Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-10
CON TR Alb AND
A Romance of the North Atlantic
By RANDALL PARRISH

our starhoard quarter but SO far away as
TO give us no uncasnoss. Again and again
] watched il flash along the sky possibly
the reflection of some distant searChlight
ON a man-of-war hut. AT last even this
vanished, as we swept steadily forward into
the north. Some considerable time after
midnight the lights of a steamer eastbound
appeared off our port bow. and we hushed
our engines, barely holding steerage-way,
until the great liner passed us AZ full speed,
her ports darkeued. appearing the merest
gray shadow as she swept between us and
the dim line of horizon Th" officer on
her bridge may have had - 1knntom
glimpse of our outlines. for her siren sud
| denly shrickcd n wild challenge across the
black water. But there was no slacllen-
ing of speed. and, within a few moments,
the last glimmcr of light disappeared, and
we had resumed our course, with engines
at fun speed. Olson, on watch leaned over
tn" rail and spoke TO me on the main
deck below.
~ Cunard liner. sir"
That would be my guess Mr.. Olson
which proves that we are on the northern
| edge of the steamer lane. They had
| glimpse Of us
II doubt if they were quite sure. sir
| y lookout saw our shadow. but they took
| no chances. They'll argue about it all
| day tomorrow ON those decks"
"Ay. and no doubt report II narrow escape
| from Il German raider in the log. Perhaps
| they are sending the news wireless now"
1T wouldn't have to travel far sir
| There's a warship somewhere out Wonder
did you see the searchlght an hour ago."
Yes but we ought to have the fellow
! hull down before daylight; we must be do.
| ing eighteen or nineteen knots now"
AN q that, sir; an if you notice it's
| mistin rp a bit"
| This was true enough, as | verified by
! a trip to the port rail. and the fog grew
| steadily more dense. until at dawn we were
| SteaminE rccklessly through a thick cloud
| Of Napor. barely able to observe the sur.
| face of the sea, dun. sodden gray a few
| yards in advance of our bow. The dense,
| watery folds swept along our sides and
/ the rigging dripped moisture onto the glis-
| tening deck plankS. 1t was a gloomy
! drcary morning enough, and. even as the
| light of early dawn strengthened | could
| scarcely distinguish Il thing forward Of the
! mainmaSt. However, there was no slow
| ing up of speed or sounding of siren Con-
! WINGED that we were now safely to the north
I of the usual course of ships. | preferred to
/ take the chance Of possible collision The
| remembrance of that warShip to the south
| west and Of the wireless message which
| might have been sent out from the sus-
| picious tunarder urged me to accept the
! unknown danger lurking amid the gloom
! ahead, rather than chance the more certain
peril lowering aStern. Silently, without "A
| light glimmering at the extreme Of our
I H.
/ long through the gray, butting the mist
| aside. occasionally Leayord. on watch
| hailed the lookout forward and the re-
| sponse came cChoing back "A mere thread
! of sound But otherwise there was moth
ing to hear or see. Even the sails were
| Obscurcd, the lower yards "A mere shadow
wreathed about by gray mist, while the
| boats hanging in the davits appeared shape
| less and grotesque
My eyes We're heavy from lack of sleep
and long staring out through the black
| night; my senses dulled by hours Of in
| action, during which nothing unusual had
| occurred to arouse me to II realization of
| impending danger, / no longer even sus-
| picioned trouble or any active hostility for
| ward. If mutiny was being considered
| some symptoms surely would be apparent
| before now; an effort would have been
made to communicate with Mccain at
| least, and yet | was assured that no such
| attempt had been made No one could
have crossed that open space of deck un-
| seen either from forecastle or cabin ana
the light burning in the latter enabled me
| to see every foot of its interior With the
| dawn the density of fog enwrapping us
seemed to increase and completely blot out
every glimpse of sea and sky, Even Lea
| yord leaning over the rail just above me
could scarcely be distinguished as a man,
and evidently his eyes could not make me
| out at all, for he hailed doubtfully:
Are you stnl on deck Mr. Hollls?"
Yes" answered, staring up at his
| shadow "A bad fog"
"It is sir. Would we better reduce speed
It's a blind gamble what may be ahead OF
| US"
"No, not yet ! am counting on open
water, and would rather chance striking a
stray than risk being overhauled by a
| British cruiser
"The sun will split this mist before noon
| and meanwhile we must make all the
northing possible. There is no storm
| brewing"
Il think not, sir; the glass registered
| fair when | came on watch"
| II know looked at II myself an hour
ago. Wen hold on. then, just as we are
| for the present. II my figures are right
there ought not to be ship yonder for
500 miles"
There's likely to be floating ice, sir"
Scarcely so far down at this time OF
| year, Mr.. Leayord. and the drift would be
| nearer the Newfoundland coast We are
well to the east Of that danger I'll go for
ward and have word with the lookout"
heard his aye. aye, SIR" as l crossed
TO the port rail. The vessel plunged lit.
tie In the roll OF the waves making a
Ia