River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-09-03

Deque said quietly. Wnen she reluIHeu
to his suit
She stared at the spy incredulously
Came another thought with that or
helplessness, 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 phgsicfl invalid who
possessed such giant mental strength
Mingling with the horrid retch1ng
sound came a long hiss. The spy
sprang TO his feet again and opened
the DOOR Passengers we're rushing
wildly about the decks. thejs faces be-
traying the AFFECT 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.
Fire" he whispered, then, as
though ashamed for the fear which
had robbed him Of his voice. Its fEe
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 was
conscious of Hugo Loubeque's swift
motions. The spy darted across the
room and drew from the top drawer
Of his desk a package Of papers which
be hurriedly replaced as she turned
There was something on his counte-
nance which told her the truth, told
her that he had revealed the secret OF
the stolen papers. He slapped the
drawer shut, reassuming his aspect of
Indifference as he brushed her away
from the door.
Quick as the spring of a cat she Sc
cured the papers while he stepped to
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 suspicfously a second.
Their eyes met, and he sprang to the
desk. slapping open the drawer so VIC
lently its contents fell upon the floor.
AS he whirled upon her she saw In his
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
sengers huddled 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 creak-
ed down from the davits. Then power
full arms were about her. She felt
herself being lifted and hurtled 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 a second she was
unconscious Of it, then something
steadying. indomitable about the clutch
of finger tips made her turn. Hugo
Loubeque smiled into her eyes, smiled
with the plying expression of an In
vincible one who grieves for the weak
ling that dashes against him.
Her eyes appraised toward the boat,
a mass Of WhitiSh smoke now through
which leaped playful reddish flames
Now and then figure would dart to-
ward the rail and lunge overheard, the
bodies striking the water in great cir
cles that lost themselves in one an
other And for second the thought
came to her that even that inferno Of
a ship was preferable to this man be-
side her.
"Well played, Miss Love-" the spy
murmured silkily. "But | fear you
must return the
A piercing shrek made him turn
swiftly, shrek that lost itself In the
heavy crunching of wooden oars
against wood. Came q horrtd humping
that seemed more like the crunching of
wild beast upon bones than anything
she had ever heard. Heat, intense.
steaming. beat upon her cheeks. She
looked up and only the dark hulk of
the Empress doomed above her, only
Iurid fame illumined the heavens.
She was conscious of her heavy
clothing. sodden now with water; was
conscious OF the lack of support. Some
thing long and wooden tilted against
her, and instinctively her fingers
clutched the oar which had fioated out
to her from their boat. which had been
tossed and crushed against the burn
ing liners side. Again she looked up.
And within her soul fiickered the spark
of combat which youth will not allow
to die.
Consciousness lapsed slightly and
was followed by state of dull apathy.
Some instinct held Lucille's arms upon
the oar that had foated to her when