The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-12-14
"homs; may l have a wordf"

me. her eyes filled with startled well
come.
"Why-I thought; they told me-oh |
l am so glad"
"They told you %hat?"
why, nothing direct. But there was
fighting last night. II heard the
struggle on deck, and then here In the
cabin; and when l started to leave
my room l encountered McCann and
some of the crew. They were dragging
Leayord down the stairs, and his face
was all blood"
You were not injuredT
"No; the big man with the red hair
threatened me. but McCann interfered
and thrust me back into the stateroom
He told me TO lock the door. and not
TO make any noise. II thought they
had killed you"
well, they tried hard enough, but.
as you see, am very much alive sti,..
They trapped me In the forecastle.
Do you know what has become Of the
othersr'
She shook her head.
"What I've told Is all know. Those
villains have control of the ship7"
related the story to her swiftly,
concealing nothing. At the last she
asked:
Tia: is all7 You know no more"
mo"
"Then the others must be alive and
on board. Surely you would have
heard if any had been killed."
II believe so; they would not Kill IL
possible To avoid it, as such crime
would render their own case more deS-
perate."
= "What-what are you going TO do:"
"Frankly Miss Vera. do not know"
| confessed 81 have had no time to
think. and my head still throhs so from
blows that | hardly realize the situa.
ton. cannot hope to fight these men
alone, and there can be no immediate
danger - they are sailing the shi!,
toward st. Johns"
You believe they will take TO the
boats, and leave us aboard"
THAT would be their only safe
course. They would never dare sail
the Indian Chief into that. or any
other harbOr. They must land as shin
wrecked seamen, tell their story, and
then quickly disappear"
II know that-but-but will they
dsre TO leave us afioat, to be picked Nh
by some vessel?"
hesitated, but her eyes compelled
an answer
II do not know" said soberly. "It
hardly seems possible they can contem-
plate such an act of villainy as the
scuttling Of the ship, and leaving us on
board to drown like rats. That wouId
be too horrid a crime for this age
White and Liverpool might be brutal
enough, but surely not Fergus Nc
Cam"
why not Fergus McCanny"
His education, his former life the
civilization In which he has been
reared; he has lived among gentle
men"
Gentlemen :" she echoed the word
In scorn. His associates have been
principally gamblers and FOUNDERS II.
Is notorious In New York. and his
money alone gives him entrance To do
cent circles. He doesn't know what
the word gentleman means. II there
ls treachery behind this, 1t will be the
plan Of Fergus McCann."
You know him better than T."
Know of him longer; have heard
more tales, yet surely you saw whnr
he was in the boatf"
You believe, then. the intention il
to Scuttle the vessel?"
eyes, / do"
And leave us helpless on board ~
"YeS. Mr.. Hollis"
drew deep breath, at this direct
Verification of my own secret suspi.
cion.
$50 do L." ] returned In wbIsner
aIth"ugh had no thought Of telling
you"
You have some plan. then? You
nave considered what to doY"
NO; hardly that. There will be two
days. at least before we shall be close
enough to the coast for them to tako
10 the boats. Much may happen with
IN that time; we may be spoken by
some other vessel even overhauled nv
warship, and manned by priz.
crew"
You hope for this2"
st. Johns Is naval base; the
closer we approach the harbOr the
more apt we are to encounter a Brit.
ish cruiser"
Her fingers grasped my sleeve.
But, Mr.. Hollis, II all these homes
fall, and there should be no rescue, Is
there not something we can do? Must
we remain here helnlnsa inat ,.aI.I- =.