The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-25

and unusually spacious. Fresh from
bis recollection of the CRIME and reek
Of the schooner. It struck Wilbur as
particularly dainty. 1t was painted
white, with stripes Of blue gold and
pea green On either side three doors
opened off into staterooms and private
cabins. and with each roll of the dere-
lict these doors banged like an irregu-
lar discharge of revolvers. In the CEN
ter was the dining table, covered with
a red cloth very much awry. On each
side of the table We're four armchairs
screwed to the deck one somewhat
larger ut the head. Overhead in swing
ing racks were glasses and decanters
Of whisky and some kind Of white
wine. But for one feature the sight Of
the T.etty's cabin was charming. How
ever on the floor by the sliding door in
the forward bulkhead lay a body, face
upward.
The body was that Of a middle aged
fine looking man, his head covered
with the fur, ear Tapped cap that Nor
wegians affect even in the tropics The
eyes were wide open, the face discol-
ored In the last gasp Of suffocation
the set of false teeth had been forced
halfway out of his mouth, distorting
the countenance with hideous simian
grin. Instantly kitchell's eye was
caught by the CLINT of the gold in
which these teeth were set.
Here's about 500 TO begin withw
he exclaimed. and, picking MP the
teeth, dropped them into his pocket
with a wink ut Wilbur The body Of
the dead captain was passed up
through the skylight and laid out on
the deck, and Wilbur and Kitchell
turned their attention to what had
been his stateroom
The captains room was the largest
ono of the six staterooms opening from
the main cabin.
Here we are" exclaimed Kitchell
rs he ana Wilbur entered. The old
mans room, and no mistake"
Besides the bunk. the stateroom was
fitted mp with a lounge Of red plush
screwed to the bulkhead 4 roll of
charts leaned in one corner; an alarm
clock, stopped at Ills, stood on a shelf
in the company of some dozen paper
covered novels and q drinking glass
full of cigars. over the lounge, how
ever, was the rack of instruments,
sextant, barometer, chronometer, glass
and the like. securely screwed down,
while against the wall in front of
swivel leather chair that was ironed
to the deck, was the locked secretary.
Look ut EN-: Just look ut 'em, viii
you" said Kitchell, running his fingers
lovingly over the polished brass of the
Instruments "Ihere's thousand dol
lars of stuff right here. The chronom-
eter's worth five hundred alone, Ben
nett & Sons own make He turned
to the secretary.
Now he exclaimed, with long
breath.
What followed thrilled Wilbur with
alternate excitement, curiosity and d
vivid sense of Dissertation and sac
rilege. For the life of him he could
not make the thing seem right or legal
in his eyes. and yet he had neither the
wish nor the power to stay his hand or
interfere with what kitchell was do
ing
The captain put the blade of the AK
in the chink Of the secretary's door and
wrenched it free 1t opened down to
form q sort Of desk and disclosed an
array of cubbyholes and two small
doors. both locked. These latter Kitch-
ell smashed in with the ak head. Then
he seated himself In the swivel chair
and began to rife their contents sys
temntcally, Wilbur leaning over his
shoulder.
The heat from the coal below them
was almost unbearable. In the cabin
the six doors kept up continuous ear
shocking fusillade, as though half a
dozen men were fighting with revolv-
ers From without down the open
slylight, came the sngsong talk of
the Cinnamon and the wash and rip