Part 19 (1/2)
They would have to explain Carlsen's death. They would be asked about the purpose of the voyage, the crew examined. It might mean detention, the defeat of the expedition, the very thing that Lund had feared, the following of them to the island. He wondered how Lund would take to the plan.
He found that Tamada had administered the morphine. Already the beneficial results were apparent. The dry, frightfully sallow skin had changed and Simms was breathing freely while Tamada, feeling his pulse, nodded affirmatively to the girl's questioning glance.
”Got it?” asked Lund.
Rainey gave the result of his search.
”We'll have to put in to Unalaska,” he said. ”There are doctors there.”
The girl turned toward Lund. He smiled at the intensity of her gaze and pose.
”I play fair, Miss Peggy,” he said. ”Rainey, change the course.”
Peggy Simms seized Lund's great paw in both her hands, and, for the first time, the tears overflowed her eyes. The _Karluk_ came about as Rainey reached the deck and gave his orders. Then he returned to the cabin. The captain had opened his eyes.
”Peggy!” he murmured. ”Carlsen, where is he? Lund! Good G.o.d, Lund, you can see?”
”Keep quiet as you can,” said Tamada. Something in his voice made the skipper s.h.i.+ft his look to the j.a.panese.
”Where's Carlsen?” he asked again.
”He can't come now,” said Tamada.
Under the urge of the drug the skipper's brain seemed abnormally clear, his intuition heightened.
”Carlsen's dead?” he asked. Then, s.h.i.+fting to Lund. ”You killed him, Jim?”
Lund nodded.
”How much morphine did you give me?”
”Five grains.”
”It's not enough. It won't last. _There isn't any more?_” he flashed out, with sudden energy, trying to raise himself.
”We're puttin' in for Unalaska, Simms,” said Lund.
”How far?”
”'Bout seventy miles.”
”Then it's too late. Too late. The pain's s.h.i.+fted of late--to my heart.
It'll get me presently.”
The girl darted a look of hate at Lund, an accusation that he met composedly, swift as the change had come from the almost reverence with which she had clasped his hand.
”I'll be gone in an hour or two,” said the skipper. ”Got to talk while this lasts. Jim--about leavin' you that time. I could have come back. I had words about it--with Hansen. He knows. But the gale was bad, an' the ice. It wasn't the gold, Jim. I swear it. I had the s.h.i.+p an' crew to look out for. An' Peggy, at home.
”I might have gone back sooner, Jim, I'll own up to that. But it wasn't the gold that did it. An'--I didn't hear what you shouted, Jim. The storm came up. We were frozen by the time we found the s.h.i.+p. Numb.