Evening star., 1922-09-10


best known maxims. bywords and
slogans run on two gears-one
forward and one reverse. For In
atance, 1t Is preached by every en-
Dloyer. including all sovereign gov
ernments that a man who won't as
sumo responsibility isn't worth his
salt, and the classic illustrations are.
of course. Dewey. who cut the cable,
and Nelson. who put the telescope to
his blind eye so as not to see the
signal to cease firing.
In all such cases, however, there is
one small formality which must be
carefully observed, and this is that
whosoever takes a chance must get
away with it. Otherwise the maxim
simply shifts gears and instead OF
rushing its passenger ahead to glory
backs him into telegraph pole. Nell
son and Dewey. of course, both hap
pened to get away with II, and in
this respect they somewhat differed
from Pinky Mccartney, who was only
a one and a half striper anyway. and
should have known better than to
monkey with history.
And yet, to judge from his appear
ance and his record. Mccartney was
born with a streak OF the inevitable
in him. He was a brawny. red-haired.
deep-eyed youngster who had never
been outguessed by circumstances.
never been in love and never been
licked. At preparatory school he had
accomplished what seven previous
generations had attempted and failed
to do-he had introduced an indig-
nant COW into the chapel and escaped
undetected. Later, at the academy.
he had once made a touchdown and
once kicked a field goal in the last
two minutes Of play, both of which
timely performances humbled the
Army The sharpest, as well as the
truest. criticism that any one had
made of him to date was that he was
a trifle short on tact and trifie long
on imagination. He projected him
self into life without ever looking
backward for the telegraph poles.
He was commanding at the moment
the destroyer Sampson. and because
of this yeasty imagination of his he
was quite as proud Of her as though
she weren't as out of date as two
year-old dancing frock. 1t was his
first command, and he felt 1t. and 1t
meant less than nothing to him that
the Sampson was listed to be sold on
at auction for mere junk value imme-
diately on her return north.
THE Sampson was lying comfort
ably under the guns of Moro Cas-
tie when Mccartney got his orders
He sat back then and grinned, and to
his executive officer he remarked
blithely:
We'll. Sammy Dyer, here's what
we've been waiting for. Here's where
we go and get a reputation.
The executive officer, who was more
conservative, wagged his head SOL
EMMY.
HIM" he said. Proceed imme
diately full speed San Fratello.' I
guess that means they've rated their
revolution. Pinky. And begun to pick
on the Americans. I never thought
they'd do it,
Mccartney continued to grin.
well. let her revolve. I'd just as
soon blow San Fratello into talcum
powder as do anything else. Wouldn't
youT'
The Junior lieutenant shifted.
What are you doing-bragging
about your lungs Going to huff and
pun. and hufr and pun. and blow it
down that way? Because il you're
talking about ammunition we've got
just three rounds Thunder, Pinky.
they can't be sending US over to shoot
up the town. They're sending US for
moral effect"
Mccartney took back the decoded
message, studied it, and lost some OF
his enthusiasm.
IT guess you're right, Sammy. ]
thought first 1t meant the country had
busted wide open. Lord knows we've
been expecting it long enough. But
7 guess you're right. Still, when we
acknowledge this, we better ask for
definite instructions"
Twelve hours later. while the Samp-
son was slicing briskly through the
gulf. he had his answer:
Replying your 2642 San Fratello
occupied by insurgents situation crit
icaI defend your ship"
Mccartney unfurled himself from
his desk chair and stood solidly. gaz-
ing out at the blue water. With slow,
precise motions he lighted cigarette
and then he flung down the match
and trampled on it as though it had
personally insulted him. Then he
.wore. 1t was not only his own dig
nifty which was compromised-it was
y ~ Of ha
We'll, he said grimly. they've done
It to US. Dyer. Do you get me? The
place has busted wide open. and this"
he struck the paper with the back
Of his hand-"this Is our authority to
be the goats.
Dyer was frowning thoughtfully.
But, look here, Pinky. our policy
IN San Fratello always has been
hands off, And II any Americans are
caught in the jam and we do any
thing without authority-well. we are
goats, Pinky. And with darned long
whiskers"
After a moment Mccartney said
bitterly:
"Ill tell you one thing. sam-as
long as I've got one man aboard who
can make a spitball or work bean
shooter I'm going to defend my ship.
I've got authority for that. anyway.
1T was o'clock in the afternoon
when the Sampson anchored off
San Fratello. 1t was half an hour
later that two Americans came
aboard. They were a man and a girl