The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-01-17
CHAPTER XXI.
A Plan 70 eave Ourselves.


A Plan TO Gave ourssivss.
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..
Hollisf You mean he would be willing
TOTO murder all on board to protect
himselfr
"If assured such an act would bring
safety, I do not believe he would hesi-
tate at even that crime. To be per-
fectly plain, Miss Vera, II is my judg-
ment that your presence on board pre-
sents the only problem unsolved."
my presencei Why, he has no
cause to fear me. No one knows where
am. II never appeared alive again,
not a soul could ever account for my
disappearance"
'"True. and probably McCann is fully
aware of these conditions. But nc
wishes you alive, not dead. ] "
what makes the problem"
She crossed the narrow space of
deck. and grasped my coat in her fin
gers.
"Ohl this Is too terriblei He-he
cannot imagine 1t possible"
And why notr I interrupted. "He
Is all-powerful on board. He Judges
the virtue Of others by his own stand.
ard. He dreams that You might even
mako that bargain to preserve life"
That would marry himr
Marriage would seal your lips
would win him safety, and also youI
subtugation and wealth. It Ii Q stake
worth playing for, surely"
"And the others? What would be
the fate Of you and the others II
made that hateful barsainr'
In ne way different. I imagine
from whet It WIN be II you refuse"
aid soSeriy-and my hand closed on
hers ~NcCann has no inteat1oo that
We sAan ever put foot ON shors. Hs
wv1lA b . fool to permit such q
chinG..
"Ysa thiak It al planned ostr
Ia tsetail; AeOann, Liverpool and
White know cxactly what they intend
dotnG. Their QuestioniAg Of me. and
their scrutiny Of the chart, ooavincea
ne Of this even believe now could
name TIE 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 30 sure Of. Why. Miss
Vera, you heard what was compelled
to assent to q moment ago. am to
pilot the Indian Chief to within ffty
miles Of tho harbor Of st. Johns. tim
Ing our arrival at that point to some
hour Of the night I am to give Nc.
Cam notice Of our arrival there, and
furnish him with exaet sailing dlrec-
lions to complete tho course. This
means that the crew expect to aban-
don tAs ship there. and take to the
bcatA There arc enough remaining
In good ccndltion-and Just enough
to nrry them oil. but the Indian
Chiaf win b left with mono to rescue
those Of ~ who are left on board In
case Of accident to tAe vessel"
-And You anticipate accidentr
II believe the ship win be deserted
In an unseaworthy confederation
with her bottom pierced. or her sea-
cocks open: and that those Of N left
aboard win be 80 confined al to be
practically helpless to save the vessel
from going down."
And the men in the boats WIN get
ashore, scatter and never be heard
from again. No one win ever learn
what became Of the Indian Chief. or
that we were aboardf"
THE French cruiser win report hav-
Ing spoken US at sea. That win be
the last word The truth win never
be made clear. Our fate win be anoth-
er sea mystery. never explained"
"Some Of the crew might talk later
In liquor"
There In always that danger, and
McCann is farsighted enough to guard
against It as far as possible. The
boats win easily become separated In
the darkness II the others are ever
picked up, It win be accidentally by
some ship at sea-and there are al
most no ships in this ocean. There
are few flaws In the plan. a. have
figured out"
She did not answer. her eyes on
my face. her expression exhibiting the
horror she felt at this vivid picture
which I had drawn. Then she slowly.
gently withdrew her hand from my
grasp, sinking into . chair. her head
henf forward