The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1919-08-09
CHAPTER xxxii-Continued.

keep my footing on the wet incline. A
light spar had lodged here. and by
making this q species of bridge. we
crept as far as the companion. the door
Of which was open. and gained view
OF the scene below. 1t was dismal
hole In the dim light, but presented no
obstacle to our entrance, and l led the
way down the stairs, gripping the rail
TO keep from falling.
The door Of the captains room gave.
but it required our combined efforts to
press II open against the volume of
water, slushing about within. For a
moment my eyes could scarcely recog-
nize the various objects as l chung to
the frame of the door and stared blind
ly about in the gloom. Then slowly
they assumed shape and substance.
Screwed to the deck, the furniture re-
tanned its place, but everything else
was damned in mass of wreckage, or
else floating about In foot of water.
deepening toward the stern. There
were two chests In the room. one Of
which instantly recognized as that Of
Roger Fairfax. The sight Of this made
me oblivious to all else.
There's the chest we want, Haines."
cried. pointing it out. 'Have the lads
back the boat up to this port; then
come down and help me handle it."
Eyes, SIR" his voice trembling. but
but isn't that man over therein
the bunk? Good God, sir; look at
him!"
The white, CHASTITY face stared at us,
looking like nothing human in that
awful twilight. | actually thought 1t
a ghost, until with desperate effort the
man lifted himself, clinging with gaunt
fingers to the edge of the bunk. Then
/ knew.
Sanchez! You! those towards left
you here to der
mo one came for me-" he answered,
choking so the words were scarcely in
telligible. who are you. and what
brought you hereT"
I'll tell you frankly, Captain
Sanchez" and l stepped closer. I'VE
risked coming aboard to save that
chest-ROger Fairfax's chest-before
1t went down. This vessel has its
back broken, and may slide off into
deep water at any minute. We must
get you out of here first"
Get me out !" he laughed hideously.
To hell with your help, l want none
OF 1t. / am dead man now, and the
easiest way to end all will be to 60
down with the ship-'twill be q tit
coffin for Black Sanchez. BY God!
know you now-Geoffry CarlyleY
Yes, but an enemy no longer"
That Is for me to say. / hate your
race, your breed. The very sound of
your name drives me mad. l accept
no rescue from you'll Damn you, take
your gold and CO."
but why" insisted, shocked at
the mans violence. lis 1t because in.
terfered between you and Dorothy
Fairfax%
That chit; bah, what do care for
her but as a plaything. No.. my hate
runs deeper than that. How came you
herein the boat stolen from the Ma
murr'
mo. Captain Sanchez. The day after
we left the ship we boarded a schooner
found adrift, the crew stricken with
cholera, with not a man left alive on
deck. or below. She lies yonder now,
the Santa Marie-a SLAYER"
''Merciful God!" and lis eyes fairly
blazed into mine as he suddenly forced
his body upward In the bunk. 'The
Santa Marie adrift! the crew dead
from cholera7 And the captain-Para-
dilla, Francis ParadiIla-what OF
him?"
He lay alone on a divan In the
cabin-dead also"
he tried to speak, but failed, his
fingers clawing at his throat. When
be finally gained utterance once more
4 was but whisper.
Tell me-" he begged, there was no
woman with him."
i There was no woman" said
srayely, ION deck or in the cabin"
What mean you by saying that7
There was one on board! Don't lie to
mel In an hour l am dead-but first
tell me the truth. Does the woman
iiyef"
No, she died before. We found her
oOdy In chest, preserved by some
devilish Indian art, richly dressed and
decked with jewels"
3 sEnglishT
4 judged her so. but with dark hair
and eyes. You knew herr
In the name Of all the fiends. yes.
30 know her end. He killed her
ear10illa killed her-because she was
- false to him as she had been to me.