The Washington times., 1911-04-11
Chapter XVIII (Continued). q.


heavily, his breath tluttering irregu,
larIy, harshly. you'll do for a while, y
added Tompkins. 'I'll FIX you all right
and don't you forget it,
He resumed his seat In very short
time Mr. HentZ rejoined him.
II had forgotten something's aboud
mine engines" he explained. filling his
glass again. II han care of dem tc
humor dem like woman. Id iss Pc
culiar. iss i'd not, Mr.. Dompkins?"
VERY" the mate replied absently
His mind was elsewhere-in fact, he
was figuring just what amount of NOR.
phine would kill Daniel without any
fuss.
The German prattled on and on
drinking and keeping Mr.. Tompkins
of friendliness. He even went so far al
to mention their fight without seeming
to hold it against his superior officer.
Dot wass what YOU call a shrewd
antly. Il wass fool to argue NIT such
strong man. You are a very strong
man, ain'd i'd. Mr.. Dompkins?"
Yes" admitted the mate sourly. 81
could ha' wiped up the deck with you
II I'd wanted to, Dutchy."
SO? And yed I also a strong mar
am, in my way. Seer he rolled up his
shirt sleeve, barring a brawny arm. 81
but should say were a man strong as
you, perhaps"
You'd have another guess, Dutchy.'
The mate yawned.
so, iss id? Let me show you" He
rested his elbows upon the table. in
viting common test.
The mate shook his head complacently
and smiled. The whisky was beginning
TO work within him.
No" he said.
"Yess. Show me how strong you are,
Mop
Tompkins unbent and condescended
eH Id
He had clasped his fingers with those
Of the engineer. The result was a sur
prise, for he found that his hands were
forth his energy and slowly drew the
mate from his chair and across the
table.
"Herel Let go, your
mo, Mr.. Dompkins."
The mate glanced up fearfully: the
expression upon the Germans face was
terrible, relentless. Tompkins felt his
bowels turning to water with over
calling to the man who held the anchor
watch. and his voice ratified in his
throat vacantly.
I'D iss no use for you to. call, Mr.;
and gagged upon der deck. Dot iss
what l had forgotten. 1 did 1t with mine
leedle strength"
The mate began to struggle fran
the floor and fell upon him, graphing
for his throat-and found II. The mate
writhed and twisted. tearing at the Ger
mans arms and feeling for his face; II
only he could get his thumb in the en-
gineer's eye, he would force him to re-
lease that terrific choking grip. The
compression on his gullet was some
thing awful; he fought now but for air.
One long breath would give him power.
His face grew purple, his eyes started
from their sockets, staring horribly: his
tongue protruded from his mouth.
Could he but reach that eye-ball! HIS
thumb found II, but he was too weak to
accomplish his purpose. His hands fell
away, clawing and clutching wildly at
nothing His head fell back Imply. He
shuddered, twitched, and lay still s,
stupidly at the iifeless body. 49,.
Leedle pigs sometimes haff eaten
snakes, thou Judas! Eh, we han seen"
Curtice and the captain, sleeping un-
easily in the lazaret. were reused by the
removing of the batch. Curtice sr1pped
the revolver Mr.. Arthur had given MIN.
The two had concluded that the harbor
Iazard and Tompkins make their at,
tempt at murder. He saw round head
outlined against the star-ht hrmament
In the opening. ,,
well he cried. What do you
Not so loud. mine friends. Come up
q once"r o,o,ued the cantain.
''Is it a ruse?" Jimmy WnlSpere9'
"Come up. Id iss I, Hentz," said the
"who is with your"
None Come up You are safe.
He is true as steel" The captain
One moment, cap'n. Where's Tomp-
kins?'
The silence held for a moment. Then
one word, hoarsely whispered, dropped
'Dead"
"Dead?"
ia; l haff killed him. Come quickly.
II you will escape"
The captain pulled himself up through
the hatchway, Jimmy following him
with considerable misgivings. The engi-
neer explained the situation in an agi-
tated whisper. LaZard and Fetter were
gone with Norah, when to return the
German did not know: Tompkins lay,
murdered, in the cabin; Haigh was
sick unto death; the crew were in the
forecs stle, drinking-by this time in
toxicated, probably.
There was not n second to be lost.
Hentz had brought the one remaining
boat around to the stern of the ship;
In this he urged them tc make good
their escape.
would not leave his ship, Curuce would
nave taken lANi'N% fNS Aoi''A
his strongest argument.
But der fraulein?' he suggested.
How iss she with dot scoundrel?
MY ship" persisted the captain.
Hang your ship, mani cried Cur
ttce. The senorita is in danger. The
ship will be here tomorrow-Malons
Will have her seized within an hour.
Hentz can care for Haigh. Gomez!
The old man gave in; the two dropped
lightly into the boat and cast off.
THE engineer leaned weakly upon the
rail. He was alone. very much alone
not for the present, but forever. The
brand of Cain was on his brow, the
fear of his God was heavy upon his
soul. The little stars above looked down
upon him angrily, glowing as with the
fires that were lighted in hell against
his coming. He was alone in the world
except for the thing that kept him from
the cabin. that would haunt him until
his deathhed-and mayhap beyond. That
awful thing, lying there, distorted,
frozen in the writhing agony of it's dis
solution. a lump of cold clay where
from his guilty hands had forced the
life,
"Ach. meln Gott. mein Gott in Him
meI"'
The man nopped Imply. uPoT. the rail
In his berth Daniel lay, stark mad.