Show 0 g CM AVRO ile 02 CHAPTER XVI continued 11 yes res hold my hand while I 1 guide I 1 you yon we can sit here it was a couch of some kind against the outer wall she did not release her grasp seemingly gaining courage from uis this physical contact and my fill cn 1 gers closed warmly over her own bittow now please breathlessly how is it possible you are aboard this vessel an officer 1 I told her the strange story as swiftly and simply as possible speaking scarcely above a whisper feeling as I 1 progressed that I 1 related a dread dream rather than it series of facts it seemed deemed to me she could scarcely be expected to believe the truth of what nhat I 1 sald said and yet she did almost unquestioningly the clasp of her fingers per tightening as I 1 proceeded she sat so close beside me that I 1 could feel her breath upon my cheek why if if you had not told me this yourself I 1 could hardly believe uch such a tale she exclaimed yet it must be true miraculous fis as it seems but what is to be the ending have you any plan of esc escape lipe 1 Il hardly ardly a I 1 plan I 1 have had no opportunity port unity even to learn the true nature of the crew watkins Is an honest sailor and he has told me of others on whom I 1 could rely there are those aboard but I 1 do not know how jsn many who would mutiny if they had bad a leader find and a reasonable chance of success I 1 wast must reach these thes e and learn who they are fortunately the voyage promises promis eq to be long enough to enable uie ine to plan carefully you have discussed the voyage litls tills this man estada he told me what he had decided apon not to return to their rendezvous until after they had captured some prizes and could go with gold chinking in their pockets where is their rendezvous an island in the west indies probably not on the chart they call it porto grande and they will nill sweep the ocean between here and there seeking victims unarmed merchant ment to rob and sink and you you will be compelled to take part in such scenes such acts vt pillage and perhaps murder 1 I presume pre suma I 1 must seem to be one of them to avoid suspicion nave have you any suggestions there is conspiracy on board already she said quickly that you may not know about you mean to depose sanchez ye you had it they thought me unconscious in the boat and talked among themselves the two at the sterna stern estada and that beast manuel I 1 did not understand all they said but I 1 do not think they intend the captain shall recover you think it best that he should oh I 1 do not know there Is no best that I 1 can see e yet I 1 would have more faith in being spared disgrace it if at the mercy of sanchez than ills his lieutenant both may be equally guilty equally desperate but they are not the same flame men I 1 may bo be wrong tor for I 1 r luddo as a woman yet I 1 would feel safer with sanchez the other merely desires with the passions of a brute no mo appeal would reach him he would laugh at cars and find pleasure in suffering buffering and yet you would have mo me appear friendly with estada we cannot permit him to feel that either of us tire are enemies he Ss Is the power aboard our lives everything are la in his hands it if lie he means to be rid of the man Is doomed for ne he will find a way to accomplish ills his purpose murder means nothing to these men of course you are right she acknowledged kno wedged our case is so BO desperate we must resort to any weapons you ton believe it va will III serve the possibility of escape it if I 1 permit this monster to imagine that I 1 have some interest in him to do so might delay the explosion It i replied gravely and just now any delay Is welcome I 1 doubt it if even estada will resort to force on board force will be the very last card he will care to play in your case you are english and all the he practical seamen on board are from northern eu TOPO tope english and scandinavian these pec nice tire are not pirates ft om choice they lare prisoners who have taken onto on to save their own li lils lies Ls with his bullies and cutthroats cut throats amidships he can CAD compe them to mork hork but lie late dare not ant go 90 too fur far once these fellows unite nolle in mutiny thuy could take the ship an assault on you would ile be dangerous it Is these you count on yes but for saw me to gain olivir confidence and leadership III require time the slightest 91 slip would mean failure abild merv merciless iless p punishment at lest best the situation is absolutely des partite but i 1 see no other solution aud and my service Is deceit the act ing of a part to blind the eyes of estada estad 1 I sincerely believe your greater chance of security UPS lips in this course the fellow is a supreme egotist opposition will anger him while flattery will make him subservient have the wit and discretion to hold him within certain limits it Is a dangerous game I 1 admit and a disagreeable one but the case requires desperate remedies she lifted her eyes searching my face through the dim light geoffry carlyle she said at last a tremor in the low voice there Is no sacrifice I 1 would not make to preserve my honor I 1 hate this man I 1 dread his touch I 1 shrink from contact with him as I 1 would from a snake but I 1 am not going to refuse to do my part if you say this is right and justified I 1 will consent 1 I believe it is and you will not lose faith in me she questioned earnestly it will not lower your belief in my womanhood nothing could do that mistress stress dorothy I 1 want you to realize the depth of my interest and respect your friendliness has meant much to me and I 1 would never urge you to lower your ideals but we must face tills this situation as it Is we possess but two weapons ions of defense deceit or force A resort to the latter Is at present impossible in fins sible I 1 cannot conceive that you are lowering yourself in any way by using the power you possess to escape v violence the power I 1 possess yes beauty and wit these are your weapons and most effective on ones es you can play with estada and defeat him temporarily at least I 1 confess there Is danger in such a game he Is a I 1 wild beast and his evil nature may overcome its his discretion take this pistol keep it hidden about your person but use it only when all else falls you retain faith la in me mel implicitly and pledge yourself to your part leaving me to attend to mine i her two hands clasped my lingers fingers her eyes uplifted geoffry carlyle I 1 have always believed in you and now after the sac she lifted her eyes you have made to serve me 1 I can refuse you nothing you ask I 1 will endeavor to accomplish all you require of me god knows how I 1 hate the task but but I 1 will do my best only only her voice sank if if the beast lays hands on me lie he he pays the price I 1 could not do other i wise geoffry carlyle 1 I am a fairfax satisfied with my mission and confident nothing dobbing more need be said I 1 arose to my any feet then we cue can do nothing further until I 1 learn the disposition of the rew crew I 1 said quietly estada Is dot cot likely to resort to extreme measures at present that Is why I 1 believe you are comparatively safe now his own position of command Is in the balance 1 I will see you again perhaps not here it Is too dangerous but I 1 will lind find means to communicate with you goodby good by we stood with hands clasped in the darkness I 1 thong thought alif site she was going to speak again but the words failed to come then suddenly silently the door opened a mere crack letting in III a gleam of yellow light from the main cabin while the crouching figure of fl 11 man an like a gliding shadow hadow sl dipped through the aperture closing the lie door behind him as softly as he had opened it elleard her catch her breath and felt her hands gr grasp a a 1 my sleeve but 1 never stirred who could he be be what might be ba the purpose of ills his entrance but one answer occurred to me pedro estada driven by unbridled passions to attack he file girl I 1 thrust her behind me and took a step forward with body poised for action I 1 was unarmed but cared little for that in the swift desire to conic come to hand grips with the brute I 1 could hear him now slowly and cautiously feeling his way toward us through the darkness CHAPTER A murder on board to be certain of free space I 1 extended one hand band and my fingers came inac unexpected contact with the back 0 a chair without moving my body I 1 grasped tills this welcome weapon of defense and swung it above my head whoever the invader creeping upon us might prove to be he was certainly an enemy actuated by some foul purpose and no doubt armed to strike him down as quickly and silently as possible was therefore the plain duty of the moment I 1 had no other thought the slowness with which ile he groped his way forward indicated unfamiliarity with the apartment though although a his direct advance proclaimed some special purpose clearly he had no fear of attack I 1 could determine almost his exact position as his advancing foot felt cautiously along the deck he came forward inch by inch I 1 measured the distance as indicated by faint shuffling sounds I 1 could not see but I 1 knew with all my force I 1 struck blindly as it had been delivered the blow hit fair there was as a thud an inarticulate groan and the fall of a body upon the floor beyond that nothing I 1 waited breathlessly listening for the slightest movement I 1 felt dorothy touch my shoulder and caught the sound of her voice trembling at my ear what la Is it what did you do 1 I struck him with it a chair he lies there on the deck walt where you a anre re I 1 bent over and touched him the fellow lay in a heap with no perceptible heartbeat heart beat no semblance of breathing my fingers sought his face and I 1 could scarcely suppress a cry of surprise lie he was not estada who then was be what could have been his purpose in thus invading this stateroom all I 1 could grasp was the fact that the fellow was not the portuguese he possessed a smooth face long hair and was a much smaller man I 1 dragged the body where the light illumination from the after port fell directly on the upturned face the features revealed were unfamiliar those unquestionably of a halfbreed half breed indian dorothy crossed to my side her foot striking a knife which came glimmering into the narrow range of 0 light she stared in horror at the ugly weapon and then at the ghastly countenance he came to murder see his knife lies there why should he have sought to kill 1111 me it is all mystery I 1 admitted what shall be done with ith the body it cannot be left lying exposed here no one would believe you killed him find and my presence must not be suspected could it she suggested be dropped through the port she shrank back from touching the inanimate figure yet it required the combined efforts of both to force the stiffening body through the porthole we could distinguish footsteps on the deck above but these were regular and lau undisturbed disturbed the slow prom promenade dade from rail to rail of the officer on watch clearly nothing had bad been heard or seen to awaken suspicion n if you should be questioned tomorrow you had best know nothing I 1 said gravely 1 I do not think you will be for surely an attack can be no plan of espadas Es tadas it could gain no advantage the fellow was pillaging on his own account if he is missed it will be supposed he fell overboard and no one will care you are not afraid to remain here alone no I 1 am not greatly frightened iut b ut shall try find and bar the door with a chair I 1 have no key then ill leave you half of my watch below must be gone by now pit PH take the fellows knife along as it must not be found here we parted with a clasp of hands hand s a I 1 opened the stateroom door and slipped out into the cabin to my surprise tile the light over the table had been extinguished rendering the cabin so black I 1 had to actually teel feel my way ft forward the lantern must have been put out since then by some confederate after a moment of hesitation I 1 found my way across to my own stateroom and pressed open the door TO BE CONTINUED |