The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-01-03
CHAPTER ix.-Continued.

There's no other explanation. he
decided, conclusiyely.
You mean he committed suicide!
Call II what you like, sir"
But there was no reason for him
TO do such a thing" | objected.
II understand he's been pretty III.
sir"
"He was III. yes. But he was on the
road TO recovery" And then, with the
realization that l was speaking OF
Cameron in the past tense, as though
1t were already settled that | should
never see him alive again, SILVER
OF horror swept over me. l know Mac
Leod observed 1t, for he said:
There's been drop in the tenn
perature. In the last halfhour. It'll
be more comfortable in my cabin, sir.
II you don't mind coming in, and talk
ing the thing over a bit"
r Good Heavens, Macleod" | ex-
Iclaimed, turning on him with nervous
savagery, do you expect me to sit
down and talk calmly at such mo-
lnent? ! can't It's all l can do to
stand still here. for a minute at
time. feel must do something. It's
torture to have ones hands tied this
way"
II think | know how you feel, sir.
But walking the deck will do no good,
and il you could calm yourself enough
to talk 1t over quietly, we might get
down to something that would guide
us. so to speak"
Guide, u.s." | repeated.
Yes, sir. It's not impossible, you
know, sir, that when he went over
board he was picked up"
The light from his cabin portfolio
illuminated US both, and now as he
perplexity
"You said yourself, SIR" he ex-
planned, that you thought you heard
the exhaust of some sort o. craft not
far away"
It was this reminder, think, which
brought back my woolgathering wits
and steadied me to perception OF the
real importance Of the captains plea.
or one thing, at least, l was assured:
Cameron was not a suicide. How he
could have gone over the taffrail with
out my seeing or hearing him, / should
never be able to understand. But gone
he was, and 1t lay upon me to dis
cover by whose assistance this mar
velous disappearance was accom-
plished. And so It came about that,
controlling my futile unrest, was
presently seated in MacLeods swivel
chair, while he, from a place on the
side of his berth. fred pointed ques-
tions at me, which l either answered
as best could or returned in kind.
ness. Mr.. CLYDE, but in view OF to-
nights occurrence think It's perth
nent to know why there was such
inspection of the Sibylla be-
fore we sailed, and such lot OF eau
tion regarding the crew." That was
the first of his volley, and for a mo-
ment II staggered me. ] recognized,
however, that this was not time for
and as Macleod had been
for years a staunch soldier in Gamer.
rs army of employees, saw no
arm in letting him know the truth.
"Ill tell you," I returned, frankly,
but it's not to go any further In the
past nine weeks Mr. Cameron has
been receiving a series of threatening !
letters. The last one came
a week ago today; and In 1t this was
named as the date for the climax"
Climax" he repeated, questioning.
Iy.
Yes. Today, the letter stated. Mr..
Cameron would disappear"
The calm, phlegmatic young captain
did not start. He simply narrowed his
eyes In thought.
That's DID," he said. gravely,
damned odd" And then, after Sec
,nds consideration. he asked: WAS
that--but OF course II was-why he
ook this cruiser"
NO" told him. THAT was not his
though ~ was mine"
| did not mean to be enigmatic. hut
SUPPOSE was. for Macleod showed