Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-04-01
1IIIIl.d !. ]. 4. 4Z!IlI
n III SsS5s aSIsls s

company, reporting the outrageous
affair to them.
"S-S-several st-t-trong boxes have
been -r-r-robbed," stammered the Cap
tain.
"How's that possible?"
Through the port-hole," groaned
the skipper, and let himself fall on a
chair. We stood stonily staring at
him. That was all true.
1t had all been a we'll thought-out
plan. We were like marionettes and
he had pulled the string. He had fix
ed everything; even locked us in the
card room. The so-called priest had
moved the furniture so that we would
take refuge just where he wished. In
fact, we had played into his hands.
He knew that in our excitement we
would mistake his hat and coat to
be him. While we crouched there, III
fear of his hat and coat, he had rob-
bed the safe. Now we were sure that
the priest and the steward were one
and the same man. Before our very
eyes he had loosened the bar at the
window. l do not know which to ad-
mire more-his impudence or his skill.
We entered the strong room where
the Mate was regaining consciousness.
He rubbed his sore head and gazed
about stupidity.
"It is just as 1 said," remarked
to Young. "He was the steward. He
wrenched the iron bar from the Win
dow and it was not hard to do be-
cause he had already loosened it from
the outside"
"Were we all blind?"
mo, only you three; l told you
about the stewards Shoes" l replied.
did you recognize the steward as
the priest? 2"
mo. l would not have sworn that
they were the same man, but l was
very suspicious.
1 remarked that he had not lost any
valuables, whereupon the Doctor re-
piled: But my nerves! My nerves!"
At this moment, when we were di-
rectly under the open window of the
ships hospital, a woman's scream
came through it. l looked. In the win
dow was framed a face-that of the
woman who had screamed. Her eyes,
full of anger were fastened on me.
Then she suddenly disappeared, but
only for minute. Fear held me spell
bound; perspiration popped out of
every pore. 1 recognized that face. To
her was only burglar-the one who
had broken into Consul Traer's villa!
1 tried to draw DR.. Roullier away,
telling him that this was only a sick
woman suffering from hysteria, no
doubt.
Suddenly a revolver was levelled
at me from the window and a stern
female voice snapped, "Stopw
l did so, startled thru and thru,
and heard the same voice commando:
"Put up your hands you know
1 recognize you."
said nothing but stretched my
palms way up over my head.
DR.. Roullier looked at me speech
less.
eyes, 1 mean you-and the other
gentleman. Il do not know his name)
will please hurry and get the ships
detective, Mr.. Young, and let him ar
rest this-murderer!"
Murderer" cried DR.. Roullier.
eyes, and hurry" snapped the wo-
man from the window.
The Doctor hurried off as quickly
as his asthma would allow. When
he was gone, asked, May I say
something to you?"
IF you say one word, I will shoot.
You are not going to fool me twice" ."
looked into her eyes-and knew
that they did not lie. 1 realized she
would shoot-not to kill, maybe, but
to wound. So resigned myself to the
inevitable and waited. Ten words in
confidence with her and I could have
explained all.
DIR. Roullier and Young now ap-
peared it was too late even to think
of talking to her.
what's the trouble?" asked Young,
looking at my upraised hands and at
the gun-pointing girl.