The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-10


use it? 1t isn't as If it were new. It's
been in its place for some time; ono can
see that by chip off her and there and
the way the varnish Is scratched.
HE did use it, said Dick '"The fact
that the desk is empty is one more link
in this nights mystery"
'.But he may have had a fancy to keep
everything In his locker" said Sir Peter
obstinately. Anyhow. We'll have a
look"
They had a look The captains modest
wardrobe was neatly arranged In the
locker, but the yachts papers. the agree
ment with the crew. and all other things
which they had counted upon for informa-
tidn were missing. Not wholly d1scour-
aged. however, they prolonged their /
search, peering into every Granny which |
could possibly contain anything worth |
finding, even under the mattress OF tho |
captains berth.
sH'm!' calculated Sir Peter. 'It begins |
to look rather f.shy for the captain. don't
YOU think so? What sort Of crime has
been committed it's impossible to tell yet;
but crime Of some kind there must have
been to sweep the yacht clean OF every
human being on board. why snould the
Yachts papers be missing unless thers
was a reason to make them disappear?
And who but the captain should mako
them disappear"
ats early to form a theory of that
Sort" said Knight.
see you QOn agree Will AiAo s'oNS
the captain"
'eWell, SIR so far I've only a feeling to
go on I don't feel it was the captain.
What motive could he have had to toetray
his master and get rid OF every soul on
p board?"
''Every man has his price. It's said The
owner Of this yacht evidently is-or was
very rich The appointments are SUI
perb. Why. the Lily Maids bessar-
maid beside this strange Xenia- Tho mo.
tive may have been theft on = grand
scale" L..
EVEN thief with grand ideas wouldn't
be likely to despise such loot az that We
saw below-sold dishes and 5ewelry
enough for kings ransom"
II forgot that for the moment. Perhaps
the fellow was mad; murdered everybody
and got off himself In boat
"None of the yachts boats are gone.
looked to see. And certainly, 80 far,
we've come across no sign OF violence.
THAT Is true. Whichever way we start
out we seem to come up against plank
wall believe it will always 90 So Only
the sea could tell. <,
'2hea the sea must be made to tell,
exclaimed Knight with curious thrill IN
his voice which arrested the elder mans
attention.
He xazed steadily at his late secretary.
''Yeu saw me looking into that waton IN
the cabin down below. he SAID Slowly
land you beard me cry out"
Yes, SIR" knight answered Qudae1ys
WELL" eir Peter went on. because OF
what 7 saw there-hardly able TO believe
my eyes at nrstI would give my right
hand-yes. and the arm with t. 70 turn
the key YOU talked about in the lock OK
this mystery. Because I want 1t SO much,
perhaps, I have no confidence in myself:
1T Is an unusual feeling for me. CONFESS
to you, knight. that this means more to
me than anything has meant Tor me Tor
seven and twenty years. My very Soul
lis uprooted by to-night's happenings, IN
a. way you could understand only II you
knew a secret which I've kept for Q quar-
ter of g. century" He stopped, a. pale
look Of irresolution on his strong, heavy
face, on which it sat like an au-ntt1ng
mask For moment Knight believed
that Sir Peter was making up his mind
ito con1de in him: but he would not urge
the confessional confession It were. He
stood silent, and presently the other
raised his head with an impatient sigh.
why do we waste time here?" he de-
manded, almost angrily. 1.-THE clue may
be waiting-merely waiting Tor US TO PICK
It up-someWhere else" s.r
They went to the first officers cabin.
and so on to the forecastle, but were no
wiser than In starting, except for having
seen that there was accommodation for
twelve in the crew, two stewards, COOK,
and an assistant. They were able to diff
ferentiate nthis way by means of the
clothing they found. Nevertheless, the
mystery deepened with every stey they
took, for, not only were the yachts pa
pers missing from the captains cabin,
but not letter. not a paper which could
give a clue to the identity Of any officer
or member of the crew could be found.
g. So far as discovering where the Xenia
had been built, whence she had sailed.
who was her owner, or where she had
been differed and manned, It might be
+ Sir Peter desperately remarked-that
she had sailed out Of the moon. and that
everyone on board had gone back there.
Having explored the forecastle they
went to the galleys; one for the use of
the head cook. in preparing meals for the
saloon, a small one adjoining for the as
sistant whose duty it was to cook for
the forecastle. Opening out Of the former
was the store room, and here they came
upon the first sign of confusion which
they had yet seen.
no real clue. Sir Peter. uninterested
would have passed It with Indifference;
but Dick Knight paused, looking down
contemplatively at huge, uncovered
wooden packing case, half drawn out from
under the lowest Of a row OF well-stocKed
shelves. ~r
The case had the nane OF a celebrated
hrm Of French wine merchants upon It,
This fact in itself was something; but it
was not that which arrested the young
man 8 atLSnLlOn
The use Of the case on board the yacht
had not been to hold wine bottles, for In
the bottom lay a mass Of common bed
ticking, clean and new, though crumpled
as If It had been wrapped round something.
On this rested q wooden grating, tipped
up against the side Of the packing case,
and on the floor. in front of the latter,
were ranged number Of sealed tins con-
tanning fruit preserved by an English
firm.
"Come along. Knight" said Sir Peter.
Lets find lantern, and have look in
the hold Who knows but we shall find
q bakers dozen Of bodies huddled down
there? Had you thought Of that?"
TITS possible, sir; one feels here as II
anything were possible" murmured Dick.
But he did not move, and the elderly man
saw that his mind was busy on something
unconnected with his words.
What are you staring at that big blk
for?" he demanded, impatiently. II
don't see that it has anything to say to
us"
.I wonder what was in IT," said Dick.
"Look here, Sir Peter, this grating was
intended; to lie on these cross pieces OF
wood, nailed about eight. inches from
the top. Upon that these tins probably
stood You can see''- and he took one
from the floor there would have been
Just room for them under the cover. Now,
what was kept underneath that grating,
and why was it necessary to conceal /,