The evening world. Newspaper, April 1, 1914, Page 15

} ) | | ' The Evenin ' ; ¢ World Daily Magazine, Wednesday, April 1, 1914 i, 1914, ‘ty Mary Roberts Rinchart.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS, wg CHAPTER IX. HE was stooping to the look again. “You are. sure locked?” lew “The bolt ts still shot.” 1 wed her. here is the key?” Wertainly. Find the key, and you fing the man who locked you in.” niebs,” I reminded her, “it flew && whea 1 broke the lock.” In that case it will be on the floor.” But an exhaustive search of the feta Boor discovered no key. Jones, ‘ws searching, helped, his re- im one band and a lighted fm the other, handling both with’ An abandon of case that threat- ene@ ‘Us atlernately with fre and a wi we had given up, “tl key,lan't here, it isn't on the ship. tl Ly is a sort of ag away. No o carry thing ltke that bere this cabin—which it isn't or it’s overboard.” “Very likely, Jones, But I shall ask ‘Mx, Turner to search the men.” Bhe went toward Turner's door, and Jones leaned over me, putting hand on my arm. “She's right, boy,” he eald quickly. ‘Don't let ‘em know what you're after, but go through their pocketa. And their shoes!” he called after me. “A key slips into a shoe mighty easy.’ But, after all, it was not necessary. The key was to be found, and very soon. /.." CHAPTER X. te *“That’s Mutiny.” XACTLY what occurred dur- im ing Elsa Lee's visit to her brother-in-law’s cabin I have never learned. He was sober, I know, and some- what .dazed, with no recollection whathver of the previous night, ex- cept a hazy idea that ho had quar- relled with Richardson. Jenex.and I waited outside. He sug- Gexted that we have prayers over the bodies when we placed them in the boat, and I agreed to read the burlal rervice frova the Episcopal Prayer Book. Tks voices from Turner's ca’ n came steadily—Miss Lee's low tones, Turner's heavy bass only now and then. Once I heard ber give a startled exclamation, and both Jones aud I leaped to the door, But the next moment she was talking again quietly. Ten minutes — fifteen — passed. I grew restless and took to wandering about the cabin, Mrs. Johns came to the door opposite, and asked to » tea sent down to the stew- ardess. I called the request up the com- panionway, unwilling to leave the cabin for a moment. When I came beck Jones was standing at the door of Vail's cabin, looking in, His face was pale. b ik there!” “Uupek at the bell, He must have tried push the button!” stared in, Williams had put the cabin to rights, as nearly as he could, The mattress was gone, and a spread over oheet was bunk. Poor Vail's clothing, as he had taken jt off the night before, hung on aimahogany stand beside the bed, apd" above, almost conceated by his ‘was the bell, Jones's eyes were on the darkish emear, over and und the bell, on the white paint. 4 measured the height of ‘the bell frem:the bed, It was well above and ¢ side—e emear rather than a OD tise too indeterminate to be of any vatue, sinister, cruel. “He didn't do that, Charlie,” I said. “Ha.couldn't have got up to it after —— That is the murderer's mark. He , to Jook down at his work, And, joyt knowing It, he pressed the fon that roused the two women.” "He had not heard the story of Hen- rfetta Sloane, and as we waited I told iiifm, Some of the tension was relax- ing?” He tried, in his argumentative German way, to drag me into a dia- casion as to the foreordination of a death that resulted from an acci- dental ringing of a bell. But my ears ‘were alert for the voices nearby, and soon Mise Lee opened the door, Murnér was sitting on his bunk. He haa ttempt to shave, and had put his chin aeverely. He was faa dreasing gown and was holding a, handkerchief to his face; he peered me over it with red rimmed eyes, tM nlethis is horrible, Leslie,” he sald. “I can hardly believe it.” “It is true, Mr. Turner.” He topk the handkerchief away and looked to see if the bleeding had stopped. I believe he intended to impress us,both with his coolness, but ‘It'was am: unfortunate attempt, His lips,.rolieved of the pressure, were twitebing; hia nerveless fingers could hardly refold the handkerchlef, “Wh-why was I not—called at ence?” he demanded. “T fotttied you. must have gone to sleep aga! "| den't believe you called me. You are—iying, aren't you?” He got ei a himself by the wall tng aaa ay P the sation of She a ‘ou. ut me of lown he EP doen run things your own way, ahem Oe ° ; My mouth’s aticky.” si 4 a a bk joa he said hoarsely, ° | there, one hand against the % He turned on Miss Lee. “Where's Helen?” “in her room, Marsh, She hasone of her headaches. Pleawe don't dis- turb her.” —_—" Williams?” He turned to “I can get him for you.” "Tell him to bring me a highball, ran his tongue over his dry Mps, “And—take @ message from me to Richardson.” He stopped, startled. Indeed, Mise nd I had both started. “To— een eens the boat, anyhow? Sin- risoner in the The . He stared at us both, and, finding corroboration in Miss Lee's face, his own took on an expression of relief. He dropped to the side of the bed, and hie color came slowly back. He even smiled—a crafty grin that was inex- Semanal ne “Bingleton!" he said. “Why do they how do they know it was her" “He quarrelled with the cap- tain night, and he was duty at the time of the—when the thing happened. The man at the wheel claims to have seen him in the cha: room just before, and there “was other evidence, I believe. The lookout saw him forward, with something—pos- sibly the axe. Not decisive, of course, but enough to justity putting him to irons. Somebody did it, and the mur- derer is on board, Mr. Turner.” His grin bad faded, but the crafty look in his pale-blue eyes remained, “The chart-room was dark. How gould the steersman”"—— He checked Fea alert are Oca be Where are—they?” asked O old tone, 4 : “We can’t keep them in this weather.” “We must,” I said. “We will have to get to the nearest port as quickly as we can and surrender ourselves and the bodies. This thing will have to be sifted to the bottom, Mr. Turner. ‘The innocent must not suffer for the guilty and every one on the ship is_under suspicion.” He fell into a passion at that, in- sisting that the tea be buried at once, asserting his ownership of the vessel as bis authority, demanding to know what I, a forecastile hand, had to say about it, flinging up and down the small room, showering me with invective and threa and shoving Miss Lee aside when she laid a calm- ing hand on bi chin was bleedin; wild and sinister expression. ed by demanding Williamé. I opened the door and call Charlie Jones to send t! stood by waiting for the fresh ex- plosion that was coming. Williams shakily confesed that there was no whiskey on board. to “Where is it?" Turner thundered. Williama looked at me. He was in @ Btate of inarticulate “I ordered it overboard,’ I aaid. ‘Lurner ee on me, incredulity and rage face. “You!” I put the best face I coi the matter, and eyed Bim a 4 e been too much drinking on thi ship,” I said. “If you doupt it, up and look at the three bodies un tbe deck.” “What have you to do about it?” His eyes were narrowed; there was menace in every line of his face. “With Schwartz gone, Capt. Rich- erason dead and Singleton ‘n irons, the crew had no officers. They asked me to take charge.” “So! And you used your authority tu meddle with what does not con- cern you! The ship hes an officer while I am on it. And there will be no mutiny.” He flung into the main cabin and made for the forward compantonway. I etepped back to allow Misa Lee to recede me. She was standing, ber Bre to the dressing-stand, facin, the door. She looked at ine, an’ made a help) gesture with hor bands, as if situation were be- yond her, Then I saw her look down. Fhe took a quick step or two toward the door, and, steoping, wicked up some small object from almost under my foot. The incident would have passed without notice had she not, In attempting to wrap it in her hand- kerchief, dropped it. I eaw then that it was a key. “Let me get it for you,” I sald. To my amazement, she put ber foot it. seo what Mr. Turner is “It is the key to el case. you let me see itt” “No. ¥ "It is not the key fo « jewel-case.’ it does not concern you what it It is the key to the storercom door.’ “You are stronger than Iam. You look tne brute, You can knock me away and get it.” 1 knew then, of course, that it was stoferoom key. But I could not it by force. And @o defiantly she faced me, #o valiant vs every Mine of her alight figure, that I was ashamed of my impulse to push her and take it. I loved ier with 'y inch of my overgrown body, d I did the thing she knew I would do. I bowed and left the cabin. But I had no intention of losing the key. I could not take it by force, but she knew as we!l as I did what finding it there in Turner's room meant. ‘Turner had locked me in. But I must be able to prove it—my wits against hers, and the advantage mine, I bad the women under guard. I went up on deck. A curious spectacle revealed itaelf, Turner, purple with anger, was har- anguing the men, who atood amid- ships, huddled together, but grim and determined withal, Burns, a little apart from the reet, wae standing, gullen, his arms folded, Aa Turner ceased, he took a step forward. “You are right, Mr, Turne! eaid, “It's your ahip, and !t's up to you to aay where she goes and how she goes, sir, But some one will hai for this, Mr, Turner,—@ome one that's on this deck now; and the bodies are going back with us—likewise the axe, ‘There ain't going to be a miatake—the right man ta going to ewing.” “Thi mutiny “Yes, air,” Burns acknowledged, his face paling a little, “I guess you coun call It that,” Turner swung on his heel and went below, where Jones, relieved of guard ng wife and Mias Lee, both of whom had knocked on the door. ‘The trouble with Turner added to the general misery of the situation. Burns got our position at noon with led, butler and ried A tory ha That No Reader Can Solve |=— more or less exactness, and the geu- Ella went on well Men started rasped their ears, and the preparation for stowing the bodies in the joliy- boat left them unnerved and_ sick. Some sort of a meaj was cooked, but Ro one could eat; iiliams brought untasted the luncheon he had car- led down to the after hou: At 3 o'clock all han: amidships and the bodie: car- forward to where the boat, low- ered in its davits and braced, lay on the deck. It had been lined with can- vas and tarpaulin, and a cover of aimilar material ready to be nailed in place. All the men were bareheaded, Many were in tears. Miss Lee came forward with us, and it was from her prayer-book that I, too moved for elf-consciousness, read the burial service. “I am the resurrection and the life,” I read huskily. The figures at my feet, in their canvas shrouds, rolled gently with the rocking of the ship; the sun down on the decks, on the bare heads of the men, on the gilt edges of the prayer-beo gleaming in the light, on the last of the land-birds, drooping it on the main cross-trees. For man walketh in a vain " I read, “and disquieteth hMim- ee shadow, self in vain, o "O apare me a little, that I may re- cover my strength before I go hence and be no more gg CHAPTER XI. “The Dead Line.” RS. JOHNS and the stew- ardess came up late in the afternoon, We had railed off a part of the deck around the forward companionway for them, and none of je crew ex- cept the man on an allowed inside the ropes. After a consulta- tion, finding the ship very ehort- handed and unwilling with the night coming on to trust any of the men, Burns and I decided to take over this duty ourselves, and by etationing our- selves at the top of the companion- way to combine the duties of officer on watch and guard of the after douse, To make the women doubly secure we had Oleson nail all the windows closed, although they were merely portholes, guard below and I had exchanged Singleton’s worthless revolver for my own serviceable one, Mrs. Johns, carefully dressed, sur- veyed the railed-off deck with raised eyebrows. “For—ust" she asked, looking at me. The men were gathered about the wheel aft, and were out of ear- shot. Mra, Sloane had dropped into @ ateamer chair, and was lying back with closed eyes. “Yes, Mra. Johns. “Where have you put them?" I pointed to where the jolly boat, on the port side of the ship, swung on its davits. “And the mate, MP. Singleton?” “He is in the forward house. “What did you do with the—the weapon?” “Why do you ask that?” “Morbid curiosity,” she said, with @ lightness of tone that rang false to my ears. “And then—naturally, I should like to be sure that it is safely overboard, so tt will not be"’—she ebivered—‘“used again.” “It is not overboard, Mra. JoLns,” I said gravely. “It is locked in a safe place, where it will remain until the police come to take It.” “You are rather theatrical, you,” aren't jo scoffed, and turned away. But’ a second later she came back to id me, and put her hand on my arm. “Tell me where it is," she begged. “You are making a mystery of it, and I detest mysteries.” I saw under her mask of lightness then, She wanted desperately to know where the axe was, Her eyes fell under my ¢1 “Lam sorry, There is no mystery. ia simply locked away for safe- keeping, he bit her lip, Do you know what I think?” she said slowly, “I think you have hyp- notized the crew, as you did me—at frat. Why has no one remembered that you were in the after house last night, that you found poor Wilmer ‘Vail thet you raised the alarm, that ARY ROBERTS t am, I would be o. Jones was no longer on © RINEHART wy you discovered the captain and Ka- ren? Why ehould I not call the men here and remind them of all that?” “I do not believe you will. They |. know I was locked in the The door—the lock” —— “You could have locked yourself in.” “You do not know what you are saying!” But I had angered her, and she went on cruelly: “Who are you, anyhow? You are not @ sailor, You came here and were taken on because you told a hard luck story. How do we know that you came from a hospital? Men poe out of prison look as you did. you know what we called you, the first two days out? We called you Elsa's jall bird! And now, because you have dominated the crew, we ave in your hands!" - a rs. Turner and Miss 14 think that?” “They reet as I do. This is a picked crew—men the Turner line has em- ployed for years.” “You are very brave, Mrs. Jobns, IT eaid. “If I were what you think I dangerous enemy.” “I am not afraid of you.” I thought fast. She was right. It had not occurred to me before, but it swept over me overwhelmingly. you are leaving nly one thing T said, shall surrender If to the men at once.” I took id held it out to “This rope is a dead line. The crew know, and you will have no trouble; but you must etand guard here until some one else is sent.” She took the revolver without @ word, , somewhat dased by this new turn of ewents, I went aft. The men were gathered there, and I sur- rendered myself. They listened in giocee nee ee Leong og urns, who mn trying » sat up and etared at me thoredul: ously. “It will leave you pretty short. handed, boys,” I finished, “but you'd better fasten me up somewhere, But I want to be sure, of one thing first; whatever Lappeus! keep the guard for the women.” “We'd like to-talk it over, Leslie,” Bore eald, after @ word with the ers, I went forward a few feet, taking care to where they could see me, and very soon they called me. There had been a dispute, I believe. Adame’and MoNamara stood off from the others, their faces not unfriendly, but clearly differing from the decision, Charlie Jones, who, by reason of lo’ service and @ sort of pious co he had in the fo was (te crew, ie ‘We'll not do it, boy,” he said. ‘We think we know @ man when we see one, as well as having occasion to know that you're white all through.” And we're not inclined to set the talk of women against what ‘we think beat to do, So you stick to your job, and we're back of you.” In apite of myself, I choked up. I tried to them what their loyalty meant to but I could only hold out my hand, and, one by one, they eame up and shook it solemniy. “We thin! McNamara sald, when, last of all and “cams came up, “that it would hs best, lad, if we put down in the logbook all that has hap- pened last night and to-day, and this just now, too, It's fresh in our minds how, and it will be something to go by.” So Burns and I got the logbook from the captain's cabin. The axe was there, where we had placed it earlier in the day, lying on the white cover of the bed. room was un- touched, as the dead man had left it—a collar on the stand, brushes put down hastily, a half smoked cigar which had burned a long acar on the wood before it had gone out. We went out silently, Burns carrying the book, I locking the door behind us. Mrs. Johna, gitting near the com- panionway the volver on her looked up and eyed me coolly. ‘So they would not do it!" “I am sorry to disappoint you~ they would not.” She held up my revolver to me and “I only aald putting down what ha was given to me, I have @ copy of the log-hook before me now, the one that was used at the trial. The men read it through before they signed it, Aug. 18. This morning, between 2.80 and 8 o'clock, three murders were committed on the yacht Ella, At ‘Mrs, Johns, one the request ystery of the party on board, I moved to the after house to slee} putting my blanket and pillow in the storeroom and sleeping on the floor there. Mrs. Johns gave as her reason a fear of some- thing going yet, as there w: r. the captain. I where the came from. I rai into Mr. Vall’e cabin, next the and called him, His door was standing T beard Bim breathing heavily. Then the breathing stopped. I struck « mat and found him dead. His bead an axe, the left hand cut off, there were gashes on the id the abdomen. By Mary Roberts Rinehart Williama bad said. Turner was in that the grip of delirium tremens, and the Ella was without owner or of- ficers, Turner refused to open either door for us. As well as we could make out, he was moving rapidly but @lmost noiselessly up and down the room, muttering to himesif, now and then throwing himself on the bed, only to up at once. He rang his bell a dozen times and summoned Willams, only, in to the but- ly, reply eee tive attempts succeeded in getting a from Aim, **Pilarsh * she called. “I want to 1 talk to you. Let me in! L. ‘ll get us,” he sald craftily. “Uae? Who is with yout” “Vail,” he replied promptly. “H here talking. je won't let me sleep.” “Tell him to give you the key and you will keep it ‘for him @o no one some pervenoe with euch ones a some ex: @uoh cases in the hospital. She tried it without any particular hope, but it succeeded immediately. He pushed the key out under the at once we heard him throw himgelf on the bed, as if satisfied that the problem of his ae- curity was solved. Mrs. Turner held the key out to me, but I would not take “Give it to Williams,” I said. “You must understand, Mre, Turner, that J cannot take it." Bhe was a woman of few no Hansen, lady's maid, was on the floor dead, with her skull @mhed in. The Hen- dletta Sloane, was fainting in her ounk. An axe had been hurled through the doorway aa the Han. gen ‘woman fell and was found in the etewardeas's bunk. Dawn coming by that time, I suggested a guard at the two companionways and this was done, The men: were searched #and all weapons taken from them. Mr. Singleton wes under suspi- ction, it at ki that he had threatened cayaine ige, and Oleson, @ lookout, claiming have seen him forward where the axe was kept, & The crew insisted that Single- ton be put in irons. He raade no rangement, Burns, one of themselves, as mate, and asked me to assume mand. I protested that I knew nothing of navigation, but agreed on ite being resented that as 1 was not one of them tnere could be no ill feeling. Tho ship was searched, on the pominiey of finding a stowaway in the hold. But nothiog was found. I divided the into and I the other. the after companionyay. and for- bade any member of the crew to si, ie iia“ castle was jocked, bi their belongings on deck. ‘The stewardesa recovered and told her story, which, in her own writ- ing, will be added to this record. eo bodies of the dead were brought on deck and sewed into canvas, and later, with appropri- ate services, placed in the jolly- it being the intention, later on, to tow the boat behind us. Mr. Turner insisted ae the toawe fo buried at sea, and, on the oi this, retired to his cabin, that he Sonaiered the position of the men a mutiny. Bome feeling having arisen among the women of the party that I might know more of the crimes than was generally sub- joned, having been in the after Bouse at the time they were com- mitted, and having no references, I this afternoon voluntarily sur. rendered myself to Burns, actin first mate. The men, howev ipa to accept thi 'y @wo, Adams and Mc} favoring it. I expect to give my self up to the police at the nearest port until the matter ts thoroughly probed ‘The axe is locked in the cap- cabin. tain’ Signed) RALPH LESTE. John Robert Burns Charles Kiineordlinger (Jones) William McNamara, Carl L. Clarke Soneph Q. Adame John Oleson Tom MacKenzie op! announ Witnesses: Obadiah Williams CHAPTER Xil. The First Mate Talks. ILLIAMS came up on deck late that afternoon, with a scared face, and announced that Mr. Turner had locked Dimself in his cabin, and was raving in delirium on the other aide of the door. I sent Burne down-- having decided, in view of Mrs, Johna'n accusation, to keep away from the living quarters of the fam~- fly, Bura’e report corroborated what fter Mr. that he is Turner, Bee Searertabes and try to keep him in Williams boy out @ trembling hand, but, before he took the key, Turner's voice rose side of the "For God’ Plaintively, Gieep! I haven’ ‘iliams ran out of the cabin, gi ord that ship was haunted and that Vail ‘k. From that moment, y om the other for during most of that it took ua to get back he | y y nating the wild frenzy of tremens with qi moments wheo be glared at us with crafty, murder: ous eyer, and picked incessantly a’ the bandages that tied him down. No! fn instant did he sleep that we could discover, and always, day or night, Vail was with him, and they were quarreiting. The four women took care of him as best they could. For a time they gave bim the bromides I D pobgenrh taking my medical knowledge with- out question, In the horror of the altuation curiosity had no place and class distinctions were forgotten. ‘That great leveller, a common trouble, put Henrietta Sloane, the stewardess, and the women of the [aon at the same table in the after ouse, where none ate, and placed t! responsibility for the sbip, althou, I wes inally in command, on the shoulders of the men. And is Up am them a sort of It de corps, curious under the perhaps, by the prisoning Hingieton they, the murderer safely in hand. What they thought of Turner's ible connec- tion with the crt do not know. Personally, I was convinced that Turner was guilty. Perhaps, lulled into a false seourity by the incar- wvativa of the two mon, wo uncon- sclously elaxed our vigilance. But by the first night the crew were somewhat calmer. Here and a Pipe wes Sernem, fod © castle » eorved Sersmlaston thet t thouent Tt best to ion that it, went forward and painted « black cross on the eide of the IIy-boat, and below {it the date, ‘Aug. 13, 1911. The crew watched in Teapectful atlence, weather was in our favor, the 5, white cloud masses, with on our quarter, @ blue heaped with the sunset fringed with the geod nated at the forward compantonway, and, ‘although the men were divided into watches, the entire crew was on duty virtually all the time, I find, on consulting the book in which I recorded, beginning with that day, the incidents of the return that two things bappened inter- n watch at the beginning of the sec- ond dog watch, 6 o'clock, I went for- ward to the room where Singleton was imprisoned. Burns gave mé the key and advised me to take a weapon. I did not, however, nor was it needed, The first mate was aitting on the o of his bunk in his attitude of the morning, bis head in bis hands. As I entered he looked up and nodded, His color was still looked 111 and nervous, as might bave been expected after his condition the night before. “For God's sake, Leslie,” he said, “tell them to open the window. ° I'm choking He was right; the room wae etif- Ung. I opened the door behind me, and stood in the doorway, against a rush for freedom. But he did not move. He sank back Into bis de- Jected attitude, ‘Will you eat some soup if I send le shook his head, ‘Ia there anything you care for?" “Better let me starve; I'm gone, anyhow.” “Stogicton,” T sald, "I wish you would tell mo about last night. It you did it, we've got you, If you you'd better let me take your unt of what happened, while {t's fresh in your mind, Or, better atill, write it yourself.” He beld out bis right hand. I saw it was baking - freedom, amd that I knew arom “Couldn't hold @ "he said would not agree tor Le tersely, “Wouldn't bé believed, any- “You'll be elck enough before you ow.’ @et back!” be snarled. ‘ clowd “and “igcked the door’ apeiay HA an loc! ie ir and, coming in, todk out my note. CHAPTER XItl. . book and pencil. He watched me The White Light. craftily. “You can write it,” he said, “if you'll give it to me to keep. I'm the approach of night Gwn neck. “if Wes ail rights my law ‘There wes ght ot a s rl my law- yore wil It it isn't"—— He pe be} | had never liked the man and hie tacit ackndwiedgment that he might incrimigete hi him wit I took down his story, and reproduce it here, Se” with which Briefly, Bingleton’a watch began at midnig! compla! cook prepare him a mustard poultice, and had watch from eight to twelve, &nd, on coming quarter le’s Night lunch, that the captain was in bed and Mr, Tur ‘Singleton, therefore, took his cap and went on minutes drink or two earlier in the evening, hie a aleep among the crew, and with the twilight there was a distinét” return of the terror of the morning. + Gathered around the wheel, tie crew listened while Jones read even- ing prayer, Between the two houses, where the deck was roped off, Miss Leo was alone, pacing back and for- ward, ber head bent, her arms dropped listiessiy. The wind bad gone and the sails hung loose over our heads. I stood by the port rail. Although my back wan toward Miss Lee, I was oon- scious of her every movement, and #0 | I knew when she stooped under the rope and moved lightly toward the ey n was, I wi as light enough to see There was atil her face as she turned when I called imaelf made me eye shuddering distaste. But minus the technicalities and #& was inter. ‘The captain, who bad been ‘ing of lumbago, bad had the retired early, Burns was on ‘to the forward house at.a eleven o'clock to eat his reported to orn t ‘ner had been asking for him. deck. This was about twenty after eleven, He had had a and he took another in his cabti her: 4 when be got his cap, ~ J fi Leet You must not ave v He found Turner in the chart-house, playing waa alone, and he asked Singleton to join him. is watch and accepted the invitation, but decided to look around the for- req; ward house to be sure the captain & moment. that some one was watching him. thought at Ho atruck a light and looked around. There wae, no one in sight. He could aft to strike the bell. duty of e@* the hour.) eleven. door and I the captain had been roused atill The axe belo: of the forward ~ that it must not be removed from {ts pectedly, place except in emergency, @nd the first mate carried it out and leaned it against the forward port cornet f of the after house when low. Later, on his watch, he carried it forw: longed. He found Turner waitin, and together théy descended to the Pag He did not feel the whis! a he heard him breath! lust not?” am sorry to seem arbitrary. It} ie for your own safety.” . 4 “Surely I may go to the faill’* “It would be unwise, if for no ether son than discipline.” > you trying.te dls- deretnnat't Tela natpattontty and jorstand,” , ["} Seclde “Just now ae ia charge eee the Ella. It does not matter how @m- 4 fit I am—the fact remains. Nor does it concern me that your brother-im- “ law owns the ship. I am in charge it, and, God willing, there will be more crimes on it. You will go bag + to the part of the deck that is served for you, or you will go below and stay there.” She flushed with anger, and stood there with her head thrown ing me with a contempt that out to the quick. The next moment she wheeled and, raising her flung toward the rail the key to storeroom door, I caught her too late. solitaire and drinking. He ‘The first mate looked at “Discipline! He wont on deck. He “ Burns and the lookout ee te forward house was dar! ened sien the captain’ thing heav- uneasy feeling He $2 of Schwarta; and was unc le Jones in the forecastic his banjo and Burns same tune as he went (it was ch to atri It was then half aft As he the captain’ in, his foot struck something to the floor. He was afraid and stood tl the officer on : € But fate waa on my eld As I stood, still gripping f the key fell ringing almost at my feet. It had struck one of the lower stooped, and, picking ate on the outer wall ouse. It was a G7 hi “4 @ went be. ng to ard and put it where it be- ly healthy. on deck, hard that night; for, there . chart room. He was none too clear looking ‘down at her, ie et out her as to what followed. They drank hand to me, palm up. together. Vail tried to get Turner to “Please!” she said ptain felt to at and Chart id there had been a furious quarr ent on watch at midnight Burns was uncertain about leaving him. He was not intoxicated, he maintained, until after half past ono. leadingly. believed that “What does tt mean to you, Leslie? captain, The We were kind to you, weren't we? had ordered him to the deck When you were ill, we took you on, ter end L now you hate il by that time, and, when be 6 you!” ‘He didn't know what he was de- of. me wasn't ~ sae, aa pee jo kills—that way. He & revolver, the bell without difficulty, if he hi i—— Please ke each time he went aft % that LR eee avons Jones, who w: t the wheel. “Some one will suffer. He was abl ‘Would After -that, however, he sudden! felt at ; He thought 1 lenly pam d o inmocent suffer with ‘and tol the helmsman so, He =“ aaked Jones to strike the bell for him, any ones7—<n nt Drove 't aeatnat ing up on the forecastie head, “They may prove it against me,” lay down on the beards and feli “You” . He did not waken until he heard ‘alx bella atruck—# o'clock, dered, “Meant enter ame Bat cahnfare, he bad fully roused, I warm and to find the bodies, You aaw y Placing ler “How “You captain.’ “T had @ revolver; I didn’t need to Much inclined T thought he was keeping ack, I lookout saya you were not on deck between 3 and 3 o'clock.” T sald, “when the ivokuut with the axe you were re- 2 “It does not matter—I_ know told you the truth, Miss Elsa; 1 Suk here from the hospital. But { may. fe. tween 2 pave to fight for ay Against joes he know? I was asleep.” the Turner money’ and influences, I. had threatened to get the Beye. calr—tole all I give it 0 you? T held it out to her on the palm my hand. It wag melodramatic, ree ably; but I waa very young, asd, that time wildly In love with ben | thought, for @ moment, that she would « take it; but she only drew a as I disiiked the man, I was to believe bis stor; though mething leaned forward. “Singleton,” I sald, “ if you didn’t >reath and pushed my hand away, do it—and I want to thi “Keep it," ahe sald. not-—who did?” 54 ae ven 66 ashamed.” 7. Ho shrugged his shoulders. When she turned to me te “We have women aboard. to know what precautions to take." was to find my eyes fixed Pe ry ootent "You say you have neither money “LT wasn't the onl on nor influence, And yet, you % that night. Burns was about, and he sentleman.” we 8) had a quarsel with the Hansen *~ Bone: 60." woman. Jones was at the wheel, too. . “You iow what I mean”—tm: ‘Why don’t you lock up Jones?” ttently, “You are not" re conn “Wo ure all under suspicion,” I ad- eallor.” mitted. “But you had threat iT did not claim to be one.” captain.” “You are quite determined we shall | vai hover threatened the girl or Mr, Not know anything about you?” I had both fell silent first to speak “Thore is nothing to know. T have given you my name, which ts prace teally all T own in the world, I hoeded a chance to recover from an no answer to this, and we Singleton was the “How are you going to wet back? Illness, and T wae obliged to work. The men can sail a course, but who This red the best opportunity to fa to lay it out? Turner? No Turner combine both.” ever knew anything about a ship but “You are not getting much chance what it made for him, to rest,” she said with a sigh “Purnee p eich. Look here, Single- Up. I’ went with her teothe ce ton, you want to get back as much ax pinlonway and opened the door, Bbq we’ do, of more, Wouldn't you be turned and looked at me. witling to lay a course, If you wern —“Good-night-” taken out once « day? Burns ia “Good-night, Miss Lee.’ doing it, but he doesn't pretend to i feel very safe with you en kiiow much about Jt, and—we have guard,” sho said and held out her the bodies hand.” I took it in mine with my But he turnod ugly again, and re- heart leaping. It was ua cold as low fused to help unless ho was given hia (To Be Continued.) P Next Week’s Complete Novel The tale of a self- exiled American's strange adventures on the other side of the earth and of his meeting with the “One Girl’: ARROT & CO. "By Harold McGrath WILL BEGIN IN he i at