The Washington herald., 1914-05-17

of Hugo Loubeque and his crafty manner.
mo fear; don't understand" Her voice
quarered
II mean he understands who is master OF
this boat now. He attempts to give me orders,
to bride me to force you to give up some papers,
to threaten me" Wetherell broke of with
laugh, coming a bit closer to her even as she
retreated before him. "As though anyone could
force me to harm you," he leered.
what do you want?" Even as she spoke
thrill of conscious triumph surcharged her as
she realized the tremble had left her voice and
with its departure had come again that strange
feeling of self-assurance.
wethereI halted uncertainty, held back by
her change. Then the helplessness of the small
tense figure crouching in the shadows, her eyes
dark pools of defiance set in a face of pall1d
determination gave him courage and again he
moved closer. His voice hoarse now, his
great hands clasping and unclasping.
WANT" he repeated. then with short,
barking laugh, Il want the papers and 1 want
YOU
81 don't understand" though her voice was
steady, her expression showed his meaning to be
clearer to her than anything else in the world.
He leaped forward clasping her about the
waist with his great arms, the right hand NOV
ing toward her mouth. closing over the delicate
lips and smothering her cry of wild alarm.
want you" he cried. Il want you and l
want the papers. Loubeque knows it, but he's
out OF the way now. Give me the papers and
will keep them away from him. Give me the
papers"
He sprang back with low-toned oath Of
surprised incredulity even as her brittle laugh
echoed through the cabin. Slowly. a step at a
time inch by inch, Lucille forced the man to-
ward the door. In smothering her screams he
had freed her right arm and her tiny fist, fight
ing against his, beating at his body had encoun-
tered his revolver which she deity distracted
and had pressed against his chest.
1.-THE papers are quite safe where they are"
she murmured sweetly. the CLINT in her eyes
belying THE tones. Come captain. don't try TO
take this gun away from me- That would be
foolish, Remember / am accustomed to firearms
and that You have placed me in a position where
I should not hesitate to use a bullet Come cap
tain. lets how the men you have buied like
the sight of you now.
Wetherell opened his lips to curse but there
was an expression of icy determination on the
girls face in the tense lines of her figure. in the
tremorless feel of the gun against him that made
him do her bidding. He told himself that it was
all joke, a preposterous thing, but the feel OF
the weapon continually brought him back to the
stern reality of the predcament his carelessness
had brought him into. Only when he felt the
cabin threshold beneath his feet and knew an
other step would bring him in sight of the crew
did he halt. the maxillary muscles swelling def
antly Lucille laughed again. the same mirthless,
brittle laugh, emphasizing it with sharp nudge
of the gun sight.
1t was scant fifteen seconds the man and
girl stood there, their eyes challenging. But the
eyes of Lucille were steady, determined; those OF
the captain were truculent, defiant. Then Weth-
erell flinched and dropped his murderous express
sion. Quickly he looked up once more and for an
instant Lucille feared she had gone too far.
Then, with surly shrug Captain Wetherell
marched across the threshold and upon the deck,
before his men, while Lucille felt the JOY of such
a triumph as she had never known before. Her
plans were formulated for the next move, had
been prepared from the instant she drew the
mans own gun upon him. Risky it was and with
slight chance for success, but-there was
chance It sufficient.
Wetherell sulenly moved before her.