, 1914-12-31

SOty WIN uEc anu u DQlleI. But
there was no key.
1T stands to reason. MISS" he said,
when we had given up. that since the
Key isn't here. it isn't on the ship. That
there key Is a sort OF red hot give
away. No one is going to carry a thing
like that around. Either it's here In
this cabin which 1t isn't-or it's over
board"
Very likely. Jones. But I shall ask
Mr.. Turner to search the men"
b went toward Turner's door, and
Jones leaned over me. putting a hand
on my arm.
shes right boy" he said quickly.
o let EN- know what you're after
but go through their pockets. And
their shoes!" he called after me. "a
key slips n a shoe mighty easy"
But. after all. 1t was not necessary.
The key was to be found. and very
soon.
Exactly what occurred during Elsa
Lees visit to her brother-in-law's
cabin ! have never learned. He was
sober. ! know. and somewhat dazed.
with no recollection whatever of the
previous night except a hazy idea that
he had quarreled with Richardson.
The voices from Turner's cabin came
steadily. Miss Lees low tones, Tur-
ner's heavy bass only now and then
i Once ! heard her give a startled ex-
clamation. and both Jones and I leaped
to the door. Bur the next m she
was talking again quietly.
Ten minutes fifteen passed. I grew
restless INT took to wandering about
the cabin Mrs. Johns came to the door
opposite and asked to have tea sent
down to the stewardess. I called the
request up the companionway. IN
willing to cave the cabin for q mo-
lent. When | came back Jones was
standing at the door of Wallis cabin.
looking In. His face was pale.
Look herer' he said hoarsely. Look
at the bell. He must have tried to
push the buttonr'
l stared In. williams had put the
cabin to rights as nearly as he could
The soaked mattress was gone, and a
clear linen sheet was spread over the
bunk. Poor Wallis clothing. al he had
taken 1t of the night before hung on a
mahogany stand beside the bed. and
above. almost concealed by his coat.
was the bell. Jones' eyes were fixed on
the darkisb smear. over and around
the bell. on the white paint
I measured the height of the bell
| from the bed. II was well above and
to one side-a smear rather than a
print. too indeterminate to be Of any
value. sinister. cruel.
HE didn't do that Charlie" l said.
He couldn't have got up to 1t after
That Ii the murderer's mark. he
leaned there. one hand against the
wall. to look dow at his work. And.
without knowing IT, he pressed the
button that reused the two women"
He had not heard the story Of Hen
rietta Sloane. and as we waited ! told
him. Some Of the tension was relax
ing. he tried. in his argumentadve
German way. to drag me into a dis
cussion as to the generalization Of a
death that resulted from an accidental
ringing of u bell. But my ears were
alert for the voices near by. and o
Miss Lee opened the door.
Turner was sitting on his bunk. de
had made an attempt to shave and had
cut his chin severely. He was In a
dressing gown and was holding a
handkerchief to his a he peered
at me over it with red trimmed eyes.
..This-this Is horrible. Leslie" ne
said. II a hardly believe IT,
1T is true, Mr. Turner
.Wh-why was | ~not-called at oncef'
he demanded.
81 notified you. o were-you must
have gone to sleep again
where's Williams?" He turned TO
me.
II can get him for you"
Tell him to bring me a highball-
NV mouths sticky" he ran his
tongue over his dry lips. "And-take
a message from me to Richardson
He stopped. startled. Indeed. Miss
Lee and | had both started. TO
I who's running the boat. anyhow-sn
gletonT"
Mr.. Singleton is a prisoner In the
forward house" | said gravely.
The effect Of this was astonishing
He stared at us both. and. finding cor
roboration In Miss Lees face. bis W
took ON an instant expression OF reiiet
He dropped to the side of the bed, and
his color came slowly back. He ever
smiled-a crafty grin that was mex
pressibly horrible.
''Singletonl" he said why do they
how do they know 1t was Ter
HE had quarreled with the captain
last night. and be was on duty al the
time of the-when the thing happened
The man at the wheel claims to v
aeen him In the chart room just before
o&har avtdancn. 1 hAliova