H. Bedford-Jones

“ The first blow will count for a great deal. We can’t wait to go on facts; we must go on intuition, and if we make a mis take, let the other fellow suffer! That’s the fighting law. I mean to come out of this mess with my life, and I mean Marie to come out of it with the loot; that’s my position.”
“And you mean that I shall ally myself with you.” Venable produced his pipe, filled it, and shook his head when he had lighted it. “I don’t care for allies, Gerin, and I don’t care to mix in such a fight for my own sake—”
“Not so fast!” cut in Gerin calmly. ”

“ She wont marry me, doesn’t love me; but she’s slaved like a dog for this damned revolution, and now she’s seen that it’s like an apple that looks good outside, but is rotten under the skin. She’s out of it, disillusioned, helpless, facing the world squarely. ”

“ But what drew you into such company as you’re in, Gerin?”
“Fate.” The poet shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the bunk, producing a cigarette. “See here! You’re a man of education, it seems; and you’re certainly a man of action. Also you’re a man to trust—and you have read some of my verses.”
“And understood them,” added Venable with a dry smile.
“Sure. Well, all of that’s largely the reason why I’m here talking to you; also, the fact that Mr. Garrity, who seems a decent sort, and others aboard here appear to follow your guidance. ”

“ I have no particular interest in you or any of your friends, after that interview with Kryalpin this morning.”
“Oh, but you will have!” And Abe Gerin laughed confidently. “You see, Captain Hewson is very bitter because of your treatment of him last night, and Boris knows that you are a man to be reckoned with. Therefore you will be the first to die.”
“How do you know this?” demanded Venable, looking at him.
Gerin shrugged. “Know? My dear fellow, we are not in the world of legal evidence and facts that must be unquestioned. We are moving in a little world of our own—a world of shadows. ”

“ In the man’s eyes Venable read a deep sincerity; despite himself he was impelled to belief. The old Venable would have apologized—but the new Venable merely shrugged his shoulders, a sardonic set to his lips. ”

“ Kryalpin has bribed Captain Hewson and the first mate to throw in with him, absolutely. Marie—the woman whom you’ve not met—is the most wonderful woman I ever knew; she and I will hang together, for she’s the only one of this crowd who is ruled by principle. ”

“ All I ask of you is to fight when attacked; or if you prefer, to obey the orders of Mrs. Ivanoff and to protect her and the ship! You’ll have to fight quick enough, if you want to live—I’ll guarantee as much! There’s the proposition in a nutshell, the basis of our agreement. What do you say?”
Venable sucked moodily at his pipe. What scheme was in the mind of Gerin, how the crippled poet meant to open the fight and get in the first blow, he neither knew nor cared. But he was fairly certain that the situation aboard here was exactly as Gerin had described it. ”

“ However, they take up small space, and are easily gotten into such a country as Mexico. That treasure is now in the keeping of Marie, whom all of us know to be absolutely trustworthy.”
“And Mrs. Ivanoff’s relics?” put in Venable again. Again Gerin waved down the query.
“I’ll come to all that later; let me finish expounding things first! Kryalpin is at this moment an official of the Lenine government—he thinks none of us knows it. He is planning to get hold of that treasure and ditch the rest of us. ”

“ They all think she is entirely isolated, now that Paul is dead. They know that if she had a single friend aboard, she would be capable of anything. That is why she is kept guarded; they fear her! And she is a woman to be feared, I can tell you! ”