Page:The Great Secret.djvu/224

208 that day, after they had removed the gruesome evidences of their crime, and a deadly stillness and foreboding of evil settled upon them with the calm, such as they had not felt on board the Rockhampton when similarly occupied, nor on the island. These last murders seemed to weigh upon even their hardened minds with a peculiarly heavy and chilly horror, so that they shivered and felt cold, even amidst that tropical sun-glare. Possibly the doctor was no worse a demon than he had been before, yet now his last crime assumed colossal proportions, which filled the two women, and even Dennis, with fear.

They smiled upon him faintly and flattered him hypocritically, yet they avoided his eyes and went about their work with feverish energy, as if to banish thought. The doctor also wore a gloomy brow, although he did not express his dissatisfaction.

"I wish we had Anatole and Eugene with us," said the baroness, as both women stood beside the gigantic Dennis during one of their rests, while the doctor paced gloomily to and fro.

"So do I," answered Dennis, "for single-handed I don't know how I am to get these sails reefed before night, but with Anatole I would feel more at ease. God help us, if one of those tropic squalls comes along."

"A pity you did not think of that before," said the women, who, although they had acted their parts as decoys, were ready to make reflections after the deed was accomplished.

The mid-day sun shone upon them with terrific force, and blistered the bare feet of Dennis as he vainly tried to And a shadow on the hot planks, while aloft the painted and varnished yards felt as if they were boiling. The sails also gave out an intolerable dry heat as he