The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-15

"Whatl" I exclaimed, almost as much
surprised as before, "you suspect that
stout Young lady who"
II don't suspect" he interrupted; II
know her to be the criminal"
"But she is young, plain and stout; the
| accused woman was slender"
"Bah" he again interrupted. "Dis-
guisel That will explain all. 1t is easy
for a woman of that kind to make herself
look Younger and stOuter than she really
is. Should we fall in with good Liver
pool-bound ship l shall arrest this woman
and take her on board of it with me. l
will 90 back to my room now. You may
or NAV not see me again before we sight
home-bound craft"
With that he glided like shadow into
the cabin.
Now, then, had something to keep ne
! awake-to drive all thoughts of turning
in from my mind. So, after all, that
woman-that terrible murderess-was
aboard my ship
1 commenced to walk the deck IN no
pleasant frame OF mind and the morning
light stole around me before l 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 asserted
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 l went on deck, Tom was super
intending the repairing OF the spanker
boom.
ut is very strange" he said to me. I'M
easily; "Aiss Merwin has not yet shown
herself"
The day wore on without our seeing her.
Even at supper time she did not make her
appearance.
ION looked pale and concerned. Finally
| he went and knocked at her door, calling
| her name There was no response.
Il do not know what to make OF it" he
said TO me on deck. oh father" he
| added, wildly, lis it possible she can have
| suddenly died?"
al don't think So" [ 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, l might suspect that she had
| absconded with your money"
As night approached, her non-appear-
arce 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 God! what can have become Of
herr" he groaned.
In fact, 1t certainly was a very peculiar
| case, and, coupled with my previous OBJ
serva ion OF the strange shortening of the
| young woman's stature, il seemed to me
| TO partake almost of the supernatural
May she not have gone on deck last
| night and fallen oyerboard?" inquired
one OF the passengers.
''ImpossI ble % l answered. at was
clear moonlight. l was on deck all night,
and besides | had good lookouts posted
about the ship. The thing could not
have happened unknown to us"
We looked to see if We might not find q
note or something explanatory, but in
| vain.
Then | ordered 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. go s-..- ..-.
Then it occurred to me to speak to the
detective about it; and, as soon as could
! do so unobserved, L knocked at his door.
| lie cautiously opened it, but on seeing
who was there, be invited me in.
told him what h d happened, not even
emitting to mention the sudden change l
had previously noticed in the young lady's
height. As L proceeded 1 noticed that
| his keen eyes seemed 10 grow larger,
while the thick beard that covered the
face OF this singular man kept twitching,
as if every hair WAS instinct with life.
Give me time" he said soiemnly, when
| had finished, land viii solve this mys-
terry. In Jew days | may be able to do
it-perhaps not for week"
left him and went on deck Tom was
there, looking so downcast and fOrlorn
that l 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 a moment.
he cried out. Father, believe that man
is a humbug! But whether he be O de-
tective or not, | now suspect that he is q
| thief and a murderer; that he knew of
Miss Merwi 8 having that $1,000 bond
and that, in order to possess himself of it.
he has killed her and thrown her body
! overboard"
stared at him in amazement and told
| him / feared that his grief had disturbed
his reason. How was it possible, asked
him, that the man could have got the
body overheard without our knowing it?
''He could have choked her to death.
carried her 10 one of the open cabin win
dows. and dropped her through that" he
replied.
Impossible" answered, without the
splash being overheard by the man at the
wheel. or by some one on deck. Besides,
| L do bit 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, could not entirely rid my 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 air enough. Never before
had | such an experience, or anything APP
preaching to it, in any craft comm nded.
The passengers were equally puzzled; it
was the talk of all aboard the ship. AS
for Tom, he grew paler. thinner, wilder
daU one QftarnOOn whom