Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1907-03-30

/ NY hluu htivhElg bh Aht tHhNh'oH'N
want Of tact general amongst sailors. lie
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 1 found the handouts Of small
Inconvenience could hear Graden snor-
ing. For myself, / could not go to sleep,
but lay In the lowest misery, staring Mt
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 lczarette-
smoked hared, and expired. l was too
unwell TO care, except for the SMELL
Yet 1t 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 cabin
floor. At first | imagined that the nau-
sea had affected my eyes, and so peered
into the black of the night, rubbing them
impatently But the rays steadled and,
If anything, increased In volume. 1t was
a ghostly thing to witness, this white
knife-edge Of light stabbing up from
the solid planking without cause or ex-
PLANTATION. l was about to shout to
Graden when ] remembered the trap
door. Someone was below In the lazar-
ettel
For some moments l remained staring
at the crevice through which the rays
passed up to me. After all, 1t might be
some member Of the crew; but if not
II II were old Marnac What theni He
was an old man; he could not force the
grating, even II he had obtained the key.
We had seen to that.
/ do not pretend TO say that | was un-
afraid. There were devilsh possibilities
In n hatred such as that In which to,
mad professor held us. Yet after a while
my curiosity overcame my fear, just as
my fear had put aside my sickness. |
rolled from my bunk-noisily enough, |
dare say, but all sound was dulled by tho
turmoil without. The pitchlngs Of the
vessel made It impossible for me to
stand, so l crawled forward to where the
edge Of the trap was outlined. | felt for
aud found the ring, grlpped 1t with my
teeth and slowly. for the irons hampered
my balance raised the edge. Then with
my hands | thrust the edge of the boot,
which | had removed for that purpose,
into the crack. Flat on my face, | peeped
below.
1t was indeed Marnac. The light Of
a ships lantern, jammed between two
barrels, drew streaks of silver from his
white hair as he bent to his labor Seat
ed astrde one Of the steel cylinders that
we had noticed he was unscrewing the
last of the nuts which secured its iron
w 4
He was lingering the nut which the
spanner had loosened, when | saw face
creep out Of the shadow behind him.
1t was the captains boy. With infinite
caution he moved forward, with a blend
ing of alarm and curiosity In his manner
and showed he was no party to what was
proceeding. Probably the key to the
lazarette had been purloined from him,
and he had discovered its loss. When
scarcely two yards from Marnac, the
lurch of the ship threw him from his
balance. As he stumbled forward. Mar
nae spun round with scream of the
most violent passion. Swinging the
heavy hammer he brought it down upon
the bent head with scrunching blow.
The lad had dropped upon the floor face
downwards nor did he try to rise again.
Murderer" l cried down upon him.
in horror at SO fearful a spectacle.
Marnac dropped his weapon and
started back, his fingers twitching, his
eyes searching wildly round for sight
of his accuser. Yet when, at last, he
saw my face above him. he drew himself
together without a sign Of trepidation
save that the hand with which he
gripped tho stairs still shook slightly.
"Ach! but It is YOU" he whispered up.
For moment | thought-but It was
the folly Of a child. And so. Mr.. Har-
land, you come again to trouble me- Well,
II Is for the last time-mark you that
for the very last time"
He sat himself across the cylinder. As
he did so l felt a hand upon my shoulder.
and knew that Graden was awake
"You might have spared the lad" he
said very quietly.
Marnac looked up with one Of the
beast-like glances that showed the dis
ordered brain.
at was necessity" he said. He
would have prevented my act Of Justice
upon you-upon you who have tried so
hard to hinder me In my revenge upon
my enemies who are also the enemies Of
science. Do you understand what am
aboutT
Perhaps" answered my cousin grim
ly, and at the word he jerked away my
boot. letting the trap fall into Its place.
ITO the door. Robert" he whispered.
''To the door and shout for help, or It
is all over with us. He must have no.
ticed the ammonia cylinder this after
noon. If he turns the tap. that stuff
will choke the life out Of us. The gas
is under immense pressure and will pour
up into this den like water from a FIRE
hose. Run. man, runv
staggered across the heavlng cabin
to the door and dropped upon my knees.
hammering with my irons and screaming
for aid. It seemed TO me that the thun-
ders Of the storm redoubled In violence.
as If Nature was conspiring to shout
me down. Once l looked round and saw
that the light about the trap had gone.
Graden had smothered tho spot with
blankets. Presently he came cropping to
me- raising his voice In hoarse below
ings.
And then It happened.
There came an acrid. piercing scent 10
my nostrils, that grew and grew until
my lungs seemed TO contract, so that
l fought for very breath. My cries
ceased. ] struggled to my feet. with my
head raised like bird shot through the
lungs. Brilliant lights flashed In my
eyes; there were hollow drummings in
my care And then it seemed that the
air lefi me ir a vacuum. fell, and