The St. Mary banner., 1920-01-24

Had come out from her stlterootn and
was standing now, a straicht reso,ute
'll'!e hgure, with eyes that were very
"fde as thew fixed on him.
The electric bulb in the saloon
olihmed down and went out. The boom
Oh the heavy gun came across the wa.
Ter again, and unconsciously for n
tense instant WalIen waited, expectant
or the shock if the shell should find It's
mark. 1t missed.
IN going on deck" he answered
quietly. They'll be too busy to notice
me, and besides It's dark. Gunga will
stay here and replace the barricade
after l go out. We've got to know
what's going on, Miss MacKay. The
snip has been struck once though not
Vltally. | think; but down here Is no
place to be caught in If another shot
prove more successful. | will be back
presently"
Without giving her a chance to L.
ply he slipped through the door as
Gunga opened 1t and out into the alley
way. 1t was black, empty, deserted, as
he had expected.
He made his way up the companion
way TO the little lounging room and
halted In the port doorway, looking
out.
He could see nothing at first. 1t
was very dark-not light showed on
the Monleigh. In that respect l.ayn-
to u. taught no doubt By his expert.
ences in the discreditable and varied
trades he had bOasted was the Mon
leigh's business, had been prompt to
meet emergencies.
And then gradually, discernble only
to sailors eye, like ii dark blotch on
the water, Wullen made out another
steamer almost abeam. An instant
later, as though In grim Endorsement
of his vision, from the blotch there
leuped q great red flame, came the
heavy, resonant roar of the guns re-
port, and overhead shell whistled
ominously by.
About mile Wallen now placed the
distance between the two vessels
though as to the size of the other lie
could form no estimate. But did II
matter?
She was we'll armed at all events;
and It was Ram Gulab Singh, once
government official, always robber
and murderer-the man who had
brought his mother to her death, his
father to his death, and now it was his
own turn!
But he knew neither excitement nor
dismay. He was only conscious OF
something smoldering duly within
him, and that was because Helen Mac
Kay was here. He shook his head a
little. Helen Mackay, Of course.
would never fall into Ram Gulab
Singhs hands-alive.
On the bridge he could hear Layn-
ton calling down the engine room tube,
frantically imploring the engineer for
speed; and then Laynton's voice was
drowned out by din from forward By
the crew.
Wallen, hugging the shadows of the
deckhouses. moved forward to posi-
ton under the bridge.
Mott was talking excitedly overhead.
"She's coming up hand over hand.
tell you. If that fellow Wallen's story
Is straight after ail-and guess there
amt much doubt of 1t now-we haven't
a hope If that chap out there gets
aboard us, providing he don't sink us
first. I say go full astern until we get
away off her, and then take to the
boats. We could give him the slip
In the dark If we don't wait till he
gets too near to see what we're about,
and"
Another voice cut in, Larsen's, as
hurrying from aft he ran up the star
board ladder to the bridge.
Help yourself, Mott" he invited
sarcastically. Zone boats in splinters
and the others carried away; the deck
aft Is a wreck from that shell that
struck u.s.
Light that Morse lamp" ordered
Laynton abruptly.
"Yes, and give him our position"
sneered Mott.
Hes got 1t fast enough now"
growled Laynton. 'But we'll give him
something else. You there, Larsen.
light 1t, dye hear? And Morse, tell him
that If It's that swine that's masquer-
aiding as Wallen he wants, well turn
him over and-my God with a rip
and crash, staggering the ship, shot
tore the wireless house to matchwood.
Quick" yelled Laynton. "Tell him !!
Tell him. Dye hear-tell himl He'll
have us at the bottom In another five
minutes!''
A strange, awed silence held for an
instant following the shot; and now.
ovar bis head Wollen could distinctly