Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-09-18

from her on the other side of the
island-but j knew about you fast
enough"
He paused. shot q swift, restless
glance at Wallen, then began to pace,
three steps one way, three steps the
other, up and down the narrow cabin.
D@n II, man !" he said abruptly.
"I've got bad news for you. Your
fathers deadi"
For moment Wallen neither
moved nor spoke. II was difficult to
grasp the full significance of the
words. His father-deadl
What did this thin-faced man, with
the little black eyes that always re-
fused to meet ones own, who was
tramping nervously now up and down
q little cabin on a rusty tramp
steamer here in the Java sea, at the
other end Of the world. know of his
father. who never left the four walls
OF that lonely gray stone house In Cal
formal arJ.a ts- 81
''what do you know about my IA
therT-he found himself speaking In
a quiet voice. t4
Captain Laynton stopped impul.
tsively In front Of his table, pulled the
drawer open. took out n sheet of pa
per and handed IL to Wallen.
you'll get the drift Of this your
self. / guess" he ventured.
Wallen stared at the paper. at first
with curious bewilderment-andt then,
with the sudden flash OF comprehen.
sion, he was on his feet. II was a list
OF the ports Of call scheduled for tbs
Inflated Upolo on her last voyage
ports Of call that she had never made.
"What does this meanT' he de
manded IN a low voice. "How did you
come by thisf"
"Your father gave It to me-" the
captain answered. "And now, IL youn
just listen for q minute, I'll give
you the whole story, and you'n SEES
for yourself. First I might as well
tell you. though, that own this ship.
Well, was In Honolulu--light. you
understand-when your father came
aboard one evening and offered tc
charter me for a three months cruise
down here. He made the price right
paid the money down In advance. and
I closed with him.
"He gave me the list Of ports, and
said hid Eon was %. D trading bark
called the sUp0io. ana that he wanted
to get track Of him as soon as pos
sible. and offered an extra bonus foi
all hands II we made q quick Job OF
IL. That's all kaaw about the rea.
son for the cruise. Wei, to cut Iona
story short, we started away, and
were down just south Of the line wheE
the accident happened.
"Your father was alone down In his
cabin. We heard q shot. rushed be
low. and. thinking It strange that he
didn't show up In the excitement
called to him-but got no answer
Well. we burst in his cabin door and
found him dead across the bunk"
"You mean" said Wallen through
digit lips, "that he committed sui
cider"
"No. waitr Captain Layntou
shook his head. at wasn't that. God
knows how. it happenedi The thing
went on-that's all. He was cleaning
one OF those patent automatic pistols
|. There was a bottle Of OIL, a clean.
ing rag. and q wire swabbing brush
on the floor. And"-Laynton poured
himself another glass from the bottle
gulped II down, and wiped his lips
with the back OF his hand-"weII. I'm
trying 70 give IL to you I'm a few
words-we buried him at sea OF
eourye.s
Wallen turned his back and stared
ont of one Of the forward portfolios
down onto the dirty foredeck. Was
the man lying? Was he telling the
truth7 That his father had chartered
the Monleigh and sailed with her
yes.
But that his death was accidental
the background Of his fathers life
the recent attempt upon his own life
His brain was working In flashes. This
man Laynton repealed him.
An accidenf-never! There was no
room for doubt-"never 20 to the
East"-it was not an accident-his IA,
Their had been murdered on this ship.
And then suddenly he swallowed
hard.
It was to save him that his father
had chartered the Monleigh and come
East; for. according rs that list Of
ports, his father somehow had been
In touch with his movements. some
how had known the danger he was In,
and. trying to avert 10, had been muir.
dered himself.
AcpaG mereiless passion swept upon