The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-12

thing he had said to Marston. You |
mean it's sent. Bflly?" he cried "You |
came b k to tc'l me it's gomez"
Marston choked as he tried to reply; |
he could not speak, but his nod an
swered for him and his eyes-the eyes
of a man a moment before death
defiant. bold. triumphant Marston's
eyes closed then opened again and 1
looked past Barrett TO the sea where,
far off still. the Falcon was firing. A
shell from the Falcon struck some
where astern. but at its havoc Marston
smiled as he looked back to Barrett
once more They can kill us, but
we've beaten them" his smile said as
plainly as words to his commander.
'They can kill US. but we've done what
we've come to dor'
Barrett stood straight, with head
erect. so that his men who still might
see him could know, before they died,
that they had triumphed. He turned
As. after the shock of the next shell
from the Falcon bursting within the
hull. he realized that some one had
come up beside him. 1t was the chief
quartermaster, Daniels, whom he had
ordered to detail guard for Hutchins.
the wireless operator. The quarter
| master, like Barrett, was still unhurt;
| he stood stiff as he saluted
What is it," Barrett challenged him
"Sir. Mr. Hutchins was a spyr'
WHAT"
"Sir, | found he was flashing the
| spark with the switch thrown out be-
tween the transmitter. and the aerial
wires
"Wbat?''
81 shot him, sir. But before L could
| kill him he smashed the condensers.
| Mr.. Spurstow is working to fix them
now. He sent me to report, sir, that
he believed no message which was or
dered has been sent"
The blood throbbed dazedly in Bar
rett's brain.
"Hutchins was spyp
| That spies were enlisted, that there
might be a spy on his ship, Barrett
had known we'll To guard against q
spy Barrett had told Daniels to station
the guard at the radio instruments
and Daniels had chosen to stand guard
there himself He had served to pro
tect the operator, but it was the op
orator himself who was the spyi Al
soon as the quartermaster had seer
this he had shot Hutchins. Spurstow
the relief operator, who had been KEEP
below to be called if Hutchins wer
hurt, was working to repair the ap
paratus which Hutchins had destroy
ed. But now-now what could he do
By a miracle it seemed to Barrett hi
= masts and the radio wires stretched be
tween them still remained. At an
} instant now, with the striking of th
next shell in ten or twenty seconds,
; mast might go, all the radio installs
b ton be destroyed. If they were LEI
! unchanged to the end the ship coul
not last many more minutes.
Barrett gasped before the quartel
master. "How long, He started I
ask the time E-n1ch Spurstow migf
q need to repair or replace the conden
IS ers, but Barrett stopped. 1t made n
e difference now how long 1t might TAX
o it was the only thing now to do-to II
to repair the radio and to keep the shi
q afoat as long as might be.
E go back to Mr.. Spurstow," Barre
commanded the quartermaster, ian
+. tell him / understand; I'll do for hi
ID all can"
One to the right, the other to the lei
the enemy's destroyers were coming l
very fast The Falcon, too, was close
and following each spot of haze befo
TX its guns shell struck and burst wit
L. in the American ship. Yet, were Il
II ship only few knots faster. Barre
DIX knew he could still get away. He cou
lie have viewed the enemy's fleet al
l might bring off his ship safe. But no
ey
N