The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-24
missed. and as no one had seen her =

missed. and as no one had seen her In
1.-THE vicinity OF the ballroom. her maid
was sent UP to her mistress's apart
ment. The abigail. returning, threw a
Iibombshell Mt the feet OF father AMI
lsuitor Miss Mays ball-dress was ~
| Ing on the couch; she herself was no
where to be seen, and the Jewels she
had worn, as we'll as others, had dis.
appeared. Speedily, the house OF
birmingham became like that famed in
border ballads, and In scott's verne
when the lost bride Of Netherby"
danced out to horse and stirrup with
Young Lochinvar; as did Dorothy Yer
non with John Manners.
"She has eloped with Falconer!n Mr.
birmingham cried. Depend upon II; he
has been hanging about the place
"Eloped? But how? cried comerford
There's no train from anywhere with
In reach after 9 o'clock"
NO." said old birmingham, '.but
there's boat belonging to jim
Pendril, and Pendril is smuggler
though he can't be convicted It's the
sort OF elopement that would commend
itself to Derek Falconer. But there's
your yacht We can give chase. only
first discover, II we can, what has hap
pened.'
The village had gone to bed, but IT
| was soon ascertaiped that Pendril and
two other men were missing, and
E"Pendril's lad" reused and questioned
admitted. with apparent reluctance, that
| masters boat was to run over to Ire
land tonight, but he Cthe lad) wasn't
Ito split"
/ The story might be true. or nigh,
be Gas. in fact, It was), only blind
The guests at the Tower were left TIC
depart as they chose. and Mr.. Curing,
ham went down with Comerford to the
yacht, lying In the harbor close by.
Irish coast?'' said the skipper. More
like they've run to the Devon coast
or further along this
There was some talk over this, Mr.
birmingham not feeling sure whether
the special license: which Falconel
would certainly have obtained was
avallable in Ireland. But Pendril's lac
had been so positive, that finally ths
skipper had orders to make all steam
| for the Irish coast. Thus valuable
| time was lost: and but for that choppJ
wind. which hampered the sailing boat
the latter would have shown the zach
lookout on the Aurora sighted the
Nellie. though at too great distance
in the uncertain light-to be sure o.
her identity. But the vessel was pu
about and started In pursuit.
II don't make much doubt she's thu
Nellie" said Mr.. Comerford's skipper
land we'll soon find out, II the moor
plays fair; but, II, not, she may get Of
In the darkness"
"Derek, do you think she'll overhaul
us.?" May asked anxiously. as her
lover paused beside her.
"If she does" he said. quietly. they
shall not have. you back"
you don't think I would want to g
back. Derek?"
i mo. dearest He bent down an,
Kissed her. then turned away to speai
to Jim Pendril. May, standing by tn
bulwark was striving to pierce tn
gloom. But 1t was impossible to Sc
the pursuer; the yacht was too IA
astern. or the tactics of the fugitiv'
| had baffled her, and she was search
1 ing for her quarry in the wrong di
rection. The moon was now entirel,
hidden by black clouds. and, favored
| by the darkness. the Nellie. after run
ming out to sea In the. moonlight, am
1 so. in the sight of the yacht. suddenl!
4 nut about and made for the coast. Thu
/ manoeuvre could not possibly be seer
by those On board the Aurora, which
would thus chase an ignis fatuus on
to sea; and by the time the ruse wa