Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-12

was such an erratic fellow that hey
would not put anything past him.
Then he thawed out and told me
everything"
"yNhat island is the house on?"
asked Miss Carmody with suppressed
| excitement.
1T is not on any island" said Sey-
mour. ut is on the coast of Mex
leo, south of Vera Cruz. From Col.
McIntyre's description, it is place
you would not find in thousand
| years. The Mexicans and Indians
never go near it, They imagine that
it is haunted by the ghosts of some
old ruined city. which is said to be
i near there. There is small inlet
opening into bay. You cannot see
this inlet unless you are close to the
shore. There is only one pilot, ex-
cept Capt. Waters of the Shark who
knows the way in through the rocks
and shoals. Any boat drawing more
! than five feet of water would be
smashed to pieces. Here comes Jack
Stevens and Col. Mcintyre"
| u ne new arrivals were WelCOncQ on
the yacht. Col. Mcintyre was thick
set, broad-shouldered man, with an
/ immense black mustache, and COM
/ pleXion almost as dark as that of
/ mulatto. But his ferceness was
! all external. There was little to
his story which has not been told.
Hestor had contracted with him to
! build bungalow on the shore Of
/ the Gulf of Mexico south of Vera
/ Cruz. Hestor had prepared the plans,
which, when Slightly modified by Col.
Mcintyre, were sufficient for the pur-
| pose. He purchased the lumber and
materials in New Orleans, and sailed
with three carpenters for the site
! selected Extra workmen were se-
! cured at Vera Cruz. The three car
penters were then working for Coll
Mcintyre in Havana.
Can you take us direct to the place,
Col. McInfyre?" asked Miss Helen.
II can take you there, but we could
not take the yacht in without pilot"
| said Col. Mcintyre. "The surf is yery
heavy, and it is dangerous for small
boats. We had pilot from Tampico.
My advice is to pick him up on tho
way down. and then we will have NO
trouble. When will you start?"
"Just as soon as you are ready,
colonel" said Chalmers. eve must
take on COAL but that will not take
long"
Il am all ready" said Col. McIn-
tyre. 81 am very busy man, and
have some contracts on my hands
which require my constant attention,
but when Mr.. Seymour told me about
this I dropped everything. am
| entirely at your service, Miss Car
mody," said the gallant colonel.
Il do not know how to thank you,
Col Mcintyre" said Miss Carmody-
at is not necessary for ME to as
sure you that we shall not permit
you to suffer any financial loss on ac-
count of your Kindness
Early in the afternoon the "Helen
| Carmody" glided swiftly out of Ha-
| vana harbor and took course al
most due west. 1t was night before
the ragged coast of Cuba faded in
the eastern sky. The day was warm,
/ but it was pleasant under the avn
/ ings and the six passengers thor
oughly enjoyed the afternoon.
Mr.. Seymour told some of his news
i paper experiences, and kept the party
/ in laughter and good spirits. In the
evening Mrs. White took her place
i at the piano, and persuaded Miss Car
mody to sing. Her voice was singular-
4 ly sweet and sympathetic. Capt.
| Baldwin and several of his officers
| stood in the doorway and enjoyed
| the musical treat. Then Mrs. White
/ played some familiar airs, and all
joined in the chorus.
1t was midnight when the voyagers
retired to their rooms. The weather.
continued fine the following day,
which passed without incident worth
recording. Mr.. Chalmers seemed to
have no difficulty in monopolizing
most of Miss Carmody's time. This
did not escape the attention of Mr..
Seymour.
''That will be the next kidnapping
case" he remarked to Jack Stevens
as Chalmers and Miss Carmody prom.
enaded past them.
AuesudJ moIulnS Ine SHOW-cappe0
I. peaks of Mexico lifted their crests
out of the ocean, showing faint and
purple in the distance. 1t was late
in the afternoon when the yacht
dropped anchor in Tampico harbor.
/ Col. Mcintyre, Seymour and Stevens
went ashore in search of the pilot,
and Mr. Chalmers escorted Miss Car
mody and Mrs. White through the
streets of the quaint old Mexican
town. Col Mcintyre made the dis
covery that the pilot had been in
Vera Cruz, and would not return I'M
til late at night. There was nothing
to do but wait. 1t was midnight
/ when the schooner on which the Mex
lean pilot had shipped dropped into
the harbor, and to the delight of all
he was found on board. Col. Mcintyre
i explained what he wanted, and when
Chalmers offered the necessary finan-
cial inducements the pilot consented
to make the trip. 1t was three o'clock
| in tho 1norninu hafora tho uuala,,