Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-12-28
CHAPTER xxi.

and by four o'clock it was blowing very
hard. The seas drove against the sides
Of the old ship in thunderous murmurs;
now and again they sprarg the bulwarks,
crashing down upon the deck above us
and shaking the iron fabric in convulsive
tremors. In the confined cabin my nau-
sea visited me again. Enough that l
was supremely miserable.
At six Blake had brought us a sup
per. His presence irritated me; and
when he pressed food upon me, spoke
my mind strongly on the lamentable
want of tact general amongst sailors. He
gave us the comfortable news however,
that we were expected TO reach South
ampton by three next morning.
The night crawled on. Blake had
helped us into hunks and covered us with
rugs. | found the handouts Of small
inconvenience. l could hear Graden snor-
ing. For myself, l could not go to sleep,
but lay in the lowest misery, staring at
the opposite partition, that rose and fell
at the ships rollings with a sickening
regularity. Just before midnight, the
lamp-that had probably been injured
when Graden fell in the lazarette-
smoked, fared, and expired. l was too
, unwell to care, except for the smell.
Yet it was the darkness which saved
! our lives.
= 1t was about half an hour later that
= first noticed it-a faint ray of illum
! nation winking in the center of the cabir
q floor. At first l imagined that the nau
\ sea had affected my eyes, and so peeret
into the black Of the night, rubbing then
n impatently. But the rays steadied and
A If anything, increased in volume. 1t wa
r a ghostly thing to witness, this whit
: knife-edge Of light stabbing up from
q the solid planking without cause or ex
- PLANTATION. l was about to shout t
"a Graden when l remembered the traI
n door. Someone was below IN the iazai
II ettel
n For some moments 1 remained starin
r. at the crevice through which the ray
m passed up to me. After all, 1t might b
~ some member of the crew; but II not
. if il were old Marnac What then? II
ny was an old man; he could not force tn
u grating, even II he had obtained the ke'
ds We had seen to that.
IA do not pretend to say that was III
y afraid. There were devilish possibiliti'
-. in a hatred such as that in which II
os mad professor held us. Yet after viii
~ nv fear had put aside my sickness.
ar rolled from my bunk-noisily enough,
o. dare say, but all sound was dulled by d
r. turmoil without. The pitchings of 4
ar vessel made 1t impossible for me
pc stand, so l crawled forward TO where I
70. edge Of the trap was outlined. j felt
ar and found the ring, gripped 1t with 4
On teeth, and slowly, for the irons hamper
L.. a1rrn wi
ev my hands l thrust the edge Of the boz
the which / had removed for that purpo
Of into the crack. Flat on nay face, peep
lad below.
Ms. 1t was indeed MarRac. The light
the a ships lantern, damned between Z
,ad barrels, drew streaks Of silver from
TO white hair as he bent to his labor. Sc
thy ed astrde one Of the steel cylinders II
we we had noticed, ne was unscrewing
last of the nuts which secured its II
~. cap. What he intended l had no ide
- He was lingering the nut which
spanner had loosened, when l saw II
Green out of the shadow behind h
"a II was the captains boy. With hmm
caution he moved forward, with Bile
ing of alarm and curiosity in his man
49, and showed he was no party to what
49, proceeding. Probably the key TO
~ lazarette had been purloined from h
70 "a and he had discovered its loss. WI
,s, scarcely two yards from Marnac,
800 lurch of the ship threw him from
- balance. As he stumbled forward M
Iii nae spun round with scream OF
con most violent passion. Swinging
6vs heavy hammer, he brought II down u
the bent head with scrunching bl
ave The lad had dropped upon the moor
no downwards; nor did he try TO rise az
"Murdererp l cried down upon I
=. In horror at 80 fearful a spectacle.
r,ts Marnac dropped his weapon
.t,rted back, his fingers twitching'
, 10 eves searching wildly round for s.
If his accuser. Yet when, at last,
saw my face above him, he drew him
ute together without a sign of trepida
- that the hand with which