The Washington herald., 1914-05-31

knew the time had come for her to act, without
any further figuring.
the yswning side of the boat For Just second
she hesitsted before the terrible blackness that
met her eyes there, . blacl<ness accentuated by
the frowning cargo, twisting and writhing In
more weird shapes than she had imagined pos
dble for anything to do. Then, with little
shrug she stepped inside, darting about between
piles Of merchandise leaping further and further
away from the voices that reached but dimly to
her now, hiding away 1t every slightest sound.
Came the violent chugging Of the engines,
the quakng Of every part Of the great oceen
leviathan, lesser sounds from above the terrible
cresking of the cargo as the vibrations straight
ened it 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 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 q dreadful
scraping sound like sandpaper being run over
smooth surface of boarding. Times she would
feel their tiny feet upon her own, the squeals
way, it seemed to tet her OF this strange in
truder to their fellows. The impulse to rush to
the deck above was almost overwhelming. She
could feel her brain reeling. reeling with the
horrors of such loneliness as this.
But always, when her courage had fairly
eboed, would come another picture. 1t was as
though her horror-popping eye-bells had forced
poignantly home to her the vision Of Manila, of
her father, grieving himself to death at her alb
sence at the shipwreck; her sweetheart, impris-
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 was a prisoner
descend to tell him any news Of her. What more
likely that the surety that he had lost her love
was tormenting him quite much as the
charge of stealing and selling the papers. But
INNS hrD fhorn hor shA ale
There was nothing else for her to do, no other
part of her life could possibly mean so much a.
saving the honor of the man she loved.
Day and night-night and day-there was
Seconds were as days and hours became as frac-
tions of seconds according to the trend in which
her thoughts lay. There 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 was unable
to do that
end of their journey, judging by the torments she
had been through, when a swaying light directly
over her head made her dart hastily back and
strive to hide behind looming bale. The
ciamation 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 dislodged it.
self, and sent it laundering against a second
stack In moment the hold was filling with
pandemonium such as might have accompanied
the most violent earthquake The hold was filled
with tumbling boxes and bales topping, reeling,
thrashing, laundering in every direction Lucille
flung up her hands to her ears to shut out the
sound, darting toward the face she now saw
plainly above her, a face that framed popping
eyes and widened lips, a face that had paled
through the heavy coat Of tan, as she could see
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 az q louder crash than any
that had gone before came to the right Of her.
A second time the mans arms 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 was
lifted up, up to the deck where she lay painting
and breathess, the man beside her fairly whist-s
ling from the exertion 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 at the
tiny hand, resting like the white petal of rose
upon the brown earth, then slowly a smile
spread over his weatherbeaten face as he scanned
the silken suit in which she arrayed.
Lucille saw that she had made friend already
and Immediately pressed her advantage
Nobody must know you found me there"
she began hurriedly, then, as he started to pro-
Again the sailor shook his head, q troubled
expression in his eyes Lucille knew that she
had lost and, instead Of pleading, took the next
bestscourse that seemed open to her.
Then, If you must, bring the captain to me
instead Of parading me before everyone. would
not ask you this but I have an enemy aboard
and-Oh," she broke on impatiently as still, he
remained dubious, there is no chance for escape
now that am discovered. It will do no harm to
let me wait here. I can" she closed her lips
quickly, as theShint of gleam of avarice showed
in the mans eyes. After q seconds thought he
nodded briefly and moved hurriedly away.
Lucille had time for regret at her dis
covery. She had felt all aleng that it was 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, 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 would be tempted by such Q
kings ransom the marvellous Jewels repre-
sented Likewise she felt It would be un,wise,
under any circumstances to entrust anyone with
the knowledge that she possessed the interna-
tonal spy's diary. So long as she alone knew
where 1t was, just 30 long was there q certainty
OF Loubeque's being kept in the dark. She had
fought alone till now and she must continue to
fight alone Any help she might be able TO pick
up along the way would be more than welcome,
but the riches she carried with her might turn
the sympathetic friend to weak girl into an
unscrupulous enemy. This much she had con