Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-12-22
CHAPTER. VII

1t was late in the afternoon when
Sarah Purfoy awoke from her uneasy
slumber. She had been dreaming of the
deed she was about to do, and was flush
ed and feverish, but, mindful of the
consequences which hung upon the sue
cess or failure of the enterprise, she
rallied herself and assembled with as
calm an air as she could assume, to the
deck.
The Malabar seemed to be enveloped
in an electric cloud, whose sullen gloom
chance spark might flash into a blaze
that should consume her. The woman
who held her in her hands the two ends
of the chain that would produce this
spark looked down into the barricade.
Three men, leaning carelessly against
the bulWarks, watched her every motion.
There she is, right enough" growIed
Mr.. Gabbett, as if in continuation of
previous remark. ''Flash as ever,
and looking this way, too. There, look
at that" he added, as the figure of
Maurice Frere appeared side by side
with that of the waiting maid, and the
two turned away up the deck together
Maurice Frere had come behind her
and touched her on the shoulder. Since
their conversation the previous evening,
he had made up his mind to be fooled
no longer. The girl was evidently play
ing with him, and he would show her
that he was not to be trifed with.
'Well. Sarah"
"WelI, Mr.. Frere," dropping her hand
and turning round with a smile.
'How we'll you are looking to-day!
Positively lovely. l say, though what
i, +bn Of, ~, 70 r. lppco Wi +1o
Il fellow this way?"
She cast her eyes down to the deck,
and a modest flush rose on her cheeks.
81 have so much to do" she said in a
half whisper. 'There are so many eyes
upon me, | cannot stir without being
seen"
She raised her head as she spoke, and
to give effect to her words, looked round
the deck. Her glance crossed that of
the young soldier on the forecastle. and
though the distance was too great for
her to distinguish his fexurns, she
guessed who he was-Miles was jealous
F'rere, smiling with delight at her change
of manner, came close to her, and whis-
pered in her ear. She affected to start
and took the opportunity of exchanging
a signal with the Crow.
Il will walk with you at s o'clock"
said she.
"They relieve guard at s." he said
deprecatingly.
She tossed her head every well. tLen,
attend to your guard; l don't care"
But, Sarah, consider"
GAS if a women in love ever consid-
erS." said She turning upon him burn
ing glance. which in truth might have
melted Il more icy man than he. She
loved him, then! What a fool he would
be to refuse. The guard could relieve
itself fer once without his supervision.
Very Well; at s. then"
Hush" said she. Here comes that
stupid captain"
md as Frere left her she turned, and
vith her eyes fixed on the convict bar
ricade, dropped the handkerchief she held
in her hand over the railing. 1t fell at
the feet of the captain, and with a quick
upward glance that worthy fellow picked
it up and brought it to her.
"Oh, thank you, Captain Blunt" said
she, and her eyes spoke more than her
tongue.
did you take the laudanum?" whis-
pered Blunt with twinkle in his eye.
''Some of it, said she. Il will bring
you back the bottle"
Blunt walked aft, humming cheerily,
and saluted Frere with slap on the
back The two men laughed. each at
his own thoughts, but their laughter only
made the surrounding gloom seem deep
er than before.
Sarah Purfoy, casting her eyes toward
the barricade, observed a change in the
position of the three meu. The Crow,
having taken off his prison cap. held it
at arms length with one hand, while
he wiped his brow with the other. Her
signal had been observed. During all
this. Rufus Dawes, removed 30 the hos
pital, was lying flat on his back, staring
at the deck above him, trying to think
of something he wanted to say.
The place where he lay was but dim
y lighted. He could but just see the
deck above his head, and distinguish
the outlines of three other berths, APP
parentty simiiar &C his own. He could
hear EaSpS aud means and muttarinpS