Fighting Byng Part 21

Don had an armful of dailies for me that had acc.u.mulated and a single wireless, which was laconic enough--

"Come to wireless station."

It's frequently the short order that gives one a long jump, it being an all-night job to the station and back. Howard had received a letter from little Jim. He was pleased but puzzled, laboring with its translation. Little Jim had received her total education from him so far and had had little practice in letter writing.

"She arrived there all right," he volunteered, continuing to read.

"She had a reliable escort. Father Woburn is just as sure as he is mild and gentlemanly," I ventured, absorbing his delight.

"I think she does fine for one who has never tried to write, but she is a little hard to make out. Read it to me, perhaps you can better understand just what she means," said he, handing me a letter of several pages as we sat on the deck facing the setting sun, with our feet on the rail. I first glanced over it, then began to read:

"DEAR DADDY:

"We got here all right or I would not be able to write. At first I was scared but Mr. Woburn was so nice that I soon began to like it, I mean the cars and the towns we went through. In the evening we got to Jacksonville and then after eating supper I had to go to bed. It seemed so funny to sleep in that little place while the train runs so fast. My new clothes were so much bother, I wished I had my regular clothes--they are so much quicker--but I suppose it will be a long time before I get them again.

"The next morning we were at Richmond--Mr. Woburn told me these names--then Was.h.i.+ngton, so much more beautiful than anything you ever told me about, then Baltimore and Philadelphia. We did not go to New York, but I am going there to-morrow with one of my teachers to get the clothes and things I need for school. It does not begin for two weeks, and I and another girl are the only ones here now ahead of time. It is in a great big woods, a beautiful place. Mr. Woburn came clear up here with me and talked with the princ.i.p.al. He said that because I knew Mr. Wood we would get along fine, but I must never go out alone. A teacher who I like and plays music I can listen to all day will go with me. She says I can write to you every day and I will.

Tell Mr. Wood if he is there yet that I love him almost as much as I do you, Daddy. I hope you don't miss me as I do you. Tell Don his cooking is the best, but maybe I will get used to the kind we have here. I must go to bed now. My room is a great, big long one and my teacher uses the other end of it, and tells me everything I want to know. She knows so much about everything.

"She says that n.o.body knows what our first name is here but the registrar, and you must get used to me signing my name,

"MISS CANBY, "With lots of love."

When I stopped reading Howard laughed outright, arose and rubbed his hands, then slapped me on the back.

"That sounds to me just as though little Jim were talking. Now I feel sure and am satisfied. I can fight wild cats, a buzz-saw, or all the Huns." Then, sobering some, he sauntered down the deck and returned to where I sat, still holding little Jim's letter, said soberly, "Wood, again I am indebted to you. I don't believe I could ever have accomplished it, so well and quickly. Somehow, now that she is away and in safe hands, I am greatly relieved."

"You give me undue credit. I am glad little Jim is safe, but a double purpose robs me of credit. The way things now stand we could not prove our case without little Jim's testimony. My unsupported evidence would be strained to prove the Hun boat fired through your boat while you were diving. For that reason they may be interested in getting her out of the way. That's why Father Woburn was sent. Even if they do learn where she is they have a better chance at heaven--and you know that is nil--than to get her now."

"I don't care how many purposes you have," replied Byng. "I know that your main one is patriotic or humanitarian. I have benefited so often, I know. I would indeed be selfish if not willing to render service in return. With little Jim safe, you can use my body, my life for any purpose."

"Well, it may come to that. We all must take big chances; in a way, literally play tag with death. The best elements of the world must prevail. A hundred and fifty years ago a great man predicted that the hope of the world lay in the western hemisphere. We are face to face now with fulfilling the Will of G.o.d and the wonderful prophecy which anyone can understand now. Our men and millions are being used to restore national conscience, simple normal regard for contracts and women. The flat poison head of morganatic marriages and degeneracy must go under the heel of justice. You and I will win here. You will then be rich in money. And when it is over I may make another request that will stretch our friends.h.i.+p."

"Wood, it can't be done. I can't conceive of you asking a favor I would not grant. It isn't in you."

"Howard, you overestimate me. I do believe mistakes normal and believe in everyone alike whose intentions are good. You and I have had three or four days of unpleasant work and we are now on a floating morgue filled by your resourcefulness and boldness. It takes daring courage, and disregard of life to go down among the sharks to get dead Huns.

Before we get away from here greater valor will be required, for our purpose is indeed ambitious; but I don't believe you can possibly exhibit more greatness than you did that night on Alligator Island a long time ago--our first real adventure."

Howard stopped in his tracks as though transfixed, staring at me as though suddenly pa.s.sing into delirium. Undaunted, I went ahead.

"Howard, I believed in that little girl you carried out that morning in your arms, then no bigger or older than little Jim, and I believe in her yet. I believe at that time she began to trust you, and I believe she still trusts you."

He stood still near me, his face twitched and again there gathered in his eyes that fierceness of the Georgia Cracker when enraged, his hands seemed in readiness to tear me to pieces. I arose and faced him.

Notwithstanding his powerful physique, I towered above, determined to break silence on that subject again, feeling he would be better for it.

It was a silent battle of man against man, where neither flinched. It took time, but finally he hung his head and moved slowly away.

Turning toward me, he said in a voice so hollow and strained it might have come from the grave, "Wood--you--you don't seem to know I--I saw--I--I heard. There is no mistake----" Then with a slight trace of a plea, he added, "I know."

"Howard, no man ever lived in whom I believe more sincerely. On the other hand, by virtue of my occupation, I have to know. My superiors are not much impressed with 'will-o'-the-wisps' or 'matters _ignis fatuus_.' I must rationally and sanely know things and I feel so strong on this matter that I request, almost demand that you, after we are through here, make some effort to find her in order to confirm what you so sincerely believe true. Fifteen years often changes us. I think it has changed you. You owe it to yourself--and little Jim. It will not be so difficult, for Ramund is obtainable now."

"It is unnecessary, Wood--I know I am right. But I am--I was glad when you told me you thought she was a--good woman now. I hate to think of little Jim's mother being bad," he added so faintly I could hardly hear. It was a great struggle. Such a man as Fighting Byng bends slowly, but how wonderful that they bend at all. I thought it best to drop the subject for the present.

"Howard, I must go to the wireless station to get in touch with Was.h.i.+ngton. It will likely take all night. Do you feel safe here without me?"

"I don't see why not. The little Scotch gunner and I can change watches during the night. Did you get any news?"

"Being called to the wireless is significant of something new."

"What's the war news?" struggling to recover himself.

"The general situation appears dark just now."

"How is that--just what do you mean?" he inquired anxiously.

"To make it short, the Hun has Europe whipped to a standstill, with Russia delivered to the enemy by a Judas Iscariot. The Boche does not believe we will ever take the place of the Russian Army. He doesn't think we can or will really fight, and, of course, is making his last colossal mistake. But just now his chest is away out. He is bold and impudent and a little more irrational than usual. For that reason I would not be surprised to see some such thing reflected in these parts unless we are unusually lucky. I feel like advising extreme caution--but I will know more when I get back from the wireless station," I added, watching Howard closely.

"Wood--I can only repeat what I have said--now I believe little Jim is safe from harm, besides I have placed her beyond want. I will fight with you as long as there's an ounce of Georgia blood left in me."

CHAPTER XXV

When I got in touch with Was.h.i.+ngton I was told that the matter I had in hand became unexpectedly, stupendously important, in fact, so vital I was urged to use the utmost care, but to rush as fast as possible.

The importance of the Canby girl as a witness was realized and she was guarded every moment by one of unquestioned loyalty and discretion, and plenty of khaki that seemed accidental.

This pleased me immensely, for more than one reason. But the other information was not so rea.s.suring. Ramund and the manager had been admitted to bail in the sum of a hundred thousand dollars each. Rash and risky conduct could be looked for on the part of the Boches and I must not underestimate their resourcefulness. Though yet unpublished, it was known that Bernstorff had deflorated and daily ravished diplomatic virginity in a most brutal and conscienceless manner so truly Hun.

I informed them a private party had hold of the wreck, that through him I had in my possession twenty-four bodies, together with a ma.s.s of evidence and asked for some kind of an armed vessel to protect Howard's ambitious efforts to float and bring in intact. They said they would do the best they could, every available vessel having been sent to fight submarines.

I returned to the wrecking operations at the Tortugas doubtful of immediate protection.

Howard was on watch and very glad to see me, and delighted that the Government, too, was watching little Jim.

"Have you been up all night?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes."

"I'll have Don get breakfast; then you sleep. We will get everything ready. I want to go down to make one more careful examination of the wreck in order to finally decide on a plan of action, but I believe I have figured it out during the night."

"Breakfast, yes. Sleep I can do without until to-night." I did not tell him about the necessity of haste.

After breakfast he went down and remained two hours. He had scarcely discarded his diving suit before I saw he was jubilant.

"Wood,--I believe now it's only a case of making pump connections to the freight hold and get the water out of there first. I still believe, if we pump out the submerging tanks after that, she has got to come to the top even if the engine-room and crew's quarters aft are injured," he said enthusiastically.

"How do you know the submerging tanks are intact and water tight?"