San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-12

coHsClOus raul sITOnS grip Ol Une
tiler ropes kept his head above water.
1t took the stranger no little
time, hampered as he was by having to
hold on to the boat with one hand to
float himself, to unloose Paul's tena.
cious clasp. But finally his hands were
free, and the o. ers pulled him in.
Every movement was watched with alb
sorbed interest by Miss Lebourgeois,
whose fair hands held the brandy flask
to Paul's lips, while Frank pried open
his mouth and compelled him to drink.
The stimulant, the choking, and a
shaking and rolling they gave him, fol-
fear he had swallowed too much salt
water, soon did its work, and Paurs
eyes opened, he gasped, and came to
himself. Miss Lebourgeois gave a
deep, expressive sigh of relief Pauls
first words were, ''Oh, my side and
armr' Frank felt of him carefully,
but could not detect that any bones
were broken. They wrapped him up
in a great-coat and Miss Lebourgeois
in another and gave them further lib
eral doses of brandy.
Meanwhile the stranger ordered his
own launch to be backed around to
him. He clambered on board with
very little assistance, took a deep
draught from his pocket-flask, and
pulled his mysterious hat once>more
close around his face. Addressing
Frank, he said:
"Mr. Lebourgeois, 1 know these
waters well, and can guide you straight
back to your wharf, though the fog
were twice as thick. Follow me-"
So the strange procession started, the
stranger again standing at the prov,
compass In hand, and signaling the man
in the rear, now with his hand and now
with a word. Not an unnecessary sound
escaped him, and the others were too
busy in caring for and making COM
Portable the saved to have any time fo1
either words or speculations. 1t is tc
be doubted whether anyone fully ap.
preciated how closely the stranger had
taken in the scene in its entirety-how
carefully, for example, he had noted
every evidence of Miss Lebourgeois'
anxiety for Paul.
They were only short distance, fol
Jaelaunch, from the Quassapaug wharf.
With the unerring skill of an old salt
the stranger guided the other launch
to the entrance of the little inlet,
stopped, let the other pass, said good.
night and expressed the hope that
neither Miss Lebourgeois nor her
friend would suffer an illness. Then
he was off before anything could be
said of proper thanks. Miss Lebour
geois had had her glance under the
soft brimmed hat. She was about as
wise as before she had it.
CHAPTER Xxx.
The change from the damp, black fog
on the sound to the brilliantly-lighted
rooms of the house, with a big fire blaz-
ing on the hearth, was change indeed
There was doctor there too, as it had
been one of Franks first precautions
to send over for one from Stony Creek.
The doctor found Miss Lebour-
geois apparently none the worse
for her adventure, and Paul
not seriously injured, no bones
broken, OILY a Titled strained and
$500.
So they all sat around the big
fireplace, Paul done up in wraps
and reclining on lounge, the
place of honor-for none could
90 to bed, altho"rh it was nearly l
o'clock-to listen to the story of the
adventure. Frank and his mother
reached home, as Miss Lebourgeois had
surmised, little after 9 o'clock, and
were met at the station by the servants
with the news of the disappearance of
Paul and Miss Lebourgeois. The first
impulse of mother and son would have
been to stay at the Stony Creek hotel
all night, so bad was the fog But
this, of course, was out of the question.
They FASTENED to the island as quickly
as possible, and then debated, but not
long. Frank and the two men
who had charge Of the launch, immedi-
ately put out for cruise in search OF
the missing boat, guided by the COM
pass and the mems knowledge of the
coast. They had not gone far when
they ran across another launch, bound
apparently on the same eTrand.
Here Frank took up the narrative.
THAT fellow who runs her" said he,
lis a queer one He hailed us as soon
as we had started and said: You are
Mr.. Lebourgeois, amt you" Yes,
l said. 'You are looking for your sis
ter and her friend, young fellow from
New York, who are adrift In row.
boat in this fog, aren't you" Yes, 1
said again. Well. sand he, 4 don't be-
lieve you can DO better EesE keep NV