The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01

of the ship. Within month he was equal
ly popular in the forecastle, the steerage,
and the captains cabin. Then one T1.n-
ing Skr!mShire awoke with a sense that
something unusual was happening, follow
ed by an instantaneous premonition Of i'm
pending peril to himself
There wee too many boots and voices
over his head; the ship was bowling Sc
dately before the northeast trades. and
4 otherwise as still as a ship could be. Skrim-
shire sat up and looked through his port
hole. liner was passing them also
outward bound, and some three or four
miles to port There was nothing alarm
ing in that. Yet Skirmshire went straight on
deck in his pajamas; and, on the top rung
Of the pooplaoder. paused an instant his
/ now bearded Jaw more salient than it had
been for weeks.
| -Four little hags huttered one above the
other from the peak halliards, and at the
weatherrail stood tie captain, q powerful
well apart. and marine binocular glued
| TO his eyes. Near him was the sce-nd
| mate. a simple young fellow, who greeted
skrimshire with a nod
What's up. McKendrick? What is
she?"
"A Castle liner; one o. Donal' currie's
Cape boats
why did you signal herr" whispered
Skrimshire.
Twas she signaled us
"Do you know what it's all about?''
mo. but the captain does.
The captain turned round as they were
speaking. and Skrimshire read his secret
at a glance. 1t was his own discovered
since his flight and flashed across the sea
by the linerS Dennons. Meanwhile the
captain was looking him up and down, his
hitherto friendly face convulsed with hat
red and horror: and Skrimsbire realized
the instant necessity of appearing abso-
lutely unsuspicious OF suspicion.
"Mornin'. captain said he. with all the
cheerful familiarity which already existed
between them; ''and what's ali this bloom
in signalin' about?"
Want TO known Numbered the captain,
now looking MIN through and through.
You bet do
And Skrimshire held. his Breath won an
insinustins grin. psrryins plain adherence
with seeming unconcern, until the other
merely stared
Then yoT can mind your own business
roarcd the captain, at last, and get off
my poop-and speak to my officer of the
watch again at your perIl!'
ll-i'm-hanged." drawled Skrim-
shire, and turned on his heel with the
raised eyebrows of bewildered innocence.
but the drops stood thick upon his fore
head when he saw himself next minute
In his state room mirror.
So he WAS found out; and the captain
had been Informed he had a murderer
aboard, and detectives would meet the shin
In Hobsons Bay. and the murderer would
BE- escorted back through the Suez Canal
and duly hanged after nothing better than
run round the world for his money!
The thing had happened before: it had
been the fate Of the first train murderer;
but he had taken the wrong hat in his
panic. What on earth had Skrimshire left
behind him that was going to hang him
after all?
He could not think. nor WIS that tie
thing TO think about. The immediate ne
cessity he had seen at once. with extraor
cinary qulckness OF perception, and he had
already acted upon 1t with nerve more
extraordinary still. He must preserve such
a front as should betray not the shadow
of dream that he could by any possible
ity be suspected. by any soul on board;
absolute case must be his watchword alb
solute security his pose; then they might
like TO save themselves the inconvenience
Of keeping him in irons knowing that de-
tectives would be waiting to do all the
dirty work at the other end. And in two
months thinking a man should hit upon
something. or he deserved to swing.
The opening day was not the worst. The
captains rudeness was enough to account
for change In any mans manner and |
Skrimshire did both we'll and natIraiiy to
sulk for the remainder Of that Day. His