Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-30

ended by sudden and terrible shrek of
mortal agony
Dumfound I'd, started forward pace or
two, then stopped as II myself shot, staring
with terror at the sight that lay beneath
my eyes-of q Thing, that had been Man,
o mass Of dlsjointed and sundered parts.
fouling the decks for yards about with the
hue of blood.
Beyond, there lay another less awfuly
mutilated still living and filling the air
with heart.rendlng means. I could not look
that way-I merely knew that It was there.
with an effort wrenched myself away,
staggering back to the rail- there to lean
over and look down into the slimv. oily,
crawling sea, my nerves terribly ajangle.
DULY, heard yet another report Some
how 1t seemed more distant and the shot
appeared to extend itself harmlessly. At
any rate, IL IL struck us, had not strength
to turn to see what damage it might have
created. 1 was very i'll.
The fog was lifting. Ahead lay an end
less waste. the color of blued steel. darken-
ing with the gathering shades of evening
The early winter night was shrouding the
horizon with sable curtains but within the
amphitheater of the seas a little light still
held tenaciously.
Far to port 1 saw again the white. ghost.
ly shape of the Myosotis and, as looked,
her lights were down. But II was not with
her that was now concerned my interest
lay not in the safety of my Hearts Desire
of that l was assured, the distance be.
tween us was so great; II was not our own
lives; and my gaze went astern, seeking
the Asp and that ship, named the Vlstula,
which had used us SO evilly.
They were following-that saw at once.
The Asp. as nearly as one could say, came
plunging on dead astern and seemed to
have lost In the race. l judged her two
miles distant. The Vistula was far nearer
Less than mile lay between her prows
and our stern post. AS looked a tongue
of flame leaped out from her bows and
something sped, singing, to port.
"A twelve-pounder," Sevrance declared
judlcally.
I dare surmise that turned blanched
and frightened countenance upon him; 1
remember clutching his arm.
Tony! I cried. "In Gods name man,
what does It mean?"
ut means that we're up against it, Cor
don-to adopt one of your pet American
isms" he returned with an unconvlnclng
attempt at lightness. His own features were
gay with apprehension his lips drawn thin
and tense.
"It means" he translated more serious
ly that we are bounded by both Britain
and Japan-thereW
/ turned in time to catch a fash of light
from the Asp's bows. Some time afterward
the report came' to our ears.
'It means" said Sevrance, that we
have the choice of hauling to and sur
rendering, or being riddled by those de-
stroyers, my boy. God knows how that
Jap got into these waters, but there she is -
Jap" I echoed What under heaven,
Tony"
''That boat that fired upon us-that's
what 1 mean," he retorted irritably. She's
Japanese"
Take the glasses and look at her flag,
then" he cried impatiently What do you
know about it, anyhow"
'why-but, Tony, is 'VIstula' Japanese
word-name?"
whats that got to do with 1t. man?
Vistula'? No; that's German, of course--
but that ship is the Vistula, Tony!
saw II lettered on her stern"
''Vistula !" interrupted Garvin, But the
flag"
Sevrance seized me by the shoulders.
Gordon" he cried, shaking me roughly,
what are you saying man? Do you un-
derstand? Are you sane? That ship
81 am perfectly sane-quite competent"
expostulated. II saw the name as she
sheered of, when we were near running
her down. 1 was standing up there, in
the bows"
by Cod"
Sevrance stared blankly into my eyes.
German" he repeated, wetting his lips.