The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-08-15
CHAPTER XVII.
A Murder on Board.

l. u UC tCCI lAlA "a III &c SpuCC 4 CAtCho
ed one hand and my fingers came Int
unexpected contact with the back o.
chair. Without moving my body
grasped this welcome weapon of de
tense and swung 1t above my head
Whoever the invader creeping upor
us might prove to be, he was certain
ly an enemy, actuated by some foul
purpose, and no doubt armed. TIC
strike him down as quickly and silent.
ly as 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. 1
measured the distance as indicated by
faint, shutting sounds.
could not see but knew. With all
L
been delivered the blow hit fair; there
was thud, an inarticulate groan, and
the fall of body upon the fioor-be-
yond that nothing. 1 waited breath
lessly listening for the slightest move
ment. I felt Dorothy touch my Shout
der and caught the sound of her voice
trembling at my ear.
"What is It? What did you do?"
81 struck him with chair; he lies
there on the deck. Wait where you
are"
I bent over and touched him. The
fellow lay in a heap with no percep-
tible heartbeat, no semblance of
breathing. My fingers sought his face,
and I could scarcely suppress cry OF
surprise-he was not Estada. Who,
then, was he? What could have been
his purpose in thus invading this
stateroom? All I could grasp was the |
fact that the fellow was not the Por- |
possessed smooth face, |
long hair, and was much smaller |
man. / dragged the body where the
llSnI 1lOll liiC ditCl pol |
fell directly on the upturned face. The
features revealed were unfamiliar
those unuuestionably of q haIf-breed
Indian. Dorothy crossed to my side,
her foot striking a knife, which came
into the narrow range Of
light. She stared in horror at the
ugly weapon, and then at the CHASTITY
"He came to murderi See, his knife
les there Why should he have sought
o kill me?"
SIT is all mystery" I admitted.
What shall be done with the body?
t cannot be left lying exposed here;
10 one would believe you killed him,
md my presence must not be suspect
d."
"Could it," she suggested, 'be
ropped through the port?"
She shrank back from touching the
nanimate figure, yet it required the
ombined efforts of both to force the
tiffening body through the portfolio.
We could distinguish footsteps on the
eek above, but these were regular {
nd undisturbed-the slow promenade
rom rail to rail of the officer on
-atch. Clearly nothing had been {
card or seen to awaken suspicion. {
"If you should be questioned tomor- S
wv you had best know nothing"
aid gravely. 81 do not think you will
e, for surely an attack can be no plan t
{ Estada's. 1t could gain no adyan- t
lge. The fellow was pillaging on his l
wn account; If he is missed it will
= supposed he fell overheard, and no Q
ne will care. You are not afraid to i
.main here alone?"
"No; I am not greatly frightened, y
1T shall try and bar the door with q
lair have no key"
"Then I'll leave you; half Of my
atch below must be gone by now. I'll :
Ike the fellows knife along, as 1t
ust not be found here"
We parted with clasp Of hands, as
opened the stateroom door and
pped out into the cabin. To my sur :
Use the light over the table had
en- extinguished, rendering the cabin
black had to actually feel my way :
rward. The lantern must have been =
It out since then by some confed- :
ate. After a moment of hesitation
found nv way across to my own