Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/154

 scream of agony, and turning over he beheld Bill Spiker embracing the wall, and the wall held him up, for there was a weapon transfixed to it through his companion's neck. The very horror and sudden surprise of the thing caused Morgan Walters to make a superb effort, and he somehow stood upon his feet. Then came a curious thing: He saw between himself and the now repulsive form of his fellow a man—a yellow-faced man—the mulatto seaman. With one hand the creature plucked the weapon from the wall and drew it back through the bleeding neck that held it. This was strangely vivid to Morgan Walters, and he could recall his thought of wonder that the blood in no way stained the yellow hand that drew the reeking steel from the flesh. The body of Bill Spiker fell from the wall and collapsed in a heap, and a hand seemed to strike Morgan Walters at the same time, for he lost consciousness again and remembered little else.

"Did the mulatto touch you?" asked the captain, speaking suddenly and rather loud, so that all in the room gave a perceptible start. "Think well, my man."

"I am quite certain of that, sir. I know he did not!"

"And yet you were knocked down!"

"So it seems, sir, but it may have been just losing consciousness again. I've never fainted before, so perhaps it was that, or the effects of the smelly stuff on the 'kerchief."

"And you remember nothing else?"