Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-12-31

idS d SuldlA lCNolNCA.
Clearly Elsa had told the incident of
the key. l felt at once the atmosphere
Of ~antagonism. Mrs. Johns watched
me coolly from under lowered eyelids.
The stewardess openly scowled. and
Mrs. Turner rose hastily and glanced
at Mrs. Johns, as if in doubt. Elsa had
her back to me and was busy with the
cups.
Pm afraid you've had a bad night"
l said.
"A very bad night" Mrs. Turner re-
piled stifly.
"Delirium?"
VERY marked. He has talked of a
white figure. We cannot quite make it
out. 1t seems to be Wilmer-Mr. Vail"
She had not opened the door, but
stood. n%ervously twisting her fingers,
before it.
The bromides had no etfect:"
She glanced helplessly at the others.
None" she said after Il moment.
Elsa Lee wheeled suddenly and
glanced scornfully at her sister.
why don't you tell him?" she de-
handed. why don't you say you did
not give the bromides:"
'NVhy not?:"
| Mrs. Johns raised herself on her ell
bow and looked at me.
"NVhy should we?" she asked. How
do we know what you are giving him?
You are not friendly to him or to us.
Vn l.Dnyr yrhot vo,, 81 m trv;.,~ +n do
You are trying to save yourself at any
cost. You put Il guard at the compan-
ionway. You rail off the deck for our
safety. You drop the storeroom key
in Mr.. Turner's cabin. where Elsa will
find it and will be obliged to acknowl-
edge she found it. and then take it
from her by force, so you car show it
later on and ave yourself"
Elsa turned on her quickly.
81 told you how he got it. Adele.
tried to throw it,
"Oh. if you intend to protect him."
II am rather b%ewildered." said
slowly; but, under the circumstances,
L suppose you do not wish me to look
after Mr.. Turner"
Mrs. Johns got up and lounSed to
the table.
1--WE have decided" she said inso-
lently. that. if the crew may estab-
fish n dead line, so may we. Our dead
line is the foot of the companionway
One Of us will be on watch always. |
am an excellent shot"
81 do not doubt it." | faced her. II
am afraid you will suffer for air. other.
wise the arrangement is good. You re.
lieve me Of part Of the responsibility
for your safety. Tom will bring your
food to the steps and leave it there
THANK YOU"
And l turned to where Elsa sat.
81 shall not come back unless YOU
send for me-" I said. "But | want YOU
to know that my one object in life
from now on is to get you back safely
to land; that your safety comes first
and that the vigilance on deck in your
interest will not be relaxed"
"Fine words!' the stewardess NUT
tered.
The low mumbling from Turner.
room had persisted steadily. Now il
rose again in the sharp frenzy that had
characterized it through the long night
Don't look at me like that, man.!
he cried, and then-"He'S lost a hand
A hand!'
1t rained heavily all that day. Late
Yn the afternoon we got SOM wind
and all hands turned out to trim sail
Action was a relief, and the weather
suited our disheartened state better
than had the pitiless August sun, the
glarinG white of deck and canvas and
the heat.
l watched the weather anxiously
We We're too short handed to manage
any sort Of Il gale, and yet the urgency
OF u return made it unwise to short
en- canvas too much. 1t was as vel
perhaps that / had so much to dis
tract my mind from the situation II
the after house.
The second Of the series of curious
incidents that complicated our return
voyage occurred thaNllght. I was OF
watch from eight bells (rnidnight unit
4 in the morning. Jones was in the
crows nest. Mcnamara at the wheel
| was at the %starboard forward corner
OF the after house looking over the
rail. l thought that l had seen the
lights Of a steamer.
The rain had ceased, but the nigh,
was still very dark. 1 heard a sorl
Of rapping from the forward house
and took a step toward it, listening
Jones heard it, too, and called dowr
to me nervously to see what wal
wrong.
| called up to him cautiously to com
down and take my place while 1 in
vestigated. l thought it was Single
ton. When Jones had taken up hi:
position at the companionway I wen
forward. The knocking continued, ant
l traced it to Singleton's cabin. Fl,
was at the door hammering frantical
ly. l called to him through the ope1
window, but the only answer was re
newed and louder pounding.