Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-23
CHAPTER xNxI-Coutruued.

A
~ Leayord and Olson in time TO act we'll
block the game. This probably depends
on how long you can keep Mccain on
board"
He must not suspicion your escape"
NO; I'll attend to that" I caught her
In my arms, and kissed her. feeling her
arms twine about my neck. You must SO
now. dear. You trust me2"
with all my heart"
She crossed 20 her stateroom. stepped
within, and partially closed tho door, yet,
felt, stood there. watching my every
movement There was no longer hesltnncy
on my part; our lives hung on the next
rev minuteJ and had already determined
what I must do and how
Action the chance to fight. inspired me;
| was no longer Gagged rat but "a man
able TO cope with these villains face 20
iace Inc first thing to be done was TO
clear the cabin. so that any one entering II
would have no suspicion aroused Time.
time in which TO work was my one great
need, and this could only be had while
McCann believed me still TO he a helpless
prisoner. | caught up the wooden bar from
where II lay on the deck, closed my state
room door and fitting tho nails hack into
the old holes, drove them in tightly with
the iron Vera had used TO pry them free.
Dade was unconscious, but not dead. I
only needed TO touch his flesh 70 assure
me of this fact yet the fellow neither
stirred, nor grosned, as I hastily dragged
his body into the nearest open doorway.
lie should have been bound and gagged,
but ! could not waste the moments for
that job and satisfied myself with closing
and locking the door Then, for an instant,
! stood painting for breath, uncertain as To
my next move, taking hasty survey. II was
almost a surprise to me that l had not
already been seen from above. could
hear now that all was quiet, steps on the
deck overhead-ether those OF the officer
in charge. or the man left at the wheel
ANY instant one Of these might be tempted
to glance down through the glass transom
INTO the dimly lighted cabin.
Only some miracle. or the consolidation
OF their interest temporarily on what was
being done forward, had saved us from
discovery Yet l could not remain there
almost in plain view. Where should turn
first? BascOm would be % no value even
II 7 released him my only hope or assist
ance lay in the two seamen. gripping tne
iron bar. the revolver snugy slowed away
in nv pocket Crept down the black pas
sageway leading forward. glad to escape
from the light Of the cabin
Whatever Of desperate villainy was going
on elsewhere in the ship, all was black ana
desolate enough down here. had preVi-
ouslv explored this passage when nrst
assumed command. and my mind retained
suHcient memory to yield me confidence.
There was a swinging lamp In front OF
the stewards pantry, but ] dared not Hgnt
IT, Far better TO grope my way lUrNalu,
aa there was no pitfall In the dark uhtl1
the ladder leading down 10 the si.s'le nc OU,'' ~
sbouId he encountered. and that was oe-
nd the petty officers quarters. IL was a
low narrow tunnel, running so deep WIth,n WIth
The heart Of the ship as 10 be hosoIutey
silent. could hear no ripple ol S',.T',
and os the engines were worklhE SIo"tS'
- hA
au,, faint, far-off hiss OF steam a'oie
anobod NV strained ears. moved on,
.,Ias, the deck with my foot ana ieelIhs
Long the side with my hahu' ~
inoyyIedge enough TO realize "here ,,,
Iii iron cover encountered ny my iee' 80,
oeaIed the opening TO the lazsre..e' W..
So standing wide open, was paue 5 pau
uoot ,o onnosIte was his sleeping quarterS
hovond the three storerooms' 'rleu
- aonrs finding none OF theH Io'Neu'
Itch assured me they were uh"v'up.u
Tba carpenter's stateroom came heN', 90
stood hesltating an instant DeioIe eIs.H. tet,ns
Ws latch. listening intently TOT inc s"e"'''S
sound ,z .o,.oa
Yet surely there were no guarus p1s.Su
hare They would be useless IN sucn uaIN ~
noss. beyond doubt every man had peeh
,,,,,,d -, 70 nroyislon the boats and get theih
.,nrhoard Mccain believed bis prisoners
80 secure. that II was quite sate 70 lea'e
tben, unmatched for the short perIou us' ~
daserting the ship. The very tact that tne
inefficient Dade had been lett alohe ...aIs II. ne
nshi, 10 watch over Miss Vera ana HlyseH
,,ae evidence that he needed every seaman
IN carry out the work on deck Inc tleas. meas.
W.. - bIs conhdence his conceit was what
gave lis this opportunity 20 act MY manu-
fumbling for the lock, encouhteIeu pai'
stout wooden bar extending IRON Ja,lo i
20 iaIrh and my heart bounded mauly'
~, ~ r,as the Mace had found II al
readv and the men I came TO release were
imnrisoned exactly as had been tappeu
gently on the panel
"yybo ia it?" Low as the whisper was
| feIt the convinced the speaker must DO
Leayord. a..
"Hollis. stand by now; are you alone2
YES Olson and Masters are 'ose'"e'
in the bosun's quarters
"NIastersl when did they lock him up?"
"Ahout an hour ago he made quite a
eght Of it-thats how ] knew what was
going on. sir Can you get me outF
Ave III rip this bar OF In jiny'
Have YOU a light in thereY
"Black as the inside OF "hales oe''S'
sir" ,uz ,.,,.. o,5
nut INV full strength TO IT, The bar was or
oak but the jambs soft pine. and the nails
drew out creaking slightly nut making no
noise to create any alarm IL was 30 IN
tensely dark could not even perceive the
outlines of the mans figure yet felt aware
that Leayord fronted me IN tne open uoor'
tJs found my hand somehow, and gripped It.
,rRv Cod I'm sure glad 10 meet you,
cantsin" he exclaimed heartily, and get
out a. that hole. Damn me, feel as II ia
| been stuck there a month What's the
word, sir?" -.
"Release the others, and get busy; min
utes are worth hours now
But tell me what's up sir III WORK
bstter IL understand the game"
comfy this" and my tone revealed my Inn
| natience. Mccain and his gang are de-
serting ship; they have the boats pro-
| yisioned and along side already; that IL
why the guards have been withdrawn.
They were going 70 leave us aooard
locked inf'' ~