Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-24


and to worry. Her parents noticed
the change without realizing the cause.
No one had any suspicion of the real
relation between Frances and the
young naval officer. That good
night on the vine covered porch was
a secret-a tender memory locked in
her heart and in his, TO be brought out
by each, regarded fondly and mourned
over when alone. i
Sommers had his work, but Frances
had nothing to distract her mind. No
wonder she grew paler and seemed to
lose interest in everything! Mr.. and
Mrs. Durant became alarmed. They
consulted doctors, but there was moth
ing wrong physically with their
daughter. Finally one big expert pro-
posed a sea voyage, and for the first
time Frances showed some sign of in
terest. Mr.. Durant paid a double
size bill cheerfully, thinking that doc
tor a wonderful man.
The Durant yacht, the Irvessa, was
got ready as quickly as possible. Mr.
Durant could not go himself, and he
decided it would be a good plan to
send his wife and daughter away for
a cruise in charge of Pinckley.
Now for n month they cruised, but
Frances sh>wed little sign of interest.
Pinckney was the only one who
seemed to get real enjoyment out of
the trip. He now felt that victory
must in the end be his.
lie was not deceived by the result
of the first test of the Sommers gun.
T. ret faG safely hJIf
in his heart the consPirator knew that
soon the badly tempered gun must
fail, perhaps with shocking results.
That mattered little TO him. This
worse the accident the greater the dis
grace of SOmmers and the surer the
result in his favor. The governmer5
must then accept the Rhinestrom gun
ard probably would give q bigger or
der than ever.
He had no fear of an investigation.
That had been well attended to. Smith,
under another name, was working far
away There was no one else who
knew anything except Marsh. and he
could be depended on to keep quiet.
The ultimate success of all that he
had planned now seemed TO the gen
eral manager certain. He gave him
self up to the enjoyments of the cruise,
dreaming now and then of the time TO
come when he and Frances as man
and wife should go on long trips to-
gether.
The first sign of real interest the girl
showed after starting was when the
yacht cast anchor in the broad harbor
Of Ponce. Porto Rico, and she learned
quite by accident that the cruiser
Roanoke was expected there in a few
days.
Then, to the intense establishment OF
Mrs. Durant and Pinckney. Frances
once more asserted herself. She de-
clared that she loved the old Spanish
town. Even the dirty plaza, two miles
away from the main city, interested
her. She insisted on staying over. be-
cause, she declared, she was deter
mined to study the town and the peo-
pie and even ride over the famous mil
itary road constructed by the Span
iards at a terrible cost of labor and
life from Ponce through the mountains
to San Juan.
Nothing that her mother or Pinck-
ney could do would move her She was
interested. excited. eager all the time,
and each day, without the knowledge
of the others, she managed to slip
over to the government house to find
out when the cruiser Roanoke was ex-
pected.
1t was a very pretty game Of hide
and go seek that the girl and Pinck-
ney played without realizing it. Pinck-
ney also every day had inquired about
the coming of the Roanoke. He knew
that Sommers was attached to the
cruiser, and he was determined that
the naval officer and Frances should
not by any chance meet.
His orders were quietly given, and
the captain of the Irvessa was ready
the moment the Roanoke should ap-
pear in the harbor to get up steam
preparatory to leaving.
Then, with these plans all laid,
Pinckney began his own plans for de-
parture. First he approached Mrs. Du-
rant and found her only too glad to
go. At his suggestion she spoke to
Frances, only to meet a fat refusal.
81 don't want TO go yet, mother"
protested the girl I'm having a
splendid time here in my own way,
and 1 can't see any reason for leav-
ing I'd like TO ride up to Coamo and
try the Spanish baths and then go on
through to San Juan. It's an easy
ride, and can meet the ship there.
Suppose you and Edward go around
by ship and let me come through the
other way. 1 think that would be a
splendid plan"
Mrs. Durant looked at her daughter,
startled.
Frances, think you must be out of
your head" she exclaimed. How
could you come through alone? Prob
ably you are planning to have Lieu
tenant Sommers take charge of you?'
Frances expression showed only
but her heart was beating
hard
Lieutenant Sommers?' she asked,
with well simulated surprise.
Mrs. Durant made an impatient