d at the very time that Parmalee
disappeared. There were the blood stains on the cane, carrying the
inference that that stick in the hand of Parmalee had inflicted his
wound. He owned a revolver, which would bear out Ditty's statement
that the mate had been intimidated by it. Then there was his own
savage attack on Ditty, which showed his hot and impetuous temper.

He groaned as he saw what could be made of all these things in the
hands of a clever district attorney. He could see the picture that
would be drawn for the benefit of the jury. The old, old story--a
beautiful woman with two young and ardent suitors; one quarrel already
having occurred; a meeting in the dark; a renewal of the quarrel; an
attack by the weaker with a cane; the blow that turned the stronger
into a maddened beast and prompted him to grasp his frail rival and
throw him into the sea. What was more possible? What was more
probable? Jealousy had caused thousands of similar tragedies in the
history of the world.

And when to these damaging circumstances was added the testimony of a
declared eye-witness who seemed to have no sufficient reason for lying,
what would the jury do?

Drew shuddered, and his soul turned sick within him.

And Ruth! He ground his teeth in rage at the thought of her name being
dragged into the terrible story, as it certainly would be.

Even supposing that he should be given the benefit of the doubt and
discharged, his life would be utterly wrecked. He could not ask her to
share the life of a man who the world would believe owed his escape
from the penitentiary to luck rather than to his innocence. Even if
she were willing, he could not ask her to link her life with his.

All through that day and part of the next, he lived in an inferno. By
tacit consent, the members of the party refrained from talking of the
one thing about which all were thinking. When they met, they spoke of
indifferent matters, but there was a hideous feeling of restraint that
could not be dispelled, and gloom hung over them like a pall.

The morning of the second day, as they were cruising about in the
longitude and latitude indicated by the map, the voice of the lookout
resounded from the masthead.

"Land ho!"

"Where away?" shouted Rogers, who chanced to be officer of the deck.

"Three points on the weather bow," was the answer.

Rogers reported instantly to the captain, who came rushing on deck,
followed by the other members of t