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PROLOGUE

IT was 2 pm on the afternoon of May 7, 1915 The _Lusitania_ had beenstruck by two torpedoes in succession and was sinking rapidly, whilethe boats were being launched with all possible speed The wo their turn Sodesperately to husbands and fathers; others clutched their childrenclosely to their breasts One girl stood alone, slightly apart frohteen She did not seeht ahead

“I beg your pardon”

A man’s voice beside her made her start and turn She had noticed thespeaker ers There hadbeen a hint of inationHe spoke to no one If anyone spoke to him he was quick to rebuff theoverture Also he had a nervous way of looking over his shoulder with aswift, suspicious glance

She noticed now that he was greatly agitated There were beads ofperspiration on his brow He was evidently in a state of overfear And yet he did not strike her as the kind of man ould beafraid to meet death!

“Yes?” Her grave eyes ly

He stood looking at her with a kind of desperate irresolution

“It must be!” he muttered to himself “Yes--it is the only way” Thenaloud he said abruptly: “You are an American?”

“Yes”

“A patriotic one?”

The girl flushed

“I guess you’ve no right to ask such a thing! Of course I am!”