Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-03-31

in the palm Of the hand. so, and the
dart is put in that groove. though the
butt of this one seeNs curiously mis-
shapen; can't make it fit my hand
But ! can't figure out how the thing
got aboard the yacht; 1t wasn't here
yesterday"
of course not" she said: my sky
man brought it."
He ran his fingers through his
bushy gray hair perpiexedly Then he
laid the thing down and seated him
self at the table. "At any rate" he
said, I'VE needn't let even mystery
spoil our breakfast Come, my dear,
you've eaten almost morning.. That
omelet deserves better treatment"
obediently she took UP her fork.
but almost Immediately laid it down
again, and he saw her eyes brighten
with tears. "Of course, II there'd been
any news, if thered been anything to
find. we'd have heard"
Silently he reached across the table
and patted the hand that lay there on
the white cloth.
''Oh, l know | oughtn't to cry" she
said, and l won't; it's your goodness
and kindness to me as much as any
thing else. Ever since he went away
you've been like father to me, and
Tom. dear old Tom, like a brother.
And then building this ship and COM
ing up here yourself, facing the dan
gers yourself and letting Tom face
them, all for such an impossible. hope
less hope as that message the sea
brought to us"
Her voice faltered there, and she
bent down abruptly and kissed the
hand that was still caressing her own
MY child" he said, your father
and ! were like brothers-nearer to
each other than most brothers He
went away, knowing that If his ven
ture failed. if it ended fatally for him,
as it probably did, should regard you
as my daughter-as just as much a
child Of mine as Tom is. If you
hadn't been in the case at all, we'd
have built this ship and come up here
to find Tom Fielding just the same.
There, don't cry. Put on that big fur
coat of yours and come out with me
on deck"
The moment Mr. Fanshaw and
Jeanne emerged upon the deck they
heard the sound of oars beneath them,
and looking over the rail saw one Of
the boats in which the shore party
had set out, pulling up alongside the
To-
were in it, two Of the crew and Tom
Fanshaw.
What news, Tom?" his father
called out anxiously enough to belle
his former tranquil manner. Have
you found anythingf / hope there's
nothing wrong"
The younger man looked up. He
saw his father, but not the girl.
Nothing wrong" he growled. except
this internal ankle of mine. I've
sprained it again, and did 1t just
when" He broke the sentence on
short there, his eye falling at that
moment upon Jeanne.
She paled little, for she had been
quick to perceive that something he
had been about to tell would not be
told now, or must be told differently.
But she waited until his father, to-
gether with the two sailors, had got
the disabled man up onto the deck
and safely installed in an easy chair.
Then gravely. but steadily, Just as
what, Tom? What clue had they found
Just as you had to come away?
st was very wonderful" he said;
quite inexplicable. Just as we were
about breaking camp this morning we
saw a man coming toward US across
the ice. We thought at first that IL
was Hunter, and we were magnify
glad to see him, because he had stray
ed OFF somewhere and hadn't campeu
with us. But we soon saw 1t wasn't
he, wasn't a man anything like him.
He was a queer, slouching. stunning
creature, dressed In skins, and no
came up in a hesitating way, as II ne
was afraid of u.s. He couldn't talk
English, nor understand 1t, apparent
ly. He looked to me like Portu-
guese, and / tried him in Spanish
good Filipino Spanish-on the chance.
l thought it startled him little, and
he pricked up his ears at 1t, but ne
couldn't understand that either. he
Just kept reckoning and repeating two
words"
What words, Tom? Out with IT!
This frsm the old gentleman, VINO
had controlled his patience with diff
ficulty during the little silence But
the younger man hesitated and looked
into the girls face. mutely, half-ques-
tioningly, before he spoke.
THE words" he said, seemed TO De
your fathers name-'Captain Field
ing it sounded like that.
She went quite white, and reeled
little. Then clutehed at the shrouds
for support. The old gentleman was
at her side in an instant, his strong
steadying arm across her shoulders
III