The Dark Star

Without a word--with merely a careless glance at Neeland, who remained

seated under the level threat of Ali Baba's pistol, the big, handsome

German removed his overcoat. Under it was another coat. He threw this

off in a brisk, businesslike manner, unbuckled a brace of pistols,

laid them aside, unwound from his body a long silk rope ladder which

dropped to the floor at Ilse Dumont's feet.

The girl had turned very pale. She stooped, picked up the silk ladder,

and, holding it in both hands, looked hard at Golden Beard.

"Johann," she said, "I gave my word of honour to this young man that

if he came here no harm would happen to him."

"I read the note you have shoved under his door," said Golden Beard.

"That iss why we are here, Karl and I."

Neeland remembered the wax in the keyhole then. He turned his eyes on

Ilse Dumont, curiously, less certain of her treachery now.

Meanwhile, Golden Beard continued busily unwinding things from his

apparently too stout person, and presently disengaged three

life-belts.

One of these he adjusted to his own person, then, putting on his

voluminous overcoat, took the pistol from Ali Baba, who, in turn,

adjusted one of the remaining life-belts to his body.

Neeland, deeply perplexed and uncomfortable, watched these operations

in silence, trying to divine some reason for them.

"Now, then!" said Golden Beard to the girl; and his voice sounded cold

and incisive in the silence.

"This is not the way to do it," she said in a low tone. "I gave him my

word of honour."

"You will be good enough to buckle on that belt," returned Golden

Beard, staring at her.

Slowly she bent over, picked up the life-belt, and, looping the silk

rope over her arm, began to put on the belt. Golden Beard, impatient,

presently came to her assistance; then he unhooked from the wall a

cloak and threw it over her shoulders.

"Now, Karl!" he said. "Shoot him dead if he stirs!" And he snatched a

sheet from the bed, tore it into strips, walked over to Neeland, and

deftly tied him hand and foot and gagged him.

Then Golden Beard and Ali Baba, between them, lifted the young man and

seated him on the iron bed and tied him fast to it.

"Go out on deck!" said Golden Beard to Ilse Dumont.

"Let me stay----"

"No! You have acted like a fool. Go to the lower deck where is our

accustomed rendezvous."

"I wish to remain, Johann. I shall not interfere----"

"Go to the lower deck, I tell you, and be ready to tie that rope

ladder!"

Ali Baba, down on his knees, had pulled out a steamer trunk from under

the bed, opened it, and was lifting out three big steel cylinders.