The evening world., 1914-04-01
II WEEK IN THE EVENIN NJ
y T. Sc By Mary Roberts Rinehart
w o

ooooooooooooo 100000
that IL vas shaking violently.
tersely. wouldn't b believed. any
The air being somewhat bsttss. I
closed and locked the door again.
and, coming In, took out my note.
book and pencil. He watched me
craftiiy. You can write IT," he said.
III you'll give II to me to keep. I'm
not going to put the rope, around my
own neck. II It's all right. my law
yers will use It. II II isn't"- He
shrusgsd his shoulders.
I had never liked the man and his
tacit acknowledgment that he might
incrimlpate himself made me eye
him with shuddertng distaste. but
! took down his story. and reproduce
II hero, minus the technicalities and
profanity with which II was inter.
larded.
Briefly, Singletoa's watch began at
midnight. The captain, who had boon
complaining OF lumbago. had had the
cook prepare him q mustard poultice,
and had retired early. Burns was on
watch from eight to twelve, and, on
coming into tho forward house al. q
quarter after eleven o'clock to eat his
night lunch, reported to Singleton
that tho captain was In bed and that
Mr.. Turner had been asking for him:
singleton. therefore. took his cap and
won't on deck. This was about twenty
minutes after eleven. He had had q
drink or two earlier In the evening.
and he took another In his cabin
whom he got his cap. -
He found Turner in the chart house.
playing solitaire and drinking. He
was alone, and he asked Singleton to
Join him. The first mate looked at
his watch aud accepted the invitation.
but decided to look around tho for
ward house to be sure tho captain
was asleep. He went on deck. lie
COULD boar Burns and tho lookout
talking. The forward house was dark.
He listened outside the captains
door. and heard him breath heav-
lily. AZ " aaleep. He stood there for
. moment. He had an uneasy feeling
that some one was watching him. He
thought OF Schwarts. and was uncom-
Portable. He did not feel the whiskey
at all.
He struck Q light and looked around
There was no one In sight. He could
hear Charlie Jones In the forecastle
drumming on his banjo and Burns
whistling tho same tune ~ he went
aft to strike the bell. Ut was the
duty OF the onicer on watch to strike
eleven. A. he passed the captains
door again. his foot struck something
and II fell TO tho floor. He was afraid
the captain had been reused and stood
still until he hoard him breathing
regularly again. Then he stopped
down. His foot had struck an axs
upright against the captains door and
had knocked II down. ''
The axe belonged on the outer wall
Of tho forward house. IL was q ruiz
that II must not DO removed from III
place except In emergency. and ths
first mate carried II out and leanst
! II against the forward port cornell
OF the after house whom he went be
low. Later. on his watch. he carried
II forward and put It whore It b.
lonGed.
He found Turner waiting on deck
and together thsy descended to tn,
!. chart room. He was none too cleal
a. to what followed. They dranl
together. Vail tried to get Turner I,
, bed and failed. He believed tina
Burns had called the captain. tn,
:. captain had ordered him to the decl
and there had been a furious quarrel
, He felt III by that time. and. when b,
, went on watch at midnight Burn,
. was uncertain about leaving him. II,
was not intoxicated. he maintained
until after half past ono. lie was ablt
to strike the bell without difficulty
and spoke each time he went AFT L
Charlie Jones. who was at the wheel
After that. however. he suddenly
felt strange. He thought no had been
doped. and told the helmsman 20. He
asked Jones to strike the bell for him
and. going up on the forecastls head
lay down on tho boards and fell
asleep. He did not waken until he
heard elk bells struck--S o'clock
And. before he had fully reused.
had called him.
"Then." I said. when tho lookout
saw you with the axe you wsro 70.
placing TT"
Yes"
Tho lookout says you we're not or
deck between . and 3 O'clock.
How does he know? I was asleep.
You had threatened to get tn,
captain"
II had . revolver; didn't need to
use an axe"
Much as disliked tho man, VA
Inclined to believe his story. although
] thought he was keeping sonnet him
! back. I leaned forward.
singleton" ! said. II you didn'
DO it-and ! want to think you dc
not--who did,"
He shrugged his shoulders.
We have women aboard. We ough
to know what precautions to take"
Il wasn't the only man on decl
that night. Burns was about, and h,
, had quarrel with the Hansel
!, woman. Jones was at the wheel, too
!, Why don't you lock up Jones2"
i I'VE arc all under suspicion" I sd
: mitted. But you had threatened tn,
. captain"
!, ~ never threatened the girl or Mr.
had no answer TO this, and ",
both fell silent, Singleton was tn,
first TO speak.
, How are you going TO get back
, Tho men can sail "A course, but VIII,
In to lay 1t out? Turner? No Turner
|. ever knew anything about a ship bu
what II made for him."
"Turnel " sick Look here. Single
ton. you want to get back as much a.
We do. or more. Wouldn't you b,
willing to lay n course. II you wer,
taken out once a day? Burns 1!
, doing IL. but he doesn't pretend I,
, know much about IT. and--we hay,
, the bodies"
But he turned ugly again. and re,
fused to help unless he was given hi.