Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1915-05-14

ess."
knobs OF sugar together 90 that the
contents should fall into the tubes OF
bouillon, shook. The result was
magical The bouillon turned 20 a
strange shade OF gray and began
slowly to thieken.
1T Is Mongar poisonl" the profess
sor cried. with breaking voice.
They all looked at one another.
Craig must be here amor ( us,
Quest muttered
And the bouillon." Laura cried.
clasping Quests arm, "the bouillon
was meant for youl"
There seemed 10 be. somehow,
among all Of them. a curious indis-
position 70 discuss this matter Sud-
denly I,enora. who was sitting on the
lounge underneath the portfolio. put
out her hand and picked up a card
which was lying by his side. She
glanced at 1t. at first, curiously. Then
she shrieked
"A message," she cried. "A mes
sage from The Hands, Look"
They crowded around her. In that
same familiar handwriting was
scrawled across the face OF the card
these few words:
To Sanford Quest:
You have ESCAPED -thla time -bya
chance Of fortune, not because your
Sits are keen, not because Of your
iwn shrewdness; simply because
Fate wiIled Il. II will not be for long
Underneath was the drawing of the
,lenched hands.
There is no longer any doubt"
Lenora said calmly. Craig is on
board. He must have been on deck
a few minutes ago. 1t was his hand
which placed this card on the port
hole. Listen, What's that?"
There was scream from the deck.
They all recognized Laura's voice
Harris was out of the stateroom first.
but they were all on deck within ten
seconds. Laura was standing with
one hand clasping the rail. her hand
fercely outstretched towards the low
er part of the promenade deck.
Through the darkness they heard the
What is II. Laura?" Lenora cried.
She swung round upon them.
"Craigl" she cried. Craig L
saw his face as l sat in my chair
there. talking TO the captain. saw
4 mans white face-nothing else. He
must have been leaning over the rail
He heard me call out and he disap-
peared"
The captain came slowly out Of the
shadows, limping a little. and fol-
lowed by his steward, who was mur-
muring profuse apologies
did you find him." Laura demand
ed. eagerly,
Il did not" the captain replied. a
little tersely. II ran into Brown here
and we both had a shake-up."
But he was there-a second agol"
Laura cried out.
Il beg your pardon. miss" Brown
ventured, "but the decks closed at
the end, as you can see, with sail
cloth. and I was leaning over the
rail myself when you shrieked. There
wasn't anyone else near me, and no
one can possibly have passed round
the deck, as you can see for your
self"
Very we'll. then, she said. you
people had better get a strait-waist-
coat ready for me. II ! didn't see
Craig there, I'm going of my head"
Quest had disappeared some sec
unds ago. He came thoughtfully back,
little later.
Captain" he asked, what shall
you say II tell you that have proof
that Craig is on board?"
The captain glanced at Laura and
restrained himself.
Il should probably say a great many
things which / should regret after
wards" he replied, grimly.
SIT down and we'll tell you what
has happened in my room," Quest con-
tinued
He told the story. calmly and with
out remark The captain held his
head.
"The ship shall be searched" the
captain declared, "once more. We'll
look into every crack and every cup
board"
Lenora turned away with a little
shiver. II was one OF her rare mo-
ments Of weakness.
"You won't find him. You won't
find himl" she murmured. And /
am afraid"
Lenora grasped the rails OF the
steamer and glanced downwards at
the great barge full OF Arab sailors
and merchandise. In the near back
ground were the docks Of Port Said.
1t was their first glimpse OF eastern
atmosphere and color.
Il can't tell you how happy / am
she declared TO Quest TO think that
this voyage is over. Every night L