The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-09
CHAPTER xxxII (Continued).

COuScut " Jake HE uOWu WIFI I'LL,
SO that might avail myself of
the opportunity of keeping out Of
the way in Spain for a time. l
also persuaded him to allow me to
wait in his rooms while he went
out to give secret information at
the home Office as to the fugitive's
whereabouts. The result you
know. l successfully ransacked his
rooms with the aid Of a bunch of
skeleton keys, and later on pre-
vented his designs on you with a
knock on the head"
But / said, fired with instant
alarm, "if he was at the home office
yesterday afternoon, the search for
Arthur will commence this morn
ing at the latest"
Not So" was the reply. THE
object OF the Marshes, and certain
other interested persons, is to al
low as little time as possible to
elapse between his capture and
execution-to minimize the remote
chance of anyone paying attention
to what he would say. 1t was ar
ranged, so Marske told me, that
he would not be locked up till the
afternoon, so that he might be
hustled of to Winchester In the
evening and hanged at dawn to-
morrow. You should take comfort
from the fact that they believe
him to be still in the lodgings at
"Springhorpe." l took care to i'm
press that fiction upon Master Rog-
err. They do not know that their
quarry is hidden away in an
empty house. and that hunt is
in store for them"
Herzog's story made me realize
how everything depended on the
Nightshade for the next few hours.
A hundred things might happen to
cause a fatal delay. Her rattletrap
engines might break down; her
captain might get drunk and re-
bellious; ominous clouds, heralded
by spiteful breeze, were banking
in the western sky. The weather
might upset all Herzog's calcula-
tons and send Arthur to his doom.
Antonio came presently to an
nounce that breakfast awaited us
in the cuddy, and before going be-
low / was rejoiced to see that we
should soon be out of those lonely
stretches of stagnant water. The
steamer was threading her way be-
tween the low shores of the most
seward creek, with the sandy
beach of Hayling island visible on
the port bow. Once clear OF the
shadows, Captain Belcher could put
on full speed II he SO willed 1t.
He did not appear at the break
fast table, but when we returned
to the deck 1t became evident that
the captains abstemiousness in
the matter of food did not extent
to liquid refreshment. He had
been supplied on the bridge with
square fash Of Hollands, to
which he frequently applied him
self in the intervals of giving in
structions to the man at the wheel.
His face was already flushed, and
his speech. as he beloved foul
mouthed orders to the crew, was
thick and inarticulate.
I'VE shall have trouble" | heard
Herzog mutter. THE fellow Is
terrifying himself for a purpose"
And, turning to me, he added
aloud, but in low voice. 1T Is ask
ing good deal of you in the way
of swallowing noxious air, Miss
Chilmark, but really think that
you would be better in your cabin
for the present, at any rate,
Thank you, l shall remain on
deck" | replied
Herzog's shrug and grimace de-
noted that he accepted it as sucn.
"Then," said he, "let us intrencn
ourselves to the best advantage.
An, tne very pace.
He led the way to a small deck
house, built at the side of the YES
sell flush with the bulwarks and
about 10 PAGES aft Of the bridge.
There was similar structure OPP.
posite on the other side, and was
told afterward that the signal flags
were kept In one of these houses
and spare ropes In the other. Her
zog's use for the one he selected
was soon to be made plain.
Now, II you will kindly stand
there, you ought to be all right"
ne said, indicating the angle which
the deck house made with the bull
warks--a spot where l was entirely
screened from vie wof the bridge,
and could see nothinh Of the ship
but the afterpart of the deck with
the house for the second wheel, be-
hind which we had conversed
earlier in the morning, in the back
ground. Herzog came and leaned
over the rail beside me. taking ad-
vantage for the moment of the
same shelter. His keen gaze was
directed at the rough water of the
open sea ahead, into which the