Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-01-14
Copyr,ght, 1913, by the Mcclure Publications, Inc.
Copyrlqht, 1914, BY Mary Robery Rinehart.

Out the ak was gone. Nor was it ever
found. 1t had taken it's bloody story
many fathoms deep into the old Allan
tic and hidden it. where many crimes
have been hidden. in the ooze and
slime Of the sen bottom.
That day was memorable for more
than the attack IN Burns. 1t marked
a complete revolution in my idea Of the
earlier crimes and of the criminal.
Two things influenced my change of
mental attitude. The attack on Burns
was one. / did not believe that Tur-
ner had strength enough to fell so
vigorous a man, even with the capstan
bar which we found lying near by,
nor could he have jerkcd and broken
the amberline. Mrs. Johns l eliminat-
ed for the same reason, of course. l
could imagine her getting the key by
subtlety, wheeling the impressiona-
bic young sailor Into compliance. But
force! !.
The second reason was the stronger.
Singleton, the mate, had become a
tractable and almost amiable prisoner.
Like Turner, he was ugly only when
he was drinking, and there was no
liquor III the Ella. He spent his days
devising with bits of wire IL ring puz-
Zle that he intended should make his
fortune. and ! believe he contrived
finally Il clever enough bit of foolery.
The morning Of Burns injury l WIS.,
tied Singleton.
The new outrage, coming at a time
when they were slowly recovering con
idence. had turned the men surly.
The" went doggedly about their work,
and whenever they gathered there
was muttered talk Of the white figure.
There was g%rumbling, too, over their
lack of weapons for defense.
The cook was a %ringleader of the
malcontents. Certain utensils We're al
lowed him, but he was compelled at
night to lock them in the galley after
either Burns inspection or mine and
to turn over the key to n of US.
On the morning after the attack,
therefore, Tom, carrying Singleton's
breakfast to him, told him at length
what had occurred in the night and
dilated on his lack of self defense
should al attack be directed toward
him.
Singleton promptly offered to make
him out of wire a key to the galley
door, so that he could get what be
wanted from it. The cook was to take
an impression of the lock. In ex-
change Tom was to fetch him from a
hiding place which Singleton designat-
ed in the forward house Il bottle of
whisky.
The cook was u shrewd mulatto, and
after 10 that morning when he brought
it to me. 1 was trying to get the de-
tails of his injury from Burns at the
time in the tent.
81 didn't see or hear anything. Les
lie" Burns said feebly. Il don't even
remember being hit. l felt there was
some one behind me. That was ALL"
"How long was Mrs. Johns Oh deck?"
mot long"
did she ask you to do something for
herr"
Pale as he was he colored. but he
eyed me honestly.
Eyes. Don't ask me any more, Les
lie. 1t had nothing to do with this"
"What did she ask you to do?' l per-
sisted remorselessly.
II don't want to talk. My head
aches"
every well. Then I'll tell you what
happened after ! went off watch. No.
I wasn't spying. L know the woman.
that's all. She said you looked tired
and wouldn't it be all right If you sat
down for a moment and talked to her."
mo: she said she was nervous"
'The same thing. only better. Then