another,
broken by the attorney, who said:
whether this story is true or false,
it certainly has no bearing on the va
lidity of the policy. If this happened
it was after the policy attached and
before the wreck of the Titan"
But der concealment, der conceal
mentr' shouted Mr.. Meyer eXcitedly.
HAS no bearing either. If he con
cealed anything it was done after the
wreck and after your liability was
confirmed. 1t was not even barratry
You must pay this insurance.
81 will not bay it will not. l Will
fight you in der courts" Mr. Meyer
stamped up and down the floor in his
excitement, then stopped with tri-
umphant smile and shook his finger
into the face of the attorney
and even if der cOncealment will
not vitiate der policy der fact that he
had q drunken man on lookout when
der Titan struck der iceberg will he
enough Go ahead and sue. | will not
hov To IF
You have no witnesses to that ad-
mission" said the attorney. Mr.. Mey-
er looked around the group. and the
smile left his face.
"Captain Bryce was mistaken" said
Mr.. Austen. This man was drunk AT
New York like others Of the crew
But he was sober and competent when
on lookout l discussed theories OF
navigation with him during his trick
on the bridge that night. and he spoke
intelligently."
"But you yourself said not ten min
utes ago that this man was in q state
Of delirium tremens up 70 der COLI
sion" said Mr.. Meyer.
What I said and what will ad-
things" said the officer desperately
Il may have said anything under the
excitement of the moment when we
were accused of such an infamous
crime. l say now that John Rowland
whatever may have been his cOndi-
ton on the preceding night, was Il 50
Der and competent lookout at the time
Of ba vy-racl- Of tho
THANK YOU" said Rowland dryly Il
the first officer; then. looking into thu
appealing face of Mr.. Meyer. he said;
Il do not think it will be necessary
to Brand me before the world a an in
ebriate in order to punish the company
and these men. Barratry. as l under
stand IT, is the unlawful act Of a cap
tain or crew at sea. causing damage or
loss, and il only applies when the par
ties are purely employees. Did l IN
derstand rightly that Captain Bryce
was part owner Of the Titan?"
Yes" said Mr. Meyer, he owns
stock, and we insure against barratry
But this man as part owner could not
fall back on it
And an unlawful act" went on
Rowland, "perpetrated by a captain
who is part owner which might cause
shipwreck and during the preparation
Of which shipwreck really occurs will
be sufficient 10 void the policy"
Certainly" said Mr.. Meyer eagerly.
won were DRINK on dor l00k0ut-y0u