Charlevoix county herald., 1915-05-29
The Mysterious Monogram
b. Howard
Howard
By Howard p. Hockey
Copyright 1914 Howard y. Rocky

please don't question me- he beg
ged. 81 cannot say more now. Some
day, perhaps you will understand
although | hope you never will"
Poor BOY" Adele said feelingly,
"for, do you know, Lord Harcourt,
you are just great overgrown boy.
We all admire your courage, your
high sense of honor, and your abso-
lutte indifference to your own fate
vet we cannot but feel that the
strange situation in which you have
found yourself has carried away your
good judgment. Try to content your
self here. | am sure no innocent per-
son will suffer through the fact that
you are safe, and by accepting your
present position philosophically, you
will surely preserve your own future
happiness and that of the woman you
love-"
She spoke very seriously, and put
her small hand upon his arm as she
leaned close to him. Cant you see
that we are right" she urged.
al wish l could feel that you are"
Harcourt replied. with all my heart
debut / am afraid cannot"
| He saw the disappointment in her
face as she withdrew her touch.
please try" she begged. 81 know
that time will straighten out all of
this horrible tangle."
And she turned to leave him alone.
Harcourt watched her cross the deck
and enter her cabin, and with little
sigh began to pace up and down ner-
vously. Perhaps he was making a
mistake in trying to outwit these good
friends who were determined to save
him in spite of himself, and he Won
dered if he was justified in attempting
to carry out the plans for the mutiny.
In any event he resolved that no harm
must come to Cornish and Adele
that if necessary he would tell Mac
Bee that he had deliberately run away
and lie as to his whereabouts during
his absence. A change of heart-re-
pentence at having broken his word
would be sufficient explanation of his
return.
So, struggling with himself, he
passed the remaining hours until
nightfall. To avoid all chance of sus-
picion, he forced himself to dine with
his hosts, and was more or less sue
cessful in making Adele feel that he
had at last become resigned to his
enforced presence aboard the yacht.
Slowly the early evening passed.
Adele amused herself by playing
quietly at the piano in the corner of
the salon, while Cornish and Harcourt
smoked in silence, each occupied with
his own thoughts. Now and then Har-
court stole glance at the great figure
of the American and marveled at his
great strength. Determination of
purpose was plain in every line of his
splendid physique, and in the strong
lines of his face Harcourt observed
a strange mixture of kindness and
brutality. Unquestionably Cornish
was man of tremendous force, man
not to be trifed with, and as he
watched him, Harcourt knew that un-
less he succeeded in gaining control
of the yacht that night, Cornish would
certainly carry out his threat to put
him in irons.
AT last Adele babe them good night
and Cornish, with yawn, announced
his intention Of turning in. Harcourt,
too, retired to his cabin, but he did
not undress. He switched on the small
reading light by the little corner table,
and opened the drawer where he had
hidden Benson's revolver. With an ex-
clamation of surprise he turned out
the contents of the compartment, but
the revolver was not there.
A dull sense of disappointment
came over him and his heart sank.
The plot had been discovered and the
attempt would fail. After a moments
thought, however, he laughed at his
fears. Naturally his every movement
was watched, and the revolver, having
been found in his cabin, had been con-
fiscated. There was nothing in that
by itself to prove that the projected
mutiny was suspected.
Turning out the light he crossed to
the portfolio and looked out, He could
hear the splashing of the sea against
the yachts sides, but there was no
other sound. He struck match and
looked at his watch. 1t was 10 minutes
to IL. The time was close at hand
now and he waited breathlessly in
the darkness as the match burned
close to his fingers and went out
Without moving he stood against the