been?" she cried. "The Germans would be crazy to do
it, for their lives are as much at stake as ours."

"Men are often glad to die for an ideal--an ideal of patriotism,
perhaps," I replied; "and a willingness to martyr themselves includes a
willingness to sacrifice others, even those who love them. Women are
much the same, except that they will go even further than most
men--they will sacrifice everything, even honor, for love."

I watched her face carefully as I spoke, and I thought that I detected
a very faint flush mounting her cheek. Seeing an opening and an
advantage, I sought to follow it up.

"Take von Schoenvorts, for instance," I continued: "he would doubtless
be glad to die and take us all with him, could he prevent in no other
way the falling of his vessel into enemy hands. He would sacrifice
anyone, even you; and if you still love him, you might be his ready
tool. Do you understand me?"

She looked at me in wide-eyed consternation for a moment, and then she
went very white and rose from her seat. "I do," she replied, and
turning her back upon me, she walked quickly toward her room. I
started to follow, for even believing what I did, I was sorry that I
had hurt her. I reached the door to the crew's room just behind her
and in time to see von Schoenvorts lean forward and whisper something
to her as she passed; but she must have guessed that she might be
watched, for she passed on.

That afternoon it clouded over; the wind mounted to a gale, and the sea
rose until the craft was wallowing and rolling frightfully. Nearly
everyone aboard was sick; the air became foul and oppressive. For
twenty-four hours I did not leave my post in the conning tower, as both
Olson and Bradley were sick. Finally I found that I must get a little
rest, and so I looked about for some one to relieve me. Benson
volunteered. He had not been sick, and assured me that he was a former
R.N. man and had been detailed for submarine duty for over two years.
I was glad that it was he, for I had considerable confidence in his
loyalty, and so it was with a feeling of security that I went below and
lay down.

I slept twelve hours straight, and when I awoke and discovered what I
had done, I lost no time in getting to the conning tower. There sat
Benson as wide awake as could be, and the compass showed that we were
heading straight into the west. The storm was still raging; nor did it
abate its fury until the fourth day. We were all p