Evening star., 1936-09-13
Sspfembsr 13, 1896

mot after the way she lit that
cigarette. She looks bored to death.
No. l think you're right about the
woman. She'll be in huddle in the
most thickly populated section of
the ship. You 60 lock the women over
and I'll report to the captain"
''Sold," she said. 'I'm on my way
don't tell him too much, noww She
whirled and became an indistinct blur
of fluttering white.
Captain Pollard. clad in pajamas,
regarded Tracy Burke with sleep
swollen eyes. Occasionally he COM
pressed his lips firmly together and
frightened his throat muscles as he
swallowed yawn.
Heard a scream?" he asked.
Very distinctly"
'And saw something drop?"
1T was knife"
did it drop close to the ship?''
Quite close"
The captain nodded gravely.
Rather difficult to see it clearly?"
well. Tracy explained. "youknow
how it would happen, knife flashing
by the deck and striking the water"
Rather indistinct." Captain Pol
lard said positively. Tracy didn't con-
tradict him. I'm very glad you re-
ported it," Captain Pollard went on,
his manner showing that he considered
the interview at an end. Say nothing
to the other passengers. After all. you
know there's possibility" - the cap
tain's voice. although showing no trace
Of deviating from the courtesy which
the occasion required, indicated by a
subtle emphasis that he considered the
possibility was very strong probabil-
ity - that you may have been mis-
taken, and what you considered sim
ister happening was. in reality. quite
innocent. Well, perhaps 01soyoMs would
be better word"
Tracy thanked him. said good night,
and stepped out of the atmosphere of
warm humidity and whirring fans, into
the freshness Of the night. He went
down the stairs along the promenade
deck. and. in passing his cabin. noticed
that the light was on. He distinctly
remembered turning it off when he
had stepped out to enjoy the night
breeze. Following a we'll established
maritime custom. he kept his state
room locked while the ship was in
port. but left it unlocked the balance
of the time.
He turned the knob, opened the
door. and saw instantly that his cabin
had been completely and thoroughly
ransacked. With an exclamation of
annoyance. he looked in the drawer
where he had left his passport. 1t was
there. A book of travellers checks was
also there. He remembered having
left his wallet in the side pocket of the
wool suit he had worn on leaving San
Francisco. He opened the closet door.
felt in the coat pocket and found the
wallet. He opened it and counted the
money. Not a cent had been touched,
yet his clothes gave every evidence of
having been hurriedly searched.
Tracy decided he would leave things
exactly as they were until he could let
Lynn Downey see them. She would be
in the main salon, from which he had
seen her emerge prior to the unusual
events which had thrown them so
closely together that he now felt affili-
ated with her, committed to some ad-
venture which might lead to almost
anything. There would be sequel -
of that Tracy felt certain.
His hand was on the knob of the
salon door when he heard the sound
of swift steps behind him. He whirled
to face the running figure and saw,
with surprise, that it was Lynn
Downey.
"Oh, I've found your she ex-
claimed, and at the sound of her voice