Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-08

close to the bungalow as he could find
roof to shelter him, and, at the moment.
the best way to her good graces would
be forthwith to find the bracelet.
A sea bird cried shrilly from the marsh
beyond the bridge. hidden from sight by
the intervening trees, and at the sound
she started aghast, her eyes dilated. He
could sympathize with her alarm, for
the long. wailing note, rising unexpect-
edly from that silent solitude, had been
sufficiently disconcerting.
IT went straight along the sand to
the point" she said. hurriedly, land
sat down for a little there. Perhaps 1t
dropped on dry land, after ALL"
I'D better made sure that it didn't"
he suggested.
She nodded concurrence, and, as he
set off on his errand. the sea bird cried
again from the creek.
He traced the impress of two bare
feet step by step TO the further spit, and
then round the corner to where she
had sat looking out to sea. Close re-
search there at length brought the brace
let to light II lay half buried beside
a heap of white sand with which she
had been amusing herself, trickling ii
through her taper fingers.
AS he hurried back to her with his
find he could not help turning 1t over.
and there on the inside of the broad
gold band with the broken chain which
had let IL slip from her slender wrist
was the one word, "Dagmar.'
"Dagmar,55 he said to himself, and the
name sounded musically in his ears. 1t
was such as he would have chosen for
her, and became her blond beauty as
none other would. 1t might well be that
she had the blood of some old sea king
in her veins, so gently dignifed was she,
so oueenly. He looked for her eagerly,
to apprise her of his success, but she was
not anywhere visible. She had no doubt
got tired Of waiting, and so started home
wards.
That did not in the least disturb GUAM
tances equanimity. On the contrary rath-
err since It afforded him fair excuse for
further effort on his own behalf. He
would deliver the bracelet to her. When
he came within sight of the bungalow he
saw a man with his back to him staring
intently at a shattered window, whereup-
ON he himself drew back into cover.
The individual did not seem to be salts
fed with the shutter He tried it two or
three thimes, tapped it with the cane he
words whose import did not reach Quain-
tance's ears. Then he disappeared round
the corner. Quaintance. much perturbed,
slipped noiselessly after him.
However, the other passed the porch
and went sauntering down to the public
road. And Quaintance, having assured
himself that he had really gone, felt
grateful to him for going. He might be
set down as a man of about 30, was wear
ing a light tweed suit and a Panama,
had a flower In his buttonhole, and car
ried a cane with much silver about it.
He was well proportioned and comedy.
His carriage was smart, almost military.
He might turn out to be dangerous
rival.
Quaintance turned back and knocked at
the door, and, while he waited, fortified
himself in his resolve not to be cajoled
out of the bracelet by Mrs Smith. But
no one opened to him, and he knocked
again, with a like result.
A swift suspicion invaded his mind.
With a sinking heart he walked round
the building. All its windows were shut
tered. The bungalow was deserted.
He groaned disgustedly.. And what was
he, Quaintance, going to do now? The
bungalow had evidently been vacated for
good. There was nothing to be gained
by staining there gaping at it. He must
hurry into StormDsTt, and there make
inquiry.
He made for his automobile in haste.
half hoping that he might still overtake
the travellers before their train should
have left the station. Failing that he
would learn more tomorrow when he
came back for the runabout.
Utterly disconnected, he turned into
the tangle within which he had secreted
his car, and received a still more dis
tressing shock, for the car was no longer
there.
Continued I'm Next Issue