Read Cargo of Coffins for Free Online

help her.
    Lars writhed when he remembered how he had been introduced to Miss Norton for the first time. Paco had made him buy clothes suitable for the occasion. Paco had presented him with quite an air, saying he had good reason to know that Lars “Lowenskold” was an excellent officer. And Miss Norton, shaking his hand, had looked kindly upon Lars and had said, “Anyone Paco recommends is acceptable to me.”
    How could they be so blind to this Spaniard’s deceit? Were his perfect manners the only things they judged him by?
    Plowing through the dark seas and thinking his dark thoughts, Lars got through his watch. Brighton, the third, relieved him at midnight.
    Lars had worked himself up to a high pitch of nerves. He knew he could not sleep. He wandered down the deck, past the salon. An automatic phonograph was playing dance tunes and the voices which rose above the music were gay and laughing.
    Standing beside a bulkhead, Lars looked through the salon window, the yellow light showing up the hard lines of concern on his sturdy face.
    Aunt Agatha, thin and sharp, was knitting, looking up from her place against the opposite window and peering at the card players over the top of her gold-rimmed glasses. Ralph was sunk deep into a soft chair, sitting on his spine, watery eyes devouring the open book he held. He was pale, loosely hung together. Lars could see the title of the volume even from this distance, the print was so large. Ralph was reading Tigers I Have Faced, and his shock of yellow hair was standing straight up. He was in Burma while the jungle depths of Brazil flowed silently by on their port.
    Kenneth Lewis Michaelson was making witty cracks over his bridge hand. Rosey Laughton laughed, sometimes, before Kenneth had reached the nub. Alice Crichton and Terry joined in occasionally.
    To Lars it was a very strange cargo. He dwelt little upon the others. He was watching Terry’s breathtaking profile. It made him shiver strangely.
    She was like a princess to him. He could never hope to tell her that he loved her. The limit of his transgression would be to stand here and watch her in the darkness.
    He had always thought the daughters of rich men would be spoiled and temperamental and he had not looked to find beauty and kindness and frankness in a woman with such a background. She seemed to understand human things.
    A girl of her golden caliber could never suspect anyone around her of treachery because she was so incapable of it herself.
    The heavy hand of worry clutched at Lars again. If he only knew what Paco had in mind! But he did not know. The blow might fall tonight, tomorrow, next month. And what would Paco do? Would he try to pirate this yacht? Who were his confederates and where were they?
    Lars had not misspent his afternoon. Under the blind of wanting to inspect his ship he had cruised through the holds and quarters, probing into bails and cans and tanks. He had not known what he might discover and he had discovered nothing. He was satisfied that Paco’s present plans did not include contraband. What devilish undertaking could net a man four million francs? Lars felt in his pocket and the keys he carried jingled faintly.
    The trap outfits, including shotguns, were in his possession, at least. So were three riot guns and six rifles, standard equipment for a yacht used to cruising in the furthest of the seven seas.
    He heard Kenneth say, “Kings will take tricks ,” as he snapped one down on the board. It was the last of his book and he grinned all around and began to figure up the score.
    “Kings,” said Rosey with a sigh. “Terry, someday you’ll have to fix it so we can meet a king.”
    “I met one in Paris,” cried Alice.
    They had evidently heard about this before as they did not press her to enlarge upon it.
    She seemed hurt about this. “I don’t care. He was a king although he had never been on a throne. Georgia Austin married a prince, didn’t she?”
    “They’re hard to find,” said