Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-03-04
CHAPTER 6

zed itself to the limit; there was more
champagne drunk than usual. Yet i
was a rather unnatural party; the
Saiety was forced. 1t was as though
there was something awful in the all
and everyone was trying to drown his
or her anxiety. Duels, jealousies ano
angry scenes are born of such forced
hilarity. 1t was like the distant thun'
der before the storm.
But what was this suspense? This
feeling of uneasiness
Yes, dread anxiety lowered over the
ship and seemed to go hand in hand
with the most fearful of forebodings.
Tt was an evil cloud that everyone
pretended to disregard. The Captain
and officers laughed so loudly that
even the passengers were conscious OF
the spurious humor. This sense OF
danger lurked in the shadows and
made itself felt in the light despite
the hilarity and laughter. Men secret
" felt for their revolvers and the wo-
men huddled together in groups.
Rumor had it that someone had seen
a steward with chalk-white face
and bloody hands burst out of Cabin
No. Is. This steward had bumped
against the someone without MOTTO
ing him and had hoarsely cried in
n1uffled tones:
Murder! Murder. Where is DIR.
Jeffers?"
DR.. LETTERS was the ships doctor.
Suddenly a grooming was heard be-
hind the cabins door which was a
bit ajar, so the story went. And upon
the floor of No. 13 lay the body of a
young stretched full length; she
held something in her hands that
shone- perhaps bit of jewelry-per-
haps a silver mirror or comb. Rumor
spreading added these details:
The young girl had never been seen
among the other passengers. She was
dressed in a simple white dress, fleck-
ed with blood. Her face was like
marble; her eyes closed. Gossip con-
cluded that she was dead.
The stewards shook their heads
Cabin No. 10? Oh, no, it was unoc-
cupied, because it was generally con-
coded that 13 is an unlucky number.
1t was also at the end of the passage
way and, the stewards swore, no one
had ever seen any one go in or come
cut of No. Is.
Suspicion grew-grew to such an
extent that it was almost believed that
an invisible hand had committed a
secret murder, the mysterious thief
had now become the mysterious muir
derer.
Who will be next? That was the
secret fear in every breast. Popeyed
rumor circulated these versions of that
Cabin No. Ii episode:
"There must have been fearful
fight between the unknown thug and
the lady. Evidently she did not IN
tend to give up her jewelry without
a fight. A stiletto had made the de-
cision. She is said to be dead". "But
l do not believe it-a slugger who
vanishes, that is too much for me!'
"Cabin No. Is is in my row and
during the whole trip never saw any
one come out of it. 1t is impossible"
"I have heard that, too-but slight
ly different version. The lady was
shot from behind" Zone would have
heard a shot-the doors and walls of
the cabins are not very thick" "No,
no one heard a sound.' "They say
that the girl held in her hands string
of pearls of great value" mo,
heard that it was only part of a
string. The string was broken dur
ing the scuffle and the murderer got
away with the greater part. ct is
all so fantastic"
"See, Miss Mildred Dickens is talk
ing to the Captain. She is upset;
there are red spots in her cheeks; she
has evidently heard the rumor anc
wants to find out the truth. The Cap
tain laughs; shakes his head the First
Nate laughs too. The Captain tells 9
joke. He is a gentleman"
"The Captain would not laugh if il
were true-that murder rumor. o.
course not"
I overheard the above conversation
between Lady Auckland and DR.. Win
terwald. I watched them as the!
walked into the salon. Lady Auck
land tripping along nervously and the
doctor walking straight and stiff a.
though he were trying to appear calm
Never mind, the rumor was strong
ar than all these people: it was al