The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-05-11
CHAPTER VII.

SlumDer. she mad been drea ming 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 woma n
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" growled
Mr. Gabbett, as if in continuation of
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
ne 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
'Well. Mr.. Frere," dropping her hand
and turning round with smile.
"How well you are looking to-day.
Positively lovely. l say, though. what
Is the use of playing fast and loose with
q fellow this wayy
She cast her eyes down to the deck.
and modest flush rose on her cheeks
Il 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 forecastIe. end,
though the distance was too great for
her to distinguish his features. she
guessed who he was-Miles was jealous.
Frere. 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.
81 will walk with you at o'clock"
said she.
"They relieve guard at s." he said.
deprecatingly.
She tossed her head. Every well. then,
attend to your guard: don't care"
But. Sarah. consider"
AS If a women In love ever consid-
ers!' said she, turning upon him a burn
ing glance, which in truth might have
melted more icy man than he. She
loved him, then! What a fool he would
be to refuse. The guard could relieve
itself for once without his supervision.
VERY well; at 8, then"
flush" said she. Here comes that
stupid captain"
And as Frere left her she turned. and
with her eyes fixed on the convict bar
ricade, dropped the handkerchief she held
in her hand over the railing. 1t fell al
the feet of the captain, and with a Quick
upward glance that worthy fellow picked
1t up and brought it to her
ooh, thank you, Captain Blunt" ga iG
she, and her eyes spoke more than hel
tongue.
''Did you take the laudanum?" whis
pered Blunt, with a twinkle in his eve
''Some of it." said she. 81 will brins
you back the bottle"
Blunt walked aft, humming cheerily
and saluted Frere with a slap on tn,
back. The two men laughed, each a
his own thoughts, but their laughter onl.
made the surrounding gloom seem deep
er than before.
Sarah Purfoy. casting her eyes towart
the barricade, observed change in tn
position of the three men. The Crow
having taken off his prison cap, held /
at arms length with one hand, Will
he wiped his brow with the other. He
signal had been observed. During al
this, Rufus Dawes. removed to the hos
pital. was lying fat on his back. starin
at the deck above him, trying to thin
of something he wanted to say.
The place where he lay was but dim
~ lighted. He could but just see tn
deck above his head, and dfstinguis
the outlines of three other berths, az
parently similar to his own: He coul
hsar easns and means and muttsrina