The daily sentinel., 1914-06-24

knew the time had come for her TO act ,,itbont
any further figuring
In TWO swift. cat-like leans she had reached
the yawning side of the boat For lust A second
she hesltated before the terrible blaclzness that
met her eyes there, blackness accentuated by
the frowning cargo, twisting and writhinp in
more weird shapes than she had imagined nos.
sible for anything to do. Then, with a little
shrug' she stepped inside darting about between
piles of merchandise, leaping further and further
away from the voices that reached but dimly 10
her now hiding away at every slightest sound
Came the violent chugging of the engines
tine quaHlng of every part of the great ocean
leyiathan, lesser sounds from above. fhe terrible
crealang of the cargo the vibrations straight
ened 1t into place. Then Lucille was suddenly
aware that they were under way, that she was
alone here in the bowels of the boat, more alone
than she had ever been in the heart of the
jungle, alone for how many days she dared not
think.
Terrors beset her on every side. Rats
scampered about, their paws making a dreadful
scraping sound like Sandpaper being run over a
smooth surface of boarding. Times she would
feel their tiny feet upon her own, the squeals
of terror that went up as they rushed on their
way, it seemed 10 tell her of this strange in
truder to their fellows. The impulse TO rush TO
the deck above almost Overwhelming. She
could feel her brain reeling, reeling with the
horrors of such loneliness as this.
But always, when her courage. had fairly
ebbed, would come another picture. 1t was as
though her horrorpopping eye-balls had forced
poignantly home to her the vision of Manila of
her father, grieving himself to death at her alb
stuce, ~ inc snlpNreCks her sweetheart, lupr1S-
oned, with every hand turned against him, with
the girl he loved away. perhaps another who dis
believed in his innocence
Always would that thought bring her fight
ing spirit back. Her sweetheart prisoner
and probably the angry General would not
descend to tell him any news of her. What more
likely that the surety that he had lost her love
was tormenting him quite as much as the
charge of stealing and selling the papers. But
she must bring them back, she must clear him.
There was nothing else for her TO do other
~ pfh har could
saving the honor of the she loved
Day and night-night and day-there
no difference between the two in this black hole.
Seconds were as days and hours became frac-
tions of seconds according to the trend in which
her thoughts lay. There was no diversion save
trying to send her fancy flying back to the army
post. Oftentimes the scurrying rats weighted
her mind with such terror that she unable
to do that.
1t seemed to her that they must be near the
end of their journey, judging by the torments she
had been through, when swaying light directly
over her head made her dart hastily back and
strive to hide behind a looming bale. The ex-
clamaton of surprised incredulity which sounded
in her ears told that she had been discovered
In an instructive effort to hide, she struck
against bale that had partially disodged IT.
self, and sent it laundering against a second
stack. In a moment the hold was filing with a
pandemonium such might have accompanied
the most violent earthquake The hold was filled
with tumbling boxes and bales, topping, reelng,
thrashing, laundering in every direction. Lucille
flung up her hands to her to shut out the
sound, darting toward the face she now saw
plainly above her. face that framed popping
eyes and widened lips, face that had paled
through the heavy coat of tan, she could
from the lanterns light.
Swiftly she leaped upon box that had
formed the foundation for pyramid. AS though
by instinct the sailor flung the lantern from him
and reached down his hands Lucille felt his
fingers clutching at her wrists Once he missed
her. She shuddered louder crash than any
that had gone before to the right OF her.
A second time the mans swung out and his
hands closed about her own.
She felt the strain upon his muscles, the
mighty heaving groan that issued from his lips.
Then slowly, so slowly it seemed she would never
succeed in getting through that trap she
lifted up, up the deck where she lay painting
and breathless, the beside her fairly whist
ling from the exerton of once more breathing
freely.
As he squatted there staring at her. his
eyes now Whimsical with amusement, a little
laugh of relief trilled from her throat. She
reached out her hand and allowed it to rest,
quite simply in his great paw. He stared Mt the
tiny hand resting like the white petal of a rose
upon the brown earth then slowly smile
spread over his weatherbeaten face as he scanned
the silken suit in which she arrayed.
Lucille that she had made friend already
and Immediately pressed her advantage.
'Nobody must know you found me there
she began hurriedly, then, he started TO pro-
test mo, Please listen"
Again the sailor shook his head a troubled
expression in his eyes. Lucille knew that she
had lost and, instead of pleading; took the next
''Then, if you must. bring the captain to me
instead of parading me before everyone. l would
not ask you this but | have enemy aboard
and-Oh" she broke off impatie1ity as. still, he
remained dubious there is chance for escape
now that / discovered. It will do no harm TO
let me wait here. I can" she closed her lips
quickly, as the hint of CLEAN of avarice showed
in the mans eyes After n seconds thought he
nodded briefly and moved hurriedly away.
Lucille had time for regret at her dis
covery She had felt all along that it in
evitable but had refrained till now from figuring
on what explanation she could make in such
event. That expression. the swift change on the
sailors face as he thought her on the point OF
mentioning money verified her instructive knowl-
edge that she must keep her ownership of the
magnificent ruby necklace secret. She knew that
the best of men would be tempted by such a
kings ransom as the marvellous jewels repre-
sented Likewise she felt IL would be unwise,
under any circumstances to entrnst anyone with
the knowledge that she possessed the interna-
tional spv's diary So long as she alone knew
where it was Just so long there certainty