Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1923-02-17

you want to live, keep quiet-that's
my advice"
He slipped out. closing and locking
the door behind him. West. more
thoroughly confused than ever over
the situation in which he found him
self, paced the brief length of the mar
row stateroom, and then paused to
stare moCdily out of the port.
He had learned little of the slightest
value; merely that Natalie had been
of the party leaving in the automobile
the night before. She, undoubtedly.
had been the one who had dropped
the note. Then, in spite of all they
said about her, in spite Of what she
had told him, she was actually a pris-
oner, desperately begging for assist
ance to escape. As to the other things
Hogan had told him, the probability
was they were mostly lies. West did
not believe the girl had returned to
'Fairlawn,' the story did not son nd
natural. The longer he thought it al
over the more thoroughly was he con
yinced the girl and he were both priS
oners on the same vessel Yet what
could he do? He sank down. with head
in his hands totally unnerved-it was
his fate o attempt nothing; only to
wait 'on fortune
Mark brought in food, merely open
ing the door slightly. and sliding the
tray in on the floor No words were
exchanged, nor was the tray removed
until just at twilight, when the fellow
appeared again on a similar mission
1t became dark, but no light was fur
nished. Outside the clouds had thick
ened, and a heavy swell was tossing
the vessel about rather roughly. Seem
ingly the engine was merely endoavor-
ing to maintain Roadway, with no
port in immediate prospect they We're
steering almlessly into the promise
Of q stormy night. No sound reached
him from the cabin, ana finally. worn
out mentally and physically. West
flung himself on the lower bunk, and
lay there motionless. staring up into
the intense darkness.
Lying there motionleSs. yet wide
awake, his senses alert, he could feel
the labored efforts Of the vessel, rhe
slap Of waves against the side, the
rush Of water as,eIu. The Seminole
rolled heavily, YET there was nothing
at all alarming in hes actions. and
West felt no premonition of illness.
or fear as to the sea-worthiness OF the
little craft. He endeavored to arouse
himself, to keep awake, hut finally
fatigue conquered, and he sank into "a
deep sleep. He had no knowledge Of
how long this slumber lasted, or
what suddenly awakened him, so star
tied at the moment that he sat up in
the berth, staring into the blachneSs.
Was it a dream. or a reality? Had
some one spoken2 lie could neither
see nor hear anything; the boat
seemed to be motionicss, not even
throbbing now to the beat Of the en-
gine-the silence was uncanny. Some
thing was wrong. must be wrong.
Where We're they-at anchor in some
har5or or helplessly adrilt on the
lakeG Tie yacht rocked gently. as
lbough The swell of the sea no longer
buffeteI her; there was no sound Of
action on the deck above. Then he
heard a voice again, outside, reaching
him this time plainly through the open
port
Al set, Mapes," 1t said sharply
Come on down. You finished the
job"
"Ay, ay, sir" the answer gruG. but
with a tinge OF excitement in the tone
shes fixed all right Hold hard now
mate
West leaped to the portfolio, and.
endeavored to gain glimpse without
If land was near it remained invisible
nor could he even be sure Of the close
proximity of a boat There seemed
TO be a smudge there at the LETT, q
black, Jumping shadow shapeless
against the background of sea YET
Re could not be sure. Even as be
cazad at it douh8ulIy, the dim object
disappeared. fading away Ike "a
mirage. Something told him that mys-
FERROUS shadow was a boat, boat
SIZED with men, creeping away silently
iato the night feeins from the yacht
and vanishing into the darkness
What could suca action mean Had
every one gone leaving the vessel
totally abandoned. wreck buTete5
by the surges. doomed to 70 down,
unseen, IT'S final fate unknown I'm
known The word rising 70 his brain
was the answer. There was tile crest
If tie plot. What could he easier, or
Ia -ar. than this ending? Who would
ever know the TRUTH Who could ever
prove anything, even Il they suspect
ea9 and who sgas there to suspect
II was plot Internal.
Bnt if Natalie Coolidge was also
prisoner on board. what IF ner?
Wasn't that the very thing most prob
abieg OF course it was how foolish
be bad been. These men recklessly
criminal. as they were, w0glu never
sacrifice the yacit and risk taair own
lives. merely % put him ont Of tie
wav. he WIS NOT important enough
for rha1 he WIS bur an Incldert,