The St. Charles herald., 1922-03-18

said In a low voice.
She told him to enter.
'He Is In a stupor." she said. "He
has been that way since last night, fol-
lowing a collapse. ! can barely find
his pulse, but his breath shows on
this"
She produced a small mirror, little
larger than dollar, and held 1t before
her fathers lips. When she took 1t
away Rainey saw u trace OF moisture.
"Carlsen cannot rouse him?" he
asked.
in q voice that held hard quality for
all It's dependency.
Lately the doctor has seemed un-
certain He talks of perverted nerve
functions, and he has obtained tre-
mendous influence over father.
"You heard what he said when-the
night he tried to shoot you? You see,
| am trusting you In all this, Mr.
Rainey. ! must trust some one. Ii l
don't can't stand it. l think l shall
go mad, sometimes. The doctor has
changed. 1t is as II he was dual
personality-like Jekyll and Hyde
and now he Is always Hyde. He said
last night that he could save father or
-or-that he would let father die. l
told him 1t was sheer murder! He
laughed. He said he would save him
for price"
She stopped, and Rainey supplied
the gap, sure that he was right.
IF you would marry him?"
The girl nodded. Father will do
anything he tells him. sometimes
think he tortufes father and only re-
lieves him when father promises what
he wants. Otherwise l could not un-
derstand. Last night father asked me
to do this thing. He told me he looked
upon the doctor as son. that 1t would
make him happy for me to marry him
now. That he would perform the
ceremony. That he did not think he
would live long and he wanted TO see
me with protector.
TT was horrible What shall l do?"
Miss Simms." said Rainey. ''your
father is not In his right mind or he
would see Carlson as you do, as do.
Carlsen's brain is turned with the lure
of the gold. II he marries you. l be-
lieve il is only for your share, for
what you will get from your father. 1t
cannot he right to do a wrong thing.
No good could come from it. But
something may happen this morning
/ cannot tell you what. | do not know,
except that Lund Is to face Garrison. 1t
may change matters"
"Lund," she said scornfully. "What
can he do? And he accused my father
Of deserting him. l."
A knock came at the door, and 1t
started to open. Carlson entered.
"Ah," he said. II trust l have not
disturbed you. had no idea l should
interrupt tete-a-tete. Are you salts
fed as TO the captains condition. Mr..
Rainey?"
Rainey went on deck, raging but i'm
potent. He told Lund briefly of the
talk between him and Peggy Simms,
and described the general symptoms Of
the skipper's strange malady. 1t was
nine o'clock, an hour to the meeting.
He went down to his own room and
sat on the bunk, smoking. trying to
piece up the puzzle. II Carlson was a
potential murderer, IL he intended TO
let Simms die, why should he want to
marry the girll He thought he solved
that issue.
As his wife Carlson would retain her
share. II he gave her up. II would so
into the common purse. But, If he ex-
pected to trick the men out Of ii all.
that would be unnecessary. Did he
really love the girl? Or vas his lust
for gold mingled with a passion for
possession Of her? He might know
that the girl would kill herself before
she would submit to dishonor. Per
haps he knew she had the means!
One thing became paramount-to
save Peggy Simms. Lund might fight
for the gold; Rainey would battle for
the girls sanctity. And, armed with
that resolve, Rainey went out into the
main cabin.
Garrison took the head of the table.
Lund faced him at the other end. All
six of the hunters. as privileged char
aeters, were present. but only three
of the seamen, awkward and diffident
at beng aft. The nine. with Rainey,
ranged themselves on either side Of
the table, five and five. with Rainey
ON Lund's right. The girl was no;
present. Yet her share was an impor-
tant factor.
Lund sat with folded arms. his
great body relaxed. Now that the
table was set. the cards all dealt, and
the first play about to be made. the
giant shed his tenseness. Ever his
grim face sofsened a trife. He seemed
TO regard the affair with q certain
amount Of hrmor. coupled with the
nest OF q gambler who loves the game
whether the stakes are for death OF
dollars
Carisen had q paper under his hand,
but deferred It's reading until he had
addressed the meeting.
"A ship he said. is little com
mapity, . world sn itself. To its safe