Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-10
By Louis Joseph Vance
Author of 1.-The Brass BotOL. "
"No Mans Land, " Etc.

them. ard if 'e's interfered with before
we come to anchor the chawnces are
she'll pile up on a sunken reef. She's
in the thick of them now. sir. l 'ope
you'll overlook the liberty, but ad'nt you
better wyte tills e comes off the bridge,
rather than risk the lives of all of us2''
Scowling with Impotence, Crittenden
shook his arm free. You're right" he
agreed reluctantly. Il didn't know
about our position-or rather, I'd forgot
ten what 1t ought to be just now. Make
your mind easy. I'll hold off till she
makes her anchorage"
''Thankee. sir. That's all 1 wanted to
s'y." Humbly the steward turned to his
interrupted task.
For few moments Crittenden fingered,
watching him curiously. Then abruptly;
"Acklin-?" said he.
The man hesitated inquiringly.
What's your interest in our side of
this business. Acklin?" demanded Crit
tenden. coming closer. why are you SO
concerned for us, rather than for the
side Of the biggest guns?"
A strange look, unintelligible, crossed
the steward,s> face: then. when he seemed
on the point of some impulsive disclos-
ure.. reticence clouded his eyes like a
palpable film
said a thought sullently: that is, not
where women's concerned. I've always
tried to be as decent as most men-aver-
age honest and square: It was only ard
luck made me turn me and to this sort
OF thing And there wasn't a word about
women in the articles signed on to, sir
much less about robbery and worse"
Worse"
1--WE picked up word or two, ere and
there, sir; they don't Ply much ICED to
the likes of me. you know: nothin' def
mite, so to speak; Just ints that they'd
like to get rid of the old lydy-beg par
don, Madame Savaran.'' *
And Miss Grayce7"
"They aven't said much about er
while I was in 'earin, sir" said the man
obliquely.
What about Rhode2 Have they won
him over?"
Acklin shook a dubious head II
wouldn't like to s'y, sir. E odds out
strong and per APPS it's only my suspi-
ciousness makes me think 'e's- weak
enin-.'
"ob ~ i" said Crittenden thought
fully
rs that all. sir?s Acklin made as If to
take up a heavily laden tray. II wouldn'
like to be caught talkin-"
''Of course. Eyes. that's all, just now.
Good night-and If we get out of this
alive Acklin. and 1 have the chance, I'll
do what can for you"
"Thankee. sir. I'll s'y the syme, il ]
my tyke the liberty Goodnight"
His mood Swallowed with profound dis
quiet. Crittenden turned and slowly reas-
cended the companionway. t-
Stepping quietly out on deck, he found
il quite deserted: the only figures visible
were overhead, on the bridge where a
knot of heads and shoulders bulked back
against the shimmering heavens. Severa;
men were there. in consultation over
and more or less tense attendance upon
the ticklish task of navigation. In their
number Crittenden thought to distinguish
Lobb and Claret, but without surety. At
all events. he considered Acklin's coun-
sci had been that of supererogati ton: only
a mailman would have dreamed of
boarding the first officer against such
overwhelming odds.
None the less. the hour would strike
He set his teeth upon his purpose
neither TO forget nor yet to weaken, and
moved noiselessly forward. placing him
self at the rail directly beneath the
bridge
Here he found himself in close. ac-
quafntance with every phase of their
position. The Cynthia was approaching
the conclusion OF, her voyage; the omin-
Gus finis to her story was imminent. ~
Some. distance ahead, insensibly gain
ing breadth and the seeming of sub
stantiality, an island of fair size doomed
dark and dense in the midst of the ina
niense glimmering spaces Of sea and
sky; like the pendant of necklace. a
great stone in a chain of lesser stones,
or like the parent of brood of tiny.
nameless little islands, mere outcrop
pings Of sand and eoral-pin-prick dots
upon the charts,
Crittenden had scant doubt about the
identity OF the larger shape of land: it
was Coffin Cay, as Rhode called it.
Toward il at snail's pace the Cynthia
shouldered on. seeming with an effect
Of sentence to pick and choose it's peril
Gus channel. forging sullenly through a
pale. glaAnorous, incredibly. fathomless
vault of night. On either hand a multi
tude Of dangers veined the FURNISHED
ebony of the sea with a network of
threads of dim, smouldering, phosphores-
cent green's and puppies, or splashed it
with wide areas of milky fire where the