Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-09

one on deck; precaution which was
almost Immediately justified by the
dumping of heavy feet upon the steps
as Stryker descended in pursuit of the
ever-essential drink.
"'Find it?" he demanded, staring
blindly-with eyes not yet focused to
the change from light to gloom-at
the young man, who was sitting with
the guide open ON his knees, a tightly
clenched fist resting on the transom
at either side of him.
In reply he received monosyllabic
Affirmative; Kirkwood did not look up.
'tYou must be a howl commented
the captain. making for the seductive
locker.
"A-what?"
"A howl, readin' that fine print there
in the dark. Wy don't you go over
to the light? 3 I'll ave to ave
them shutters tyken off the winders. :"
This was STRIKERS amiable figure of
speech, frequently employed to indi-
cate the coverings of the skylight.
'I'm all right" Kirkwood went on
studying the book.
Stryker swigged off his rum and wiped
his lips with the back of a red paw,
hesitating a moment to watch his
guest.
"Mykes it seem more 'ome-like for
you, expect" he observed.
What do you mean?"
'W'y, Bradshaw's first-cousin to a
halmanack amt e? Can't get one,
take t'other-next best thing. Sorry l
didn't think of it sooner; like my pas
sengers to feel comfy. s. 3 Now don't
you go trapsein' off to gay Paree and
squanderin' wot money you got left.
You 'ear?"
"By the way, captain!" Kirkwood
looked up at this, but Stryker was al
ready halfway up the companion.
Cautiously the American opened his
right fist and held to the light that
which had been concealed, close wad-
ded in his grasp-a square of sheer
linen edged with lace, crumpled but
spotless, and diffusing in the unwhole-
some den faint, intangible fragrance,
the veriest wrath of that elusive per-
fume which he would never again in
hale without instantly recalling that
night ride through London in the in
| timacy of cab.
He closed his eyes and saw her
again, as clearly as though she stood
before him-hair of gold massed above
the forehead of snow, curling in ador-
able tendrils at the nape of her neck,
lips like scarlet splashed upon the
immaculate whiteneSs of her skin,
head poised audaciously in its spirited,
youthful allure, dark eyes smiling the
least trace sadly beneath the level
browS ~
Unquestionably the handkerchief
was hers; if proof other than the as
had it in the initial delicately en-
broidered in one corner: D, for Dor
othy! = He looked again, to make
sure; then hastily folded up the treas
ure-trove and slipped it into a breast
pocket of his coat.
No; I am not sure that it was not
the left-hand pocket.
Quivering with excitement he bent
again over the book and studied it
| lntently. After all, he had not been
| wrong! He could assert now, without
fear of refutation that Stryker had
lied.
Some one had welded an indus
trious pencil on the page. 1t was, TAX
en- as whole, fruitful of clues. It's
very heading was Illuminating:
London to Vlissingen (Flushing)
and Breda;
which happened to be the quickest
and most direct route between Lon
don and Antwerp. Beneath it, in the
second column from the right, the pen
Gil had put check-mark against:
Queensborough Dep Halo.
And now he saw it clearly-dolt that
he had been not to have OWNED it
ere this! The Alethea had run in to
Queensborough, landing her passen-
gers there, that they might make con-
nection with the eleven-ten morning
boat for Flushing-the very side
wheel steamer, doubtless, which he
had noticed beating out in the teeth
of the gale just after the brigantlne
had picked him up. Had he not re-
ceived the passing impression that the
Alethea, when first he caught sight of
her might have been coming out Of
the Midway, on whose eastern shore
is situate Queensborough Pier? Had
not Mrs. Hallam, going upon he knew
not what information or belief, been
bound for Queensborough, with de-
sign there to intercept the fugitives?
kirkwood chuckled to recall how, all
unwittingly, he had been the means Of
diverting from her chosen course that
acute and resourceful lady; then
again turned his attention to the
tables.
A third check had been placed
against the train for Amsterdam
scheduled to leave Antwerp at 6:32
p. m. Momentarily his heart misgave
him, when he saw this, in fear least
Calendar and Dorothy should have
gone on from Antwerp the previous
evening; but then he rallied, discov-
ering that the boat-train from Flush
ing did not arrive at Antwerp till aft
er ten at night; and there was no
| later train thence for Amsterdam.
Were the latter truly their purposed
destination they would have stayed
overnight and be leaving that very
evening on the 6:32. On the other
hand, why should they wait for the
Il