The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-12

until with all her furnaces glowing un-
der forced drafts from the open
ventilators. the Spitfire was creeping
up inch by inch rather than by leapp
and bounds.
Shall | give her torpedo. SIR"
mander.
He was amazed to see the CHASTITY
pallor upon Adams face. TORPEDO.
striking fairly home, would send the
vessel to the bottom before she could
launch her lifeboats. And the life
boats of the Spitfire would not suffice
to save 1.-THE of the kronprinz's
crew and passengers, few though the
latter were.
"I'll give her shotted gun first"
answered Adams.
This time the shell went very near
the Kronprinz, but the result was the
same as before She sped through
the water about fifteen hundred yards
ahead of the pursuing craft. Through
his glasses Lieutenant Adams could
plainly see the passengers crOwding
the deck.
"They say that she's carrying two
twelve-pounders." suggested Bingham.
That may be the reason"
Adams had heard the rumor that
the Kronprinz had been partly con-
verted for the destruction of mer-
chantmen A sudden resolution was
apparent on his white face.
"Give her a torpedo when l signal,
Bingham" he answered
And he stood within the wheelhouse,
fighting the most supreme battle OF
his life 1t was his duty to his coun-
try against the only woman whom he
had ever loved, and. though the result
was never in doubt, the conflict was
one of those that go to the soul OF
man and leave their imprint for
ever.
He had met Frances Lowell two
years before, when he was Temporal.
fly attached to the embassy at Wash.
ington. She was OF Southern birth,
and had been visiting relatives in
the capital. From the first they had
been attracted to each other. When,
after few weeks OF acquaintance.
Adams had been recalled to England.
he had gone with the understanding
that. as soon as he got his first COM
mand, he should ask her to be his
wife.
The command had come three
months before, and by that time their
correspondence had shown them that
they had not erred in their selection.
Frances had accepted him. He had
been looking forward TO their reunion,
and had urged her to take British
ship. And she had sailed on a Ger
man.
The battle was over With a firm
expression upon his face Adams took
up the speaking tube lie knew that
bingham was waiting at the other
end, that the first word would send
the torpedo hurting upon her deadly
passage of destruction.
But before his hand was on the tube
he heard singing in his ears, a
roaring over the sea which caused
him momentarily to postpone giving
the order Something unexpected
had occurred. Next instant he knew
what it was. He heard the screech
of the shell from the converted liner,
the following boom of the cannon;
and then everything was fire and
smoke and splinters.
The next thing OF which he became
aware was water around and about
him. Stunned by the conclusion. he
managed only to make out the wreck.
age In the water OF what had been
the smartest torpedo-boat in the Brit
fish navy. He heard the cries of
drowning men, the calls for help.
The shell, aimed with deadly pre-
cision, had struck the torpedob boat
amidships. rending her and sending
her to the bottom.
With q Proan Adams closed his ewes
and resigned himself to the embrace
of the icy waters And that was his
last remembrance until a long time
after
He awakened in the Plymouth hos.
n'.-l Trio e.. s-c- - r-cet hts e-os