the hand
of the man she was to marry groped about beneath the coat. Presently he
withdrew it, a franc piece lying in the palm. For an instant he dared
not look, but Monsieur Thuran, who had leaned nearer to see the date,
exclaimed that he was safe.

Jane Porter sank weak and trembling against the side of the boat. She
felt sick and dizzy. And now, if Spider should not draw the 1875 piece
she must endure the whole horrid thing again.

The sailor already had his hand beneath the coat. Great beads of sweat
were standing upon his brow. He trembled as though with a fit of ague.
Aloud he cursed himself for having taken the last draw, for now his
chances for escape were but three to one, whereas Monsieur Thuran's had
been five to one, and Clayton's four to one.

The Russian was very patient, and did not hurry the man, for he knew
that he himself was quite safe whether the 1875 piece came out this
time or not. When the sailor withdrew his hand and looked at the piece
of money within, he dropped fainting to the bottom of the boat. Both
Clayton and Monsieur Thuran hastened weakly to examine the coin, which
had rolled from the man's hand and lay beside him. It was not dated
1875. The reaction from the state of fear he had been in had overcome
Spider quite as effectually as though he had drawn the fated piece.

But now the whole proceeding must be gone through again. Once more the
Russian drew forth a harmless coin. Jane Porter closed her eyes as
Clayton reached beneath the coat. Spider bent, wide-eyed, toward the
hand that was to decide his fate, for whatever luck was Clayton's on
this last draw, the opposite would be Spider's. Then William Cecil
Clayton, Lord Greystoke, removed his hand from beneath the coat, and
with a coin tight pressed within his palm where none might see it, he
looked at Jane Porter. He did not dare open his hand.

"Quick!" hissed Spider. "My Gawd, let's see it."

Clayton opened his fingers. Spider was the first to see the date, and
ere any knew what his intention was he raised himself to his feet, and
lunged over the side of the boat, to disappear forever into the green
depths beneath--the coin had not been the 1875 piece.

The strain had exhausted those who remained to such an extent that they
lay half unconscious for the balance of the day, nor was the subject
referred to again for several days. Horrible days of increasing
weakness and hopelessness. At length Monsieur Thuran crawle