Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-06-29
CHAPTER Xv-(Continued)

l Aside from slowly settling cloud ol l dust. he road ran clear as far as he could see--to the point. in fact, where the town closed in about It.
 He had won. at all events insomuch as 10 win meant eluding the persever 1 ing Mrs. Hallam. But to what end? Abstractedly he rendered his lonely sovereign to the driver and without even locking at it crammed the heavy weight of change into his pocket. an oversight which not only won him the awcstruck admiration of the cabby, but entailed consequences dt may be- he little apprchended. It was with an absentminded nod that he acquiesced in the mans announcement that he | Accordingly the cabby disappeared, and kirkwood continued to stare about him eagerly. hopefully.
 He stood on the brink of the Thames estuary. there a possible five mics from shore to shore. From his feet almost broad shingle beach sloped | gently to the water.
 On one hand dilapfdated picket fence lnclosed the Gooryard of fisher mans cottage. or. better. hovei-if It need be accurately described-at the door of which the ,abby was knocking.
 Some little distance offshore a fish ing boat. cat rigged and not more than | twenty feet over all. swung bobbing ct her mooring. keen nose searching Into the wind. at sight of which Kirk wood gave thanks. for his adventltious guide had served him well. if that boat were to be hired by any manner of l persuasion.
 But IL was to the farther reaches of the estuary that he gave more proloDg- cd and most anxious heed. scanning narrowly what shipping was there to be seen. Far out liner was riding the waves with serene contempt. mak- 1 Ing for the rivers mouth and Tilbury dock. But single sailing vessel of any notable tonnage was in sight and when he saw her Kirk wood's heart be came buoyaat with hope. and he began to trelnble H'ith nervous eilgerness, for he believed her to be the Alethea.
 There's no mistaking ship brigan- tine rigged for any other style of craft | that sails the seas
 Voices approaching brought him back to shore. He turned. resuming his mask of sanity. the better to con | fer with the owner of the cottage and boats. a heavy keen eyed fellow. ur- l gracious and trucupEt of habit and 1 chary of his words as he promptly | demonstrated
 I'll hire your boat" Krkwood told 1 him. ito put me aboard that briguu- | tine off to leeward. We ought to start | at once"
 The fisherman shifted his QCid of | tobacco from cheek to cheek. grunted l inarticulately and swung deliberately on his heel. displaying bull neck above pair of heavy shoulders
 'Dirty weather he crooked. facing back from his survey of the eastern skies before the American found out whether or not he should resent his insolence.
 How muchT' Kirkwood demanded curtly. annoyed.
 The man hestated. scowling blackly at the heeIirg vessel momentariiy in- creasing her distance from the shore Then. with q crafty smile, Two pun he declared.
 The American nodded. Very well" ha -;,s alr s.r r,4 boat"
 The fisherman turned away to sham ble noisiy over the shingle. huge booted heels crunchng. toward one of the dories To this he set his shout der. showing it steadily down the beach until only the stern was dry.
 Kirkwood looked back for the last time. up the road to Sheerness. Moth ing moved upon 1t. He was rid of Mrs. IIallam. if face to face with sterner problem. He had few pence over 10 shillings in his pocket and had promised to pay the man four times as much. He would have agreed 10 ten times the sum demanded for the boat he must and would have. But he had neglected to conclude his bargain. 10 come 10 an understanding as to the method of payment. and he felt more than little dubious as to the recep- tion the fisherman would give his proposition, sound as he CKirkwoodb knew it to be.
 In the background tho cabby loi- tered. gnawed by unsuitable curiosity. The fisherman turned. calling over his shoulder. If yed catch yon yes sel, come.'
 With one final twinge of doubt--the task of placating this surly dog was anything but inviting--the American strode to the boat and climbed in. talk ing the stern seat. The fisherman showed off
 In time the dory lay alongside the catboat. the fisherman with a gnarled hand grasping the latter's Gunwale to hold the two together. With some diff ficulty Kirkwocd transshipped himself landing asprawl in the cockpit amid a tangle of cordage slippery with scales The skipper followed. with clumsy ex- pertness bringing the dorys painter