HER SPLENDID SIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14257, 4 July 1908, Page 2

HER SPLENDID SIN

Ur HEADON HILL, Author of "Unmasked at Last," "Jlor Grace at" Bay," etc. CHAPTER XXXL-THK WIT QV WOMAN. Barll&tt's iron, crip closed -on Judy's wrist, and she abandoned as soon as formed) tho swift impulse to match her splendid physique against Rcynell's townbred frailty. The impulse pro'kibly sprang from -in instinctivo clutch at the straw that the big man would stand aside and see fait- play. By Barl-lett's promptness in seizing her that hope was now shattered, and it was evident that if there was tension between the two men it had not yet been strained to breaking point. Violence was not for her in the losing contest which she was fighting so bravely— in which she had been well niali beaten tc her knees. If she was to win"out from tho callous villians arrayed against her she must rely ou that best of God-given endowments, tho mother wit of woman, to save her. That Reynell's vile threat was no empty one the glass-stoppered bottle that ho drew from his vest pocket furnished sinister proof. He could have bit on no moie fiendish idea for vanquishing her resolution, for with all her native shrewdness and kindliness of heart there was no denying that- Black Dick's daughter was smitten with the foible of vanity. It bad been thai little weakness, the consciousness of her own ilorid charms, that had brought upon lici-t-lie insult which had ended in Koynell's temporary discomfiture and had earned for liev his undying halo. She could not resist flinging the tauntin his teeth now, as she stood, practically at his mercy, menaced with cruel outrage unspeakable! "You are quite right!'' she stormed at him. "I know whole the jewels are— such a- mass of glittering beauties as ever you London thieves never set eyes on. I found them, just as you have described, a week before you acted so as to make mo bid Andreas throw you in the, creek. That morning, fool that I was, I was ready to marry you, if you had asked me, for the sake of being the wife of a gentleman. A pretty gentleman, God help me! Yes, you could have had the rreasuro for nothing, yon see, without plotting and murdering, if it had been in you to behave decent." Rcynell grinned sourly. "I confess that it might have made a difference in-tho nature of my wooing," he sneered. " From your point "of view it is rather a pity that you were so sceretivo, as, if you had held out thai- inducement to me, you might have had a limited share in spending the proceeds of your haul. You would have been a gilded pill, dear Judy, which 1 might have consented to swallow. As it is, I mean to have the whole Mossed pile without any restrictions. Except, of course," he added rather hurriedly, " those imposed upon me by my partnership with the gentleman who is holding your wrist. And I shall further score by espousing a lady of refinement, fitted to grace other spheres than the deck of a dorlict coal barge." "You ivon't find that any decent woman will touch you with a pair of tongs," retorted Judy, moved by the double purpose of gaining time to mature her plans and of discovering his intentions with regard to Lesbia. Eeynell seemed to be enjoying the verbal encounter, his waspish nature delighting in inflicting little wounds before administering the coup do grace. "Pardon me, hut I anticipate no difficulty," he rejoined. "The lady to whom I refer is in the next .cabin now. lam such an easy-going, fellow that I am lending her to my rival in the capacity of a nurse ju6t for the moment, but "

A restive growl broke from Bartlott, Mindful of the arrangement by which Roger Daubeny was to come out in a launch and appear, on the scene in time to prevent treachery on Royncll's part; and knowing nothing of the delay to which'the owner of Wynter Grange had been subjected by the breakdown of the supervisor's motor car, he was beginning to fear that he would arrive too soon.

It might set (he arch plotter plotting afresh and spoil everything, if Daubony brought his suspicious cavillings and uiigoverned tongue into the business before the whereabouts of tlie plunder was revealed. He himself had been scrupulously careful not to excite Rcynell's suspicion's of bis distrust, tightly though lie had to curb himself in order to treat his traitorous companion with ordinary civility. "You'retalking too much, Jem," he paid in a tone that expressed genuine concern for the success of their enterprise. "Let's put- the screw on her and be done with it. 1 want to got liack to bed."

I'eyneU'6 answer was to produce a pair of scissors, with which be advanced towards the Tiger's captive. "Your words are tho words of wisdom, old man," he said. "I couldn't resist baiting her a little, to get the taste of salt water out of my mouth. It has been there ever since tho gentle treatment she accorded me. Now I will begin by snicking off those glorious tresses; then we'll try the effect of a pair of forceps on those milkwhite molars, and wc will wind up by anointing that brilliant complexion with the acid from the phial—unless a better spirit tnkcs possession of the patient before we come to the last extremity. Don't let her go, Tiger. The cat would love to get her claws into me."

At the approach of her tormentor Judy affected the wildest terror, and just as he was about to ply the scissors began to weep bitterly. "I give in," she wailed. "I will tell where the treasure is if you will promisenot to hurt any of us."

" Ah!" came Reynell's long-drawn exclamation. " Now yon ate talking sense, Miss Holt. I can assure you that you will find your wise decision cheap at the price. Don't keep my impatient friend waiting any longer, but tell us where we are to look for the fruits of our labours."

"The jewels are hidden in the saudliallast in the hold—on the left hand side as you go from the ladder towards the forepart of the ship," replied Judy with as much eagerness as she had) previously shown reluctance. "I put a piece of firewood in the sand to show the place. They are not very deep. Only about afoot down."

She spoke in quick little gasps, Rcynell watching her out of eyes narrowed to pinheads iii their intent scrutiny.

"Right you are," he said after a pause. "I'll soon have them out of that." And with the torch in his hand ho quitted the cabin and made for the still open trapdoor in tho cuddy. Judy, strangely moved for her, rushed after him and laid her hand- upon his arm.

"One minute, Mr Eeynell, for heaven's sake! Please, oh, please, don't- leave me alone again with this man," she pleaded, pointing to Bartlctt, who had followed. "I am frightened of his looks and—and of the horrible name you call him. Mayn'tho go down and fetch the things, and you stay up here with me? You can afford to be generous in a little thing like that."

Reynell's gaze fixed her as though to read her inmost soul, and then, with a shrug of his shoulders ho handed the torch to Bartlctt. "As she has done the squaro thing by us I don't see why we shouldn't humour her, Tiger, old man," he said.

" You must have made awful faces at hcv to terrify the poor dear into preferring my company to yours."

For.the fraction of a second Bartletthesitated, and bad the proposition emanated from Rcynell himself it is doubtful if he would liavo consented. But it was Judy who had made the suggestion, and he knew that there couldi be no collusion between her and the object of bis distrust. He felt intuitively that if she made any discrimination between them the bias was in his favour, So with a curt nod he yielded, and swung his long legs through the trapdoor on to the rope ladder.

Eeynell, whose eyes never left Judy for an instant, carried on a running fire of question and answer with the explorer below, Was the stick, indicating the place, where it was alleged to be? Yes, came up from the depths, there were a lot of bits of firewood in the sand, but there was one near about where the girl had said. Well, was there anything under it? A growl demanded time • the speaker was grubbing in the ballast. A little later the cry came up that a depth of

eighteen inches had been reached, but that no treasure or anything else had been unearthed.

At that moment Judy, who had been standing with her back to the table on which the 6uppcr things were laid ready for Holt and, Voorclam, sprang forward, a carving knife in. her hand. Even than she noticed that, after one quick glance to see that he was not to be attacked, Rcynell made no attempt to prevent Ileitis 6lic sliced the rope ladder from the lip of ihe trapdoor and, almost before it had dropped limply to the bottom of the bold, slummed down the trap. But her immediate purpose was achieved; she had separated her two assailants. The forces of the enemy were split in two, and the one for whom she felt herself physically a match alone remained above to be dealt with.

In feverish ha6te she dragged the chest of drawers, alluded to by Eeynell before bis own descent, on to the trapdoor, and it was only when she realised that he was leaning against the side of the cuddy quietly laughing at her that she began to experience misgivings.

"Clever girl," bis hateful tones purred ot her. "Also extremely convenient girl. Do you know that since 1 read in your face about ten minutes ago that the treasure, wherever it was, was not down in the hold my great desire was to dispose of my clear colleague. You have settled the difficulty for me in the simplest- manner. I imagine, however, that your precaution of shutting and barricading the trapdoor is unnecessary, except to save our ears a good deal of bad language. He could hardly jump from the depth of fifteen feet from a take-off of loose sand."

Bartletl's voice was heard from below, furiously demanding release, but his words could not be distinguished through the thick planking of the deck. Heynell seemed more amused than ever.

"Just hark at bun," he chuckled. "He is not only a caged Tiger but a very angry Tiger as well, I fear. Do you know it has always been a problem with me how to get rid of Mr Bartlett after he had served his turn in this business. I bad a- little plan ready, but there was always tho chance thai it might miscarry, and I am deeply indebted to you for doing the trick so completely, Thanks to your promptness the greedy begger won't be able to dip his finger in my pie." "You talk as if you had the jewels in your pocket," retorted Judy. "What did you bring him for if you could do so well without him?"

" I can do so' well without liim, as you aptly put it, because the jewels are' as good as in my pocket now." replied Beynell, watching the bewilderment in the girl's face with keen enjoyment. " When we arrived at the hulk this evening I thought it would bo all plain sailing— that all there was for me to do would be to ransack the hiding place described in the instructions, and afterwards dispose of my partner—no matter how. Your forestalment of me entails a slight, but not material change of plan. Ino longer need the Tiger's protection. Before many minutes are passed vou yourself will deliver the treasure up to me of your own free will."

Judy laughed boisterously, to cover a gowing nervousness. Her antagonist was so clearly not disconcerted by the turn events had taken, and his tone of quiet confidence was so obviously not assumed, that she began to apprehend that he held a card that would beat her last play. She had expected that when the marauders found the hiding-place empty they would retire defeated, and |had never reckoned on tlie deductive skill which had so easily given Reynell her secret. Her simple calculations, thus upset, were not to be readjusted in the facile manner of her opponent, and she- trembled! for the result. Yet she would bluff to the end.

" You must have a cheek to expect that," she said, taking a step forward and squaring her broad shoulders. "Why, I'll throw you into the creek again, einglclianded'this time, before I tell you whero the jewels arc."

It was Ecynell's turn to laugh, only there was no nervousness in the Bound of his merriment. "Thank you," he said coolly. " Your words tell mo that the stuff is on the hulk any Way. The subtleties of speech' are not your forte, my girl. You imply that if you would you could give the jewel to me now, but you assert that you won't. Well, we'll 'see what Mr Leonard Wynter lias to say. After all the trouble he has been put to it is only fair that be should be consulted. This is Hie cabin in which you have stabled him, I think?''

CHAPTER XXXII.-THE GUILE OP MAN/ The amused 6inile which Rernell had worn during his interview with, Judy changed to a malicious grin as he entered the cabin and his crafty eyes took in the scene within. Lesbia, who had heard without understanding much that had passed in the cuddy, was sitting by the bunk, holding Leonard's hand, Leonard' himself lay there deadly white, chafing against his helplessness. The excitement of hearing Beynell's arrival had increased his leverahness and exhaustion.

He. too, had not rightly gathered the purport of Judy's prolonged wangle with • ift'ie two men, though the fact of Iteyncll's return, so often predicted by Judy, had led hiu> to surmise that the treasure was hidden on the hulk itself, and not buried in India as he and his grandfather had accustomed themselves to believe. The noise in the neighbouring cabin and in the cuddy he had attributed to Judy's objections to their making a search. Lesbia, not knowing how to comfort her lover with words, had sat with him in silence, striving lo bear with womanly fortitude a suspense which she kept assuring herself was not so great as that which Leonard was suffering ou her behalf. Her mind was fully niarjie up. It' it proved that she was to be used as a pawn in Reynell's game she would end this scheme for robbing the Wynters by giving herself up to the police. "Good evening to you, Mr \Yyiiter,'' Reyncll's sneering voice broke the silence that followed his entrance. " I trust that you are in a. fair way' to recovery—the more so as I have a surprise in store that may come as something of a shock. You have been regarding me as a deep-dyed scoundrel, pledged to do you out of the object ot your quest. On the contrary I am your best friend, about to do you the yeoman's service of enabling you to recover the treasure. Allow me to introduce to you the real culprit who has annexed the pile for herself—Miss Judv Holt."

.Judy, her checks aflame willi rage and mortification, stood forward. "Listen lo me, Mr Wynter, and you Miss Blythc," she panted. "It is true that I found a great store of precious stones by accident a few weeks back. "IVas before I knew that they were a-lawful written gift to (lie old gentleman at t-Jio windmill. Soon as you came here and told mc the story I meant you to have them, but not till this squirmy reptile had given up trying to best you out of them. After he'd got that paper from .you I shifted the jewels from the place where I guessed he'd look, but he's too cunning {or the likes of me. He saw through what I'd done,, and now he's trying lo make- me out the thief he is himself. Tint's the-honcsi truth I've to'il you."

In her dread of being misunderstood she allowed two great tears to drop. Lesbia was at her side in an instant, soothing and reassuring.

"You dear thing." .she murmured, "of course' we believe you, Leonard and 1.

Kverylliing you hav-s done for us fits in with what you have been saying. We trust, her thoroughly, don't we, Lenny?''

"Rather!'' Leonard exclaimed in bis boyish way. "I knew Miss Holt- was the right sort when I began to paint her picture. I longed to confide in her from the first, and it made me feel quite guilty not doing bo, only my old man' insisted on precaution?. I confess, however, that I don't quite see how Mr lteynell emu;"; to be posing as the livvo oi the piece." Tlial evil genius bail listened to the exchange of pretty speeches with the vame malicious grin which had curled his thin lip on entering the cabin. "Poor me!" he said, striking an attitude. "Nobody gives me credit for any virtue. Perhaps I have seen the error of my ways and wish to sit on the stool o! repentance ; perhaps J am moved with sympathy for the pretty idyll 1 see before me and thiist for a happy ending to it. The tact lemains that I am the amiable

fairy of the piece, ami .is a proof of it, Miss Judy, 1 bid you make good) your words. Hand over the jewels to Mr Wynler forthwith."

There was a hush and a pause in the cabin, broken only by liartlell's distant curses, muffled out of all coherence, from the hold below. Judy put a limit lo it by tinning sharply on Keynell, imperious and not to bo denied.

"I'm going to search you first,' she said. " If you have got ,1 pistol you would be too much for me."

" But I have got one," came the .smoothspoken reply. "Loaded in every chamber as the police reports have it. And, just to prove my bona tides, I will surrender it lo Mr Wynler, or lo yourself, if you prefer to play the Amazon to the end of our little comedy."

Judy took the revolver which he held out lo her, and gave it to Leonard, who laid it in front of him on the bunk without a word. Enfeebled by his wound and dazed by the rapid marc)) of events, he did not perceive the trend of Eeyncll's present conduct, Judy herself as suspicious as ever, but she liadi grown so accutomed to associate Keynell with physical force that, having disarmed him, she' was prepared to bold him harmless. But there must be no doijbt about the disarmament. \

"You might have another one," she said. "I shan't budge from here till I've run my hand over your clothes."

Again Reynell was all complacence. Making her a mocking bow, ho invited her with a gesture to assure herself that he had no other weapon, and when she bad done so he reminded her that she had made a grave omission which he took leave to remedy. At the same time he drew from his vest pocket a phial of acid and handed it to her.

"You had forgotten this," he remarked quietly. "The possession of it would enable me to make myself almost as disagreeable as would the pistol. Pray relieve me of it, not as a removal of temptation, but as an earnest of my desire to see this business through in a pacific spirit."

Judy tosed the phial through t-be open porthole into the creek and left tho cabin. In her frantic eagerness to put herself right ■with Leonard and Lesbia, and to furnish indisputable proof of her honest intention, she failed to see that it was just that emotional sentiment that was being played on as skilfully as an experienced player twangs the strings. But for the very feeling that was adroitly used for her undoing she would have hesitated long before producing the priceless baubles while Keynell was on the hulk.

As it was she was in almost as great haste fo get rid of them as of Reynell himself —the more so, that since the valuation of the few unimportant stones which had dropped into the hold had been picked up by her father, she knew that the main bulk of the horde must represent an enormous sum.. Darting into her own cabin, she thrust her liMidi under the pillow of tlio sleeping-berth and drew out a cigarbox— a roomy receptacle which had once contained a liiuulTcd Dutch cheroots, on which no duty had ever been paid to the Government. The original contents had long ago been given away as peace-offerings by Black Dick to his customers in the villages, and had been replaced by the gems found by, Judy under the loose deck plank.

She had just glanced: inside to see what she had put there was all right, and then sped back to Leonard's cabin. She had been less than a minute away, but she entered in some, anxiety lest she had fallen into a trap to secure her temporary absence. . No change, • however, had occurred in the position of the three persons left behind. Leonard lay in the lower berth, toying with the butt of Eeynell's revolver; Lesbia still occupied the low chair by Iris' side, and Beynell himself, with folded 1 arms, leaned against the partition just inside the door.

"There you arej Mr Wynter! God will bear me witness I .lievcr meant to rob yon of them," cried Judy,.laying the cigay box on the coverlet alongside the pistol. Just look at them—they're as lovely as the sun on the creek at dawn. " Awl don't forget," she added with a significant prod at the revolver, "that they ain't exactly in the strong-room of a bank."

The warning called forth a laugh from Reynell, but it rang thin in his greater interest in Leonard's feeble attempts to raise the lid of the box. It flew open at last, and from Lesbia and Leonard and Reynell alike., ranged against each other they were, a cry of admiring wonder arose. The little cabin seemed to be flooded with liquid fire. Huge diamonds, great vuiset rubies, aaid emeralds sparkling with a thousand shades of green, caught and flung bade in enhanced glory the nys of the common keroseno lamp overhead.

While the others feasted their eyes on the gorgeous sight, Judy, to whom it was only too familiar, paid imceasng attention to Reynell. Now that she had justified her conduct and proved the sincerity of her statement 6he had room for other cares, and the one that oppressed her most was a. sudden doubt she had done u Tash thing. It would lave been wiser to have relied on Leonard and Lesbia's obviously genuine faith in her rather than subject to the temptation of viewing these transcendent gems a wretch whose greed for them had already made of him a murderer in intention if not in fact. Even if there had been no reserved villany behind his strange change of front he might, not be able to withstand such an incitement to fresh crime.

But jus tbo first gloating amazement, h(M from his face, Judy, watching him. closely, could detect no sign of meditated violence. Sho- was ready to strangle him

with her own capable hands if he made , hi the slightest movement showing a design fa to recover the pistol or to snatch the .w! cigar-box and ran; but after his first. '01 very natural start forward on the removal v/. of the lid lie had resumed his indolent attitude against the partition. Xevorthe- 11 less there was a look of malignant assur- w aucc in the crafty eyes that did not bode y< tame submission to the pm-ent proprietor- jo ship of the treasure. : sa And then, in the sneering, lassy tones I which all of them hated, but Lcuhia most bt of all, lie began lo speak, and any idea n that they had arrived at a true solution li was dispelled. It became evident- that J Mr James Keynell was going to light with Aft weapon more potent than swivel-guns, b pistols, and vitriol—a weapon no less w effective than the hearts and affections of f< Iris foes. - "They are really splendid jewels, Mr Wynter," he drawled. "I fell it quite | , a privilege to be the lirst to congratulate ' | you on possessing them, as they must e bavo an enormous purchasing power, and F I imagine (.hat there is something which | you will shortly want very badly to pur- g chase. It is always nice when one desires f anything with an intense longing to feel | that one is Jiot cramped by lack of * means. I myself have so often been do. i barred from tho most legitimate attain- ; ments by the frowns of fortune that it j is a, real pleasure to me lo see a man | 3 with the price, in his handi wherewith to ; buy that on which his heart is set." jj "What is all this rliodomontadc?" said 'ji Leonard wearily. " The jewels are not ; mine, but my grandfather's. If they were ! ; mine I am not conscious of having set j ; my heart on anything that they would ; buy." ' I j ''What about the immunity of Miss . \ Jrfsbia Blytho .from the pains and perils > of the law w.hicli site has broken?" sug- ? gesled Reynell gently. " Your illness has ' made you somewhat obtuse, Mr Wynter, f but perhaps when I explain again that j as a most material witness " ijj Ho broke off, for Lcisbia had risen to t her feet, pale but determined. At the | same moment, Judy, guessing her irrtcn- jj tion, edged a little nearer in a line with the door of tho cabin. ' Stop!" cried Roger Daubeny's niece. " I will i-parc you the shame of ; repeating the vile bargain you would ' make, though to such as you it would be no shame. Late as it is I can find my way across the marshes to the police . station and by giving myself up wrest ■ from you the power which .you think you hold over Mr Wynter and myself." Heedless of the impassioned appeal wrung from. Leonard, she took a step towards tlic door, but Judy's detaining grip fell on her arm. " Wait, my dear," said the wild-fowler's daughter witu gentle firmness. "Would you throw away happiness and a sweetheart that loves you without so much , as a thought? It is for Mr Wynter to deeido whether you are to be sacrificed, j since he holds the price this vermin asks. I If the jewels arc not his now they would |

Ibe soon—by the weight of his grandfather's yea re. He lias a Tight, to say . which he prefers—all that glittering dross, 'or Hie safety and good name'of Iho woman he loves." An impudent cough drew attention to llevnell. "This seems to bo a matter which delicacy should prompt me to allow you to settle among yourselves," he interjected, and slipped out into the cuddy, a j satisfied smile curling his cruel lips.' I Leonard, who had started up in his berth, fell back with a groan, while Lcsbia realising the impossibility of breaking from lier friendly captor, buried her face on Judy's broail shoulder and wept tears of despair. She blamed herself for having brought all this trouble on her lover, whereas he, lying back with closed eyes, found in her heroism the chief argument

tor yielding io HeyneH's infamous demand. On one side of the balance was the duly that he owed to Ids aged relative: on the other was the fact that hut for labia's deed Captain Wynler would probably have been killed by the druiiken ruffian from whom she bad protected him. In the- 'alter case the. chain of events which bad led up to the present climax would never have occurred, and Judy would have remained in undisputed possession of her find. A\ ith this line of reasoning to guide him, and'with love to back'the cold "argument, Leonard's struggle was not a long one. Opening bis eyes with a faint sinilo he declared his decision.

"Lesbia, darling," lie said, "I think that we ought to leave this to our dear Judy. If you and I hadn't come worrying round the hulk, bringing all this trouble on her, she would have- been the unquestioned owner of all these wretched stones. It's due to her to have the chief voice in the matter." " Quite right, Mr Wyntcr, and my voice is soon heard," said Judy, ouick to take her cue. " Not as I want* to lay any claim ; 0 the jewels, except so far'as to use 'cm for the happiness of von two. I say let that blackhearted thief have the whole boiling, and you live vour lives peaceful and happy. You can'wager on it he'll never have any real enjoyment from riches gained that, way." It was vain for Lesbia to protest. Leonard cut .short her objections by calling: "Reyne-11, I want vou."

"Come in here, you sweep!" Judv supplemented the summons.

Reynell reappeared, dapper and smiling. If the- three had not been so self-centred, so eager to do each what was best for the other, they would have seen a danger signal in Ids cunning twinkle and mocking, bow.

"Here, take them and clear nut," said Leonard, holding out the cigar box. The itching fingers closed on it, but Royncll showed no immediate disposition to leave the cabin.

"Thank you," came his sarcastic rejoinder. " How much nicer it is to settle one's differences amicably. You ought all of you to he very grateful to me for finding this graceful exit from a difficult situation. If I hadn't happened to hear our sweet, ingenious Miss Judy use the term 'dear' towards the equally sweet and ingenuous Miss Blythe I should have been at my wits' end, after Miss Judy's forcible elimination of that noisy friend of mine hi the hold, to reach such a peaceful solution. Thanks tc the charming display of so much sweet sentiment, the notion could not fail to occur that it might be turned tc account."

"Will you begone before I do you a mischief!" cried Judy, furious at having been made to play into his hands.

"I am going now, and I leave my dear pal, the Tiger, to yo\i as a legacy of' love," came the gibing answer, as Reynell stepped back into the cuddy. "But I do not envy the humane individual who has the pluck to liberate him." The sardonic grin faded, and lie paused

in the doorway, surveying Lesbia with something of thoughtful regret. "Well, are you coming wilh me, Alias Blythc?" he asked. " I can promise you that you shall never see your unsatisfactory uncle again, for Mr Roger Daubeny has no place in my scheme for enjoying the fruits of victory. You know that it was one of my fondest aspirations to share them with you." "I would rather die than ever set eyes on your evil face," was the girl's reply, as she turned away io sit down again at her lover's side. " There was never a truer word lightly spoken," said Keynell in ;• curiously strained voice that made them all wonder at his changed manner. ''On the whole." he went on, "perhaps it is best that wa.; for unless you came to me willingly j, wouldi not do at all. And these stone' are so much beyond my wildest dreams in value that in their proceeds I shall find consolation. You will not think better of it? Xo? I am open to prophecy that in less than half an hour you will, and that then, when you are scourged with agony unspeakable, it will be too late." The veiled menace of his words caused Judy to move towards him, a vague instinct impelling her to prevent his departure. But, making them a last mocking bow, he stepped quickly back to the heavy outer door that shut off the cuddy from the waist of the vessel and passed'through it, slamming it behind him. The next inomont a-"grating sound Caused the occupants of the cabin to scan each others' faces in blank dismay. The sound was the scroop of the key which, during the brief absence from the cabin, ho must have changed from the inside to the outside of the door of the cuddy. They were prisoneis. He had locked them in. (To he continued.)