Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-24

Y ERONICA put the rudder hard
over and steered for the de-
" stroyer and reached him in
three minutes. The destroyer
had stopped her engines, and
Veronica made a detour of her and
came alongside, keeping half dozen
yards away from the port side. Then
her clear voice rang out in French:
What imbecile fired that shot?"
The conversation so begun was
Iaughable.
It appeared the imbecile was the
lieutenant in command himself. He
stood at the gangway, and when he
realized that the man at Fiftiper's
wheel was lady he saluted CALAMITY
and said:
1T is I, madame"
Veronica went on in her torrential
French:
"You have made a grand mistake,
Mr.. Lieutenant. You thought you had
caught a poacher or smuggler? On
the contrary, you have caught two
English yachtsmen who have been
out in the Channel all night on &C
count of trouble with their engines and
are now the way home. You have a
telescope on board, I believe? Did you
think it was good joke to frighten a
woman? Look here! I'll give you my
ter write to him and apologize or he'll
come over and bite you. And have
the honor to wish you good-day. SIR
Pardon, madame-but you have
seen our signals"
Pardon, monsieur, but we have not
seen any signals at ALL"
"You have heard our siren?"
eve have, but we did not know you
we're talking to US"
"You have Put =. &c the Bay Of St.
Michel"
"Apd them"
1--WE have seen a man walking as;.Cre
near Pont-ar-Var. One has told us by
wireless that he has apparently landed
from your boat"
"One has told you f1b. How could
a man land from a boat which has
not gone near the shore? Your intel
Iigence bureau doesn't function we'll.
Again I wish you good-day, Sir.
And counsel you to be more econom-
zeal of your powder. Adieu!"
Whereupon Veronica switched in her
starter and Fiftiper moved away, leav-
ing the excellent lieutenant gaping. In
a quarter of an hour he was hull down.
In another 10 minutes we had the
Channel to ourselves.
We talked of anything but the ques-
last said:
when we get back"
ANDY and Martin you're think
ing OFF" ..,,ou
curious folks" said I.
"I know. Up to us to balk their curl
osity, isn't It? I've got a mother and
Sove you--both understanding persons.
Leave it to them"
go. I persuaded her to let me take
the wheel while she lay down to rest
with one of the rugs around her. /
medtated on the nights work.
had joined in grotesque escapaoe
which might have alarming results. /
had possibly been privy to crime, an
accessory after the fact to flight from
justice. And all because the blue eyes
Of Veronica had hypnotized me. liter
ally feared to come out Of my trance:
With her in this vessel the muddled
ugliness of the things at Blackwater
seemed remote.
But we were neafing it again with
every revolution of the engine.
You're q. good pal, Tom," Veronica
said suddenly.
She threw off the rug, and looked
through the screen.
"Lugger,' said Veronica. 1--WE shall
soon raise land. T." A very good pal"
We did raise land within a quarter
Of an hour. carried on at the wheel
until we were close enough to identify
landmarks. Then Veronica took charge.
She seemed to steer straight for a
range of cliffs, far higher than the little
ones near Blackwater.
80 we aren't going straight homer"
remarked.
"Not yet We've a call to make
mmlrA
"Silworthy Cove. I'll tell you why.
It's possible we shall find there fast
motor boat which was stolen from
Blackwater Greek. happened to see
doubtful-looking person get on board
her last night and drift with her down
stream with the tide and 60 round
Standpoint. e"