Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-22
CHAPTER III-Continued.


The parchment curled with unexpected
speed and caught his fingers In an un-
canny grip Without thinking what he
was doing. he shook it off as though 1T
were a scorpion Then. flushing a little.
he seized it and stuffed 1t into pocket.
Miss Dane missed no item Of this by
play. But she. too. could exercise the
art of self-repression. and left unuttered
the words that her heart dictated. Being
a methodfcal person, she gathered the
pins and replaced them In the hussif. She
had just finished when Warden returned.
Int 10 She asa nm.e to After a he
harped on the subject there was some
risk that the girls intuition might read
a good deal of the truth into what she
had seen and heard during the past half
hour. SO he changed protest INTO
compliment.
Economy is the greatest Of the do
mestic virtues. Now, mere man would
have waited until one of those pins stuck
into his foot as he was crossing the deck
for his morning dip, and then he would
say things. BY the way, Peter believes
the breeze Is freshening. Would you care
for short cruiser?
face II feel like lifting my eyebrows at
nv own behavior" she said, ''but must
admit that 1 should enjoy 1t immensely.
Please bring me back here before 6
o'clock. L wish 10 go on poaFu the odus
Souci the moment Mrs. Baumgartner ar
rives.
In response to Warden's summons Peter
and Chris appeared on deck. The Nancy
cast off from her buoy. her canvas leaped
TO the embrace Of the wind. and soon she
was slipping through the water at a
spanking pace in the direction of Ports
mouth and the. anchored fleet, for the
cutter could move when her sails filled.
Thenceforth the talk was nautical Peter
rtair cd
ships or the yachts competing In the
various races. Once, by chance. the con-
versation veered close to West Africa.
when Warden gave a. vivid description OF
the sensations of the novice who makes
his first landing in a surfboat. But Peter
soon brought them back to the British
Isles by his "reminiscences OF boardlng
salt-stained and sooty tramps in an equi-
noctial gale off Lundy. No unpleasing
incident marred a perfect afternoon until
tea was served and the cutter ran to her
moorings.
The guardian gorgon of the Sans souci
that his solitary vigil was still unbroken.
About half-past six. when a swarm of
yachts were beating up the roads on the
turn of the tide. steam launch ap-
preached the Sans Souci and deposited a
lady and gentleman on the ganSway:
They were alone. The Waterman helped
them to reach the deck. financial trans
action took place between him and the
". and the Waterman descended the lad
der with the evident intention OF enter
ing the launch.
But he hesitated and pointed to the
Nancy. whereupon the lady to whom ne
was speaking, looked fxedly at the cut
ter and her occupants.
THAT is Mrs. Baumgartner, am sure. y
said Evelyn, eagerly. "Will you take me
across in the dinghy at once? Then. II
necessary, 1 can reach Portsmouth easily
this eyepinp as I shall have gained half
an hour"
She gave no heed to the astounding
fact that II these people were really the
yacht-owner and his wife they were alb
soutely alone on the vessel. warden. UNI
willing to arouse distrust In her mind,
babe Peter draw the dinghy alongside.
Goodbye" he said extending his hand
frankly. The world is small ar and w. we
promised to write. and. In the meantime,
do not forget that IL the Nancy or her
crew can offer you any service we are
within hailing distance"
You are not leaving Cowes tonight,
them"
mo Tomorrow, if the wind serves.
we go east. to Brighton and Dover. and
perhaps as far north as Cromer. After
am, 1 manage to secure my letters"
Evelyn gave his hand grateful little
pressure. She was not insensible Of the
tact that sent Peter as her escort.
OIL nave D6cn exceedingly SOOO anu
kind to me-" she said. II shall never
forget this most charming day and shall
certainly write to you. Goodbye. Chris.
Goodbye, dear little ship. What a
pity" she paused and laughed with
pretty embarrassment. II think l was
going to say what a pity 1t is that these
pleasant hours cannot last longer-they
come too rarely in life"
And with that she was gone. though she
turned twice during her short voyage and
ha n ~
ing at her so steadily while he leaned
against the cutters mast and smoked In
silence.
There could be no doubt that the lady
on the Sans Souci was Mrs. Baumgartner.
No sooner did she realize that Miss
Danes arrival was imminent than she
threw up her hands with a continental
affectation of amazement and ran into
the deck cabin To all seeming, she bade
the launch await further orders. Baum
gartner and his wife reappeared. they In
dulged in gesticulations to which War
den could readily imagine an accompan!-
evidently as the outcome of their talk.
the launch steamed away.
Warden smiled sourly.
"If those people had committed a muir
der on board, and were anxious to sink
their victim several fathoms deep before
anybody interfered with them, they could
hardly he more excited" no thought.
Perhaps it won't do my young friend
any yOOQ II Z FeJlaIl mere STARTING Sli di8ue
at the yacht"
He busted himself With an unnecessary
slowing away of the cutters mainsail,
but cont-ived to watch events sufficiently
10 note that Mrs. Baumgartner received
her guest with voluble courtesy. Baum
gartner. French-polished edition of the
bacon-factor type of man. hustled the
two ladies out Of sight. and thenceforth,
during more than an hour. the deck of
the Sans Souci was absolutely untenanted.
Twilight was deepening: lights began to
twinkle on shore; not a few careful cap
tains showed riding lamps. although the
precaution was yet needless: launches and
ships boats were cleaving long black
burrows In the slate-blue surface OF the
Solent as they ferried parties Of diners
from shore or yachts-but never q sign
of life was there on board the Sans Souci.
Peter, undisturbed by speculations anent
the future of the young lady whose pres
ence had frightened the deck Of the
Nancy during the afternoon. cooked an
appetizing supper. He was surprised
when Warden expressed a wish that they
should eat without light. It did not
occur to him that his employer was
mounting guard over the Baumgartners'
yacht. and meant to have a clear field OF
vision while a shred Of daylight remained.
The progress of the meal was rude.y
broken in on by Peter himself. Although
the placid silence of the night was fire.
quently disturbed by the Tapping of pro-
pellers. his sailors ear caught the stealthy
approach of the one vessel that BODIED
possible danger. Swinging himself up
right he roared: