The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-07-29

Commander j. M Marker, he felt
more like praying. The time was
short of noon. The wine glasses In
the racks, and the deck under foot,
quivered with the vibration of the en-
gines; for the long fuDheled, sinister
vessel was tearing ahead at sixteen
knots
.sYou were a fool to come aboard
herei" said Marker
His blood-shot eyes were fixed on
his junior. and his thin, clean shaven
face was white as a plaster mask.
Beckwith swallowed hard and forced
smile on his lips.
What else could / do?" he asked
"The admiral does not know that you
and i are not on friendly terms, and
even if he did. this would hardly be
the time for him to remember it"
Marker continued to stare across
the narrow table without SO much as
winl1ing a lid, and it flashed upon
Beckwith that the CLINT of those dis
colored orbs was the light of in
sanity. The strain of his long duty
aboard the destroyer had proved the
undoing of the commanders nervous
temperament. The everlasting jang-
ling, tingling, throbbing and rushing
of the narrow craft, and the awful
responsibility were surely enough 10
unbalance any one save a man OF
wood. There we're such cases on
record against this class of vessel
even in times Of peace; and now, with
the anxiety and excitement of war
added to the nerve racking motion
and noise. would not the danger be
doubled?
Look here, sir" he said. Don't
you think it would be better for ua
to forget our private misunderstood
fng-I assure you it's nothing more
until this war is over? Then, If
we're both alive. you can take it out
of me all you like, if you still wish
to refuse my apologies"
a prefer to take it out Of you
now" replied Marker. you've been
on my mind for so long that really I
am hardly fit for duty. No doubt,
when you insulted re so grossly
three weeks ago in Newfoundland,
you were building on this war to
protect you from my just anger Now
you see your mistake!"
He raised his right hand from be-
low the edge of the table, and dis
played a revolver.
For heavens sake" cried Beck
with, don't be afool! The thing was
only "a joke; and, on my honor.
didn't mean the punch to go all over
your shirt front"
Don't squeali" sneered the COM
mander, lifting his right hand.
At that moment an imperative
knock ratified on the door Quick as
flash the pistol disappeared; and
next moment a man. erect in the mar
row passage, reported a cruiser to
the eastward
Both officers hurried up to the mar
row deck, where they found the of
ficer of the watch, and the engineers
off duty, studying the distant craft
through their glasses. The lieu
tenant commander, apparently as
sane as any CT his subordinates, took
his glasses from ais servants hands
and trained them eastward.
zone Of our allies!" said he.
Il take her for an enemy, sir" said
Mr.. Burns. "Tm quite sure she's not
one Of our own cruisers, and she
doesn't look to me like anything in
Admiral Melville's fleet.
She's certainly not an American"
said Beckwith, who, in the general in
terest aroused by the strange vessel,
had for the moment forgotten the
scene in the wardToom,
you must allow me to decide as
to that, retorted the commander, low
ering his glasses and glazing at Beck
with with an expression of rage that
astonished every member of the little
group. Beckwith glanced appealingly
at Burns, who was his senior; but
that sturdy young officer was helpless. y
He could remember no rules in the
books to cover case of ones COM
handing officer mistaking an enemy
for an ally.
The Lizard altered her course, and
showed her coiors, by the command
er's orders. Silent CONSERVATION
reigned on deck; for, though the
cruiser did not fly her ensign, every
one save Marker was sure she was
neither British nor American. For a
craft of the Lizards class to head for
a hostile cruiser in open daylight, was
nothing short of suicide. And yet
Marker. seemed perfectly at ease and
cool with the courage of his crazy
convictions.
One of the young engineers nudged
Lieutenant Burns
I'm just slip below and say word
to Mac, he whispered.
Ten seconds later the speed of the
destroyer perceptbly slackened; but
Marker did not notice it. All his at
tenuon was for the big cruiser, aboard
which he already pictured his Amer
lean friend Walton offering him a
couple Of subtle American drinks.
And now the cruiser slowed down
and swung head on for the Lizard.
The hearts Of all the watchers save
Marker, sank like lead. Beckwith.
with a look az fesnarate determine