The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-10-22
Chapter Al
Janet Under Arrest

TAKING off his boots, Neill crept
1 up the ladder, letting his weight
down gradually on each step. At
the top he peeped over the edge of
the deck. No lights; nobody STIR
ring.
He made his way softly aft over
the promenade deck and around
the stern. AS on the previous oc-
casion, he leaped across from one
vessel to another.
AS Neill climbed to the boat deck
Of the Lincoln he saw the regular
watchman's light over on the
Monticello, and moving the other
way. No danger from him at the
present. Neill fastened to the lit
tie door in the port engine shaft
that he and Janet had SO often
used. Here a new obstacle faced
him. Staples had Been boiled
through the steel door andeits
frame, and a paddock put on. sidl
How could he get in2 Useless
to lower himself over the side
when the window was closed. 1t
couldn't be opened from the out
side, and he couldn't break it be-
cause it was made of plate glass
thick enough TO Withstand high
seas. He and Janet had already
satisfied themselves that there was
no other way into the vessel ex-
cept by this little door.
The huge ventilators that served
the engine room gave him an
idea. He had seen the outlets when
he had been below. Each was
greater than the girth Of a man,
and there was plenty of rope about.
He picked up a strong light line
and, fastening the end to the wheel
that turned the ventilator, let 1t
fall down inside. Climbing up on
the wheel he entered the mouth
of the steel tube and lowered him.
self hand under hand.
He came out in the engine room.
He had no hashlight with him
now and had to strike matches in
order to find the bottom of the
steel stairway. Once he was
through the door that served the
engineers quarters On E deck, he
knew his way. The interior of the
ship was as black as mine. Crop
ing his way through the galley, the
pantries and across the great
saloon, he ran up the stairway
to D deck, to c deck with his
heart in his mouth.
Outside the door of the royal
suite, his courage failed him and
he hesitated. When he tried the
door, it opened in his hands.
"JanetI Janetl" he whispered
urgently.
Only silence.
He struck match. The candles
were still there and he lighted one,
Janet was gone. Steeling his
nerves, he looked around and tried
to deduce what had happened.
The rooms were in disorder.
Everything that he had brought
her at different times-the rope
ladder, the bucket, the remains Of
food and WATERWAYS still there
The boys clothes lay in a heap
on the floor of her bedroom: her
own clothes were gone.
Il was clear that the worst had
not happened. II she had made
away with herself, the window
would be open. She had either
given herself up, as she had
threatened TO do, or she had beer
taken. Anyhow, the bolts on the
doors of the suite were all intacl
and there wasln0 evidence that )
struggle had occurred. 81
Immediately Neill's whole idas
was to get out again. It was To-
slow to pull himself up through
the ventilator.. he an up 10 s.
deck ana. IN q ung a window
let himsk Il antAea thaa promenade
1t would make no difference nov
If be left evidences Of his visit
behind him.
On deck Neiil thought of rous-
ing Captain Bickel and demanding
information, but decided against
ii. 1t was clear from the darkness
and silence enveloping the -four
ships, that Janet was not beinE
kept aboard. He got back to hi.
skiff without any alarm being
raised. Putting his back TO thS
oars. he rowed on down the river
The Crowd Threatens
d EACHING the village, he TIED
N his craft 20 a wharf on thg
river side and ran across to Long.
cope's store. There was plenty d
excitement here. Though il wa.
nearly two o'clock, there was /
crowd AROUND the porch, and more
coming every moment Men were
calling 70 each other
The girl has been found"
The he'll you ssyl Wheregr
She was hidden on the big ship.
all the timelp
Anyhow, il was . relief to know
abe was there.
Neill was recognized as he came
under the porch lights Here.
the fellow Here's the fellowi'
they cried. "A mutter OF rage swep
over the crowd Curses were fiunl
az Nein from cut of the dark
These behind pushed forward ans
the circle around him narrowed
dangerously. he put his bacs
against the door and held Their
with his eyes.
wei What about IL" he said.