The Pulaskian., 1917-11-02


 ory."
 "The shipwreck-no but the first evening we met I cannot forget. But you promised to make the mystery of your presence on board the Esmeralda clearf'
 Has 1t not revealed itself?"
 Mot to me"
 But has not Philip Bascom told you who ann"
 I shook my head, not altogether happy at this introduction of his name, but unable to resent it.
 But you knew he recognized me |; that we had been friends"
 "All the more reason why I should remain silent. As long as you evident ly preferred that should not know" "Oh, but I didn't, MT. Hollis," she 1 interrupted. Tt never once occurred to me that you were still in doubt as to my identity. Of course at first thought 1t safer to guard my secret !; 1 I-I did not know you at all then, only by name; you were merely a guest on board my fathers yacht"
 Your fathers yacht! Why, of course-how stupid of me. Vera, Vera, why the name had strangely familiar sound from the very first, but could not recall the association; you are Gerald Carrington's daughterT
 q am Vera Darlington"
 'But supposed you to be in Flu roper"
 Did papa say so? You must have misunderstood. Mother would have taken me with her, but I had so much I wanted to do in New York. It is strange you should not have suspect ed; that no one should have told you Why, both Mir. Bascom and Mir. Me Cam knew me-"
 Mot McCann, surely?"
 "Why not? We have met socially in New York. It seems hardly pos sible, now that realize the true char acter of the man. But probably you never asked; never discussed me be. I tween you?"
 ''That is the truth. Of course 1t was quite impossible for me to question McCann, and have seen very little of Bascom. Besides, you rather threw yourself on my honor."
 "On the Esmeralda-yes. It was nee essary then, for I simply had to keep a safe distance at sea. There were several on board who would have rec ognized me at once, and would have told papa. MT. Hollis, realize far more than you can, all that has oc- | cured 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 Esme- ralda safely in New York. Mir. 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, have heard things not much, but enough to arouse suspi- cion. Then you had some trouble just now, and locked man up in one of the staterooms. It was to ask you about this that I came on deck. Who was the man, and what had he doneY'
 "Our old friend. Fergus McCann," answered, deciding to be frank with her. "It was not so much what he had done, as what he proposed doing. He was attempting to corrupt the crew | forward by the use of money, and un- fortunately, there are some scamps aboard only too willing to make trouble. I felt 1t safer to nip the scheme early"
 "But what--what does Mir. McCann seek? Why should he endeavor to buy up the men? What is his purposeY
 "To have the Indian Chief returned to an American port. I'll do him the credit of saying that, until I told him a while ago, he possessed no knowledge whatever that Bascom owned the vessel, or was on board. He hates Bascom yet, and will be only too glad to ruin him. And he hates me, because of what occurred in the boat 1 This is what underlies his action, no doubt; then he believes money will ac- complish anything, and he has found sailormen forward ready enough to do the dirty work, if he will only pay well for it."
 You know them?'
 "The two most prominent are Jim White and a fellow known aboard as Liverpool Red, both typical forecastle bullies. know how to deal with their sort.'
 "You-you have decided what to do, then?"
 q have decided Co fight 1t out, at least. gave you my promise, Miss Vera, to take tLis snip to Hamburg if it was possible to get there" And there is no other way of saving the investment in this vessel and cargog'
 q know ot none"
 'Then we must go on, must we not I-I hope you will, Captain Hollis"
 Before I could stop her, or add an other word, she was gone, and l was