The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-12-14
CHAPTER XIX.
A French Man-of-War.

No food was brought me during the
afternoon, nor had eaten all day, yet
my mental state was such / had no
consciousness of hunger. I had dis
covered no means of creating a light,
although my eyes were sufficiently ac-
custOmed to dimness to enable me to
move about my narrow quarters safely
enough.
1t must have been between eight and
nine o'clock when the key turned in
the lock of my door, and Liverpool
looked in. The light from the swing
ing lamp in the main cabin fiared into
my eyes, binding me, yet 1 recognized
his face, and saw Dade close behind
him, bearing a tray. Neither of them
spoke, but Red, having assured him
self Of my presence, stood aside, and
motioned the steward to enter. The
latter deposited the laden tray on the
desk, and backed out silently, every
movement showing him thoroughly
cowed by his guardian. Realizing that
any word from me would only result in
insult, / remained silent, and the two
disappeared, closing and locking the
door behind them. I confess ate the
food with relish, for it was well cooked,
and served with some daintiness. After
a second cup of coffee I felt much
more like myself, rummaging through
the captains chest until found some
tobacco and pipe, which l at once
appropriated to my own use. No one
returned for the emptied dishes, and 1
sat for a long while at the open port
smoking, the blue spiral swept away
by the rush Of air, and my eyes on
the starlit waters.
l had been sailor long enough to ac-
cept the ordinary perils Of the sea as
part Of the profession. Nothing was
too strange to be true at sea and SO 1t
was not the position In which found
myself not the possible fate Of the. In
dian Chief, or Of her captured officers,
which weighed most upon my mind-it
was Vera Darlington. II those villains
scuttled the ship; IL they took to the
boats to save themselves, leaving US
to drown like rats, what would they do
with the girl? Would Mccain dare to
take her with him? Would he venture
leaving her alive to bear witness to
his crime? There was but one an
swrr-not unless she was utterly in his
power. Either he must quiet her by
force, and thus bring her spirit to his
| will, or else compel her to marry him,
and so legally seal her lips. And the
man was perfectly capable of taking
either course - whichever seemed
easier.
This was the consideration which
served partially to arouse me from
coma. l could not continue to sit there
waiting for Fate to approach; better
far to go forth and meet 1t In manly
fashion. / had a good strong knife
in my pocket, and the lock Of the door
was q common one, the wood surround
ing 1t soft pine. There was nothing in
that obstacle to prevent my escape, and
If l was discovered at large, my pun
ishment would merely be confinement
elsewhere. had therefore nothing to
lose, but everything to gain by the ex-
pertinent. The hour was late, the night
had thus far been quiet one, and 1T
was quite probable the fellow, COM
fortably situated, was browsing at his
task. Anyhow, 1 would make little
noise, and the chance was worth TAX
ing.
The labor proved easier than had
supposed. The soft pine yielded easily
to the sharp blade, and very few mo-
ments sufliced TO cut the lock clear,
enabling me to open the door silently
and take cautious survey of the main
cabin. At first / doubted the presence
of anyone, and had, indeed, ventured
forth before perceiving the form of a
man outstretched on the divan sur
rounding the butt of the mizzenmast.
The fellow was asleep, yet restless
enough to be dangerous. His face was
in shadow, and l thought 1t best not
to venture close enough to identify
him, although the dim light revealed
a belt about his waist, and the bullying
butt Of a revolver. Convinced that my
only hope of accomplishment lay in
the discovery and release of my fell
low prisoners, / crept across the de-
serted cabin, and entered the passage
leading forward. Somewhere amid
ships these were surely confined. But
/ was not destined to discover where.
had taken scarcely step when the
fcompanion door opened, and a man
staetRd down the stairs. Crouched in
the Darkness, saw the sleeping guard,
aroused by the noise, spring upright,
and as the light fell on his face, rec
ognized a seaman named Dubois. The
man on the stairs paused, gripping the
rail, staring down as though mOmen-
tarily blinded by the light.
as that you Dubois" he asked In