Evening star., 1924-12-20
Continued from Yesterdays star0

NCOnClnOeQ from 1eSl6Tudy oldTJ
But the strongroom. sir!- the
strongroom! 1t has been broken
intoi"
Dammit, Strachan" the captain
said, testify. We can see that. Kindly
take my message to Lord Almeric.
Crying won't help US"
He turned to "a telephone on the
wall of the cabin.
Lucky the exchange is automatic" T"
he said, grimiy, "or 1 wouldn't be
able to get through to my bridge, I
suppose. That you, Boscence? Any
report from the engine room? Good |!
Now the first morning watch will
come on duty and be relieved at g.,
as usual. Carry on!
The engine room reports a good
head of steam" he turned TO US and
Eaid. The automatic oil feed in the
stokehold has been going on all the
time. All. the engines"
We felt the vibration OF the ships
engines under our feet as Lord AL
lneriC Pluscarden came into the cabin.
! had expected somehow to see an
elderly man, probably white haired
and rubicund. but the newcomer was
Il slenderly built. dark skinned, dark
haired man, apparently of about
40-odd. alert in manner and ath-
letic looking. 1 found out later that
he was close on so.
''Hullo! What has happened.
weatherly?" he asked at once, when
he saw the ravished strongroom.
I'm damned if 1 know. Lord AL
sueric," said the captain, with finger
pointed at the spoiled door, but
that's the chief thing that has hap
pened. How it came about-well-
here's your pilot. Mr.. Boon. and his
friend. Mr.. Lamont. They've got a
story that'll take your breath away"
Kind Of you to put your machine
at my disposal, Mr.. Boom" said Lord
Almeric. I'm afraid you've had a
cold flight. Very sporting Of you to
accompany him, Mr.. Lamont. I'm
grateful to you both. And now-this
story?"
Between US Dan and I told of the
Wall street robberies, Of our theories
and of our coming to the Parnassic.
sscrG llmeric asked shrewd ques-
ZION or two. then Sir Peter gave a
fuller account of the stopping of the
ship.
"I am very much a layman in aero
nautical matters" Lord Almeric said
when we had finished, "and 1 do not
know If there are any other points
20 De made for or against your idea
Of the alrship-beyond those you
make yourselves. I must say you put
IL fair case. which is considerably
strengthened by this act Of piracy.
Whatever may be the mode Of opera
fion, we are certainly faced by a re-
fuarkable organization. But I should
not, if l were you, Weatherly, dis
miss the possibility of the gold still
remaining on the ship. / suggest that
II thorough search be made of the
ship and Of the passengers baggage
You will not, of course. except my
luggage from examination-"
Surely, Lord Almeric-". the cap.
tain protested.
II insist" said the other. land
am sure that Miss Torrance will say
the same. Miss Torrance" he ex-
plained to me-"if you can take her
is your other passenger. my niece
and secretary"
Only too glad, Lord Almeric," said
I, little taken aback at the idea OF
carrying a woman. But I'm afraid
we damaged the starboard float get
ting aboard, and II we have to come
down on the way back-well-itll be
81 bit inconvenient. Well get wet, al
least"
You don't anticipate a forced
descent Mr. BOOM"
NO" 1 said, "but you never know
your luck. Then there's the diff
Guilty of taking of from the avn
ing
Bless my SOUL" said Lord Almeric
"you don't mean to say that you pu;
your seaplane aboard on the awning?' 2
IT did-and I'm afraid I've ripped
off some Of your canvas, Sir Peter
in doing It."
I'll worry about that, young man.
the captain said, when somebody has
ripped a slab off the strongroon
door. and ripped FIVE million forms
off my shipw
He glared at the damaged door
tugging his little beard the while az
If to drag from: it some solution OF
the mystery.
Fifty years I've been at sea-" he
sai& thickly, man and boy, and, BY