Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-04-11

II he even saw any Of the others.
"Heart Of the devil!" he shouted.
"If it isn't CASTOR de Lys! So you've
got 1t at last, you old hound"
He leaped forward, circled the table
with a single stride, hate, memory,
whatever the impulse might be, con-
quering all fear, and gripped his hand
hard on the dead mans shoulder. And
then he stiffened, every muscle of his
body stricken; I could see death strike
him, his jaw set, his eyes fixed-an
instant he stood rigid; then his whole
form seemed to contract and he fell
lifeless to the deck.
I sprang toward him, but Masters
gripped me, and hurled me back.
Glands off all Of you" he
screamed. "Wait! Don't lay a finger
on any of them; you are dead men if
you do"
"What do you mean? What is it?"
"The most diabolical bit of deviltry
V contrived," he answered. "These
men have been killed by electricity;
the current is still on. I heard the
whir Of the dynamo as I came aft.
Don't move until I find the switch and
disconnect; for Gods sake stand where
you are"
Perhaps he was gone five minutes;
those dead men; heard nothing but
the heavy breathing of my mates in
the doorway. No one spoke; but once,
it seemed to me, I caught the throb of
that deadly dynamo, yet even as 1
seemed to distinguish the faint sound,
1t ceased abruptly. Masters pushed in
past me.
Gay, that was the TRUTH" he said,
"but it's safe enough now. Lord; did
you eve hear Of such a d., cold
bloodcd crime. See here, men, the viii
lain planned his job well-here are
the wires along the deck, pressed into
a seam, and connected to each swivel
chair. See, the circuit is complete, and
no one would ever suspect. All he had
to do was stand back there in the stew
ards pantry and press the switch.
Those six men died before they could
wink an eye"
"But the fellow who did it? What
has become of him?"
Masters shook his head.
II don't know, sir; but there must
have been one; there amt none o.
these dead men could have turned the
trick"
Perhaps it was that cuss dangling
over the side, captain" said Whites
voice, from back behind the others.
what Is that?"
There's a fellow got damned In a
small boat alongside, sir. I just hap
pened to look over, and saw him a.
hangin' there"
We were glad enough to escape that
cabin Of horror, and I slid the COM
panion door to, and bolted 1t, before
following White across the deck to
the starboard rail. Excited as I was,
obsessed by this awful tragedy, my
mind yet grasped every detail-the
shining brasswork, the spotless decks,
the white boats in their davits, the
snowy canvas aloft. The very i'm
maculateness Of the vessel seemed to
add to the horror, and it was a shock
to even read the s%chooner's name,
painted on a lifebuoy-Rose of Gaspe.
A glance below revealed the whole
story Of the accident. It vas clear
enough to be read instantly by a sail
or's eyes. The man in his efforts at
escape had chosen one Of the smaller
boats, but one staunch and we'll
equipped. No doubt it had been secret
ly prepared in advance, for the lock-
ers contained food, and a beaker Of
fresh water was securely dashed to a
front thwart. There was also q spar
and sail aboard, safely secured, to-
gether with a pair Of serviceable oars.
What had happened, as seemed clear
to us, was this: a heavy brass-bound
chest, of odd workmanship and dingy
appearance, had been slowed away in
the bows. It must have been placed
there With rope and pulley, for nc
single pair of arms could evcr have
lifted it over the rail. Then the fellow
had clambered in, age TO be off, no
doubt, and undertaken to lower the
''.It, StliltIlIS plpblDlS dillillSlllpS,
where he could manipulate both ropes.
But the forward rope must have
damned III the pulley, permitting the
stern of the suspended boat to sag
suddenly enough to send the heavy
chest sliding aft. Before he could
check the fall, OR save himself by leap
Ing overheard, it had pinned his legs
against the stern sheets; and there he
dangled still, his face buried in the
green water alongside. his knees
crushed helplessly beneath the weight
of the chest-an inert dead body.
"The fellow got his, sir" said Lea
yord solemnly. Likely enough killed
by the very thing he was tryin' to
git away with. What shall we do with
the boat and what's in it, sir?"
"Untangle that pulley slowly, and
hoist up even with the rail-" I an
swered. "We'l have a look at the man
and find out what's in the chest; it's