The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-09-02
{ Continued from last weekly

Hanlon, Hanlon!" Barrett gasped to
himself as the spark still rasped.
"Boy"-he bent over Spurstow, but
careful not to touch him-"you are
getting them? You are getting them
at home now? Then send-send It all.
we found the feet, and they attacked
US. Don't say much of that. That
doesn't count. Just that they attack
ed, and their force. They're twenty
TWO dreadnaughts in their fighting line
four of the Zeus class, six Of the
TraJan, four of the Pharaoh, six of the
Sargon, two of the Thor!'
he had fallen back now and was half
1nsensible. Like Ensign Griswold, who
mad fallen from the foretop, he was
rambling on and Oh, repeating the
ships of the enemy over and over again.
For he had fallen, too, but not upon the
deck this time-into the water. It was
COOL and salty, but choking him, and
others were in the water too. Most of
them made no cry and did not thrash
at all, but when he looked at them
they sank quite easily. Indeed, only
one man near by was swimming at all
strongly. He did not seem hurt, and.
as Barrett saw him now closer. he I'm.
derstood why. The man was in civil
1an's shirt and So could have hidden
TILL the last moment in some safer part
OF the ship. He had on life preserver.
Barrett did not cry to him at all. Bar
rett was not asking him for help, but
he came beside Barrett and offered to
hold him as we'll as he could. So Bar
rett saw 1t was Banland, and, as he
recognized him, Barrett pushed him
away.
1t was a warm, humid evening of
August in northern Illinois, with the
leaves on the naples about the Ashby
home just beginning to turn red and
with the grass Of the lawn sleek and
glistening. The grounds stretched for
hundred yards to the road. which led
up and down gentle slopes to the busy,
prosperous little city of Elgin, three
quarters of mile away. AS Jim Ash
by was the third Of his name to stake
his fortune there, success was coming
to him quickly and easily.
$50 you're sure there'll be no trou-
ble?" asked Ashby's brother-in-law,
Wendell.
Absolutely! The Europeans are
Withdrawing their cruisers from all
ports in the Caribbean and showing
complete compliance with our de.
mands."
Complained"
''The premier has cabled Washing
ton asking ten days extension Of time
for making formal reply to the presi-
dents note, and unofficial reports, pass
ed bv the censors. say that the Liberals
are regatning influence with the prince
regent, and everything looks all right. /"
"You mean they're mobilizing against
us at this minute--if they haven't al
ready put on transports all the troops
they need to clean out this country.
Where's their fleet!'
There's no mention of that in the
afternoon bulletins
"No, nor for several days. All we
know is that it's on the high seas at
maneuvers, no one knows where, and
all our ships are scattered. The presi-
dent hasn't modified two squadrons
for fear Of Offering some provocative
measure"
"And dead right, too," Ashby re-,
turned. dropping his golf bag against
the porch rail and himself sinking into
the cane chair. "It takes two to make
quarrel; that's the devil of bromide.
Bob, but you force me to pull it. The
only reason that they got war in Eu-
rope was because both sides wanted
it and were all ready for it and didn't
know what to do without it. We don't
want to fight. and, down at the bot
tom, they don't want to fight U.S."
why not?"
We'll, in the first place. they don't
dare to-
"They don't dare to- Wendell, in
his evaporation, kicked his chair
against the house as he got up. "In