The weekly true Democrat., 1909-09-24


1cu rDcn musly, dusty e1frfa
hua tImsa'f over lke joke an1 n
Hinfaq6f EnelIsh board ol railway 4
lettofs q was that fTst ordaiped chat
tickets should De taken % af the enA
instead o. TIE outset 0f q journey.
h was promptly made manifest taaf
be had further cause Tor gfatuiar
ton. Hhe cabby. recovering from BIZ
amazsment. waa plying an indelatiea
bic whip and thereby eliciting 9 Qcgfes
Of speed from his superanDuated nag
that his fare bad By 90 means hoped
Cor. much les anticipated.
10 q period of time surprisingly short
Khkwood saw. from deetlng glimpses
Of the scenery 10 be obtained through
the reeling windows. that they were
threading the outskirts pf the town
syuchronously, whether By design or
through actual inability 70 maintain it
the speed was moderated, and 10 the
course OF few more minutes the cab
stopped definitely. s.
Klrkwood elambered painfully ont
shook himself together and the bruises
out Of his bones and looked back.
Aside from slowly settling cloud Of
dust. che road ran clear as far az be
could see-to the point. IN fact. where
the town closed IN about'lt.
lie had won, nt all events lns0much
as to win meant eludlng the persever-
ing SIrs. Hallam. But to what endI
Abstractedly be rendered bis lonely
sovereign to the driver and without
even l0Oking nt Il crnmmed the heavy
wrisht Of change Into his pocket 40
sveragh which not only won him the !.
awestrucg admiration Of the cabby,
lCt cntalled consequences dt may bel
ae lt,le apprehended II Tas with On
dbycntmmded nod that he ncqulesceds
IN the mans announcement that be
ulgli arrange about the h0at'for him.
A, curdlngly the cabby disappeared,
nj KlrkwOod continued to stare about
p'm eagerly. hopefully
flr stood on the brink OF the Thames
sturry, there possible i've miles
from shore to shore. From his feet
utmost broad shlngle beach sloped
gently to the water
On one hand dilapldated picket
fence lnclosed the dooryard of u Usher
mans cottage. or better, hovel-if It
need be accurately described -at the
door Of which the Cabby was knocking.
Some little distance offshore n fish
ing boat. cat rugged and not more than
twenty feet over all. swung bobblng
CT her mOOring. keen nose searching
into the wind, at sight Of which Kirk
wood gave thanks, for bis adventitious
guide had served him well. II that boat
were to be hired by any manner Of
persuasion,
But It was 70 the farther reaches of
the estuary that he gave more prOlohg. )
ed and most anxious heed. scanning
narrowly what shipping was there to
be seen. Far ont o liner waa rifing
the waves with serene contempt, max
ing for the rivers mouth and TiIbury
dock But a single sailing vessel Of
any notable tonnage was In sight and
when be saw her KirkwoOd's heart be-
came buoyant with hope, and be began
10 trsmble with nervous eagerness, for
be believed her to be the Alethea.
There's no mistaking q 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-
Ter with the owner Of the cottage and
boats. a heavy, keen eyed fellow. un-
gracious and truculent Of habit and
ehary OF his words as be promptly
demonstrated
'Tn hire your boat" KlrkwOod told
him, ito put me aboard that brigan-
tine OF TO leeward. We ought TO start
st once"
The. fisherman shifted his quid Of
tobacco from cheek to cheek. grunted
inarticulately and swung deliberately
on his heel. displaying a bull neck
above a pair OF heavy shoulders.
DIRTY weather" he crOaked. facing
back from his survey Of the eastern
skies before the American found out
whether or not be should resent his
insolence.
''How muchr' Kirkwood demanded
curtly. annoyed.
The man hesitated. scowling blaekly
at the heellng vessel momentsrily In
creaslng her distance from the shore.
Then. with q crafty smile. Two pun"
be declared.
Il