Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-09-07

ever essential drink.
Find it?' he demanded staring
blindly with eyes not yet focused to
the change from light to gloom Mt the
young man. who was sitting with the
guide open on his knees, tightly
clinched fist resting on the transom at
either side of him.
In reply he received monosyllabic
affirmative. Kirkwood did not look up.
you 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? I'll ave to ave them
shutters tyken off the winders"
"Tm all right" Kirkwood went on
studying the book.
Stryker swigged off his rum and
wiped his lips with the back of red
paw. hesitating a moment to watch
his guest.
''Mykes it seem more 'omelike for
you, l expect" he observed.
"What do you mean?'
"W'y, Bradshaw's first cousin to q
halmanack, amt e? Can't get one.
take t'other-next best thing. Sorry
didn't think of it sooner; like my pas.
sengers to feel comfy. No, don't you
go traipsin' off to gay Paree an squan-
derin' wot money you got left. You
'ear?"
by the way, captainw 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, 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
macy 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 adora-
Bile tendrils at the nape of her neck,
lips like scarlet splashed upon the i'm
maculate wilderness 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 assur-
ance of his heart were requisite he
had it In the initial delicately embroid-
cred in one corner-a d, for Dorothy!
Quivering with excitement. he bent
again over the book and studied it in
tently. After all, he had not been
wrong! He could assert now, without
fear of REPUTATION. that Stryker had
/ lied
Some one had welded an Industrious
pencil on the page. 1t was taken as Il
whole. fruitful of clews. Its very
| heading was Illuminating London to
Vlissingcn (Fiushng) and Breda,"
which happened to be the quickest
and most direct route between London
and Antwerp. Beneath it, in the sec
oud column from the right, the pencil
had put check mark against Queens
borough -dep-1la lO."
And now he saw it clearly bolt
that he had been not to have OWNED
It ere this. The Alethca had run i'll to
Queensborough, landing her passen-
gers there that they might make con-
nection with the l1:10 morning boat
for Flushing. the very side wheel
steamer doubtless which he had no.
liced beating out in the teeth of the
gale just after the brigantine had
/ picked Him up.
y third check had been placed
against the train for Amsterdam SEIZED
uled to leave Antwerp at 6:32 p. M
Momcntarily his heart misgavc him
when he saw this in fear lest Calen-
dar and Dorothy should have gone on
from Antwerp the previous evening,
the boat train from Flushing did not
arrive at Antwerp till after 10 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 fol-
the latest train rather than proceed by
the first available in the morning
Why but because Calendar and Null
ready were to wait for Stryker to joir
them on the Alethea?
Very well, then. If the wind held
and Stryker knew his business, there
would be another passenger Oh that
train in addition to the Calendar party
Making mental note of the fact thai
the boat train for Flushing and Lon
don was scheduled to leave Antwerp
daily at S:21 p. M, Kirkwood restored
the guide to the locker lest inadver
tently the captain should pick it uI
and see what Kirkwood had seen.
An hour later he went on deck. The
skies had blown clear, and the brigan
tine was we'll in land bound waters
i, and still footing rafting pace. Ant
werp was in sight.
troublesome care stirring in his
mind, Kirkwood looked round the
, deck. but Stryker was very busy, en-
tirely too preoccuped with the han
, ding Of his ship to be interrupted witt
, impunity. Besides. there was plenty
Of time.
Up past the dockyards, where spi
| derry masts stood in dense groves about
painted tunnels and men swarmed
over huge wharfs like ants over {
. crust of bread; up and round the fina
prant cxyeapipp hapd of tba rivnr tbt