Show I 2 Of TE MINUTE By LOUIS UIS A J JOSEPH SEPH VANCE 0 t t Copyright 1911 1011 b liy bY LOUIS JOSEPH V VANCE ANOE 0 SIH II Tie TM Tl fieo IU e of th the other a a. Q fh flash uLah of bE f fine teeth 4 Excellent agreed p Pe Perez rez with his complacent chuckle y J After you senor senor senor- enort t No you Jou tir first t J Thurlow Thurlo stood aide ly f t With a little hUla forma bow boic Perez ran up p the Udder Iader the wireless or operator folio fol tot io Jomn drew a a long breath of relief rc re lief grateful for tho the Tid nce that n neither itha man ha baa ha j overheard the te nervous er us bre breakdown Seemingly th the story atory w was wu not yet vet common to t the c company com coin m pany on the ip at least lus one might hope hop a as much It I was ns still Iti possible on the face fre of ol of the situation to save savo sao it i by hJ Cynthia back to her cabin and nd by thin giving Claret Clare tb J lip ith if it h ht dared attempt t to reta retail his gossip os i It I only onh Acklin Critenden Crittenden Critteden was thunderstruck to tn think that they had agreed reed on no SIR SIR- g. g rah nak H He Ha had all al the while subconscious subconsciously ly tr y been anticipating something it t tAp tap a a. heaT y stamp on the thc deck H a I whistle whistle- to to J-to to apprise him that that AcKlin was 5 r ready td to lower the c cr in in front front of oC the starboard port without pausing to reflect t that an any such proceeding pro w would nd h bo ho incautious to an extreme ex cx- and that Acklin Ackin probably counted on on Crittenden CritendEn himself bein being on the J alert ert J. J Cursing Cusin himself to himself ho he turned hastily to the Ne opening in in the Uie side side ide S Kneeling on the berth hp hn hr looked out then the thrust a R h hand nd through h and ind dut clutched hed the bi object t that had bad been hang hang- jn sing ing there heaven knew bow how long long long- on dangling from free the end of ot a a acord cord secured secured se se- se cured to the upper rain railing A single Je quick jerk broke tho the fasten fasten- ing sn Crittenden Critenden save gave over ocr berating himself hi se and nd breathed ea a R prayer of f thanksgiving for foI the screwdriver in hi his grasp tap I At At last he cried cred triumphant 4 i back bac into the stateroom stateroom and and cro crossing ing to the door Ive Ive flot got ot it at last Istl In five five- minutes now now now- But Cynthia ia rave gave ave him pause as ag ne he stopped to kneel kneet and examine puse the tho Jocka lock Jock a C I Cant Gant you von make it six she sho bt d in broken voice Give begged g a a me nie meone le lenc one nc minute to comfort me to satisfy mv rev curiosity to make me inc understand under under- it stand nd- nd Im sorry he returned gravely avely c. c I I am ant thinking only of your our good even if ap apparently ent v for forgetful Then tell teU mo me It UIt is j. s nothing wonderful he ho said h hastily with wih disdain for Jor the subject in in his his- hiS tone c a a cheap and anI commonplace swindling game in the final analysis Tou ou remember I told you inal the tho first da day oat out I h had d suspected suspect d an attempt to sin sink th the vessel veel for her insurance and had rejected the suspicion as unlikely because be be- cause cuse of the tho quantity and value of her herf cargo f 07 1 s. s she he breathed I almost heedless of what he said sid thinking to keep him there a little litte longer to lose him no sooner nor than she he must Well Well rh then ithen n it turns turn out my mv first guess was ri right ht after all al-accor al alI according inz to Jess Rhode Rhode continued thinking think thInk- lug ing int on only y to havo done Jone and ma make an end of this equivocal ocl complication Perez proposed tho the plot pIot Savaran Madame Madame's a husband and Rhode Rhod entered into it wil- wil wi iD Jj each putting up all aJ his available c capital Perez took a half hat share it app appears ap ap- ap p pears ars n therefore ro has ba tho most moat voice oice Savaran and ad Rhode shared the tho oth other r half Savaran s 's int interest bein being the lessor leser They bou bought ht this vessel ess condemned b by its its' is' is former oTer owners for a song sonI paying part cash down j tricked half a dozen marine insurance c concerns including Lloyds of London into continuing as asher asher asher her her underwriters underwriters but but at a pretty stiff premium I r guess assembled the richI richest rich rich- I est cst elt car cargo o they could come by partly party on credit partly party on cons consignment and aDd ana insured in in that up to t the hut hilt hit Do you follow fol fol- fol low met Yes y eSt said Mid Cynthia softly oft I So S now tho the plan is this le legally the C Cynthia thia passed out of existence just now cow when ben the news s. no of h her r sinking was wa sent out b by wireless In another day dar or two to she is to t. t be sunk in actuality In the meantime we a are makin making for a a In little isolate desolate bay on the southern south south- era ern en b boundary of the Bahamas Coffin ba bay so called caned There were we're to make a junction with this tramp steamship Thurlow just named the Orion j in that the seclusion the lion the waters are traveled only onty by h ignorant sponge fishermen the the fishermen the cargo cargo car car- go o will wi be transferred t to the tho tramp t As 8 s soon as 2 that hat has been accomplished 1 tramp both vessels c seJs will steam out outto to sea at night ht everybody wi on on board the Cynthia having been transferred to the Orion Oron e d save the tte barest working ere crew At the LInt first r t. t convenient i nt d deep ep the Cynt Cynthia's ia 8 sea ea cocks will be opened and th the balance bal bat an ance o of at her crew will m take to the boats and ad rejoin the O Orion on which will i then pr proceed eed to Jin Kingston with a likely yarn Jarn Abou an a engine room br breakdown to account for the delay The Tho car cargo o by bv means of forged manifests will wi be betaken t taken k n elsewhere and disposed of to th the best st advantage the insurance both on oni onit i it and andon on the te Cynthia will wt then bo be collected collected col cl col- col and and the he syndicate will wi whack up on th the spoils a and d the tho incident be bo bec c closed oad 1 How Irow l How long have hay you known this 4 Crittenden hesitated To be hon boa eit elt Ive I've suspected foul play from the thc first fint but I ret let myself in for fox it it partly party through sheer desperation partly party bec because be be- c cause u ise I felt feU responsible for you you you-as as asIve Ive I've laid aid ia Th The Iv positive truth I have havo not known until tonight when Rhode cornered m me ma and put it up p to io me telling the the part rt I was wa expected to play So also alo wih with M Madame dame Savaran pla- pla she he too knew from the first lint that something v fraudulent was contemplated and I dare say sy 8 surmised a a good od part of the truth but out Rhode says he be never told toM her any ny details until this evening e after d dinner ner It was solely her cupidity to look o k kafter after ater her money and her distrust of him which is conceivable th that t induced induced in in- I. I her to come alon along She insisted ou on it it lad and d Perez and Rhode had to ivo in iD for If shod shed carried carie out out- outher her threat lio to make public what little she knew cv even n it i would have been fatal to their plans pIans Now ow she's hoppin hopping bopping mad maJ de dc- dares dare she wont won't be a Q part party to the plot ruins her to expose it and i it H begas boo bo- gas to look as it if shed she'd shared snarled it up Impossibly Perez w wants t to put pilL her herout out aut of tie the wa way v vand and take her jewels and e. e And Ad 1 Ive I've ve no t right ht to be tollIng toll tell tol in jag Ing vou von al alj this to fr frighten pu His voice assumed a weary weary tone But now you k know you know you had to or later later and nd ater-nd and you rou know just what I am a the associate and employee t of o thieves and and and- He e stopped speaking J in sheer heer amaze amaze- amae m in mint nt t and Bole because of the reason o for th that t emotion emotion Cynthia's hand warm war soft of and gentle Jente that bad had found foun it its way to his lips and closed them t with ih it its silken pressure mil 1 Ikno know assented tho girl Nol No l lit tj me speak Its It's my turn pow now There was iras a 3 deepened ric richness ness in In her hr voice that that perturbed d him J sympathy therein mingled led with understanding and resolution and with something else lse something infinitely sweet and tender like Ie a a caressI caress I l 1 know you you ye yes she said j sand and since that's so EO 0 you ou malign yourself to mc me truce Bruce I know now you better beter now than I have bave ever known anybody in all n mv nw life and I w wont won't nt bear hear you libeled even n b by yourself n But b Tie e prot protested alarmed you You dont don't seem t to tO understand T r r do I understand too well Listen to me me Bru Bruce e. e There were wore two of us us- us two two innocents drawn into this almost against our our wills Ils because c we were poor and and But wait att No Ion don dOlt t cay RV AV anything just lust vet yet please se Give me inc time to think out out what I want to say ay to you JOI She JI hesitated a short minute Through h al alJ 31 the time he had bad been laying in bare barp to tn her th the scheme chem of f the sr swindlers in the he had been mindful pf what that he lic sid said only with wih her objective senses e Beneath them ran A R ce new new dig ds covered that 5 set t her a rid riddle Je she he must tax her wits to read Throughout t span in her hr woman womans woman's 6 heart had been busy with ih i its problem woi weighing hins it i consider considering considering iD ing it i in all al its baffling complexity devising its is shrewd d snare for the feet feet of ha happiness Love was her birthright b deeded to I her with h her r sex fex Contemplating it i from afar alar from the remote nei heights of maiden simplicity she h had d somewhat it it perhaps now that it was Wa nol pr como come to her and nd knew w herself a ar r woman man sh she sho w would h have havo e it at whatever price It I w was s her her woman woman's womans right she wh who loved loci must i i. i n her ber turn be be loved loved loved- or the tho world were ere wen well lost and and despised J I Jn ln this thiR last quarter hour she sho had come to know St Standing there by the port with wit her hand in his his voice a gentle ente murmur in her hearing sac standing now close doso to him hm in darkness feeling tho the darkness an intangible barrier bar bar- Tier rier rie between between- n. n them thorn that owed its ex cx- only to her own ow volition then and now DOW no tho the meaning of t life tho the end and aim of her existence seemed scored most plain arid and clear to h her r comprehension That which had troubled her with its is va vague te forebodings those flushes of emotion emotion emo emo- tion ton she had been a trifle fr frightened bened of no lon longer er wore oro their accustomed guise of mystery She knew now now- now and her soul rejoiced in its is enlightenment She had been created only to love this man and in ingenuous and naive nave in n her hearts heart's heart b happiness she Ebo had hado no o thought or oriO- oriO in instinct in aside from 10 one honest and strai straightforward she must not be shy of her love nor jealous jealous' of its it enjoyment enjoyment enjoy enjoy- ment meat nor nor bear herself toward him him bim Inan in n nany an any wise but that of f candor candor and sin sin- ws eerily cery He Ho to love loye whom was the sour source c of all an gladness must musj mus share with wih her this dear der delight It I. I was It-was was for this she had detained him it was as to make mako him aware of this t that at she paused to collect herself hersel to find fit fit words to frame her honest thoughts thought V She Sho was conscious of ot the tho be bo heavy beating beating beat bet ing of her heart of the thrill of of pulses in int neck and wrists and temples of a burning suffusion of blood in in her face mercifully veiled in darkness darkness of of a sing sing- in inc In ln her ears cars like the singing in her heart like the of tho the cherubim cheru cheru- bim him She uttered r d at length a soft oft low baffled lau laugh h. h It HI comes to this in in the end Bruce said she I 4 I UT have been tyng trying to think straight true truel to make you ou understand why I mus muston must tell ton you rou but Lbs thoughts ar am arn all aU whir awhirl in iii my poor head And so BO in the bo end it cornea come to t this s that I must eim- eim ply say I love you Appalled he strove trOvO 0 to speak the breath rattling in his bono bone dry dry throat Confidently she stretched forth a hand baud toward him it i rested upon his his' sleeve er Bruce ruce ruce I. I she sighed He drew away with a R gesture of renunciation renunciation re re- re of which neither either was conscious con can No No Nohe he said harshly no You Iou mustn't say ay it You don't dont mean it it Oh Ob but I do lo clo Bruce she sho told him dim serenely C It I is true I love lo you I had to t tell n you rou something something-I I dont don't know what what made made mo me tell teU you ou Id I'd just lust found it out and and I and I I couldn't help it it 4 I Crittenden Critenden said sad nothing There Thera was nothing to say aay say that he ho could gai gain hi his own consent to t utter uter Dumb s and ard d aghast be he waited racked with suffering suffer suffer- Bufer in jag ing and compassion C Bruce Cynthia's voice sounded again ai through u l the tho shadows c youre you O not angry n ry with mth met me There Thore here cam came a sudden spirit O of alarm into her ac cents You dont don't moan t meau-t t You dont don't answer me mel You cant can't mean Oh Ohl She filtered faltered and broke down with frith wih a stifled sob After a a mad interval Crittenden Critenden found himself holdin holding her in his embrace embrace em em- brace his hia hi face wet wio with her tears tear his ears rin ringing n with wih her accents his lips warm and fra fia ra rant t with th the perfume of ot her kisses hi his brain riot a-riot with rap rap- ture And this must not beHe be be- e eHe He Ho pulled himself together gripping bis his resolution strongly even eyen eyen as a he e grasped the girls girl's rl's s shoulders setting her ber at arms arm's ars ar's length from him bits Cythia Cynthia Jenith he he said Cynthis yn this thi this cant ant go on I 1 haven't lavent any ri right right right- ht- ht so I You You have ha e every right I give ive you iou dear I Listen Liston to me he begged tier her almost al aI most r roughly 1 You co ou took took the the right to speak your mind hear mine mme mine I 1 mUst muse toll tell t ear You you ou m must t forgive me ale when you come to recall this forgive me mo in hi the same thought that forgets me met that puts me asi aside from v ur life life- as if y you vou u hs had hAd n never ver known me I had no uc right to kiss Ides you ou to hold bold you 0 in iu I my arms to sa say to you Ol what what what-I what I cant cant can't remember what remember what I must have hav sauL eaid l Bruce she pleaded pitifully t No No Hear out Iy me Ive I've c got ot to toBay say Bay it 1 love lo e you dear I love you Of with ith ev er every ry no br breath ath and I Ive I've e been loving Joving you from the first first I T. t-T. I too know it now and know t how desperately Ive I've been lo in you All AU aloR along I 1 knew that this was wa in in mc me struggling for expression but I r couldn't let it come ome out I i dared d' d not Dot for fear fea of just |