Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-08-20
CHAPTER NIL.

IL were he to do that upon whose
4 a doing he had set his heart. Ii
irked him sore to have to lose the in
valuable moments demanded by Ger
tain imperative arrangements, but his
haste was such that all was consum
mated within an hour
Within the period of single hour
then, he had ransomed his luggage al
st. Pancras, caused it to be loaded
upon a four wheeler and transferred
to neighboring hotel Of evil flavor,
but moderate tariff. where he engaged
room for week, ordered an imme.
diate breakfast and retired with his
belongings to his room. He had shaw.
ed and changed his clothes, selecting
serviceable suit Of heavy tweeds, stout
shoes. fore and aft cap and neglf.
gee shirt of deep shade, calculated at
least to seem clean for long time.
Finally he had devoured his bacon and
eggs, gulped down his coffee and burn.
ed his mouth and, armed with stout
stick, set off hotfoot in the still dim
glimmering of early day.
BY this time his cash capital had
dwindled to the sum Of e. los. Sd
and would have been much less had
he paid for his lodging in advance.
At Kings Cross station on the un.
foreground an acute disappointment
awaited him. There likewise he
learned something about London. A
sympathetic bobby informed him that
no trains would be running until after
$50 and that, furthermore, no buses
would begin to ply until half after I.
cts tramp it or cab it. then" unused
the young man mournfully. his long.
ing gaze seeking nearby cab rank,
just then occupied by solitary han
som. driver somnolent on the box
"Oficer"-he again addressed the po
liceman. mindful of the English ak
ION, when in doubt ask a bobby
"officer, when's high tide this morn
ing?'
The bobby produced we'll worn
pocket almanac, moistened massive
thumb and rippled the pages.
London bridge, Ugh tide twenty
minutes arfter 6. SIR" he announced
pardonable in one who combines the
| functions of perambulating almanac
guidebook, encyclopedia and conserv
er of the peace.
Kirkwood said something beneath
his breath. a word in itself com
Portable mouthful and wholesome ant
emphatic He glanced again at thu
cab and groaned, 30 Lord. just das
sent" with which, thanking the bu
reau Of information, he set off rapid
ly down Grey's Inn road to find tn
Alethea before she sailed. Proceeding
upon the working hypothesis that Mrs
Hallam was a polished liar in mos
respects, but had told the truth so ia
as concerned her statement to the ct
feet that the gladstone bag containe
valuable property, whose OWNERSHIP
remained moot question, thoug
Kirkwood was definitely committed t
the belief that it was none of Mrs
Hallam's or her sons. he reasone
that the two Adventures, with Dorc
thy and their booty, would attempt t
leave London by water route in tn
ship Alethea, whose name had falle
from their lips at Bermondsey Oh
Stairs
Kirkwood's initial task. then, woul
be to find the needle in the haystacl
to sort out from the hundreds of YES
sells Of all descriptions at anchor !
midstream, moored to the wharfs c
longshore warehouses or in the Cigar
tic docks that line the Thames. TIL;
one called Alethea, of which he wa
so deeply mired in ignorance that b
could not say whether she We're tram
steamer, coastwise passenger boa
one of the liners that ply between III
bury and ell the world, channel ferr.
boat, private yacht (steam or sail
schooner, four master. square rigge
bark or brigantine.
London had turned over once
twice and was pulling the bedclotht
over it's head and grumbing about &c
ing up, but the city was still SCUM
asleep when at length he paused for
minutes rest in front of the Mansio
House and realized. with pang
despair, that he was completely tue
. cred out
With sigh he surrendered to I'll
tlesh's frailty. An early cabby, cruz
ing up from Cannon street station {
the off chance Of finding some OF
astir In the city aside from the dow,
and sparrows. suffered the surprise
his life when Kirkwood halted him.
Jump in. sir" he told Ilirkwot
cheerfully as soon as he had assimila
ed the latter's demands. II know
precisely wotcher wants. Leave 1t 6
to me-"
The admonition was all but supe
fuous. Kirkwood was unable for Il
time being to do aught else than +
T. sign his fate into another's guidanc
r. Once In the cab he slipped insensib
into nap and slept soundly on.
reckless of the cabs swift pace III
continuous bouncing as Of the sunlig
glaring full in his tired young face.
: He may have slept twenty minute
He awoke faint with drowsiness. ii
y Cling from head to toe from fatig
and in distress of a queer qualm
the pit of his stomach. to find the ha
som at rest and the driver on the ste
shaking his fare with kindly deterr
nation. "Oh, a. right" he assent
surlily and by sheer force of "
made himself climb out to the sit
walk, where, having rubbed his ey
stretched enormously and yawned d
courteously in the face of the east el
y he was once more himself and hi