Evening star., 1921-03-27

them on board? Then look out for
yourself
They stood gazing down at the
boy in The cot. aware that they might
be observed from the other room.
| I'VE must get him to perspire as
soon as possible said Davidson in his
ordinary voice. You'll have to give
go on board and bring you spirit
kettle amongst other things And
he added under his breath. DO they
| actually mean murder"
| She made no sign: she had re
| turned to her desolate contemplation
of the boy. Davidson thought she had
not heard him even. when with an
! unchanged expression she spoke un-
| der her breath:
The Frenchman would. in a min
| ute. The others shirk it-unless you
resist. He's a devil. oh, Davy. take
your ship away-quick!'
Too late said Davidson. She's
on the mud already
III the kid hadn't been in this
state | would have run off with him
to you-into the woods-anywhere
oh. Davy, will he die? she cried aloud
! suddenly.
Davidson met three men in the
doorway. They made way for him
without actually daring to face his
glance. But Bamtz was the only one
who looked down with AN air of guilt.
The big Frenchman had remained
lolling in his chair: he kept his
stumps in his pockets and addressed
Davidson.
isn't it unfortunate about that
child. The distress of that woman
there upsets me. but l am of no use
! in the world. l couldn't smooth the
sick pillow of my dearest friend. !
sticking one of those cigarettes there
into the mouth of poor. harmless
cripple? My nerves want soothing
upon my honor. they do
Davidson complied. with his nat
urally kind smile AS his outward
nounced, if possible. the more reason
there is for excitement: and as Da-
Wilson's eyes. when his wits are hard
at work. get very still and as II
sleepy. the huge Frenchman might
have been justified in concluding that
the man there was mere sheep-a
sheep ready for slaughter With
'merci bien' he uplifted his huge car
cass to reach the light of the candle
with his cigarette, and Davidson left
the house.
Going down to the ship and re-
turning, he had time to consider his
position. At first he was inclined to
believe that these men (Niclaus--the
white Nakhoda-was the only one he
knew by sight before. besides Bamtz)
extremities. This was partly the
reason why he never attempted to-
take any measuges on board. His pa
cific Kalashes were not to be thought
of as against white men. His
wretched engineer would have had
fit from fright at the mere idea Of any
sort of combat. Davidson knew that
he would have to depend on himself
in this affair If it ever came off.
"All the four were sitting again round
h ~, ,,ryr
to open his mouth. it was Niclaus who.
as a collective voice. called out to him
thickly to come out soon and join in a
drink
Il think I'll have to stay some little
time in there, to help her look after
the boy Davidson answered without
stopping. Il
This was a good thing to say to
allay possible suspicion. And. as 1t
was Davidson felt he must not stay
very long.
He sat down on an old empty nail
keg near the improvised cot and looked
at the child: while Laughing Anne,
moving to and fro. preparing the hot
drink, giving it to the boy In spoonfuls.
or stopping to gaze motionless at the
flushed face. whispered disjointed bits
of information. She had succeeded in
Davy would understand that she knew
how to make herself pleasant to a man.
And Davidson nodded without look
ing at her.
X \ X +
ssT>HE big beast had got to be quite
confidential with her. She held
his cards for him when they were hav-
ing a game. Bamtz! Oh! Bamtz in
his funk was only too glad to see the
Frenchman humored. And the French
man had come to believe that she was
a woman who didn't care what she did.
That's how it came about they got to
talk before her openly. For a long time
she could not make out what game they
were up to. The new arrivals. not ex-
pecting to find woman with Bamtz,
had been very startled and annoyed at
first. she explained.
She busted herself in attending to
the boy and nobody looking into that
room would have seen anything sus-
pcious in those two people exchanging
murmurs by the sick bedside
But now they think I am a better /,
man than Bamtz ever was she said !
with a faint laugh
THE child moaned. She went down