The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-05-02

LILO CdDln
'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 ship!
I 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 &C
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 l
marveled 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.
"It 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
1y he went and knocked at her door,
calling her name. There was no re-
Spouse.
81 do not know what to make of it."
he said to me on deck. "Oh, fatherI"
he added wildly, sis it possible she can
have suddenly died?"
81 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, I might suspect that she
had absconded with your money"
AS night approached her non-appear-
ance excited general comment, and /
was advised to break open the door,
which was locked. 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 Godl what can have become of
herT' he groaned.
In fact, it certainly was a 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.
"May she not have gone on deck last
I'D on1 fo11a,1 Nxraxl1or10u
one of the passengers.
"Impossible" I answered. cit was
clear moonlight, I was on deck all
night, and besides, I 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 a thorough search to
be made throughout the ship. This was
done; but no, she was not to be found,
though every nook and corner was looked
into.
Then it occurred to me to speak to the
detective about it. and as soon as canld
unopserved knocked at his door.
He cautiously opened it, but on seeing
who was there he invited me in.
I told him what had happened, not
even emitting to mention the sudden
change had previously noticed in the
young lady's height. AS proceeded /
observed that his keen eyes seemed to
grow larger, while the thick beard that
covered the face of this singular man
kept.twitching, as if every hair was in
stinct with life.
"Give me time," he said solemnly,
when had finished, "and will solve
this mystery. In few days may be
able to do it-perhaps not for week"
left him and went on deck. Tom
was there, looking so downcast and for
lorn that resolved to acquaint him with
the presence of the detective, and tell
him what he said, and so, perhaps,
brighten him up little.
did so, but my words had an effect,
had not expected. Rejecting moment,
he cried out: Father, believe that man
is humbug! But whether he be de-
tective or not, now suspect that he is a
thief and murderer; that he knew of
Miss Merwin's having that$5 900 bond,
and that in order to possess himself of it
he has killed her and thrown her body
overboardv'
stared at him in amazement, and
toldshim feared that his grief hadudis-
tTbed his reason. How was it possible,
asked him, that the man could have
got the body overheard without our
knowing it?
"Hecould have choked herst to death,
carried her to one of theopen cabin win
dows, and dropped her through that"
hereplied.
Impossible" / answered, without
the splash being overheard by the man
at-the wheel, or by some one on deck.
Besides, doubt if he could have
squeezed the body through either of our
cabin windows, which, you know, are
very small"
Tom, however, seemed to think it
could have been done, owing to Miss
Merwin being SO slender, and in spite of
all my efforts, I could not entirely rid
his;mind Of that horrible idea.
Days passed, for we had headwinds,
which kept us off our course; but as yet
the detective had nothing to tell me,
though he said he soon might be able to
explain the whole affair.
A, strange affair enough. Never before
hadI such an experience, or anything
approaching to it, in any craft com
manded. The passengers were equally
puzzled; it was the talk of all aboard
thership. AS for Tom, he grew paler,
thinner, wilder every day. At last, one
afternoon, when we had entered ST.
deorge's channel, he came up to me and
sad, in huslhyvoice: 'Itis as thought
e!mc'kl have something to show you!
Make no noiser'
followed him. We both wore light
slippers, and without noise entered the
room Miss Merwin had occupied. He
pointed to crevice, which he had evil
IDENTIFY made in the partition, and look.
ing through it L saw the detective in tbe
next apartment, kneeling by his open
carpet bag, from which now protruded
theideutical buskins-I could not mis-
tsaJkao tlrerf--sypfrirh Miss MerswrffyxN M n5