The daily sentinel., 1914-05-13

ihc HOnal spy was able walk
about his room now, his eyes showing the satis-
faction he felt at thwarting her. They PLAYED
chess together, dined together, with always the
armed Difference between them a state al mind
so obvious as to have been ludicrous had they
not both been so conscious of it.. Many times
she thought the strain more than she could
bear, when she doubted the wisdom of this trim
ana 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 on 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
a full quarter hour elapsed after he had resumed
his seat before barely perceptible thudding
sound came from beneath the deck.
Perhaps it may have been the premonition
or 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 betrayine the
anxiety he tried to conceal from his passengers.
Louder louder grew the thudding sound. follow
ing now by retching like the ripping of rot
ten cloth.
"A boiler in the engine room" Loubeque
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 deadhest peril would be of no avail.
Came another thought with that of help
lessness thought of which she felt ashamed
for the second. II worst came to the worst this
man would attempt TO save, to take with him
his most priceless possession If only she could
lind out where the stolen papers were concealed
she would get them. 1t not wrong to take
advantage of the weakness of physical invalid
who possessed such giant mental strength
Minglng with the horrid retchng 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.
traying the abject 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, thrustng his
head inside.
.., Fire he whispered; then, as though
his voice. "Its fre-to the bouts"
Lucille turned away, sickening feeling
clutching at her heart. Fire Fire out here on
the broad ocean and never 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 was something on 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 as he brushed her away from the door.
Quick as 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 carelessly about the room,
so innocent expression that he studied her
suspiciously second. Their eyes met and he
violently its contents fell upon the floor. As he
truce was at an end, that he knew of his loss
and would stop at nothing to regain his secret.
Swiftly she sprang through the open door,
losing herself in the mass Of passengers huddled
against ths rail. Looking back. she caught .
glimpse of the white faced coolies and Chinese,
staring in sulls. despair at the passengers whoss
turn it was to enter the life boats while they
mast wait, under threat OF the reyolvers in the
hands of the officers. Behind them little cork
screw spirals Of steam reached out caressing
fingers, twining about them and then innocently
losing themselves about the tunnels. And el
ways always sounded that horrible kissing
sound from below, the sound Of unbridled fire
Lucille felt an overmastering impulse with
in her to remain with this terror, anything save
the great threatening ocean that looked %
crsaked down from the davits. Then powerful
arms were about her. She felt herself being
lifted and hurtlsd forward, budding down b
the crowded boat that was being lowered to tbs
waves
She would have thought the ocean calm
K. sas .lnS s. no
swing she realized the power OF this mighty
body of water that invited the trail boat to ~
come part Of itself instead Of striving to cor
bat II with such . mssRre thicknss1 undaA
uAnA
hand reached out and rested upon her
shoulder For a second she unconscious of
u, then something steadying. fndomtabls about
the clutch of finger tips made her turn Hugo
Loubeque smiled into her eyes smiled with the
plying expression OF an invincible one who
grieyes for the weakling that dashes against him
Her eyes upraised toward the boat, mass
or whitish smoke now through which leaped
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 was preferable to this man be-
side her.
We'll played, Miss Love-" the spy murmured
silkily. But fear you must return the"
piercing shrek made him turn swiftly,
shrek that lost Itself In the heavy crunchins OF
wooden oars against wood. Came a horrid bump
Ing that seemed more like the crunching OF .
Wild beast upon bones than anything she had
ever heard. Heat intense, steaming, beat upon
her cheeks. She looked up and only the dark
hulk of the Empress oomed above her only
lurid flame illuwined the heavens
She was conscious of her heavy clothing cod
den now with water; was conscious of the lack y
Of support. Something long and wooden tilted
against her and instinctivsly her fingers clutch