Evening star., 1914-08-23
Continued from page g


the mists only as shapeless blur of light
on frosted glass.
With sigh of gratitude, sure she hadn't
been seen, Lydia moved slowly aft, the
more slowly since going was treacherous,
the deck greasy with moisture, hand to
guide her slipping from stanchion to stanch-
ion along the rail as she made her way
farther and deeper into the gloom.
At intervals electric bulbs incased in
hemispheres of clouded glass blotted the
obscurity overhead, but lent little aid to the
girls straining vision. And, now that most
of the passengers were abed, every port she
passed was dark.
At the fifth stanchion, midway between
two of the overhead lights, she found no
one waiting; and, since she had encountered
no one on the way, she groped on to the
sixth, found it deserted, and, returning,
settled down to wait.
Now she grew sensible of true solitude.
The very breath of the night in her nostrils
owned something of the clammy eff1uvia of
desolate places. And the fog, powdering
her cloak, her hair, her glowing face, with
myriad tiny, wet globules muff1ed all sound
save the intermittent, long-drawn, destroy
ing blasts which tore out the very throat OF
silence, then, ceasing abruptly, left it dead
&
the soft, melancholy sibilance of waters
oversize.
SUDDENLY Craven stood before her
- the effect as mysterious as his business:
with no warning of any sort, he was there!
Without speaking, Lydia stretched forth
hand to his. He suffered her caress with
out apparent emotion, and, peering an
xiously into his face, she saw it set in mold
of care and vigilance-even now, when they
were utterly alone!
When he spoke it was in a preoccupied
tone. @Hope haven't kept you waiting
@Only moment"
He shook his head YEARLY. Il was de-
deep in thought. Then his words came
swiftly, 3I'm suspected watched! Did
anyone see you?'
She thrilled deliciously. Il think not:
I've been here sometime, quite undisturbed.
Good! But they nearly got mel
9Who?"
He smiled family. 3The other side"
Lydia's grasp tightened on his plump fin
gers 3You-you're not in danger?"
aDon't be alarmed. They'd never dare
attempt anything aboard this vessel. But
I've stolen march on them-and some
thing else, something more valuable p
Straining dramatic pause to the swapping
point, he eased it with word, @Evidence!'
At this the foghorn whooped like de-
mon of derision. Until it was quiet again
Craven stood moveless, chin on bosom,
eyes blank with abstraction.
EYES," he affirmed. adevlish good evil
dence! Look here, I'll have to tell you
something. We've been sold out mean
there's traitor in our corps"
aBut can't YOU do something?"
aRather!" Craven laughed shortly. 4In
fact, I have done something already. He
won't go far; for his word-a squealer's
word-won't have much weight with the
other side, lacking proofs, and I've got the
evidence to discredit him." he paused
again, touched his breast lightly but effec-
lively, @here!"
Again interrupted by the foghorn, he
started and frowned irritably, seeming to
detect something sardonic in its accent.
3Well- that's all. You understand now.
The point is, I'm known to have-ah-
stolen this evidence. But don't worry.
This is where you come in" From his coat
pocket Craven produced a small, oblong
box of inlaid wood, highly polished. 3Pve
managed to pack the evidence in this, one
of those Chinese puzzle boxes. If you don't
know the combination, it needs an ak to
open it. Put it away somewhere, your
trunk till we land,-but take it ashore in
vo1r handhao A rim from the ot her side