Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-10

Cd cOQu0eULly az Tie angry WdtSs-
yes" he said, 'T think 1t is quite
possible that he may be able to per-
suade me-"
He turned abruptly away from
the rail, making for his cabin.
which was on the deck above ana
ON the opposite side Of the ship.
And presently. hating in the light
ed alieyways before his door. he
turned the key In the lock and en-
tered.
And then, Just across the
threshold, he stood for the fraction
Of second like man dazed-and
the door, torn from his hand by
fierce gust Of wind, slammed with a
bang behind him. The cabin was
on the windward side. the window
was open. and outside the window.
indistinct, shadowy. a. though al.
most 1t might be an hallpcination OF
tho mind. q mans form suddenly
doomed up. There was a fash, the
roar of revolver shot, mufhed.
almost drowned out In the thunder
Of the storm-and Captain Francis
Newcombs lay fat upon the cabin
floor.
The next instant he flung himself
over beside the settee, and protected
here from another shot. raised his
head. The form had vanished from
the window.
A cold fury seized upon the man.
From his pocket he dreW his own
revolver. and covering the window
as he backed swiftly for the door.
wrenched the door open and made
for the first egress to the deck. Too
late, of course. The deck was de-
ka1 In 0fan6 fhaPN GRIM
faced, tight-lipped. straining his
eyes up and down the length Of the
deck through the darkness, the rain
beating into his face.
And then he began to run again
like dog seeking scent. There
were a dozen places UP here where
a man might hide-the juts Of the
super structure, the great, grotesQue,
looming ventilators, the openings
through to the other side OF the
deck. But he found nothing. no one
there was only the deserted deck,
the drenching rain. And the howl
Of the wind metamorphosed itself
into ironical shrieks.
Captain Francis Newcombe re-
turned along the deck. and halted
outside his cabin window. He ex-
amined it critically. 1t had been
pried open from the outside-the
marks were distinctly indented on
the sill, as though a jimmy or iron
bar Of some kind had been used.
He stared at it. his jaws ciamped.
1t was unpleasant. Some one on
the ship had deliberately. pre-
meditatedly. attempted to murder
him. There was something of
hideous maligancy in it. To pry the
window open, and wait there
patiently in the storm for the sole
hadn't succeeded because intuition,
or, perhaps, better. an exaggerated
instinct of self-preservation born of
the years in which he had Haunted
defiance of every law in the face Of
his fellowmen. had prompted him, I.
though taken unawares, to act even
quicker than his assailant who lay
in wait, and to fling himself in
stantly to the floor OF the cabin.
Who was it? Why was it? Who,
on board the ship, had any in
centive, any reason, any cause to
murder him? Save for Locke, the
young American. he knew no one on
board. barring Runnells, of course,
except in the ordinary, casual way
OF shipboard mountaineering
struck up since the ship had left |
Liverpool. 1t could not be any one
of these-at least. not logically. |
And OF them all. it Certainly could |
not be Locke. The ships company?
Absurd! Runnells? Still more |
everybody, and yet somebody had !
done it!
He went to Runnells' room. The
f~ No.
definitely disposed of Runnells,
He returned and made another |
circuit of the upper deck; and then,
forward, by one OF the open COM |
panlonways. he descended to the |
ueck below. His mind was In a
strange state Of turmoil 1t was
rot physical fear. 1t was as though
! host of haunting shapes. were
being marshaled against him. were
rising up out Of the past to disturb
nm, Jeer1ng at him, hooking him,
him with sinister posi-
oil!ties. The past was peopIed with
shapes, shapes that had lived in the
world Of Shadow varne: shapes
which might well be accused of this
attempt to. do away with him.
,ou!d they but take tangible form.
,ouid their presence but be recon-
,iied with the here and now. with
ms snip, with these damp, slippery
iecks. with the drive and sting Of
ne ram. with the scream and howl
u the wind. with the plunge and
Oh OF the great liner. the buffeting
u the waves-if they could but be
'econciled with material things. He
'lenched his hands. He was
lot as man who could search
lis memory in vain for one who
,wed him such a debt as this: It
vas. rather. that his memory he
came crowded and confused with
he number that came thronging in
lpon 1t. each vying with the others
o shrek the loudest its boasteS
lain to the attempted retribution
onight.
He set his teeth. Where had he
ailed? When had he left ajar be-
lind him the door of the past that
allowed any one of these ghostIv
Ihapes to slip through upon his
Ghostly? There was little Of the
shostly here: He must have been
ecognized by some one on board
he ship. 1t seemed incredible, i'm.
'ossible-but 1t was equally in.
Who? And what
III 1t portend? Tonight he had
Won the first hand, but
Locke! He was standing beside
he smoking room window, Locke
vas In there. his back turned.
tandtng beside one of the bridge
ables, watching a game. It was a
title strange! He had parted with
locke out here on the deck-and
locke was going to his cabin TO
urn in..
Continued Tomorrow) |,