The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1918-06-07
CHAPTER XXI.
A Plan to Save Ourselves.

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..
Hollis7 You mem he would be willing
toto L,urder all on board to protect
HIMSELF"
@n assured such an act would bring
safety, do not believe he would hesi-
tate at even that crime. To be per-
fectly plain, Miss Vera, 1t Is my judy
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
l am. If never appeared alive again,
not 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 nm
gers.
"Ohi this is too terriblei He-he
cannot imagine 1t possible"
"And why not7" 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 would marry him7"
Marriage would seal your lips;
would win him safety. and also your
subjugation and wealth. 1t is a stake
worth playing for, surely"
"And the others7 What would be
the fate Of you and the others II !
made that hateful bargain?"
'In no way different, I imagine.
from what It will be II you refuse" I
said soberiy-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"
you think It all planned outr
"In detail; McCann. 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. 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
furnisn 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 accidentT
II believe the ship will be deserted
in an unseaworthy condition-either
with her bottom pierced, or her sea-
cocks open; and TINT those of US left
aboard will be so confined as to be
practically 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
McCann is farsighted enough to guard
against 1t as far as possible. The
boats will easily become separated In
the darkness. II the others are ever
picked up, it 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 haus
| figured out"
She did not answer, her eyes on
my face, her expression exhibiting the
horror she felt at this vivid picture
which lad drawn. Then she slowly,
| gently withdrew her hand from my
grasp, sinking into chair, her head
| bent forward