The Washington herald., 1914-04-19


faction he felt at thwarting her. They played
chess together, dined together, with always the
armed difference between them, a state of mind
obvious TO have been ludicrons had they
not both been conscious of it. Many times
she thought the strain was more than she could
bear, when she doubted the wisdom of this trip.
And always would come morbid pictures of her
sweetheart to sustain her in her determination
to clear him of the charge under which he rested.
1t was the eighth day out that the spy
suddenly sprang to his feet. darting swiftly to
the door of the stateroom. She stared at him in
astonishment, amazed at the change which had
come over him. His life must have made him
more than unusually sensitive to impressions for
q full quarter hour elapsed after he had resumed
his seat before a barely perceptibe thudding
sound came from beneath the deck.
Perhaps it may have been the Premonition
of the silent man. perhaps foreboding of disaster
on her own part that took her to the deck. The
Captain had quit the bridge and stood at the
door of the engine room, his face betraying the
anxiety he tried to conceal from his passengers
Louder, louder grew the thudding sound. follow
ing by retching like the ripping Of rot
ten cloth.
"A boiler in the engine room" Loubequs
said quietly when she returned to his suite.
She stared at the spy incredulously. He was
seated in the great chair as though such thing
was of the slightest possible consequence to him.
His impassive countenance was more sombre
than ever and she realized, with sinking heart,
that her impulse to appeal TO him in this hour
of deadliest peril would be of avail.
Came another thought with that of help
lessness a thought Of which she felt ashamed
for the second. If worst came to the worst this
would attempt to save, to take with him
his most priceless possession. If only she could
find out where the stolen papers were concealed
she would get them. 1t was not wrong 10 take
advantage of the weakness of physical invalid
who possessed such giant mental strength.
Mingling with the horrid retching sound
came long hiss. The spy sprang to his feet
again and opened the door. Passengers were
rushing wildly about the decks, their faces be-
traving the abect terror they felt. At the rail
stood the Captain and Second Mate supervising
the lowering of the life boats. A white faced
steward banged against the door, thrusting his
head inside
Fire" he whispered. then. as though
ashamed for the fear which had robbed him of
his voice. Its fre-to the boats"
Lucille turned away, a sickening feeling
clutching at her heart. Fire! Fire ont here on
the broad ocean and never a sight of land since
Manila! What could she do? She suddenly was
conscious of Hugo Loubeque's swift motions
The spy darted across the room and drew from
the top drawer of his desk package of papers
which he hurriedly replaced she turned
There something his cOuntenance which
told her the truth. told her that he had re-
vealed the secret of the stolen papers. He slapped
the drawer shut, reassuming his aspect of indif-
ference he brushed her away from the door.
Quick the spring of cat she had secured
the papers while he stepped to the deck, appar-
emily to study the situation. When he returned
she was moving carelessy about the room. wear
so innocent expression that he studied her
suspciously a second. Their eyes met and he
sprang the desk slappng open the drawer 50
violently its contents fell upon the floor As he
whirled upon her she in his face that the
truce was at an end. that he knew of his loss
and would stop at nothing 10 regain his secret.
Swiftly she sprang through the open door,
losing herself in the mass OF passengers hudded
against the rail. Looking back. she caught a
glimpse of the white faced coolies and Chinese,
staring in sullen despair al the passengers whose
turn il was 10 enter the life boats while they
must wait under threat of the rcvo'vers in the
hands of the officers. Behind them little cork
spirals of steam reached out caressins
fingers. twinirg about them and then innOcently
losing themselves about the tunnels. And al
ways. always sounded that horrible kissing
sound from below, the sound Of unbridled fire.
Lucille felt an overmasterng impulse with
in her to remain with this terror. anything save
the great, threatening ocean that looked so
monstrous now. waiting the tiny crafts that
creaked down from the davits. Then powerful
arms about her. She felt herself being
lifted and hurtled forward huddling down in
the crowded boat that was being lowered to the
waves.
She would have thought the ocean calm
ordinarily but as the boat splashed upon its
bosom. the sailors striking easily into rythmcal
swing. she realized the power of this mighty
body of water that invited the frail boat to be
come a part of itself instead of striving to
bat it with such meagre thickness of rounded
wood.
hand reached out and rested upon her
shoulder. For a second she unconscious Of
ii. then something steadying, indomitable about
the clutch of finger tips made her turn. Hugo
Loubeque smiled into her eyes, smiled with the
pitying expression of an invincible one who
grieyes for the weakling that dashes against him.
Her eyes uprased toward the boat, a mass
of whtish smoke now through which lCaped
playful reddish flames Now and then a figure
would dart toward the rail and lunge overheard
the bodies striking the water in great circles
that lost themselves in another. And for
second the thought came to her that even that
inferno of ship preferable to this man be-
side her.
well played. Miss Love- the spy murmured
silkily But fear you must return the
A piercing shrek made him turn swiftly. q
shrek that lost itself in the heavy crunching OF
wooden oars against wood. Came hOrrid hump
ing that seemed like the cr1Inchug of a
wild beast upon bones than anything she had
heard. Heat intense. steaming. beat upon
her cheeks. She looked up and only the dark
hulk of the Empress loomed above her, only a
lurd flame illumned the heavens.
She conscious of her heavy clothing,
sodden with water: conscious of the
lack of support. Something long and wooden
tilted against her and instinctivcly her fingers
clutched the oar which had fOatCd out to her
from their boat which had been tossed and
crushed against the burning liners side. Again
she looked up.
The Empress was mass of white flames
now. flames that seemed 10 carry it down, down,
down like some boat of tabled ages. The soft