The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-12-21
CHAPTER XXI.
A Plan to Save Ourselves.


She stood with hands clasped, and
parted lips, her eyes wide open with
unconcealed horror, for the moment
unable to utter word.
"You-you actually think that, Mr..
Hollis? You mean he would be willing
toto murder all on board to protect
himself?"
IF assured such an act would bring
safety, do not believe he would hest
tate at even that crime. To be per-
fectly plain, Miss Vera, it is my judg-
ment that your presence on board pre-
sents the only problem unsolved."
'My presence! Why, he has no
cause to fear me. No one knows where
1 am. If / never appeared alive again,
not a soul could ever account for my
disappearance"
"True, and probably Mccain is fully
aware of these conditions. But he
wishes you alive, not dead. That is
what makes the problem"
She crossed the narrow space of
deck, and grasped my coat in her fin
gers.
"Oh! this is too TERRIBLE! He-he
cannot imagine it possible"
"And why not?" interrupted. "He
is all-powerful on board. He judges
the virtue Of others by his own stand
ard. He dreams that you might even
make that bargain to preserve life."
''That l would marry him?"
Marriage would seal your lips
would win him safety, and also your
subjugation and wealth. 1t is stake
worth playing for, surely"
"And the others? What would be
the fate Of you and the others if I
made that hateful bargain?'
"In no way different, imagine,
from what it will be if you refuse" I
said soberly--and my hand closed on
hers. MCCAIN has no intention that
we shall ever put foot on shore. He
would be a fool to permit such a
thing"
"You think it all planned out?"
"In detail; Mccain, 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-Dugan, Dubois, Sachs and
the negro, Watson, with perhaps two
others / am not so sure of. Why, Miss
Vera, you heard what was compelled
to assent to a moment ago. l am to
pilot the Indian Chief to within fifty
miles of the harbOr Of st. Johns, tim
ing our arrival at that point to some
hour of the night. / am to give Nc
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 to 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 accident?"
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
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?"
1.-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. If the others are ever
picked up, IL 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 I have
figured out"
She did not answer, her eyes on
my face, her expression exhibiting tile
horror she felt at this vivid picture
which had drawn. Then she slowly,
gently withdrew her hand from my
grasp, sinking into chair, her head
bent forward.