Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-10-08
CHAPTER xxxII-contlnued.

0tbt as AuI as lbe CDiHpduiOus AitC NNO1
of which was open. and gained view
of the scene below. II was a dismal
hole in the dim light, but presented no
obstacle to our entrance, and led the
way down the stairs, gripping the rail
II keep from falling.
The door of the captains room gave,
rat 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 / chung to
the frame of the door and stared blind
they assumed shape and substance.
Screwed to the deck, the furniture re-
tanned its place. but everything else
was damned in a mass OF wreckage, or
else floating about In foot of water,
deepening toward the stern. There
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 II out. "Have the lnds
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 I"
The white. CHASTITY face stared at US.
looking like nothing human In that
awful twilight. | actually thought II
q ghost. until with desperate effort the
man lifted himself. clinging with gaunt
fingers 10 the edge of the bunk. Then
! knew.
Sanchez! You those towards left
you here to Del"
NO one came for me-" he answered,
choking so the words were scarcely In
telligible. "Who are you. and what
brought you here?"
'T'll tell you frankly, Captain
Sanchez" and | stepped closer. 1--WE
risked coming aboard to save that
chest-Iloger Falrfax's chest-befOre
II went down This vessel has its
back broken, and may slide of into
deep water at any minute. We must
get you out of here first"
Get me out" he laughed hldeously.
'"ro hell with your help. want none
of It. am dead man now, and the
easiest way to end all will be to 20
down with the ship--'twill be fit
coffin for Black Sanchez. BY God |
know you now-Geoffry Carlyle?"
ssXau hut nm nnar,v M
"That Is for me to say. hate your
race, your breed. The very sound of
your name drives me mad accept
no rescue from you Damn you, take
your gold and 80"
"But why?" | insisted, shocked at
the mans violence. ais II because In.
terfered between you and Dorothy
FalrfaxT
"That chit; bah. what do l care for
her but as playthlng. No. my hate
runs deeper than that. How came you
herein the boat stolen from the Ma
MUIR"
mo. Captain Sanchez The day after
we left the ship we boarded schooner
found adrlft. the crew stricken with
cholera. with not man left alive on
deck, or below. She lies yonder now,
the Santa Marle-a SLAYER"
"Merciful God" and his eyes fairly
blazed into mine as he suddenly forced
his body upward In the bunk. THE
Santa Marie adrifti the crew dead
from cholera? And the captain--Para-
dilin. Francis paradilla--what of
him?"
/, He lay alone on divan In the
cabin--dead also"
He tried TO speak. but failed, his
fingers clawing at his throat. When
he finally gained utterance once more
II was but a whisper.
Tell me-" he begged, there was no
woman with him."
There was no woman" said
gravely. "on deck or in the cabin"
What mean you by saying thati
There was one on board! Don't lie to
mel In an hour am dead-but first
tell me the truth. Does the woman
live2"
NO. she died before. We found her
body in a chest. preserved by some
devilish Indian art. richly dressed and
decked with jewels"
"English?"
Il judged her so, but with dark hair
and eyes. You knew herr"
''In the name of all the fiends. yes
And | know her end. He killed her
ParadilIa killed her--because she was
as false to him as she had been to me
He'll but it is strange you should be
the one to find her-to bring me this
tale Geoffry Carlyle"
why? What is 1t 10 me?"
you go back to England and tell the
duke of Bucclough how his precious
sister died"
His sister! Good God. you cannot
mean that woman was Lady Sara Car
lyle?"
"Who should know better than IT
sneeringly. "Once / was called In Eng
land Sir John Collinswood."
He sank back exhausted STRUGGLING
for breath. bur with eyes glowing
hatred. / knew II all now, the iimly
remembered story coming wildly bach
10 memory. Here then was the ending
of the one black stain on the family
honor of our race. On this strange
-Oast, three thousand miles from its
beginning. the final curtain was being
rung down. the drama finished. The
story had come to me In whispers from,
others. never even spoken about By