Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-18
CHAPTER XVIII


CHE stood with hands clasped and parted |
- lips. her eyes wide open with uncon. |
cealed horror, for the moment unable to |
utter word
"You--you actually think that. Mr..
HollisF You mean he would be willing to |
to murder all on board to protect hlmself?"
III assured such an act would bring |
safety. | do not believe he would hesitate
at even that crime Indeed | have no doubt
he has contemplated II; perhaps has al
ready planned its accomplishment To be
perfectly plain, Miss Vera II Is my iudg-
ment that your presence on board presents
the only problem unSolved
MY presence Why he has no cause 10
fear me. no one knows where | am. II
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. I may be mistaken Miss Vera
but this is the conclusion have reached /
do not say that Fergus Mccain loves Won
/ doubt his Capahiity OF really loving anv-
thing other than himself; Yet he admires
you and is attracted by you; his conceit
makes him ambitious to overcome your dis
like. and he is not blind to the fact Tho,
! YOU are the only daughter Of n multimillion-
| aire. 10 you realize now how valuable Won
might be In his vicw?'
She crossed the narrow space Of deck ana
! grasped my coat in her fingers.
| "Oh this Is too terrible He-he cannot
! imagine it possible"
And why not?' interrupted "TIe Is all
| powerful on board. lie judges the virtue OF
! others by his own standard. lie dreams
! that you might even make that bargain TO
| preserve life"
| THAT | would marry hmc"
Marriage would seal your lips; would
| win him safety. and also your subjuga lion
and wealth. II is a stake worth playing
! Cor surely
"Aud the others? What would be the
fate Of YOU md the others II | made that
| hateful barEaiu?"
"In no way different. | imagine from
! what it viii be iC you refuse" I said soherlv
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 thing TIE crime he is already
guilty Of is ~ too serious nature for him
to run that risk. lie may have to spare n
few men in order to save himself but they
Will be those who will not dare to talk for
fear of their own neCks"
you think il al planned out?"
| In detail McCann, Liverpool and White
know exactly what they intend doing. Their
| questioning Of me and their scrutiny OF
the chart convince me Of this | even
believe now | could name the other men
of the crew who will be in their boat when
they abandon the ship-Dugan, Dubois,
Sachs and the negro Watson, with perhaps
two others am not so sure of. Why, Miss
|
assent to a moment ago. ! am TO pilot the
: Indian CHIEF to within fifty miles OF the
! harbor Of St Johns, timing our arrival at
that point to some hour of the night. am
to give Mccain notice beforehand OF our
2 arrival there, and furnish him with exact
sailing directions to complete the course
I This means that the crew expect TO abandon
the ship there and take to the boats. There
, are enough remaining In good condition
and just enough-to carry them all, but the
e those of us left on board in case Of accident
to the vessel"
And you anticipate accident"
\ 'G believe the ship will be deserted in ar
e unseaworthy condition either with hel
n bottom pierced or her seacocks open; and
e that those Of us left aboard will be so con
n fined to be virtually helpless to save Tho
vessel from going down"
3 And the men in the boats will gel
4 ashore, scatter and never be heard from
again No one will ever learn what became
. of the Indian Chief or that we were
aboard"
I The French cruiser will report having
spoken us at sea. That will be the last word
= or course, shipping circles Will realize tha
something was wrong aboard or the shiT
would not be i'm these northern waters, sail
4 ing under false papers, but the truth VII
never be made clear. our fate VIII b'
] another sea mystery, never explained
= Some of the crew might talk later-ir
b | liquor"
3 There is always that danger, and Nc
r Cam is farsighted enough to guard against
| 1t as far as possible. The most OF then
b | will never get ashore except by accident
4 | The few men he really trusts-men SC
3 deeply involved In the crime they dare MOI
| talk-wll be in his boat; they VIII have
the correct sailing directions, and the Others
4 | will be furnished with false ones The
e boats will easily become separated In the
4 | darkness. If the others are ever picked
up it will be accidentally by some ship al
| sea-and there are almost no ships in this
= ocean There are few flaws In the plan, as
| I have figured it out"
q She did not answer, her eyes on my face
/ her expression exhibiting the horror she
. | felt at this vivid picture which l had
Y drawn Then she slowly, gently, withdrew
/ her hand from my grasp, sinking Into a
, | chair, her head bent forward.
"You-you really believe they actually
4 plan TO do all this?" she asked at last, as
e | | remained silent.
t What else they do? They dare moi
= bring the ship into any civilized port. Sure