The evening world., 1914-12-31

drop of six feet, from tho ,hip.s Jec.
to tho strinxptecc Of the pier. aralnat
which the rusty aida plates r.r,
crsalunx and grooming.
Mckinnon made . sudden motion
for the girl to wait. for dark figures
were moving about on tho pier be.
low. She could make out the gloomy
mass OF tho weigh scales shed. its
okide-red paint leaving IT black by
night She could see that the west
door OF thu shed was open. and tina,
a figure stood Just Inside this door
holding "A lantern. She knew II was
the officer. for she could nee the light
glimmer ON the sword scabbard that
moved back and forth with every
movement OF HIS body. She could
see. too. that he was smoking q cir-
arctic contontedly. She could even
smell the tobacco smoke. mingled
with the heavy odor OF decayinB
shipments OF bananas that rotteJ
further out along tho pier edge. She
could hear low voices. now and then.
speaking cautiously in spanish. as
two barefooted soldiers padded past
the swinging lantern, In through tho
door They carried a heavy box that
reminded her OF "a babys coffin: and
as they came out again two others
passed them on their way In. Then
shc felt Mckinnon touch her arm
warningly and whisper for her to be
ready. She could hear the slow tread
OF the sentry's feet behind her. to the
north Of the shielding lfcboat.
"Now's our chance" Mckinnon was
saying In her ear. lilo dropped silently
over the deck edge. She could but
Just make out the white patch OF his
face as he stood there waiting to lift
her down.
She knew no emotion beyond "A
vague and persistent anxiety, a. she
felt his arms clasp her surrendering
body. The moments intimate con-
tact brought her neither Joy nor re-
pugnance. She only knew that Nc
Kinnon was leading her by the hand
10 the far end OF the shed that faced
the west. Inrn ne loon away ;...
hand and drew "A revolver from his
pocket. 1t struck her that the odor
from the rotting banana pile was be-
corning most uncomfortable.
She followed him Lllndly, her out
stretched finger keeping In touch with
his coat sleeve. She saw him step In
over the railway tracks that were
bridged by the shed. A broken right
angle Of light, from the lantern with
in, outlined the huge, loosely fitting
door that covered the west end Of tho
black boarded building. In this huge
door "a smaller ono had ut some time
been cut; II was through this smaller
door that McKinnon led her, eau :
tiousiy, nuiselcssly.
The track motor stood backed al =
most against the eastern end of the
shed. next to the door through which
the barefootcd soldiers were cnrryin
the heavy boxes. The officer with
the lantern stili kept his position lust
inside this door, piacidly smoking his
cigarette. The girl and McKinnon
had to s,oop low to keep In the shad =
led motor car.
They crouchcd in under It's acety-
lenes, close to the rust covered,
many denied circulating coil. az "a
cartridge box was lifted Into the body
OF the car by the two barefooted car
ricrs. with n mufYled thump mn the
weight was released and the grating
Of wood against wood IA the box was
pushed and twisted and jerked into
position. They could hear the Sigh
Of one ~ the men, the pad OF bare
feet, and the nonchaIant Forty
three, forty four M the counting
officer.