Charlevoix county herald., 1915-05-22
The Mysterious Monogram
BY HowardP Hockey
Copyright hd

thousand times what the symbol
might represent. To him it meant
only haunting doubts and strange
fears, yet he knew that the character
held meaning that would solve the
whole problem if he could only dis
cover it.
Gradually he struck up a friendship
with Benson, the second officer, who
always stayed nearby when Harcourt
walked on the deck at night. He was
a young man of good looks and pleas
ant manners, and he seemed ready
enough to talk when Harcourt APP
preached him. Often as the yacht
plowed through the swelling seas, the
two talked for hours, and frequently
Benson told Harcourt of the country
that he and Cornish claimed as home.
Sometimes Harcourt wondered how
much Benson knew concerning him,
but as Cornish had warned him not
to reveal his identity, he refrained
from questioning the man on the SUBJ
ject. Talking to him seemed to relieve
the strain of the long nights when he
could not rest alone in his cabin, and
gradually after several extended con-
versations, Harcourt wondered if he
could not make use Of Benson.
He considered the idea carefully
and at least resolved to try it. If the
Murita would put in at any port, Har-
court knew he could reach Scotland
Yard by telegraph within a few hours
and advise MacBee of the reason for
his disappearance as well as his de-
sire to return. So, when they were
alone again on the deck the following
night, he made his first attempt.
Benson" he began, as he leaned
against the rail, what would you con-
slider great deal Of money!"
IL don't know-why said the
officer
81 mean what do you consider your
prospects worth-what do you expect
to have when you go back home and
ask some girl to marry you?"
Benson laughed. "I'm not likely to
marry" he said There's only one
woman I'd care to have, and I'll never
win her."
Perhaps you would-if your career
offered greater opportunities" Har-
court suggested.
"I'd need fortune greater than I'll
ever get at sea-" Benson told him.
Harcourt stood silently looking out
through the darkness at the great
black waves rolling as far as the eye
could see. Benson" he said at last.
There is a woman back in England
who is wondering where I am-why I
do not come back at time when she
needs me. For reasons that I need
not explain, Mr. Cornish is determined
that | shall not go to her. am very
rich mana man of some influence
in the kingdom--and if I could do so,
! would return to that woman"
He stopped and felt Benson look
ing at him strangely. "What do you
mean, sir?" the man asked.
Il mean that if | could be put
ashore anywhere l would willingly
pay $4,000 to the man that made that
possible"
Benson stared at him in astonish-
ment. Fifty thousand poundsW he
said.
"Why, sir, that is a quarter of a
million dollars"
at is" Harcourt said quietly. "And
| mean exactly what I say"
Benson laughed. That's funny"
he said. Are you trying to kid me-"
81 don't think understand" said
Harcourt.
II mean you're surely not in earn
est--you're joking?"
Il was never more serious in my
life. If you can win over enough of
the crew TO secure command of this
yacht, and make the nearest port at
once, ] will pay you 100000 the day
you set me ashore"
at couldn't be done, sir" Benson
said, at first doubling the sanity of
the man beside him.
"A great many things can be done
with that much money, Benson"
Harcourt urged.
az know it, sir, but what you sug-
gest means mutiny and you could not
turn this crew against Captain Whit
ford even if you promised every man
of them reserved seat in Heaven"
"You might suggest the thing to
Captain Whitford himself" Harcourt
suggested.
"Bribe Whitfordw Benson threw
back his head and laughed heartily.