Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-01-31
just as n heavy spar crashed Is The
deck before them.
CHAPTER XIV.

! Den1nd tunnels and ventilatOrS, but
could discover no sign of any one
When l got back to the promenade 0
little crowd had gathered, attracted by
the noise of the falling spar, which O
dozen members of the crew were busy
hosting back into place.
II do not see how those lashings
could have worked loose" said the Of.
ficer in charge.
took n look at the lashings. They
had not been cut, as expected to find
them, but had been united. Martlgny
had doubtless worked ut them while
we sat there talking.
| well, luckily, there's no damage
DONE" observed Mr.. Royce, with af.
fected lightness, though It was a close
shave. If Miss Kemball hadn't called
to us the spar would have struck u.s."
Mrs. Kendall closed her eyes with a
giddy little gesture at the vision the
words called UP. and the officer frown-
ed in chagrin and perplexity. Just then
the captain came up, and the two step
ped aside for consultation in voices
SO low that only an excited word of
French was now and then audible. |
turned to Miss Kendall, who was lean.
Ing against the rail with white face
and eyes large with terror.
"But it was not an accident, Mr..
Lester" she whispered. II saw man
leaning over the spar"
l nodded. 81 don't doubt 1t in tho
least. But don't tell your mother. It
will only alarm her needlessly. Wen
talk 1t over in the morning."
She said good night and led her moth
er away toward their stateroom. I
went at once In search of the ships
doctor and met him ut the foot of the
saloon staircase.
"How is Martigny, doctor| asked.
Worse, 1 fear" he answered hur.
riedly. "He has Just sent for me-"
(Which room has he?"
Hes in 375, an outside room on the
upper deck"
went forward to the smoking room
and looked over the colored plan of the
ship posted there. A moments inspec-
ton of 1t showed me how easily Mar.
tigny had eluded pursuit. He had only
to walk twenty feet, open door and
get into bed again.
| When l sat down next morning be.
side Miss Kemball she closed her book
and turned to me with very deter.
mined air.
| "Of course, Mr.. Lester" she began,
"if you think any harm can come from
telling me, don't want you to say q
word, but l really think I'm entitled
to an explanation"
$50 do IT, agreed. you've proved
yourself better guard than l. I'd for.
gotten all about Martigny. l was
thinking-well, of something very diff
ferent. had no thought of danger
Nor had l." she said quickly. but
CHANGED to look up and see that dark
figure bending over them, and cried
out, really, before had time to think"
ut was just that which saved them"
Eyes; but, oh, l could thiy6 after
ward! I'd only to close my eyes last
night to see him there yet, peering
down at us, waiting his opportunity.
And then, of course, puzzled more or
less over the whole thing"
you shan't puzzle any more" said.
Then l laid the case before her, step by
step. She listened with clasped hands
and intent face, not speaking till
had finished. Then she leaned back In
her chair with long sigh.
why, it's horrible" she breathed.
"But you haven't given me your ex-
PLANTATION yet, Mr.. Lester"
II haven't any explanation" I said
helplessly. 1--WE built up half dozen
theories. but they've all been knocked
to pieces, one after the other. don't
know what to think, unless Miss Hol-
laday is u victim of hypnotism or de-
mentia Of some kind"
Sometimes she's nice and at other
times she's horrid. 1t recalls DIR. Jekyll
and Mr.. HYDE doesn't til"
YES, it does. Only, as say, such an
explanation seems absurd"
There's one theory which might ex-
plain it-part Of it. Perhaps it wasn't
Miss Holiday at all who returned
from Washington square with the new
maid. Perhaps it was the other woln-
an, and the barred windows were real
ly to keep Miss Holiday prisoner"
But she wasn't therem l protested.
1--WE saw her when we gave her the
money"
Yes, in darkened room, with a
bandage about her forehead, so hoarsc
she could scarcely speak,"
OTTO
Remember, that would explain
something which admits of no other
reasonable explanation" went on my
companion-'theb barred windows and
the behavior Of the prisoner"
ut would explain that, certainly" /
admitted. though at first thought the
theory did not appeal to me. "You be-
lieve, then, that Miss Holiday was
forcibly abducted?"
Undoubtedly. If her mind was 60
ing to give way at all it would have
done so at once and not two weeks aft
er the tragedy"
'But il she had brooded over it." I
objected
"She wasn't brooding-at least she
mad ceased to brood. You have Mr..
Royce's word and the buffers word
that she was getting better, brighter
quite like her old self again. Why
should she relapse|
II don't know" l said helplessly-
THAT affair last night has upset me so
that l can't think clearly. l feel that
was careless-that wasn't doing my
duty"
~ shouldn't worry about it; though,
of course" she added little severely,
you've realized by this time that you
alone are to blame for Martigny's pres
ence on the boat"
but l had to go to the Jourdafns,"
protested, "and couldn't help their
going to him. To have asked them not
to go would have made them suspect
me ut once"
"Oh, yes; but at least you needn't
have sent them. They might not have
gone ut all-certuinly thew wouldn't