The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-01-01
CHAPTER vII-continued.

Sou' OUSeiN0u AaynCOn In an Om1nOuS-
~ velvet voice. ''Come in !'' And then,
as Wallen Obeyed mechanically: "WeIl,
my bucko, I guess your game is up
Nice work, that private business of
yours ashore last night! They want
you in Singapore for the murder at
that sailors boarding house, and I've
told Miss .MacKay here to tell 'em it'll
give us great deal of pleasure to put
right back with you.''
For an instant, stunned, taken by
surprise, he stared from one to the
other-and then, with understanding,
came a cold, angry composure. 1t was
as Gunga had said last night-the
devils of this Ram Gulab Singh were
Mt work again.
"There is some mistake he said
calmly enough.
"Is there?" sneered Laynton. "What
about you being so anxious to go to
Singapore. and getting ashore alone,
and telling me to keep steam up and
be ready to get away the minute you
came back? What about those wharf
rats OF yours? What about that blood
you had on your clothes? They've got
might as we'll make a clean breast of
it. I've just sent couple of men to
draw the fangs of that East Indian
snake of yours in the shape of any
firearms he may have. l don't know
whether you picked up any weapons
ashore or not. Mott, have look-and
hand 'em over, if he has,"
Mott, with a vicious grin, stepped
forward, and, under cover of the cap
tain's leveled revolver, took the auto
matte from Wallen's pocket.
you're a rare bird, you are!"
grunted Laynton as he pocketed the
weapon.
Wallen's eyes went again to Helen
MacKay. Her head was still turned
away, and she was tapping nervOusly
with q pencil on q sheet of closely writ
ten paper-the message, presumably.
that she had just received.
e "Who is the message frOm?" Wallen
put the question to the girl, but she
ignored it.
"The authorities" Laynton an
swered CURLY. "And while you're dig
ging around in your mind for bluff on
else as well, you damned 1mpostor!
We know you now! A proper fool
you were to try and palm yourself off
as Wallen ashore last night. Johnson III
be nearer your name than Wallen-
eh?"
johnson! What do you mean?"
cried Wallen sharply.
'What / Say!" Laynton flung back.
"What everybody in Singapore knows
since the Upolo was picked up. It's all
there in the message. There were three
white men on the Upolo; eh?-Captain
Mitchell; Wallen, the first mate, and
Johnson, the second.
"The bodies of two white men were
found aboard-the third unquestion-
ably left the bark, for one Of the boats
was missing. That'll be you, right
enough! But you forgot the log, my
bucko!
"Wallen evidently kept it, for the
captains death is recorded; and the
last entry is in quite another hand
which could only be JohnsOn's." Cap
tain Laynton's eyes narrowed. DO
you remember that last entry-John-
son? Died today, S. Wallen, first
mate.'"
ooh, my God, is that it!' Wallen
cried out wildly. It had burst upon
him now in a flash. That was what
they had meant in Drink-House Sans
last night! That was why they had
called him an impostor there too!
He turned to Helen MacKay.
He. was reaching out toward her,
leaning toward her-and then he drew
slowly back. Could woman's face be
so pitilessly hard! She was standing
up, for an instant her eyes swept him
disdainfully-and then she walked
past him out onto the deck.
And Mott laughed jeeringly.
White to the lips, his soul af1re, Wal
len whirled upon the man-but Layn-
ton was between them in an instant.
s'Cut that out /" he snarled. ''Mott,
you shut that door! And you, Wallen
or whatever you want to call your
self-you sit DOWN." He resumed his
own seat lingering his revolver with
sort of suggestive carelessness.
'I got orders there"-he jerked his
hand toward the wireless table-"to
stick you in irons and, put back to
Singapore, and tod, 'em I'd do It,
but'-he grinned suddenly and slipped
his revolver back into his pocket
amt going to-"
WaIlen came bolt upright in his seat.
"You. mean you believe me, thenT'
he demanded quickly.
'sNow. you cut that out, tooF or
dered Laynton threateningly' with an
ahr,,nt return to his fOrmar @aRRaks !