Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-12-10
CHAPTER XIV


mighty threshing of foaming water,
Sam Chatfield, impaled upon the
cruel weapon, swordfsh and all
sank belowinto the depths of the sea.
We stared Mortified from the rock
ing launch at the spot where they
sank. For some moments huge bill
lowing masses of bubbles streaked
with blood came boiling up to the
surface. Finally even these ceased,
and the dancing, sparkling waters of
a blue sea held no sign of what had
happened.
Rogers accompanied Dwight and
Reed Barton that afternoon when
they went solemnly into the lounge
to break the news. The rest of us
were purposely occupied with get
ting the launch slowed on deck and
preparing to weigh anchor, for we
were, of course, returning immedi-
ately to Mazatlan. Dwight came
out at last, followed by Rogers and
Reed Barton. The latter two joined
me at the rail, while Dwight walked
slowly forward to the bridge.
"Berta took it very hard" Rog-
ers commented, as if making a re-
CURED report. Sin fact, she went to
pieces. 1t was all that Margaret
and Elsa could do to quiet her. Mar
garet gave her sleeping powder,
and she'll probably soon be asleep"
We came abreast the harbor en-
trance and into smoother going; the
yacht ceased to roll in the long
swells. Something was on Rogers
mind. 1t was quite obvious, now
that I had learned to recognize his
moods.
Barry" he said speculatively,
could this afternoons tragedy have
been entirely an accident, do you
Think"
at couldn't have been anything
else. An accident, you know, may
have many purely coincidental fac
tors in it, but they all click in Sc
accident. How else, except by ac-
cident, would swordfsh stab a
man to death?'
Il don't mean the swordfsh's part
in it," he said. THAT, of course, is
quite accidental. But could it have
been an accidental factor in the Sc
quence you speak of for the chair
to break?"
at did break.
Eyes, I know, but"
you're wondering if someone
could have tempered with the chair
with the expectation of causing an
accident"
Exactly"
"Well-perhaps."
''Of course it's an idea that re-
quires exploring. But there's a prac-
teal side to it; was or was not the
seat tempered with? And can we
determine at this time whether it
was or not? Let's go see."
Without waiting for my reply Rog-
ers walked aft to the launch which
was slowed in its cradle. We paused
beside it in the dusk.
"Have you a fashlight, Barry?"
'I'u get one"
81 can re-assemble the mocha
nism," Rogers remarked after some
tinkering, eff you'll hold the light
I'LL liS,
He gave it to me and I directed
the rays while he fitted together
the several parts. He soon had it
complete, except for a nut.
l am not much of a mechanic,
but Rogers had demonstrated that
he was quite good at it, and soon we
had the chair back in what seemed
normal working order.
1.-THE swivel seems to work all
right. Sit down in it, Barry, and
let me watch the mechanism"
sat down as he requested. "Now
rock back and forth in it, and swing
round and round in it."
I followed his instructions, while
he lay flat on his stomach and with
the aid of the flashlight peercd I'M
derneath. Suddenly and without
warning the seat collapsed under
me and l fell with it in a heap.
Rogers, exhibiting extraordinary
agility for a man so large, man.
aged to escape unhurt.
Didn't hurt you, did it, Barry?"
he inquired, sitting up. hugging his
knees. My back had suffered a
slight wrench, and l said so. Pm
sorry" he apologizcd, "but you
were nearer Sam Chatficld's weight
than l."
''Do you think, then, that some
body tempered with the chair?"
''What about George"
Last night while we we're an
chored, and before any of us had
gone ashore, Elsa and l we're at
the rail. Somebody was loafing in
the launch alone and in the dark.
Elsa asked me who was down there.
I thought it was some one of the
hands, perhaps. And then George
Rumble climbed out and came up
the ladder"
Rogers got slowly to his feet. shift