New-York tribune., 1918-03-17
CHAPTER w
Friday

HIS is written under very different
L circumstances, and in a different
place. My last words were written with
my eyes shut; these are written with them
open, but shall simply tell what hap
pened as calmly as I can. Let the events
speak; I shall make no comment in the
meanwhile.
On that Friday morning our breakfast
was converted into a council of war. We
all three discussed the situation gravely
and frankly.
There is nothing to be done in the
meanwhile, Pm afraid" said Tiel.
Besides" said Eileen, "this is the day
we have been waiting for. We don't want
to be far away, do we?"
To add to the painfulness of this ordeal
found myself obliged to remain in nv
room, now that I had resumed nv uni
form. How slowly the hours passed no
words OF mine can give the faintest idea
In my present state Of mind writing was
impossible, and l tried to distract myself
by reading novels; but they were English
novels and every word in them seemed to
gall me. l implored Eileen to come and
keep me company. She came up once for
little, but the devil seemed to have Dos
sessed her, for felt no sympathy coming
from her at all, and when at last I tried
to be little affectionate she first repulsed
me, saying it was no time for that. and
then she left me. With baffled love added
to acute anxiety, you can picture nv con-
dition.
In the afternoon the direction of nv
thoughts began to change as the hour an
preached when the fleet should sail and
my country reap the reward of the enter
prise and fidelity which I felt conscious
l had shown and the sacrifice which I
feared should have to make. I began to
make brief visits to the parlor to look out
Of the window and see if I could see anv
signs of movement in the armada. And
then for the second time saw Tiel in
genial, cheerful humor, and this time there
was no doubt of the cause. He, too, was
IN state of tension, and his mind, like
mine, was running on the coming drama.
/ returned to my room with a heart a
little lightened.
The next time I came down my spirits
rose higher still, and for the moment I
quite forgot the danger in which l stood.
The light cruisers, the advance guard of
the fleet, were beginning to move. This
time when l went back-to my room
forced myself to read two whole chapters
OF futile novel before again took off the
lid and peeped in to see how the stew was
ho or L. e.
second chapter leaped up and opened the
door-and then l stood stock still and lis
tened. distant sound of voices reached
me, and laugh rang out that was GER
tainly neither Tiel's nor Eileen's.
fingered and hesitated for more than
an hour. By this time the attack had
probably been made, and / could stand
the suspense no longer, so I went reck-
Iessiy downstairs, strobe along the pas
sage and opened the parlor door.
Nothing will ever efface the memory Of
the scene that met my eyes. Tiel, Eileen
and Ashington sat there, the two men each
with a whiskey and soda, and all three
seemingly IN the most extraordinarily high
spirits. 1t was Ashington's face and voice
snat suddenly rent the veil from before
my eyes. Instead of the morose and surlv
individual had met before, he sat there
the incarnation Of the jovial sailor. He
was raising his glass to his lips, and as
entered heard the words:
Here's to you again, Robin!"
THAT had happened did not clearly
grasp in that first instant, but felt was
betrayed. My hand went straight to mv
revolver pocket, but before I could seize
It Iiel. who sat nearest leaped up, grasped
my wrist and, with the shock of his
charge, drove me down into chair. II
was done 80 suddenly that could not DOS
sibly have resisted. Then, with a move
ncnt like conjurer, he picked the re-
yolyer out OF my pocket, and said in his
Internally cool, calm way;