Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-17

How long is this going to last. real
Typ asked the passenger.
"Oh, it's lifting rapidly" was the
answer. "You won't hear the fog
horn much longer. In fact, we are
running into quite gale. 1t will
strike us about dark"
Mrs. Goddard nudged her compan-
ion, and when the speakers had
walked on, she said in whisper:
Things are working beautifully"
Beautifully" echoed Mrs. Nolan.
whose heavy conscience had intensi-
fed her natural dread Of dangers at
sea.
"Yes, bad weather is exactly what
want" And the plotting woman at
once set herself to the study of storm
indications.
By eight o'clock that night the sea
was rocking, frothing, tossing in fury.
The two women shut themselves in
their room and held whispered con-
ference over their final movements.
During his rounds over the slippery.
spTay-washed deck the captain raped
at their door. Mrs. Nolan went to it,
Passengers are forbidden to go on
deck" he said. Everybody below
! will stay downstairs. The wind il
strong and the sea high. Keep your
door locked. How is Mrs. Goddard?''
Thank you, sir, she seems little
excited, but think she will soon be
| asleep" and she closed the door as he
walked away.
THAT was splendid reply" said
Mrs, Goddard, approvingly. Every
thing is working well; the deck will
be entirely deserted. To be on the
safe side, wait till ten o'clock. Re-
member, you are to do it all now. III
depends on you. If they press you
too hard for explanations. go into hys.
terics. You surely can do that"
II presume can; but oh, my Lordi"
"Don't begin that; we are here for
battle. Do you remember every de.
tail now?" a,
"As if they made up my whole life
and my life depended on my knowing
them"
SWELL, I think you'll do. Don't for
| get to yell at the top of your lungs,
and if they should want to open tho
closet don't let them do it, if YOU
have to knock somebody down"
"I'll prevent it if can. 1t would
be awful for us to be caught in this,
/ We must carry it through
BE sure there is no one looking
/ when-when am supposed to make
the plunge" Mrs. Goddard made q
peep-hole at the side lof the window
curtain, which was always drawn
down, and peerel out on deck. ITS
as dark as Erebus out there abe
said. 80
Then they sat down ana remained
silent till the bells struck the hour OF
ten.
Now, lock me in. Remember, when
the coast is clear for me to come
out, you are to signal three times
softly-so!" And Mrs. Goddard raped
on the door of the closet with her
! knuck.es.
understand" said Mrs. Nolan,
firmly "Now get in and let's have
it over with"
you needn't look SO excited"
smiled Mrs. Goddard, as she sat down
on the stool in the closet and drew
her skirts round her ankles.
II am not any more so than YOU
are" retorted Mrs. Nolan. give seen
you in a good many tight places, and
have never seen just such funny
look about your mouth"
Mrs. Goddard made failure of her
next smile.
II actually feel as if I were being
| buried alive; ugh! Shut me in and
act your part as if your salvation de-
pended on it,
Mrs. Nolan made no response as she
shut the door; she seemed to h@ye
lost her voice. She turned the key,
drew it from the lock, and put it into
her pocket. AS she did so her fingers
touched its duplicate. This gave her
an idea, and she raped on the closet
door and then opened it.
'Well?" inquired the prisoner, with
q white, startled stare.
II have both the keys" explained
Mrs. Nolan. Perhaps you ought to
keep one. If anything should hap
pen-any Academic me you would
be in a fix. This morning / found
that the door could be opened from
the inside"
Lucy, you are sharper than am;
I never would have thought of that"
The ship rose on a great swell and
rolled far over on its side, throwing
Mrs. Nolan into the closet. She
braced herself against the wall and
held on to the swinging door till
the ship had righted itself
Don't lose any more time said
Mrs. Goddard. wait until we go over
on one of those swells and then give
the alarm
Mrs. Nolan locked the closet again
and then went to the outer door and
opened it. A fierce wind blew upon
her and binding cloud of spray
drenched her to the skin. But when
It. had lifted a little she looked on,
and along the deck. No one was in
sight. The Cleopatra rose on giant