The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-11-26
CHAPTER ~.
TO TIE 3 cats!'

tf!S EGdte.
VI was. on the eighth day out that
tie spy suddenly sprang to his
4 feet. slartiny swiftly to the door
Il OF tie stateroo:n She stared at
him in astcnish;ncnt. amazed at the
change which had come over him.
His life must have made him more
chan unusually sensitive to impress
sons, for a f1;l 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 pre-
mOntion 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. fol
lowed now by a retciing like the rip
ping Of rotten cloth
"A boiler in the engine ROOM" Lou
beQue said quietly. when she returned
to his suit
She stared at the spy incredulously
Came another thought with that Of
Eelplessness, a thought of which she
felt ashamed for the second. If worst
came to the worst this man would at
tempt 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 to take advantage of
The weakness of a rhysic: invalid who
possessed such giant mental strength.
AIingling with the horrid retching
sound came q loEg 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
lifeboats a white faced steward
banged against the door. thrusting his
head inside
s'Fire," he whispered, then, as
though ashamed for the fear which
had robbed him Of his voice. Its fire
to the boats
Lucille turned away, a 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 WIS
conscious of Hugo Loubequc's swift
motions. The spy darted across the
room and drew from the top drawe!
of his desk a package Of papers which
he hurriedly replaced us she turned
There was something on his counte-
nance which told her the truth. told
! ler that he had revealed the secret OF
The stolen papers. He slapped the
drawer shut, reassuming lis aspect OF
Indifference as he brushed her away
from the door.
Quick as the spring Of cat she Sc
cured the papers while he stepped te
the deck, apparently to study the stu
alton. When he returned she was NOV
ing carelessly about the room, wearing
SO innocent an expression that he
studied her suspiciousIy a second
Their eyes met. and he sprang to the
desk. Shaping open the drawer so VIC
lently its contents fell upon the floor
AS he Wiliried upon her she saw in bis
face that the 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 pas
Z, sengers huddied against the rail. Be
low them sounded that horrible kissing
sound, the sound OF unbridled fire.
! Lucille felt an overmastering I'm
pulse within her to remain with this
terror. anything save the great, threat
ening ocean that looked so monstrous
now, waiting the tiny craft that crea k
ed down from the davits Then power
full arms were about her. She felt
, herself being lifted and hurtlcd for
ward, budding down in the crowded
boat that was being lowered to the
waves
A hand reached out and rested upon
her shoulder. For second she was
i unconscious of it, then something
steadying, indomita bic about the clutch
Of finger tips made her turn. Hugo