Slow Boat From Marseilles

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 287, 21 September 1950, Page 7

Slow Boat From Marseilles

5 By Michael Hastings. -

5 Serial Story S

5 (Copyright) i

CHAPTER XVI.

SUSPICIONS “I know that it presents difficulties,” he said slowly. “So far I have been too occupied restoring calm among the passengers to be able to devote much time to it. But I feel that it will be possible for us to overcome the obstacles. It is not as though we are without subjects for the operation. We have lost one—but there are plenty more.” “And how shall you explain a second disappearance?” Rutter asked bitingly. Prinz looked even more uncpmfortable. “We shall have to make very careful plans,” he said. “You talk about planning,” cried Rutter impatiently. “The truth of the matter is that you haven’t an idea in your head!” *'■*»»» Vanya Milany looked up into John Oliver’s face. There was a pleading expression in her grey eyes. And more than a suspicion of trouble there. “I feel so sorry for him,” she said. "He is so distressed. And he blames himself bitterly. He does talk a bit wildly, I know; but I feel that he’s so sincere. He is most eager to talk to you about it; but he feels that he cannot come along to your cabin. Will you see him? I promised him that I would ask you.” Oliver smiled at her.

“Of course I’ll see him,” he said. “Mind you, I don’t think that I can help in any way. I know that it must have happened during my watch; but I had no time to spare for what might be taking place on deck. The fog demanded all my attention. I’d decided to take the wheel myself.” “Dr. Prinz told us a little about it,” said Vanya. A sparkle came into her eyes. “You saved us, didn’t you? It was your calmness.” “I happened to be on duty—that was all there was to it. I did no more than anybody else would have done.” “Didn’t it look-—almost frightening?” “Yes. It was like a phantom ship. Until she was near and I could distinguish some detail. Then I knew at once what she was. She’d most probably been abandoned in a storm. One mast had gone, and the other had crashed upon the deck. We’d an emergency light rigged up in the bows, and the wreck looked more ghostly because of the yellow beams of light and the wisps of fog which drifted past.” “I think I should have been too frightened to have done anything,”, the girl said. “That’s training,” said Oliver, with a smile. “It makes all the difference when you know that you have a job to do. It’s not having a job—or not knowing what it’s all about that scares one.”

‘T suppose that is why we were so scared. The shock of the ship as she jerked. It broke into our dreams. I suppose poor Stefan Litwin rushed up on deck from his cabin and somehow fell overboard.” -She looked at him as she said these words. He had the feeling that she was studying him, watching for his reactions. What were his reactions? Was there anything that he could say? What of the half-formed suspicions which lurked at the back of his mind? It was not. though, time to speak yet. “It isn’t easy to understand what happened,” he said slowly, picking his words with care. “Admittedly, there was a fog. But it was possible too see a yard or so ahead. So there was no reason why he should have blundered to the rail without knowing. Again, there was very little motion. The sea was dead calm. So how did he come to fall in?”

Vanya looked him straight in the eyes.' “You mean ... it might have been deliberate? They have mentioned the possibility of suicide.” “I don’t know,” said Oliver. “Theoretically, he might have lost his headbecome convinced that the ship was sinking, and have jumped over the side. M “But you would not say that he did? s l ie “I wouldn’t. I know nothing of him. Was he the kind of man to do that sdrt of thing? Had he tried to commit suicide before in his life? Had he been very depressed lately? Perhaps those are questions which Jan Kiernik can answer.” “He has answered them already,” said the girl. “It seems that the two of them were together most of the time during the war. Jan says that Stefan was the last person in the world, to kill liimself. His actual words to me were: ‘I have had to look after him all the time. He would never have jumped over the side without coming to me first to ask for pei mission.’ ” Oliver looked thoughtful. “It would be a good idea for Jan to have a talk with me,” he said. “We might compare a few notes.” Vanya’s eyes widened. . “You mean —that there are things. . “I’ve been rather puzzled about one or two points,” said Oliver, trying to make his voice sound casual. But the girl was not deceived. She suddenly took him him by the arm. “Then you begin to know what I can only sense,” she said. “There is something evil about this ship—and this strange voyage.” “I wouldn’t say .. - he began; hut she interrupted him. “Please,” she said. “Don’t try to hide things. I have already seen so much trouble, so much evil, in the world. I am not likely to shrink from some more.” “There’s nothing that I can tell you,” he said. “It would he different if I knew something. Or even if I had some reasonable suspicion. But I haven’t anything. I’ve spent hours thinking about it —and I’ve made no progress. For example, there is Dr. Prinz. I don’t trust him. I didn t believe the story that he told he asked me to join the ship . . .” “Then why did you join?” Vanya asked, with a puzzled frown. John Oliver smiled ruefully. £To be Continued.)

The characters m this story are entirely imaginary, and no reference to living persons is intended.