Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-29
CON TR ABAND
A Romance Of the North Atlantic
BY RANDALL PARRISH


single door, to be sure hut this was closed
and locked securely To the best of my
knowledge this door had never been opened
since the ship left Baltimore. and ITS
mechanism had probably been operated
from the demolished bridge could con-
ceiye of no way in which the Crazed man
could have proceeded further forward. From
TINS point clear to the forcpeak the cargo
had been loaded almost chock with the
main deck and the hatches had not been
lifted for week: indeed they were bat
tened down, and 1t was likely the air was
foul enough by this time to stranglc any
human being
rs there any communication between the
iorecastIc and the hold White?" | asked,
staring helplessly at the steel barrier
NO, sir; the fo'castlc Is all above deck"
How was this door manipulated? DO
either of you know?'
Well l had charge o. loadin' the after
hold, sir and Olson scratched his head
trying To remember. THAT door never was
opened but once, when Captain Hadley
tested 1t before we left Baltimore or maybe
atter we got out in the Chesapeake think
II wuz opened an shut from the bridge. Mr..
Hollis"
That is the usual arrangement. but
there is a slot here for "A key; still the
door is steel, and it looks too heavy for any
one man to operate"
leaned over and looked down into the
lighted engine room at the bottom OF the
| smart. All ] could was a great wheel
steadily turning.
The engineer stepped into view and
peered up into the darkness; he appeared
| burly and shapeless.
That you, Captain?"
Yes, Bascom, the owner, has gone crazy
and has hidden himself somewhere on
board"
Well, I'll be damned! Can't you find
him?"
Not yet; we've searched every place aft
| lie hasn't visited you?"
Not to my knowledge TONY ia barl,
! in the hreroom; I'll ask him"
The three Of us clung TO the ladder gaz-
! ing down. the light from the lantern re-
| Nealing our faces. Masters was not gone
moment, but his voice had changed
"Tony's killed, sir" he called uu excitedly
| Hes lying ON the Goa! IN No. l bunker, cut
| in the back with n knife"
| The words were not out of his mouth be-
! Tore we were scrambing down. But our
haste gained us nothing. The only trail
! Bascom had left was the dead Italian
| stretched out in the half-emptied coal
| bunker, his lips closed forever. II was n
| knife thrust which had killed him 49, inst
| such thrust as had done for his two mates
IN the cabin above; but the madman had
| disappeared
However here was proof positive that the
! fellow was still on board; still hiding he
! tween decks. He had not reached the omen
/ or hung himself into the sea Surely with
! IN the narrow confines of the ship we could
| run him down. Yet the situation was baf.
! Hlhg enough Masters could tell us moth
/ ing; he had heard no sound seen no
! shadow He had been olIing the machinery
! and man could have slipped down the
! ladder unobservcd, and escaped again I'm
| the same way. There was no other on.
| trance to the engine room; the forward
| bulkhead was solid; there were two yenti-
| lator shafts but neither was large enough
| for the passage Of mans body, and the
| coal-chute was kept closed and locked at
! sea. Nevertheless / had these examined
| determined to take no chances. and our
| lantern penetrated every inch of the engine
! room and coal bunkcrs. At the end ut
| tcrly baiiied, White gave vent to an oath
! 1T beats me. sir" he confessed hoarsely
| unless it's a spook we're a-huntin' for"
| 81 wish 1t was; the trouble is it is a
| man, and mighty dangerous one Well
! he's not down here. and he must have
| gone back by way Of the ladder The fell
! low has either found some means Of get
| ting into the hold or else he's managed
| to slip on deck and perhaps is hidden in
| the foreCastle--no one messes there now"
| mo, sir"
Then let's have look up above; come
on, men"
Yer amt goin' ter leave me down here
| All alOhe, are yer captain questioned
! Masters anXously, with Tony lyin' dead
in there, an a damned murderer prowln'
| abOut?"
| Hell not be down here again, but
suppose you must have freman-White.
! you better stay"
! ""Tain't no Job I like sir; I shoveled
! coal here already for eight hours"
| "Ill tackle it, sir" interrupted Olson
| quietly. That big boob would throw a
fit down here every time he saw a shadow.
| After you get those matches Off send him
| I'm on top o. the cargo. There'd be no
danger O his gettin' hurt II Bascom was
| a hdin' there"
"Yer a damn liar! amt no more afraid
| than you are.
Then why don't you stay here?"
I'm plumb tired out shovelin'"
THAT will do men," broke In sternly.
| There will be work enough and maybe
! fighting enough for both of you As long
| as you have volunteered, Olson, you may
| take a turn down here, and White will go
with me. Keep sharp eye out. you men
| below" -
CONTINUED TOMORROW