The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-01-11
CHAPTER xv-cOntInusd.

10
She ran unchallenged through tn
destroyer fiotilla and came alongside
the rear-admiral's flagship, a monste
cruiser armed with a powerful battery
on which he had hoisted his pennant
A few minutes later Davies and Id,
elambered aboard, leaving ClOuts II
charge Of the submarine-and of tn,
queen Of the swarm.
Half an hour later Clouts received
the command to take the F55 to Lon
don as best he could. Davies inter
view with the rear-admiral had decided
the latter to open hostilities immedl
ateiy. The squadron spread out anC
approached the Dogger fanwise, to en-
circle the monsters.
MacBeard, who had just awakened
aboard the motOrboat, saw In terror
the great shells dropping all abou
him. He thought this was the end Of
all his plans. 1t seemed impossible t.
escape.
But the monsters, terrified by the vi
bration, dashed wildly In all directions
and, finding themselves rlnged In
churned up the water madly. The mar
In the chains on the flagship looked al
his lead incredulously. It marked
II fathoms, where 1t should have
marked %. It marked ten, seven
four-and suddenly the sea seemed to
open. Half the vessels In the attack
Ing squadron grounded. They lay on
their sides In the North sea sand, one
set of guns pointing heavenward, the
other toward the bowels of the earth
Then huge, agitated wave, radiat'
Ing outward from the still vortex in
which the motorboat reeled dizzily
dashed them and buffeted them afloat
Beyond control, the dismantled, fleeing
squadron drove under the pounding
waves In all directions.
Out Of the vapor chugged a motor.
boat. Slowly, as the haze subsidized
she drew alongside. In her stood Mac
Beard, triumphant in this display OF
his power.
Five minutes later he stood In the
presence Of the rear admiral, Davies
and Ida, as well as Of the junior of.
ficers.
"You see, we are unconQuerable," he
said grimly. "But have come to offer
you terms"
AS public enemy, many afterward
said that he should have been hanged
Then and there, In spite of his envoy
hip, But the rear admiral refused to
violate the traditions of the sea--or
perhaps he realized that, MacBeard
dead, he could hope for no means of
subdulng his unclaimed devils.
"What are theyT he inquired cour-
teously.
"First," said MacBeard, personal
indemnity"
'Tn return for whatT
Elm return for the destruction OF this
menace. pledge my word that 1t
shall disappear forever"
'But how7
MacBeard hesitated. Eager as he
now was to destroy the herd, he was
not overanxious to reveal his plans.
However, he yielded the point.
"As you have observed" he said,
"they are completely under my control.
/ win take them into Skiold ford, on
the Norwegian coast. AS you know, 1t
Is a huge body of water, surrounded
by cliffs of high basalt, and having an
entrance barely large enough to admit
a small steamship. Once they are
there, the entrance can be blockaded
until they are dead of famine. In re-
turn / demand possession Of" and he
looked toward Ida.
He did not know her name. but 1t
did not strike him as peculiar.
A glance at Ida's horror-strickken
face was sufficient to enable the adj
nilral to decide.
1--WE refuse" he said.
: But Ida stepped forward and laid
her hand on the admiral's arm.
II cannot let you refuse" she said.
Il am nothing"
'.Noi" cried Davies. "You shall not
accept his termsi''
"Yes," answered the girl. facing him
quietly. at Is only myself, and there
Is the whole world at stake. Wouldn't
Donald do as much for met"
And Davies was silent. For Donald
kse said very much the same thing
when he thought Ida dead on Fair
island.
Ida turned to MacBeard. t"You wish
me to be your wifeT" she asked.
~Yes-if you Ike to call II So" he
stammered in answer.
II will 60 with you" she said.
The admiral interposed.
IF you wish to 60. Miss Kennedy.
I must accept the sacrifice" he said.
"But Il can only come from you" He
addressed MacBeard. Il am willing so
far" he said The government can
not refuse to ratify those terms. What
Is your nextT'
MY third and last demand is-ffty
gallons OF gasoline
CHAPTER XVI.