The Washington times., 1911-03-28

| indicated a course east Dy noIiH' ohe-
half north-almost directly AT right
angles TO any that would bring them
to the Mona Passage. Here. again.
contrary to the captains statement
was the indisputable fact that every
throb of her propeller carried the
Miranda J. further away from her
natural and direct route to San Diego
! Possibly Hendry, fearing pursuit hop
| ed TO throw ii OFF by this maGeuver;
but If this were, SO, he was taking his
time about it. No; plainly something
If import greater than that impended
Jimmy whistted, shook his head,
| and. turning away, found Mr.. ,Tomp-
skins at his elbow. A minute before
| the first officer had been with the
captain on the bridge. He favored
Curttce with his slow, cold, narrow
| smile.
Mr.. Curtice," he said stiffy. "Cap'n
Hendry desires me to inform you that
| day"
The deuce he does" thought Cur
tice, but he said: Very well. sir: l
shall make haste TO obey"
He eyed the man sharply for q
space, whereupon Mr.. Tompkins con-
tlnued to gaze at the haze which dim
| med the horizon.
Looks like dirty weather" he VOL
unteered. "Barometer's falling"
Jimmy took an enevolpe from his
pocket and sCribbled upon its back.
Make q note of it," he observed. as
II talking to himself. His first re-
mark in my presence which wasn't
dragged out Of him by the horns. Good
afternoon. sir; ! will now go below"
Curtice saw a flush rising on the
mans sallow cheek. but he got no re-
Ply to his tnsolenCe. What was 1t
| that this fellow was hiding? What
| that uneasy slyness to come to the
surface? Also, why had the course
been changed? Jimmy pondered these
questions over two of the captains
brought lin no inspiration of solu-
tlon.
Toward n:ghtfall the wind rose
slightly. clearing the air. but max
ing a choppY, fretted sea. Jimmy
had TO dine in solitude, neither the
captain nor his mate leaving the
bridge to join him. Mr.. Tomp-
kins came in later and made a
| ming TO take part in the one-sided con-
versation with which Curtice, out of
sheer ennui and mischievousness, bad
gered him.
About 9 o'clock Jimmy. weary, and
concluding that the captain was deter
mined to stand every watch the day
and night through, went TO his berth
and lay down with a book He read
| in a desultory sort OF way, his mind
being preoccupied with his situation
be the real destination of the Miranda
J. So doing, he dropped off into light
doze, which was presently terminated
by sharp rapPipg. upon his door.
"Well? Come ih!'
Mr. Tompkins turned the handle and
stuck his nose into the room.
Mr.. CurtiCe, the captain requests
that you put that light out, and
AYE. aye. my bucko, I'll douse the
glim. What else?"
You are to keep to your room-to
leave it on no account
the agony. Mr.. Tomphns; but tell him
all right"
This incident banished sleep from
Jimmys eyes for the rest OF the night.
He obeyed the command and lay down
again, fully clothed but for his shoes,
surrounded by blackness no less
opaque than the mystery with which he
was confronted. Weighing his accumu-
. came to the c0nClusion-nOt an unnat-
uIal ohe-tr4t the captain contem-
plated some extraordinary folly, or a
more than usually lawless act. After
morning, the old man had consistently
avoided his unwilling passenger; to
whom, later, Mr.. Tompkins had been
the messenger bringing two very re-
wrong, the ship merely loafng. The
very sound of footsteps on the deck
above Curtices head indicated sub
dued hustle. and conveyed IN impress
sion Of stealth and caution: and, still
more to the young mans concern, he
had now an indefinable feeling that
the course had again been changed, that
the ship rode in different waters.
In the midst of these disturbing re-
fiections. the Miranda J. came to a, sud-
den halt. the engines rumble ceasIng
with a suddenness that brought Jimmy
to his feet and to the headlight, which
he Onened and looked through
The rain had ceased, but a lowering
canopy still shrouded the heavens. Far,
very far away-midway, PERHAPS, TO
where the horizon should be-Curtice
made out a dim. ruddy glow, such as
might hang over a small town or VII
1age, or mark a burning house. Between
1t and the Miranda ]. moved A vast ex-
panse Of heaving water, CLASSY black,
unreIieved by any hint of light. Bar
ring the swish of waves and a faint
tinkle Of bells in the engine-room, a
great stiffness lay upon the ship and
the sea.
AS ne stood waiting with breath
less avidity Of expectation being as
sured that now should come the climax
of a, momeentous day. he thought he
caught a glimpse of yellow light. as of
a lantern in the bow of boat dancing
upon the crest of a distant billow.
Presently he verified 1t. then lost IL
again-a fine. fascinating spark hover
ing upon the face of the waters.
Steadily it drew nearer, until voices
hailed the ship. sailor ran down the
gangway and waited on the lower gra-
ting boathook in hand. Curtice could
see nothing of II, but he heard the boat
draw alongside and bump and grind
against the grating. Out of the obscur-
ity issued murmurous argument, while
two persons negotiated the ascent.
Some one swore lurldly, following his
profanity with a sharp command:
Come! Up with you!"
There was a choking sound as of one
who would speak but could not, then a
vicious snarl:
You won't? If you don't stop
struggling you'll go overheard! How's
that? Now will you be quiet?''
That" was the dull impact of n
heavy blow upon human flesh, coinci-
dent with a womans shrill scream-a
scream of horror, hastily abrupted as
thought by q heavy hand upon her
mouth.
BE quiet. you foef+''
The captain called guardedly over the
side:
What's the trouble down there?"
| rs that you, Hendry? Throw
rope and swing this swine aboard, will,
'Tompkins! Where's the man? Here
you! Get tackle and a couple of
straps! Hustle!"
With slight delay. a tackle was rugged
| out, and struggling form was swung
! past the portfolio and dropped roughly
to the deck. other steps were heard
| scrambling un the gangway. The boat
sheered on: There was scuffing, and
excited voices jabbered on the deck.
This ceased, and Curtice heard the can
1 N.sw aslrA Anrr AaAN