d--"these three.
This looks like the place where Burns lay unconscious. That one near
the rail I don't know about, nor this by the mainmast."

"We thought they might mark places, clues, perhaps, that had been
overlooked. The whole--the whole document is a taunt, isn't it? The
scaffold, and the axe, and 'not yet'; a piece of bravado!"

"Right you are," said McWhirter admiringly. "A little escape of glee
from somebody who's laughing too soon. One-thirty--it will soon be the
proper hour for something to happen on the Ella, won't it? If that was
sent by some member of the crew--and it looks like it; they are loose
to-day--the quicker we follow it up, the better, if there's anything to
follow."

"We thought if you would go early in the morning, before any of them
make an excuse to go back on board--"

"We will go right away; but, please--don't build too much on this. It's
a good possibility, that's all. Will the watchman let us on board?"

"We thought of that. Here is a note to him from Marshall, and--will
you do us one more kindness?"

"I will."

"Then--if you should find anything, bring it to us; to the police;
later, if you must, but to us first."

"When?"

"In the morning. We will not leave until we hear from you."

She held out her hand, first to McWhirter, then to me. I kept it a
little longer than I should have, perhaps, and she did not take it away.

"It is such a comfort," she said, "to have you with us and not against
us! For Marshall didn't do it, Leslie--I mean--it is hard for me to
think of you as Dr. Leslie! He didn't do it. At first, we thought he
might have, and he was delirious and could not reassure us. He swears
he did not. I think, just at first, he was afraid he had done it; but
he did not. I believe that, and you must."

I believed her--I believed anything she said. I think that if she had
chosen to say that I had wielded the murderer's axe on the Ella, I
should have gone to the gallows rather than gainsay her. From that
night, I was the devil's advocate, if you like. I was determined to
save Marshall Turner.

She wished us to take her taxicab, dropping her at her hotel; and,
reckless now of everything but being with her, I would have done so.
But McWhirter's discreet cough reminded me of the street-car level of
our finances, and I made the excuse of putting on more suitable
clothing.

I stood in the street, bareheaded, watching her taxicab as it rattled
down the str