Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-07
WOLVES
of SEA
IIIIlIIIIIiIIINiiIiIIIiiiiiIIIIIi!Il
BY
RANDALL
PARRISH
CHAPTER XVII.
A Murder On Board
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To be certain Of free space extend.
ed one hand and my fingers came into
unexpected contact with the back Of
a chair. without moving my body
grasped this welcome weapon Of de.
tense and swung It above my head.
Whoever the invader creeping upon
Us might prove to be. he was certain.
~ an enemy, actuated by some foul
purpose, and no doubt armed. To
strike him down as quickly and silent
~ % possible was therefore the plain
duty OF the moment. I had no other
thought.
The slowness with which he cropped
his way forward indicated unfamiliar.
ity with the apartment, although his
direct advance proclaimed some spe.
cial purpose. Clearly he had no fear
of attack. I could determine almost
his exact position as his advancing
foot felt cautiously along the deck.
He came forward inch by inch. ]
measured the distance as Indicated BY
faint, shuf1ing sounds.
could not see but knew. With all
my force struck! Blindly as 1t had
been delivered the blow hit fair; there
was q thud, an inarticulate groan, and
the fall Of q body upon the foor-be-
You'd that nothing. waited breath
lessly listening for the slightest move
ment. I felt Dorothy touch my shout.
der aud caught the sound Of her voice
trembling at my ear.
"What Is It? What did you dot"
II struck him with q chair; he lies
there on the deck. Wait where you
are"
I bent over and touched him. The
fellow lay in heap with no percep-
tible heartbeat, no semblance Of
breathing. Ny fingers sought his face.
and could scarcely suppress cry Of
surprise-he was not Estada. Who,
then, was he? What could have been
his purpose in thus invading this
stateroom7 All could grasp was the
fact that the fellow was not the Por.
tuguese-he possessed q smooth face,
long hair. and was a much smaller
man. I dragged the body where the
light illumination from the after port
fell directly on the upturned face. Tho
features revealed were unfamiliar
those unquestionably> Of half-breed
INDIAN. Dorothy crossed to my side,
her foot striking . knife. which came
glimmering into the narrow range Of
light. She stared In horror at the
ugly weapon. and then at the CHASTITY
countenance.
HE came to murderl See, his knife
lies there. Why should hs have sought
to kill mey'
1T is all mystery," I admitted.
What shall be done with the body7
1t cannot be left lying exposed here;
no one would believe you killed him,
and my presence must not be suspect
ed"
"Could IT," she suggested, "be
dropped through the port1"
She shrank back from touching the
inaninate figure. yet 1t required the
combined efforts Of both to force the
etintening body through the portfolio.
We could distinguish footsteps on the
deck above, but these were regular
and undisturbed-the slow promenade
from rail to rail of the officer on
watch. Clearly nothing had been
heard or seen to awaken suspicion.
III you should be questioned tomor-
row you had best know nothing" I
said grayely. II do not think you viii
be. for surely an attack can be no plan
Of Estada's. It could gain no advan-
tage. The fellow was pillaging on his
own account; If he is missed 1t will
be supposed he fell overheard, and no
one will care. You are not afraid to
remain here aloneT'
mo; am not greatly frightened,
but shall try and bar the door with .
chair. I have no key"
.sThen Til leave you; half Of my
watch below must be gone by now. I'll
take the fellows knife along, as 1t
must not be found here"
Ito Be Continued)