The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-26

| ordered Il rigid search of the de,
ut the AK was gone. Nor waS Il q,
ound. 1t lad taken It's bloody sto.
uany fathoms deep into the old Atlai
.ic and hidden Il. where many crime
have been hidden, in the ooze an,
slime of the sea bottom.
That day was memora BILE for NOR,
than the attack on Burns. II marked
a complete revolution in my idea of the
earlier crimes and of the criminal.
Two things influenced my change OF
mental attitude. The attack on Burns
was one. I did not believe that Tur.
ner had strength enough to fell so
vigorous man, even with the capstan
bar which we found lying near by,
nor could he have jerked and broken
the amberline. Mrs. Johns | eliminat.
ed for the same reason. of course.
could imagine her getting the key by
subtlety, wheedling the Impressions
BILE young sailor .nto compliance. But
force.
The second reason was the stronger.
Singleton, the mate, had become a
tractable and almost amiable prisoner.
Like Turner, he was ugly only when
he was drinking. and there was no
liquor on the Ella. He spent his days
devising with bits of wire a ring puz-
zle that he intended should make his
fortune, and / believe he contrived
6pollv ctaror apn,,rh hit ~ fonIa.r
The morning of Burns injury l Wis.
tied Singleton.
The new outrage. coming at a time
when they were slowly recovering con-
fidence, had turned the men surlv.
They went doggedly about their work,
and whenever they gathered there
was muttered talk of the white figure
There was grumbling. too, over their
lack of weapons for defense.
The cook was ringleader of the
malcontents. Certain utensils were al
lowed him, but he was compelled at
night to lock them in the galley after
either Burns inspection or mine and
to turn over the key to one of us.
On the morning after the attack,
therefore, Tom, carrying Singleton's
breakfast to him, told him at length
what had occurred in the night and
dilated on his lack of self defense
should an attack be directed toward
him.
Singleton promptly offered to make
him out of wire key to the galley
door, so that he could get what he
wanted from it. The cook was to take
an impression of the lock. In ex-
change Tom was to fetch him from a
hiding place which Singleton designat-
ed in the forward house bottle of
whisky.
The cook was shrewu mulatto, and
he let Singleton make the key. 1t was
after 10 that morning when he brought
1t to me. | was trying to get the de-
tails of his injury from Burns at the
time in the tent.
81 didn't see or hear anything, Les
lie," Burns said feebly. Il don't even
remember being hit. 1 felt there was
some one behind me. That was all
How long was Mrs. Johns on deck?"
Not long"
"Did she ask you to do something for
herr"
Pale as he was he colored. but he
eyed me honestly.
"Yes. Don't ask me any more, Les
lie. 1t had nothing to do with this"
"What did she ask you to do?" per-
sisted remorselessly.
Il don't want to talk. My head
aches"
VERY well. Then I'll tell you what
happened after l went off watch. No.
l wasn't spying. | know the woman,
that's all. She said you looked tired
and wouldn't It be all right If you sat
down for moment and talked to her."
mo; she said she was nervous"
''The same thing, only better. Then
she persisted in talking of the crime,
and finally she said she would like to
see the ak. 1t wouldn't do any harm.
She wouldn't touch it