Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-08-18
cat lowered. Ine pox
hntfnm of the boat.


| winch Was towed at the end of 200
foot line.
The matter was not permitted to get
out among the passengers till after the
internal machine was In tow, and then
it was no longer possible to keep It
secret. People gathered on the stern
clamori Tisnow why the boat with
its is being put out, and
wher vas at safe distance those
who knew admitted that there was
box in the bot which might contain
an explosive. Immediately the news
spread that archists had endeav-
ored to blow !, the ship and it had
been saved { 1y by a wireless tele-
gram from the chief of the Southamp
ton police.
Mr.. Mervale, who had received the
telegram and among whose baggage
the anarchists had placed the explo-
sive, at once became the most impor-
tant man aboard, not excepting the
captain. Passengers crowded around
him to learn every detail. He endeav
ored to calm them, telling them that
and that the box simply contained
clock and other family heirlooms.
AS distinguished men find their val
ue enhanced by always keeping them
selves before the public, so Mr.. Mer-
vale gained with Miss Floyd by his
prominence, even If it We're only on
account of having had among his bag
vrh rI
and passengers sky high. Somehow
Kicker, who had seemed to her quite
man when pulling her in a boat on
Lake Como now appeared equally
tame in comparison with this earls
son. who had become the center of
attraction for the whole ship. The
former gradually gave way to the
latter, and Miss Floyd. instead of
walking the deck or sitting In a steam
er chair all day in company with Mr..
Kicker, merely began these sociabilities
with him and continued them with Mr..
Mervale
Meanwhile the Internal machine
bobbed up and down on the waves
Knots of passengers constantly loiter.
ing on the stern looked at 1t and swap
ped opinions whether in case of an
explosion 1t was far enough from the
ship to avert any damage. Then came
the approach to port, the handing
around of custom house blanks on
which TO make declarations of duti-
able baggage. the filing in OF articles
purchased abroad and handing them
TO the purser. Mr.. Mervale said that
If the box being towed was what he
supposed it was the duty on the ar
ticles it contained was considerable
The question rs TO whether it was
box of heirIooms or an internal ma
chine must be settled by the custom
officers. He rather thought they would
pass it free of duty.
The evening before reaching port
Miss Floyd was sitting with Mr.. Mer-
vale on the upper deck. where they
We're not SO liable to interruption as
they would be lower down. He was
telling her of the family home of his
father, the earl, and his mother, the
countess. Then he told her how they
had sent him to America, where rich
wives We're TO be had by British noble
men for the asking, that he might mar
ry wealthy American girl and build
up the family estates when he came
Into tho title. But he had been cap
tured before his arrival. He had no
sooner seen Miss Floyd than he had
succumbed to her, rich or poor.
Miss Floyd told him that, as to
means. she would have on the death of
her father large inheritance But
complication had arisen in the matter
OF Walter Kicker. There was n en-
gagemcnt that had not been approved
by her parents and might not be ap-
proved by them. She would be pleased
to have Mr.. Mervale call on her In
New York. That was all young lady
who had recently accepted one man
could say to another whom she wished
to replace the first.
But she said nothing of this to
Kicker.
Miss Floyd was taking home num-
Der of valuables that were dutiable.
Her father was ready TO pay the duty
on them, but there is fascination in
beating" the government on customs
that attacks even young girls. Mr..
Mervale told her that he had way
of getting goods through the custom
house and If she would bring them up
to him he would smuggle them into
port and send them to her immediate
ly afterward. She brought him up
several thousand dollars worth of
goods, then bade him good night, show
ins by a slight pressure of the hand
that he might hope.
Soon after the parting between Mr..
Mervale and Miss Floyd Fire island
light was sighted. and In the morning
the Eric was steaming up New York
Say.
But where was the boat containing
the internal machine? And where was
Mr.. Mervale? The former was not in
tow, and the latter was not on the
ship.
No one ever found out how the
"earrs son" got the box which. be-
sides n clock, contained 100000 worth
of diamonds ashore, He doubtless took
Miss Floyd's valuables in the same
boat and smuggled them in, as he had