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that the others may live。 Do you quite clearly grasp my meaning？〃
Jane Porter； who had overheard； was horrified。 If the
proposition had come from the poor； ignorant sailor； she
might possibly have not been so surprised； but that it should
come from one who posed as a man of culture and refinement；
from a gentleman； she could scarcely credit。
〃It is better that we die together； then；〃 said Clayton。
〃That is for the majority to decide；〃 replied Monsieur Thuran。
〃As only one of us three will be the object of sacrifice；
we shall decide。 Miss Porter is not interested；
since she will be in no danger。〃
〃How shall we know who is to be first？〃 asked Spider。
〃It may be fairly fixed by lot；〃 replied Monsieur Thuran。
〃I have a number of franc pieces in my pocket。 We can
choose a certain date from among themthe one to draw this
date first from beneath a piece of cloth will be the first。〃
〃I shall have nothing to do with any such diabolical plan；〃
muttered Clayton； 〃even yet land may be sighted or a ship
appearin time。〃
〃You will do as the majority decide； or you will be ‘the
first' without the formality of drawing lots；〃 said Monsieur
Thuran threateningly。 〃Come； let us vote on the plan； I
for one am in favor of it。 How about you； Spider？〃
〃And I；〃 replied the sailor。
〃It is the will of the majority；〃 announced Monsieur
Thuran； 〃and now let us lose no time in drawing lots。
It is as fair for one as for another。 That three may
live； one of us must die perhaps a few hours sooner
than otherwise。〃
Then he began his preparation for the lottery of death；
while Jane Porter sat wide…eyed and horrified at thought of
the thing that she was about to witness。 Monsieur Thuran
spread his coat upon the bottom of the boat； and then from a
handful of money he selected six franc pieces。 The other two
men bent close above him as he inspected them。 Finally he
handed them all to Clayton。
〃Look at them carefully；〃 he said。 〃The oldest date is
eighteen…seventy…five； and there is only one of that year。〃
Clayton and the sailor inspected each coin。 To them there
seemed not the slightest difference that could be detected
other than the dates。 They were quite satisfied。 Had they
known that Monsieur Thuran's past experience as a card
sharp had trained his sense of touch to so fine a point that
he could almost differentiate between cards by the mere feel
of them； they would scarcely have felt that the plan was so
entirely fair。 The 1875 piece was a hair thinner than the
other coins； but neither Clayton nor Spider could have
detected it without the aid of a micrometer。
〃In what order shall we draw？〃 asked Monsieur Thuran；
knowing from past experience that the majority of men
always prefer last chance in a lottery where the single prize
is some distasteful thingthere is always the chance and the
hope that another will draw it first。 Monsieur Thuran； for
reasons of his own； preferred to draw first if the drawing
should happen to require a second adventure beneath the coat。
And so when Spider elected to draw last he graciously
offered to take the first chance himself。 His hand was under
the coat for but a moment； yet those quick； deft fingers had
felt of each coin； and found and discarded the fatal piece。
When he brought forth his hand it contained an 1888 franc piece。
Then Clayton drew。 Jane Porter leaned forward with a tense
and horrified expression on her face as the hand of the man
she was to marry groped about beneath the coat。 Presently he
withdrew it； a franc piece lying in the palm。 For an instant
he dared not look； but Monsieur Thuran； who had leaned
nearer to see the date； exclaimed that he was safe。
Jane Porter sank weak and trembling against the side of
the boat。 She felt sick and dizzy。 And now； if Spider
should not draw the 1875 piece she must endure the whole
horrid thing again。
The sailor already had his hand beneath the coat。 Great beads
of sweat were standing upon his brow。 He trembled as though
with a fit of ague。 Aloud he cursed himself for having
taken the last draw； for now his chances for escape were
but three to one； whereas Monsieur Thuran's had been five to
one； and Clayton's four to one。
The Russian was very patient； and did not hurry the man；
for he knew that he himself was quite safe whether the 1875
piece came out this time or not。 When the sailor withdrew
his hand and looked at the piece of money within； he
dropped fainting to the bottom of the boat。 Both Clayton
and Monsieur Thuran hastened weakly to examine the coin；
which had rolled from the man's hand and lay beside him。
It was not dated 1875。 The reaction from the state of fear he
had been in had overcome Spider quite as effectually as
though he had drawn the fated piece。
But now the whole proceeding must be gone through again。
Once more the Russian drew forth a harmless coin。 Jane
Porter closed her eyes as Clayton reached beneath the coat。
Spider bent； wide…eyed； toward the hand that was to decide
his fate； for whatever luck was Clayton's on this last draw；
the opposite would be Spider's。
Then William Cecil Clayton； Lord Greystoke； removed his hand
from beneath the coat； and with a coin tight pressed within
his palm where none might see it； he looked at Jane Porter。
He did not dare open his hand。
〃Quick！〃 hissed Spider。 〃My Gawd； let's see it。〃
Clayton opened his fingers。 Spider was the first to see
the date； and ere any knew what his intention was he raised
himself to his feet； and lunged over the side of the boat；
to disappear forever into the green depths beneaththe coin
had not been the 1875 piece。
The strain had exhausted those who remained to such an
extent that they lay half unconscious for the balance of the
day； nor was the subject referred to again for several days。
Horrible days of increasing weakness and hopelessness。
At length Monsieur Thuran crawled to where Clayton lay。
〃We must draw once more before we are too weak even to eat；〃
he whispered。
Clayton was in such a state that he was scarcely master of
his own will。 Jane Porter had not spoken for three days。
He knew that she was dying。 Horrible as the thought was；
he hoped that the sacrifice of either Thuran or himself might
be the means of giving her renewed strength； and so he
immediately agreed to the Russian's proposal。
They drew under the same plan as before； but there
could be but one resultClayton drew the 1875 piece。
〃When shall it be？〃 he asked Thuran。
The Russian had already drawn a pocketknife from his trousers；
and was weakly attempting to open it。
〃Now；〃 he muttered； and his greedy eyes gloated upon the Englishman。
〃Can't you wait until dark？〃 asked Clayton。 〃Miss Porter
must not see this thing done。 We were to have been married；
you know。〃
A look of disappointment came over Monsieur Thuran's face。