Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-07-04
CHAPTER x.

SFbE'INs NUO NtIt huNifuN w fflu
their long confinement to the ship.
n heavy fog had fallen during the
night and the vessel, with deafenina
thrieks of the foghorn, was cropping
her way as slowly as a great raft A
delay of not less than II hours might
be counted on, declared expert Judges
OF nautical matters.
Mrs. Goddard and Mrs. Nolan were
az usual on deck sitting side by
SIDE when the second officer passed.
lie was hailed by an anxious voyaeer.
How long is this going TO last, real.
! ly?" 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 viii
Strike us about dark"
! Mrs. Goddard nudged her compan.
/ ion, and when the speakers lad
walked on. she said in a whispers;
Things are working beautifully"
"Beaatifully,' echoed Mrs. Nolan,
whose heavy conscience had intensi.
fed her natural dread Of dangers al
sea.
Yes. bad weather is exactly what
I want" And the plotting woman al
once set herself to the study of storm
indications.
BY eight o'clock that night the ses
was rocking, frothing, tossing in fury,
The two women shut them selves in
their room and held a whispered con.
ference over their final movements.
During his rounds over the slippery,
spray-wsshed deck the captain raped
at their door. Mrs Nolan went to il.
Passengers are forbidden 70 go on
deck" he said. Everybody below
will stay downstairs, The wind !,
strong and the sea high. Keep yoBt
door locked How is Mrs. Goddard ?"
THANK you, sir, she seems a litrls
excited, but l think she will soon bs
asleep" and she closed the door as ha
walked away.
That was a splendid reply" said
Mrs. Goddard, approviugly. Every.
thing is working well; the deck will
be entirely deserted. To be on the
safe side. wait till ten o'clock Re
member yaa are TO DO it all now. It
depends OF you If they press YOU
too hard for explanations, go into hys-
terics. You surely can do that"
II presume can; but oh, my Lord"
Don't begin that; We are here for
battle. Do you remember every de-
tail MOVE"
AS if they made up my whole liz.
and my life depended on my knowing
them"
"Well, think youu do. Don't for
get TO yea at the top of your lungs
and II they should want 10 open the
closet don't let them Go it, if you
have to knock somebody down"
I'll prevent it il I can It would
be awful for US to be caught in this.
We must carry it through"
BE sure there is no one looking
when-when l an supposed 20 make
the plunge" Mrs. Goddard made
peep-hole az the side Of the window
curtain. which was slways drawn
down, aud peered out on deck Its
as dark as Ereous out there" she
said.
Then they sat down and remained
silent till the bells struck the hour OF
ten.
Now, lock me in. Remember, when
the coast is clear for mo 10 come
ont. you are 10 signal three times
softly-so." And Mrs. Goddard raped
on the door Of the closet with her
knGck.es.
II 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.
Il am not any more SO than you
are retorted Mrs. Nolan. I've seen
you in good many tight places, and
have never seen just such a funny
look about your mouth"
Mrs. Goddard made a failure Of her
next smile.
81 actually feel as If were being
buried alive; ugh! Shut me In and
act your part al If your salvation de-
pended on it"
Mrs Nolan made no response as she
shut the door; she seemed 10 have
lost her voice. She turned the key,
drew il from the Iock. and put II into
her pocket. As she did so her fingers
touched its duplicate This gave her
al idea. and she raped on the closet
door and then opened II,
We'll ?" inquired the prisoner, with
Q white. startled stare.
81 have both the keys" explained
Mrs. Nolan "Perhaps you ought to
keep one. If anything should hap
pen-any accident-to me you would
be in fix. This morning l found
that the door could be opened from
the inside"
"Lucy, you are sharper than I am;
! never would have thought OF VI
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 10 the swinging door till
the ship had ighted Itself.
, Don't lose any more time" said
Mrs Goddard. wait until we go over
: on one OF those swehs and shen give
. the alarm"
Mrs. Nolan locked the closet again
and then went TO the outer door and
opened il. A fierce wind blew upon
her and a binding cloud of spray
drenChed her to the skin. But when
it had lifted q little SHE looked out