The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-04-14

utorou LoI " iHOu6nt dlIuOSU LOOK away
my breath. My whole mind was fixe(
upon this one thing, and when my SOL
came up few hours later to take tht
deck ! described the singular change
had noticed in Miss Merwin stature.
| He stared at me at frstasi he thought
me mad, then broke out into IN incredu
lous laugh, saying that my eyes or the
imperfect light must have deceived me.
/ knew better, however; but finding
could not convince him told him tc
wait until the young lady should appea,
at breakfast in the morning, when he
might see for himself.
Two hours later the second mate CANT
up to relieve Tom, who then went be.
low, The officer, seeing me seated in 3
reverie on the quarter deck, walked
amidships, where he stood looking care.
lessly forward
All at once, judge Of my surprise
when, on raising my head, I beheld,
leaning against the rail near me, a per-
son had never seen before-a slender,
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 your Where
did You come from% ! cried.
"Pray don't excite yourself" he cody
answered. II 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 Thereon you would have seen
me, but you probably missed the key, or
thought it was lost"
"That is true; butt
Here is my warrant" he interrupted,
handing me paper, which, on reading
by the lanterns light, ! perceived was
q signed document, apparently from the
proper authorities, instructing John
Clews, the bearer, a 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. II have not watched
through the hole bored in the partition
for nothing"
=" Why, mani" 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 beenstold that the murderess was
much shorter and nearly twice as old"
He laughed in way which to me was
indescribably disagreeable
" It is not Miss Merwin | allude to"
he said "You will remember that the
,stateroom Of Miss Lorton is also next to
mine"
"Whatw / exclaimed, almost as much
surprised as before, "you suspect that
stout young lady who ?'-
~ don't suspect" he interrupted; "I
know her to be the criminal"
''But she is young, plain and stout;
the accused woman was slender
bah" he again interrupted "Dis-
guisei 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 II shall arrest this
woman and take her on board of it with
me. | 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 a shadow into
the cabin.
"Now, then, | 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!
commenced to walk the deck in no
pleasant frame of mind, and the morn
ing light stole around me before / 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 themeal ] 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 |
how the detective contrived to
penetrate through SO perfect disguise.
Feeling tired out after breakfast |
,lept until near noon.
When went on deck Tom was SUPER
intending the repairing Of the spanker
)oom. ."