Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-03
CON TR ALB AND
Romance of the North Atlantic
BY RANDALL PARRISH

| She turned. and felt her hand touch
mine
Il know that you saved my life." she
said earnestly. THAT you protected mo in
| the boat that you have DONE and are now
doing every duty at my request. Why,
Mr., Hollis, | realize far more than you can
how all this has occurred through the mad
whim of a girl. But for me you would not
be here on this unlucky ship You would
be with those others rescued from the
Esmeralda safely in New York"
1T was a girls whIm. then, which caused
you to secrete yourself on board tho
yacht"
That and that only. l had asked to go
on the voyage and been refused I told
papa | would go in spite Of all he could
do to prevent IT. He laughed. and that
fixed the purpose firmly In my mind. 1t
all seems silly enough now"
ut was Seeley who smuggled you
abcard?"
Yes, and I had TO keep hidden until
We were well at sea. The delay in the
Sound made my position very unpleasant
| could only venture on deck at night and
then I encountered you. Except that
have made you SO much trouble. l am not
sorry She stopped speaking, although
her hand still grasped mine In apparent
unconsciousness. There was barely light
enough for mo to perceive the outlines Of
her face.
''Mr. Hollis. tell me, Is there real trouble
on board? Is there doubt Of your being
able to take the Indian Chief into port?"
why do you ask"
"Because--well, I have heard things not
much, but enough TO arouse suspicion. Then
you had some trouble Just now. and locked
Il man up in one of the staterooms. It was
to ask you about this that came on deck"
laughed, endeavorlng to treat the mat
ter lightly.
'why, I thought we were very quiet
you were not asleop?"
mo; l was lying down, but had not
undressed even. who was the man? and
what had he done?'
"Our old friend Fergus McCann" an
swered deciding to be frank with her. ut
was not 40 much what he had done, as
what he proposed doing. lie was attempt
ing to corrupt the crew forward by the
use Of money, and, unfortunately. there
are some scamps aboard only too willing
TO make trouble, felt II safer to nip the
scheme early"
but what--what does Mr. McCann seek?
why should he endeavor TO buy up tho
men? Surely he must have some object?
Undoubtedly; more than ono I imagine,
but the main reason Is pure cussedness.
Yes" she insisted but what is his pur-
pose now"
ITO have the Indian Chief returned to
an American port. I'll do him the credit
OF saying that, until told him while ago.
he possessed no knowledge whatever that
Bascom owned the vessel. or was on board
However. he said nothing which would
make me think this fact would interfere
in the least with his plans. Tho fellow
doesn't seem TO know how to forgive; he
encourages q spirit of revenge. He hates
Bascom yet and will be only too glad to
ruin him. And he hates me, because of
what occurred in the boat.
This is what underlies his action no
doubt then he believes money will accom-
plish anything, and he has found sailor
men forward ready enough to do the dirty
work. If he will only pay well for IT,"
mot the whole crew Surely he has
not already succeeded in corrupting them
all"
mo, probably not; but the poison is
there His argument is the peril OF con-
tinuing the present voyage-the danger OF
capture and Imprisonment. His agents
preach that"
you know them?"
"The two most prominent are Jim White.
and a fellow known aboard as Liverpool
Red both typical forecastle bullles.
know how to deal with their sort"
"You-you have decided what to do
then?"
II have decided to fight it out, at least.
/ gave you my promise. Miss Vera, to take
this ship to Hamburg II 1t was possible to
get there"
without even knowing who I was?"
Yes"
And does it make any difference now
that you do known" rs sq
y presume %. In : way; yet lsss than