Page:The Great Secret.djvu/55

Rh "Do you know what they intend to do? Mrs—let me call you Adela now."

"Yes, Philip, I prefer my Christian name from you now," she replied quietly, permitting him to hold her hand.

"They will try to take the ship without injuring her in any way, if they can, for they mean to make use of her in some way as a cargo, transport and war ship. The doctor has made his plans, and fixed upon an island out of the line of traffic, where he can found a colony of Anarchists and manufacture his explosives. But one thing make sure of, from my experience of him and his companions, they will not spare the life of a man or woman who is not of their diabolical society. They will kill us whether we resist or yield."

"Then we will fight—but you, Adela, will your husband not make an effort to save your life?"

"No; he himself sentenced me to death before I left England. I was the means of preventing an outrage there, and did it with my eyes open to the consequences; but I was weary of my life and wished it ended. He hates and dreads me now, I think, as bitterly as I do him."

"How do you think they will slay us?"

"Ah! my husband is a master at ingenious methods of settling this problem. He may poison the atmosphere and suffocate us, or he may, if hurried, shatter us with explosives. We shall soon know. now, for here comes the captain."

Philip pondered for a moment while Captain Nelson entered, followed by his officers and five seamen laden with arms, which they put without ceremony down upon the table—the time for further concealment had gone past.

Philip thought, should he warn these people, or rather