Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-10

middle aged man, of rather low stature,
with hair covering nearly every part Of
the face excepting the eyes, which gilt
tered like fireballs in the moonlight
"Why, halloal Who are you? Where
did you come from?" cried.
"Pray don't excite yourself" he cody
answered. "I am detective, and got
aboard in the harbor through the con-
nivance of one of your crew. am not
going to tell you which one-who also
supplies me with food. / have been all
along in the stateroom next to Miss Mer-
wins, with my carpetbag. Had you
looked in the room you would have seen
me, but you probably missed the key, or
thought it was lost"
"That is true; but
"Here is my warrant" he interrupted,
handing me paper, which, on reading
it by the lanterns light, perceived was
signed document, apparently from the
proper authorities, instructing John
Clews, the bearer, detective, to con-
ceal himself aboard the Hermione and
act as he might see Fit in his endeavor to
detect the murderess, Miss Youngson,
who it was suspected was passenger in
disguise aboard the vessel.
"She is here" was his confident reply
when / remarked that there must be
some mistake. 81 have not watched
through the hole bored in the partition
for nothing"
"Why, man" cried, aghast, she
cannot be the guilty one. She is inno-
cence itself-as artless as child. Be-
sides, she is very tall and young, whereas
| have been told that the murderess was
much shorter and nearly twice as old"
He laughed in way which to me was
indescribably disagreeable.
1t is not Miss Merwin allude to-"
he said. "You will remember that the
stateroom of Miss Lorton is also next to
mine"
"What!" exclaimed, almost as much
surprised as before, "you suspect that
stout young lady who ?"-
"I don't suspect" he interrupted; i" ]
know her to be the criminal"
"But she is young, plain and stout;
the accused woman was slender
"Bahr' he again interrupted. "Dis-
guise! That will explain all. 1t is easy
for woman of that kind to make her
self look younger and stouter than she
really is. Should we fall in with good
Liverpool bound ship I shall arrest this
woman and take her on board of it with
me. l will go back to my room now.
You may or may not see me again be-
fore we sight home bound craft"
With that he glided like shadow into
the cabin.
"Now, then L had something to keep
me awake, to drive all thoughts of turn
ing in from my mind. So, after all, that
woman, that terrible murderess, was
aboard my shipl
commenced to walk the deck in no
pleasant frame of mind, and the morn
ing light stole around me before I was
aware that the hour was so late.
When breakfast was ready in the cabin
Miss Merwin was absent from her ac-
customed place at the table. During the
progress of the meal looked more than
once at Miss Lorton-the stout young
lady who, the detective had positively as
serted, was Mary Youngson, the poisoner.
The quiet dignity and composure of
her manner, the frank, honest expression
of her face, and its undeniable plainness,
seemed to me SO natural, so real, that !
maryeled how the detective contrived to
penetrate through so perfect disguise.
Feeling tired out after breakfast /
slept until near noon.
When went on deck Tom was SUPER
intending the repairing of the spanker
boom.
sit is very strange" he said to me un-
easily, "Miss Merwin has not yet shown
herself"
The day wore on without our seeing
her. Even at supper time she did not
make her appearance.
Tom looked pale and concerned. Final
ly he went and knocked at her door,
calling her name There was no re-
sponse.
81 do not know what to make of it,"
he said to me on deck. "Oh, father!"
he added wildly, sis it possible she can
have suddenly died?"
''I don't think so," I answered; "she
seemed to be in good health"-and then
thought to myself, "Were it not that we
are where we are, and she different
sort of person, 1 might suspect that she
had absconded with your money"
AS night approached her non-appear-
ance excited general comment, and l
was advised to break open the door,
which was locked. I did so, and we
found her room empty. Her trunk was
still there, but she was gone.
My son looked at me as pale as death.
''My God! what can have become Of
herr" he groaned.
In fact, it certainly was very pecu-
liar case, and coupled with my previous
observation of the strange shortening OF
the woman's stature it seemed to me to
partake almost of the supernatural.
s'May she not have gone on deck last
night and fallen overboard?' inquired
one of the passengers.
"Impossible!" l answered. "It was
clear moonlight. was on deck all
night, and besides, had good lookouts
posted about the ship. The thing could
not have happened unknown to u.s."
We looked to see if we might not find
a note or something explanatory, but in
vain.
Then ordered thorough search to
be made throughout the ship. This was