Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-29


worth playing for. surely.
sAnd the otherS1 What w0nId n
the fate OF you and the others 4
made that hateful bargainf
"In no way different, I imaganA
from what It will be II you refusAs
said soberly--and my hand closed g
hers. Mccain has no intention thai
we shall ever put foot on shors. "a
would be a fool to permit such {
thing"
"You think Il all planned outr
"In detail: McCann. Liverpool and
White know exactly what they Intend
doing. Their questioning OF me, and
their scrutiny OF the chart, convinces
me Of this. even believe now could
name the other men OF the crew who
will be in their boat, when they aban-
don ship-Dugnn, Dubois, SachS and
the negro. Watson. with perhaps two
Others am not 80 sure u. WY, Aias
Vera, you heard what ! was compelled
to assent to moment ago. am to
pilot the Indian Chief to within NIFTY
miles Of the harbor Of 81. Johns. tim.
ing our arrival at that point 70 some
hour Of the night. am to givo No
Cam notice of our arrival there. and
furnish him with exact sailing direc-
tons to complete the course. This
means that the crew expect to aban-
don the ship there, and take 70 the
boats. There are enough remaining
in good condition--and just enough
to carry them all. but the Indian
Chief will be left with none to rescue
those Of US who are left on board In
case Of accident to the vessel"
"And you anticipate accidentf
X II believe the ship will be deserted
In an unseaworthy condition-either
with her bottom pierced, or her sea-
cocks open; and that those of us left
aboard will be SO confined as to be
practically helpless to save the vessel
from going down."
"And the men in the boats will get
ashore. scatter and never be heard
from again. No one will ever learn
what became Of the Indian Chief. or
that we were abOard!
'The French cruiser will report hav-
Ing spoken us at sea. That will be
the last word. The truth will never
be made clear. Our fate will be anoth-
er sea mystery, never explained"
'Some of the crew might talk later
In liquor"
'There is always that danger, and
Mccain Is farsighted enough to guard
against it as far as possible. The
boats will easily become separated In
the darkness. II the others are ever
picked up, it will be accidentally by
some ship at sea-and there are al.
most no ships in this ocean. There
are few flaws in the plan, as ! have
figured OUT
Size did not answer, her eyes on
my face, her expression exhibiting the
horror she felt at this vivid picture
which had drawn. Then she slowly.
gently withdrew her hand from my.
grasp, sinking into a chair, her head
bent forward.
"You-you really believe they actu-,
ally plan to &C ell this" she asked
at last. "And what-what about met;
You suggested that-that marriage,
might save me from this fate. Do you
think so III Of me ~ to imagine y
would ever consent to such barsainS
"What I may imagine has nothing
to do with the case, Miss Vera Ny
thought, and that Of Fergus HcCann.;
is not liable to be the same on anyll
subject. The only hope he can hvs'
of ever winning you IL through thfsatI
He possesses power and can assafl yoxl
with deadly peril. It Is my belief that
he contemplates doing So"
"That he will offer me choice Of
marriage with him. or death7"
eyes; it will not be put In Just soI
brutal form, for the fellow has q
certain polish over his villainy. but
1t will mean that"
LOAN me the revolver"
"For what purpose?"
ITO kill the brute, II ever he dares'
SUCH proposal. Mr.. Hollis, I would.
die before would ever permit his
touchl Marry him to save my lifel:
Why, am so ashamed cannot look
you in the face; cannot even find
words to express my detestation OF
such suspicion"
I stepped forward, and my hand
gently rested on the bowed shoulder.
my dear GIRL" I said earnestly.
.look ut me. and believe my words.
Lift your eyes; ! want you to read
the truth in my heart. 1t is not your
life alone; it is mine also, and the
lives of nearly all the others aboard.
which are at stake. For the sake OF
-, -; -e.,n~ m ask of you a sac
rifice"
There had been mist Of tears In
the uplifted eyes, but as paused this
had vanished.
"A sacriflce?" she stammered. THAT:
I marry that MANI"
God forbid! No; but that You en-
courage him to think 1t possible"
,"Oh, l could not--I could not! Do
not ask that of me-"
"But listen" I urged eagerly, forget
full Of all else in the earnestness Of
my plea. "Vera, listen before you
make decision. The only possible
hope lies in the freedom of one Of US
aboard. can so juggle figures as to
keep the ship safely at sea for another
day and night, but no longer.
Someone must be free to act and
plan. I cannot, nor any Of those men
confined amidships. BY winning Nc
ro~u,, n-~o Sa.no. ~, s.,.,,,,;y0 81 xtolA