www.freeclassicebooks.com

make. Keep me posted as to all he tells you of his plans, and in this way we can

defeat him much more easily than as though you followed your natural

inclinations and refused to hold communication of any sort with him. It might be

well, Miss Harding, even to encourage him in the hope that you will wed him

voluntarily. I think that that would throw him entirely off his guard, and pave the

way for your early release."

"Oh, I doubt if I could do that, Mr. Theriere," exclaimed the girl. "You cannot

imagine how I loathe the man now that I know him in his true colors. For years

he has importuned me to marry him, and though I never cared for him in that

way at all, and never could, I felt that he was a very good friend and that his

constancy demanded some return on my part--my friendship and sympathy at

least; but now I shiver whenever he is near me, just as I would were I to find a

snake coiled close beside me. I cannot abide treachery."

"Nor I, Miss Harding," agreed Theriere glibly. "The man deserves nothing but your

contempt, though for policy's sake I hope that you will find it possible to lead him

on until his very treachery proves the means of your salvation, for believe me, if

he has been false to you how much more quickly will he be false to Simms and

Ward! He would ditch them in a minute if the opportunity presented itself for him

to win you without their aid. I had thought it might be feasible to lead him into

attempting to take the ship by force, and return you to San Francisco, or, better

still possibly, to the nearest civilized port.

"You might, with propriety suggest this to him, telling him that you believe that I

would stand ready to assist in the undertaking. I can promise you the support of

several of the men--quite a sufficient number with Divine and myself, easily to

take the Halfmoon away from her present officers."

"I will think over your suggestion, Mr. Theriere," replied Barbara, "and I thank

you for the generous impulse that has prompted you to befriend me--heaven

knows how badly I need a friend now among so many enemies. What is it, Mr.

Theriere? What is the matter?"

The officer had turned his eyes casually toward the southeast as the girl spoke,

and just now he had given a sudden exclamation of surprise and alarm.

"That cloud, Miss Harding," he answered. "We're in for a bad blow, and it'll be on

us in a minute," and with that he started forward on a run, calling back over his

shoulder, "you'd better go below at once."

The Mucker