Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-11-09
By F. A. mitchell

serted by their crews One was found
on the open sea under sail, the other
at anchor on coast These two are
all that thus far have been recorded.
IL remains for me to record third.
| am gentleman of leisure given to
yachting. l am fond of cruising on
my yacht either with "A party of
friends or single male companion.
During the last season / started from
the New York Yacht clubs dock at
New York for cruise eastward along
the coast. put in ct several places
on the route-New London. Marble
head, Portland ana other ports-for
fresh table supplies. then steamed on.
intending 10 enter the st. Lawrence
river and visit the Thousand islands.
We met number of yachts. for IL
was in the season. and yachtsmen are
prone In hot weather TO occupy the
cooler regions Of the northeastern
coast. One evening while steaming
across one of those beautiful BAYS that
lndent the rocky coast Of Maine we
saw near the shore steam yacht rid
ing at anchor within n cables length
Of the shore
Alec Wingate was with me on this
cruise Alec was the son OF a British
baronet and had domestic troubles.
lie had married the daughter of n
colonel in the English army. n very
beautiful girl. who. after n couple OF
years of married life during which she
ana her husband had lived very hap
ply together, suddenly disappeared.
Whether she had been kidnaped or
bad gone off with n lover no one could
tell. There was no evidence. at least
none that any one had ever got hold
M. to point in either of these direc-
tons. The only other theory was that
she had been murdered. Wingate had
| hunted for her all over the world and
had come to America for the purpose.
had met him and. having taken a
liking 10 him. begged him to divert
his mind from his loss by going on a
cruise with me-
our course lay near enough to the
anchored yacht to enable us to see
with glasses what she was: that is. we
rouId have seen any flags, people or
other distinguishing marks. But there
were neither people nor flags. She
was a steamer yacht. but no smoke
was being emitted from her stack
/ Her stern was at one time toward us,
ana what was my establishment to see
/ no name on her
! we slowed mp. expecting every min
ute 20 see some one appear on the
deck, Int after waiting half an hour
without any one appearing it began
- lock us If either party had gone
ashore from her for some purpose or
she had been deserted The first of
these theories was not very likely cor
rect. In the first place at least one
member Of the crew would have been
eft in charge. and in the second this
was perfectly wild coast. and there
could be no object for any party to
20 ashore unless for water.
I gave orders TO steam up along
'ide the nameless yacht The hour
was about In the evening. and a fine
dinner was set in the cabin A FIRE
vas burning in the galley. Every
boat belonging to the yacht was in it's
place In the lockers in the after part
Of the vessel were articles of male and
female wearing apparel. the latter in
dicating that ladies had been aboard.
And here the mystery changes from
those sea secrets have mentioned. or,
rather. another mystery is added.
Alec Wiugatc recognized a dress con-
tanned in a rosewood locker as one
hat had belonged to his wife. He at
once became wild with varying emo
lions There was pleasure at this evil
Gonce that his wife mt least had been
recently alive. There was bitterness
lost she might have been living on this
YACHT with a paramour. There was
fear lest though she had so recently
lived she had met with some mis-
fortune.
70 alloy this excitement | told Win.
cate that he might easily be mistaken
u the dress But he said that it was
the one I'm which ne had most liked TO
zee his wife arrayed and the only one
~ her wardrobe that be would surely
recognize
we went through the yacht from
stem to stern looking for some ex-
PLANTATION Of the mystery. Every state.
ruom. every receptacle was rausack-
.nd The Groboy door stood partly
open and ! looked in 10 see If ma
terials had been put in 20 light new
frc. The old fire was still smolder-
ing The only thing we discovered
was that the yacht had undoubtedly
hecu made IN England All the max.
rrs marks on the finishing and furni.
'rre were English The upholstery
had been purchased Of n we'll known
upholHcror in London
Having satisfied ourselves that there
Hns uo one aboard wc left the
uamc'rss' and returned TO our own
vessel ! induced Wingate 10 sit down
900 dinner he would cat nothing
discuss the matter lie wanted to "a
f.rr ffr rrvf Hng 9raroI fhS