Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-02
CHAPTER XIII.-Continued.

IN TINS any way. why Keep YOU locked
upo What could you do against them"
Perhaps to get me out OF the way
while they rob Nine. Savaran." she sug
gested.
but If her jewelry has already been
rocked
Perhaps Perez didn't believe her
Crittenden considered this with an in
tent frown. There may be something
in that" he conceded. "Still Do
you believe her story?''
Don't you think il likely
Its quite probable. at all events. 81
donie's capable of it--or. for that matter.
any one OF this gang might have made
up his mind to steal a march on the
others. But that does not alter the sense
lessness of this outrage. Ii ever | ge
within arms length of Ciaret I'll wiring
his scoundrely neck. Pure, malicloas
mischief, The curt
Don't mind. I'll try not to. 1t misht
be worse"
..Oh. something must be done about
ii, Crittenden declared.
He stopped by the push button for the
annuncator in the main saloon and, put
ting his thumb upon it, maintained a
steady pressure during several minutes.
trying to detect the faint, distant thrill
of the electric buzzer. But nothing an
swered 1t. and. at length. DISCOURAGED
and exasperated. he gave up the attempt.
Don't worry So" Cynthia pleaded,
efficiently. I'VE must be patient
Incredulous. he stared down al her.
Was it possible she did not understand
the true inwardness of her predicament-
the tact inference therefrom in the minds
Of men. that battened their dual Sc
questration gaining weight and cruel
passed together?
She met his look fairly. but beneath
its insistence a color -lmost imperceptibie
dyed her face.
In that instance his frantic. helpless
rage against Claret CONCEALED into Ice OF
hatred.
She sat on the edge of the berth, head
uplifted to meet his eyes, by which she
was invested with unspeakabie allure
of youth and faith and transcendent
beauty. She seemed to him then. and
forever after, the most beautiful woman
the world had ever known; lily fair and
radiantly flushed beneath her crowning
gold, her eyes twin lakes of sonlbrous
brown, with the promise and the gia-
mour of the all-woman slumbering IN
their depths: a woman strong and good
and wholesome sound and clean of mind,
sound and clean of body: woman to
worship ami revere, to fight and live and
die for.
He turned suddenly away. lest she
know his pain and passion from his look.
and presently, for lack of anything bet
-
with a penknife.
OF nickeled metal. affixed to the inside
of the panels. not mortised. it would
have given little trouble TO screw
driver But the small blades of the lit
tie pocketknife proved wholly Intellectual
to move the solidly set screw heads; one
after another they broke of short, or
twisted like tin under his manipulation
forced him at length to abandon this
bootless attempt. In the midst of his
logged endeayor the lights were shut off
at some remote switchboard
Too discouraged to swear to himself
over this fresh trick of objectless ma
levolence, he got up from his knees,
blinking a little before he got his bear
ings. Cynthia had uttered only faint
exclamation of surprise.
Its nothing" he said: Il mean, no
matter 1 wasn't accomplishing any
thing. anyway. We must try to think Of
something else"
I'm afraid it's of no use said the
girl quietly. why yt not t. res ssertsa st,,
bornly. ..I'll think of something.
He moved over to the forward port and
looked out. The companion ladder from
the promenade deck came down directly
in front of it, but through its steps he
could see more or less distinctly most of
the deck space, a-glimmer with starlight
between the black shapes Of winch, wind
lass, mast and capstan. To one side rose
the whitepainted wall OF the wireless
deckhouse. through whose port a broad,
yellow bar of light swayed athwartships
like boom of gold.
Noting this. he said. aloud in his Won
der: "Hel-lo.'
Behind him he heard Cynthia rise.
"Nothing-only Thurlow is apparently
still on duty. ! thought he'd shut up
shop for the night. 1t means nothing
to us. at least
standing beside him. closed her fingers
in caution on his hand. Hush said
She softly.
WHAT"
He experienced the inevitable reawak-'
ened consciousness of the ships concord
ant sounds. Then. instinetiNely pitching
his auditory sense to a higher key, dis
tinctly he heard the door or the next
stateroom aft shut with an effect of
stealth Immediately there followed
noise of some one stumbling with less
caution III the darkness. and then a loud
squeak as some considerable weight
strained the Stats OF the berth.
Who's there?" Crittenden demanded.
suddenly. aloud.
His reply came apparently from the
ceiling, in tones hushed and furtive:
Ssh. Not so loud, please, Mr.. critten-
dem
"Acklin.' cried Cynthia. incautiouslv.
You. Miss Gryce."-with boundless
Arrangement.
'Quiet-steady. Crittenden cautioned.
What are you doing there. Ackln?'
'.Standin' on the berth, sir, the better
to talk quietlike through the grytin'."
Cynthia stified nervous laugh. Crit
tenden leaving her to initiate the example
set by the steward.
What do you want?" he asked, when
their heads were on a level.
.Only to see IL there was aught | could
do for you. sir. / thought Miss Gryce d
be in her styteroom-
'.She was locked in with me-by acct
dent Claret has the key. Can you get
your hands on it any way
After an instant: I'm afride not. sir.
Mr.. Carrots standin' is watch on the
bridge just now. Sir
TRY some other key
III see. sir. They're kept. as You
know. in the chief stewards office. Mr..
Griscom sleeps there. IL he's not
Then get me a screwdriver. can take
the lock off from this side. Tie a string
to it and lower it over the starboard
port. Do you understand"
Yes, sir. Very good. sir. | can man.
age that / think. But you must be py
tient. They're 'avin conference in the
dining saloon and keepin' me busy passin'
the drinks sir. / just stole off for a
minute to see 'ow you were. But I'll get
you the screwdriver. sir; never fear
.'One moment. What about Nine. Sa-
varan?'
Il believe she's 'oldin' the fort, as one
might sly. sir, she's in her styteroom.
and l think she as barricyded the door"
AT least, she's in immediate dan
ger?"
mo. sir. There's a bit of a row on