Show 14 A STORY OF T OF L haa 1114 var COTTO A co t T CHAPTER I 1 hope and disappointment lieutenant thomas holton corn binder sander of the scorpion made as though to place the dispatch la in bis his pocket then taking pity upon hi him second who was all eye eyes be he turned the paper over to bla his junior lieutenant known throughout the flotilla as bob lob by f frosi from tou you will leave 1 newport news at ion en tonight vita with the destroyer scorpion and proceed mouth to the parrot ship of the first torpedo boat flotilla off on key west prepared tor for ao so I 1 aon tion this order wai was warmly welcomed omed by holton and by hie second la in command of t the grim lead colored scorpion it looks like business doean t it observed obier Ted frost W tentative inflection in his voice it does sure chuckled holton tn tm glad ire we had those baffle plates axed in the boiler boller I 1 suppose we might as an well hare have the warheads war heads fixed axed in sa the torpedoes too the orders aay say prepare tor for action attend to it will ul you frost aye aye AYS sir air and frost hurried klong along the grimy oily ouy deck dock to the after attar the somewhat informal nature of the lh dialogue between the two will be forgiven by th fastidious when it la is pointed out that for a month the slon lion bad had been laying at t newport newa news on detached duty oc of a confidential nature nare re under direct orders from wash and that solo corn com anion panion aboard ship in that urns bad ken n his young younk second but the period f loneliness waa was evidently to end la a burst of glory and lieutenant holton TU was truly thant fil in the preceding month mouth the mighty attle ship maine malts bad wallowed down toto to the slimy ooze of havana harbor a great hole tore torn ia in her forward corn cout paA payments ments la in her jay cae cam of holton s but et friends a of pleasant ays ys following graduation at the naval academy the cry remember the milne aine waa was founding sounding from maine itself to california the entire country was on the md tire viva osgood the tero oro of many ma a american football diron ron had as alicuban cuban volunteer alren yen up hie his life ills atthe side aide of a mathine gun ne frederick derick funston bad had borred arved vall valiantly antly against the tyrants of cuttle tile and aragon and other ians had given evident that the fight BI spirit waa was by ao so means steens dormant in lie a heart of ft a nation of and rs desmen deimen 11 1 A with the situation thus othere was little we cause for wonder at lieutenant Hol toia emotions of 1 mental exalts ez alta on OL whatever the future might bold hold lor him at least this certain iacre to would be and that 13 1 Hm ething for which cicur true gentle genue ran of the th morvion Is it ever on the wit il 80 something methin of the bood mood of the two oung of flears was to ae a crew there were broad grin grins on the mens men tests as they hurried bout the performance pt of the various G X that hat man 11 Is worth walne ka i and many of thel edid not bior for r 1 to i turn faces toward air officer Mho wherever occasion otter offer e which naturally their eibers cers failed faller to am e at t unset sunset ove wa was in read 1 I and with a sigh ot of relief holton nichea tc b ed himself OB on the barrow narrow seat ing alone along the jaboe room and lor lly binea his pipe Z ot did 11 like ko ase and then that looked ever at his eu an bior j 1 L BY geo ogled think of yng IK the 1 patting putting into wee wont al th tags ls leA it wont bad ki at all replied olton t 01 was about ater te not er cr when the doorway waa was dark d by th tho of fi a 9 messenger A 4 ter aw sant MCI 0 fl arf boam holton took it hastily and ran over the contents his ilia face clouded and be he read it again A good strong oord ord was trembling on his lips and L la waa was about to crumple the dispatch in his band hand hen bis bla eye fell on the ger standing at attention oh thank you be he said bald there Is in no answer As an the messenger departed holton banded handed the telegram to his gt ond without a word you will proceed at once to washington washinton and report to me lt the earliest possible moment lieutenant frost will assume command of scorpion in your absence an A frost read the messa e aloud his voice quivered with excitement what does that mean be he exclaimed hanged flanged it I 1 know growled holton that just my luckl ive been working on this old pot to got her into shape and hoping and pray ing fr a chanca to make good and then ben hen there appears to be something doing why I 1 get skinned this way frast knew know exactly bow the corn com mender felt and his natural exultation at being placed in command of the destroyer was quite swallowed up in his sympathy for a man who was wall bis his good friend aa as well an his superior omber holton sat for a while blowing blue clouds of smoke to the coiling cel ling outwardly calm but inwardly seething he went over every act in the lust month mouth or so 10 but could think of nothing be he had done that would warrant his recall in disgrace well bobby he said at length yaure a real live captain BOW now and I 1 congratulate you M 1 I feel like a man who Is going to put on a pair of boots that are too big for him remarked frost ob oh nonsense cone ensel 1 smiled holton youre in every way qualified ill IM vouch for you bobby brost smiled thanks be he said I 1 id rather have that from you than from almost any one I 1 know well laughed holton take I 1 it t then its sincere he arose and called to the steward ob oh you koko he said come in here and help me pack im going to leave you fir a bile bilea pinner that evening waa was rather a mournful affair neither holton nor not frost trying to make light of the mysterious situation he book shook hands bands with frost at eight and with koko carrying bis his bag started for me station he had delayed rather longer than he should have done in writing supplementary letters to his parents and now he found it was necessary to make baste lasts if he be was to catch the train for or wash ington eventually ETon lually indeed the be and anc koko had to run and as he reached the station the cars care were pulling out the jap threw the bag into the open doors of the reir one and holton made the tho steps step with a Z flying leap aa an be he did so a man who bad had been following the two essayed a similar stutt lar flight but his feet misled tho th steps and he clung clang to the gule ml SU with his lt left band hand AJ As reached down to assist hai mm the man lost bis his grip and went plunging bead over heels into the gravel evidently his fall did JA not in jure jura him for as holton peered back along the rails he saw the fellow rise slowly and shake his fist flat at the departing train if it he had known the circumstance circumstances under which ho he was to moot this stranger ut at a time not far distant his feeling of relief when he saw that the man was not seriously injured might have been tinctured by emotions of various sorts a 0 0 0 put OP up at the metropolitan alao holton passed such time aa as had to elapse before khe assistant seers tary would be at his bosk lii bi the navy department building in a fet fever or of impatience having at length finished his cigar and his morning morri ng paper which bristled bel bellicose licese matter holton put on lie his hat ands an overcoat and ann tired slowly toward the capitol at ten clock ho be client ent over to the Navy department part ment and bout file card in to the isele tant secretary ecret ary presently his summon came while ret yet an another other man wn engorged in the inner office this man however to Lo wever brushed out PA pait at holton ai as the young cincer with mingled emotion walked nto into the pre presence sence ence ot of secretary long longs assistant s good morning mr holton eer no evil 11 augury was to be detect id in the hearty cadence of the treating greet ng sit down air lr la M glad you ere prompt that what we need a t hese dixye ei I 1 thank yo yea d air bald holton da do ilo blo oaly ullo the gataiant nt observed keerie for a moment and then ap with hie his scrutiny he be ireae and 11 aced iced up and down tho length of his desoo DT sOo IOrg li fr ll olton ha idaia when you realize that war to in coming coming aa an sure aa as guns and then consider cont lder our for atit it it makes you glad lad we H spain and not someone else M 1 I think the navys pretty fit air lr ventured holton ah the naval and the armyl the word words came out like bullet bullets the rho navy is to all right and the army too what there li Is of it the fighting men of both arms of the service are the beet beat this world ever saw getting things at et started that ie in the trouble well thank thank heaven deleys the assistant secretary stopped short and craning ats his neck forward character thrust his square jaw close to jhb officers face weve all cot got to do the beet beat we can aud be sure that when the blow comes it U will come from and not toward us coltor nodded 1 I liked your action in diving overboard and rescuing two of your men last eummer summer resumed mr roosevelt and I 1 may say that a study of your record baa has me that lust just at present a little respite iron from duties aboard the scorpion will accrue to our mutual advantage the assistant asel stant secretary paused and then aa as holton made no reply he con linued I 1 we are not bet at war with ulpain not yet and in the meantime I 1 think it will be just aa as well tor for you to remain la to fairly close touch with my of five personal perso nall touch by the way theres theras a ball at the willard tonight A ball exclaimed holton than he caught himself tec too air be he add ed ad tee yen a ball at the willard here la to a card note it 1 Is a personal la Is Tit vI atlon tatIOn to you i holton glanced at it it 1 I see it sir air he 1 aam I am merely merely to go there a i and dance I 1 malla mean mean sir ars re there them any instructional 1 I 1 should keep ay my my and can am open if it I 1 were you tee yen air str ill do that and I 1 hope ill b be able to be service be wai was rising to go Although although im rm afraid I 1 lack that to IS and 01 holton paused and glanced irresolutely at his chief 1 I 1 N that mat you lack definite information said sold the assistant wined to hure hars the faculty cf of reading bla his thought thoughts and them before holton himself could frame trams them in suitable or 0 F veil well say ay diplomatic terms i v why yes air siri airi I have a tooling testing that the situation to Is indefinite tee yes bit down mr holton hoi hol too ton resumed chair aad and ble chief ch lot leaned forward talking frap rapidly lIlly la itt a low tone 0 ILI here to Is the mb nub of the tb situation lie he began la in the first place wp w p have bay reason excella excel lc reasons for suspect ing that there an aft certain leme among the cubans both in the t united states and la in havana that are strong ly inclined to doubt the good faith falth of the united states 1 ia this browdus trouble with spain i hi t J t holton lid by the promise of ot revelations which these opening word words conveyed thrilled also bf his indue tion into the inner affairs of the government mill flushed and regarded the eyeglasses eyeglass ee turned toward him with impatient for word 0 I 1 I 1 A 0 1 naturally continued mr reo velt talk thoi tb cubans are ars rager tiger to avail of conr armed force form and afi ati bore bet but arter after tho W au done they may want ui us to elear out wiz of course coures we shall do having sast OW come som decent aad and table syn sy tern tam of government down thaw the 1 I bad not any idea orr good faith wa woo in n question observed holton it ie it agthe reply avd aBd it to Is taking the form of preparations for an attack upon our troops by cuban force forces after we have cleaned the spin lard lards out of the be leland island what a chancel chance I 1 exclaimed holton with patriotic terror fervor the assistant ar litant secretary smiled 1 I myself regard the project as crackbrained crack brained in its conce conception but nevertheless it exists and must bo ito met we must learn loam their plane plans at all hazards and I 1 can tell you now that while we bare have a general idea ae an to the situation it la Is little more than gen eral and details of a specific nature would be very welcome I 1 want you to see ee v hat tat you can do your record Is that of clearheaded clear headed man of initiative and common sense settee you peak speak coif are equally at home in a ballroom or in roughing it youre the man we want thank you air 1 I have been extremely confidential returned resumed the assistant secretary ilia a naturally tt it waa was necessary I 1 should be any information I 1 rf alve 1 from the secret service will be transmitted to you and in turn I 1 shall expect you to keep ua us in fit touch with matters as you develop them now then at the ball tonight you are an to become ao quainter quain ted with the following if it you can locate them he banded handed holton several sheets of typewritten matter beaded headed by half hau tone photographs that im aan especially Is worth watching continued holtons niblet ih let belai jearus cuban apparently about fifty ye years araold old and this girl also 1 1 I understand said amid holton I 1 have han a good idea ot of what you want I 1 think mr secretary rod and I 1 hope I 1 dont have to tell you that I 1 shall leave nothing undone to carry out your wishes M you denv dont waa was the shilling sm illing reply it li 13 rather new now ground but it will be interesting work end will give me a chance to see ee action perhaps per hape bea fore fox the rest of the cv ard 4 i the assistant thinking nin king of the corps scorpion on W eh he well ill III wager agar a new now suit of clothes arnst an apple that you oon soon have so much to occupy your mind that youe your destroyer will be nothing but bul a hasy al 11 try to make talks it so at all everice ev erile laughed holton good morning sir bood morning you way report etca until further w aero every day at this hour A 4 i yes air sir holton holto 0 wined and left the office ee the assistant secretary wheeled whetted around in bis his wavel thought abt deeply far or a moment then thou he picked up a paper t by george S he mur murmured marek that young caka chap to in to for or a bully times meantime holton walked cheerily to his club and there met not beveral brother olli cers who were keen for billiards so go the remainder of at the day wae woo spent at this diversion he bad had a table ie at the willard for dinner whence he intended to pro coad to therance the I 1 danco Mance I 1 he dreamed with great care sal an at me last thrust into poc ketan etlan article not usually rs regard garad in polite society misty as a complement of evening attire a short thick very serviceable appearing revolver TO am U jalli wa 3 46 A tv 7 7 I 1 |