The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-05-18
that Sarah Purfoy was in the plss r

that Sarah Purfoy was in the plssr
he asked.
"Not shev' says Frere, eager to avert
inquiry. How could she be? Plot!
She's sickening Of fever, or I'm much
mistaken"
Sure enough, they found Sarah Pur-
foy lying where she had fallen a quar-
ter of an hour before. The clashing Of
the cutlasses and the firing Of muskets
had not reused her.
I'VE must make a sick bay some
where" says Pine, looking at the sense
less figure, with no kindly glance;
though l don't think she's likely to be
very bad. Confound her-I believe she's
the cause Of all this. I'll find out. too,
before many hours are over; for I've told
those fellows that, unless they confess
all about it before tomorrow morning.
I'll get them six dozen apiece the day
after We anchor in Hobart Town. I've
a great mind to do it before we get
there. Take her head, Frere. and We'll
get her out of this before Vickers comes
up. What a fool you are, to be sure!
l knew what it would be. with women
on board ship. I wonder Mrs. V. hasn't
been out before now. There-steady past
the door. Make haste, now, before that
little Parson comes. Parsons are reg
ular old women to chatter" and thus
muttering, Pine assisted to carry Mrs.
Vickers' maid into her cabin.
II don't wonder at you making
fool of yourself Chances are you've
caught the fever, though this breeze
will help to blow it out Of us. Blunt,
toor'
what do you mean?" asked. Frere,
hastily, as he heard step approach.
what has Blunt to say about her"
"Why, man, she was making eyes at
every man on the ship! I caught her
kissing a soldier once"
Maurice Frere's cheeks grew hot All
he was fascinating the black-eyed maid,
the black-eyed maid had been twisting
him round her finger, and perhaps imi-
tating his love-making for the gratifica-
ton of her soldier lover. 1t was not
pleasant thought; and yet, strange to
say, the idea of Sarah's treachery did
not make him dislike her. There IL a
sort of love which thrives under i'll
treatment.
Vickers met them at the door. "Pine.
Blunt has the fever. Mr.. Best found
him in his cabin groaning. Come and
look at him."
The commander of the Malabar was
lying on his bunk in the betwisted condi-
ton into which men who sleep in their
clothes contrive to get themselves. The
doctor shook him, bent down over him.
and then loosened his collar. Hes not
sick. Halloo" says Pine, smelling at
the broken tumbler, whats this? Smells
queer. Laudanum! He's been no.
cused!'
NONSENSE"
II see it," Shaping his thigh. "It's
that woman! She's drugged him. and
meant to do the same for-"(Frere
gave him an imploring look)-"for any
body else who would be fool enough to
let her do it. Dawes was right, sir
She's in it; I'll swear she's in it."
What! my wife's maid? Nonsense
said Vickers.
Its no nonsense. That soldier who
was shot-what's his name?-Miles, he
but, however, it doesn't matter. It's
all over now"
'"The men will confess before morn
ing" says Vickers, land we'll see." And
be went off to his wife's cabin.
His wife opened the door for him.
She had been sitting by the child's bed
side. listening to the firing, and waiting
for her husbands return, without muir
muir. Flirt, fribble, and shrew as she
was, Julia Vickers had displayed, in
cases Of emergency, that glowing cour
age which women of her nature at times
possess. Though she would yawn over
any book above the level Of a genteel
love story; attempt to fascinate, with
ludicrous assumption of girlishness, boys
young enough to be her sons; shudder at
a frog and scream at a spider, she could
sit throughout a quarter of an hour of
such suspense as she had just under
gone with as much courage as if she
lad been the strongest minded woman
that ever denied her sex. Us it all
over?" she asked.
Eyes, thank God" said Vickers, paus-
ing on the threshold. "All is safe now,
though we had a narrow escape, I be-
lieve. How's SylviaT'
The child was lying on the bed, with
her fair hair scattered over the pillow,
and her tiny hands moving restlessly to
and fro.
"A little better, think, though she
has been talking q good deal"
Go 10 continued.D
An Advantage.
"When Won are wandering about