Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY 23 the trees, and the marching men showed in the luminous patches between the dancing shadows. Oars pounded upon thwarts and splashed into the water ; boats bumped and scurried in confusion between the war vessels and the shore. Then, suddenly, Frances saw a boat, which had gone first to the San Juan, strike straight for the Irvessa. "Isn't that he — Lieutenant Sommers — there in the stern?" She caught her father's hand. "Isn't that he? Lieutenant Sommers !" She called aloud as the boat came alongside. "Miss Durant !" The incredulous recognition came back. The officer in the stern sprang up as the boat glided in ; he caught the companion ladder, and was at once upon the deck. "You came with them down here, too? They told me your father and Mr. Pinckney had come, and that you had sent for me, sir." He bowed to Mr. Durant. "But you " "Yes, I came," was all the girl could say miserably, as he stopped. "Why, what is the matter?" asked Dick quietly, and turned to the others. "You should at least — suspect it by this time, I should think, Lieutenant Sommers !" returned Pinckney sternly. "Oh, come into the cabin first, father — Etherington — Lieutenant Sommers !" pleaded the girl. "And first, father, before you tell him, let me ask — you have won this battle and captured them?" "Why, yes." Dick watched her, puzzled. "We were lucky enough to catch them just right to-night. We got three of the chiefs, and I believe after this it must be about over. But — Miss Durant!" he cried, alarmed, as he now saw her more plainly in the light of the cabin. "What is the matter?" "I repeat, I think this should scarcely surprise you, Lieutenant Sommers," Pinckney said again. "I have not asked for your opinion, Mr. Pinckney," said Dick, coldly. "Miss Durant, or Mr. Durant, will doubtless tell me in their own time what I have asked. Perhaps it may interest you, meanwhile, to know that to-night we not only captured three of the chiefs, but also discovered from them " "Lieutenant Sommers, what Mr. Durant hesitates to tell you, but what you had probably better know at once, is that we have come down here at this time and in this manner, sir, to make your arrest !" "My arrest?" "Yes, sir ; two days ago you were officially put under arrest at Manila, but paroled to Mr. Durant in order that we may take you with us back to Washington at once, to stand trial for treason !" "What is this that Mr. Pinckney is talking about, sir?" Dick turned from Pinckney to Mr. Durant. "Only the truth, I am sorry to say, Lieutenant Sommers," replied the old man sorrowfully. "When we arrived at Manila two days ago I found, sir, that you had already been placed under arrest. No ship, however, would take you back to the States for some weeks. At my daughter's wish — that is, as we were returning at once, in the Irvessa — Admiral Barlow permitted you to be paroled to me, to take you back with us." "To stand trial in Washington?" cried Dick, puzzled. "I am sorry — yes." "For — treason, as this man says?" "Yes." "Why?" "In the first place, Lieutenant Sommers," Pinckney cut in again, as Mr. Durant hesitated, "your gun exploded at the first discharge in the test, killing three men and maiming four others." "It did?" Dick turned eloquently upon Pinckney. "And they are to courtmartial me for that?" "No. More particularly, I should say, upon the charge of your connivance, or conspiracy, with the Bagol chiefs here in permitting them to provide themselves with arms !" "Pinckney! You can say that I " Dick's blue eyes blazed, and his hands clenched at his sides. "But even beyond that, lieutenant," Pinckney continued serenely, "there is a still more treasonable charge against you. Chiefly, I may say, you are to be tried for your attempt to sell to Japanese and German agents the designs and drawings for your coast-defense and naval-gun designs which the government agents captured in Hongkong." "What! Will you tell me, sir" — he appealed again to Mr. Durant — "what is there in what this man says?" "I regret to have to tell you, Lieutenant Sommers," Mr. Durant had to confirm again, "that, as Mr. Pinckney says, copies of your original designs and drawings were taken in Hongkong as they were being offered for sale to agents of foreign gun works." "What?" Dick turned at last to Frances, to see if the others could be playing with him. But the sight of her face was enough. "And so you have come to take me back with you?" he asked miserably. "Yes ; and you must come with us, too !" The girl spoke at last. She came bravely over to him and touched him gently, sweetly, with a touch which thrilled through him. "To-night, you have just told me, you struck the blow which must finish your work here. You can have no cause for staying. You owe it to yourself — to me — to go back at once with us !" "To you, Miss Durant!" "To me and to all your friends, as well as to yourself. You must clear yourself at once !" "But to return with you in this way — on your yacht — disgraced, under arrest, and with — with " "Oh, I know that this way is the hardest, not the easiest! That is why I know you will take it. Will you not? Oh, thank you ! Father, as soon as the boat can return with Mr. Sommers' things, tell Adrian we are ready to return at once to America. And, Lieutenant Sommers — I shall make it as easy for you as I can." CHAPTER IX. IN THE FEAR OF DEATH. "In for it to-night, eh, lieutenant?" Pinckney stopped Sommers. Dick was descending from the bridge, smiling, dripping wet with the drench of the tropical hurricane. He had just finished his regular watch, and was passing through the saloon, a little after eight o'clock. On the first morning after passing Samar Island and striking free from the Philippines into the open sea, he had appealed to Mr. Durant and to Adrian for regular occupation and a regular watch. As Nichols, the first mate, was not well, they had given Dick his duties. He had accepted the work gratefully, and for ten days he had taken refuge in the routine, smiling and speaking shortly and formally, as would Nichols himself, when he passed Mr. Durant, or Frances, or Pinckney. Frances and her father, both appreciating the difficulty of the young officer's position, pretended that he was,