The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-08-10
Monkeying With
A Signal Code
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

CUPS and drawing rooms. He owned |
splendid yacht. the Theta, big enough
to sail anywhere in any waters, and in !
this yacht he made his home. He con-
tributed quite a number of inventions
to assist scientists in making deep sea
soundings and investigating ocean cur
rents and at the time referred to in this
story was endeavoring TO simplify sea
signals.
AbercrOmbie sailed to the Philippines
among other places. where he was wei
coined by the United States otficfalk,
especially the officers of the army.
Among the families of the officers he
met Miss Leila Turnlee, the daughter
of Colonel Turnlee, commander of the
til infantry. Miss Turnlee under
stood his devices readily.
Now, the way Abercrombie knew that
Miss Turnlee understood his contriv-
ances was because she always said
Eyes" and Indeed" AID How clever
exactly at the right time, and when he
asked, do you follow me?'' she always
replied, Perfectly"
Mrs. Turnlee was much pleased that
her daughter had a mind capable of re-
ceiving the explanations of Abercrom-
bie's inventions by AbercrOmbie him
self-not that she cared anything for
the inventions, but she hoped her
daughters vigor of intellect would lead
Abercrombie to become interested and
possibly that a fine catch would fall to
the family. The good lady had drag
hoJ nh;
territories in the western portion of
America during her younger days and
had known what 1t was to get settled
In quarters to be Immediately ordered
to some other station or turned out by
a ranking officer. Abercrombie's yacht
was preferable to an adobe hut or log
apartment even when fixed. In other
words, Mrs. Turnlee desired that her
daughter should marry elsewhere than
In the army.
At dinner one evening at Colonel
Turnlees quarters Abercrombie was
explaining to the family his new sys-
tenn of sea signals. Colonel Turnlee,
who was West Pointer and should
have understood anything in the signal
line, knew but little of what his guest
said. Mrs. Turnlee understood never a
word. Miss Leila did not need to ask q
single question. 1t all seemed to go
straight to her brain and find Judgment
there
Upon my wordr' exclaimed Aber-
crombie. How did you good people
come to have a daughter who under
stands these things so well?
Leila has always attended the best
schools said the fond mother pointed
~. Besides, she has scientific tastes
81 have never met" Abercrombie de-
clared enthusiastically, lone who has
taken In everything 1 have said so
readily"
'She inherited it from her grand
father, Admiral Turnlee," the mother
pursued. HE wrote a book on coral
reefs and another on volcanic forma-
lions. Children always take from their
grandparents rather than their own
fathers
Colonel Turnlee, who was cracking
nuts, did not notice his wife's asper-
sions on his own generation.
do you think, Miss Turnlee," said
Abercrombie, chat if / were to send
you q message by my code from my
yacht out in the bay you would under
stand it,"
81 think | would replied the girl
demurely-"that is, If 1t were not too
long"
every well. Look out for one tomor-
row afternoon"
81
| nails"
You can write or, better, tele-
graph"
Miss Leila made no reply to this.
Possibly she was timid at being put to
the test, fearing that she might fail. I
don't know how she felt about 1t. I
only throw this out as a suggestion.
Her mother had confidence that she
would understand the signal perfectly
and furnish Abercrombie with fresh
evidence of the brilliancy Of her intel
lect The colonel went on cracking
and munching nuts, but said nothing.
| When the dinner broke up he had to
| go over to see the commanding gen
| eral, and Mrs. Turnlee received visit
| from the majors wife. This left Aber-
| crombie and Miss Leila alone together
| for the rest Of the evening. Aber-
/ crombie in order to give her q better
chance to pass the test to come of next
day coached her bit, asking her few
| leading questions concerning 1t. He
discovered that she did not know as
much about the code as he had thought
she did. He left her doubling that she
would be able TO telegraph him a cor
rect answer to his message.
The next day at there were evil
dences On the Theta of desire to com
municate with some one. Abercrombie
himself was hauling up little flags and
running them down again. His mes
sage was, You are a very bright girl d
| When the signaling was over Aber-
crombie waited for her telegram. It
did not come, but later Colonel Turn
lees orderly brought note. 1t read:
Your fattering offer of your heart and
| hand comes so Unexpectedly Siaat should
| have time. But my own heart says now
| and always Yes
| Abercrombie read the missive with a
stare He married Miss Turnlee, but
even as his wife she would never tell
| him whether she had understood his
| message or not.
Whether or not it was this expert
ence that caused the change. certain It
Is that AbercTombie lost all interest in
signaling and studied it no more.