Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-02-02
haddock., and diyll Of . sign as much

oe mat III near then II they tell
back to Europe, say I, end learn what
has become OF Joan F~ordibras. 'Tis bet,
ter work than roasting like q heather,
on this blazes OF an cean."
We set the yacht upon a northward
course, and lived through a morning Of
angry silence. D%isdaining any lunch but
a biscuit and a proud cigar, Timothy
McShanus fell to "reminiscences. ! rec
member that he discussed the law OF
chances. reminding me OF the American
citizen who. being asked II he were
four aces at a game OF poker In Mex,
leo City and only got shot in the leg.
In O lachrymose mood, Timothy went
on to say that he cared little whether
he lived or died, but that he would
give much to know what they were
don town. l did not answer him, for at
that momen Captain Larry anne,
scurrying along the deck, IND one look
at his face told me that he had news
of moment
We'll, Larry-and now?"
There Is q message, sir-"
IA message?"
II don't know what to Say, sir, thel
telegraph instruments arc going like
one O'clock. I thought you had better
know Immediately. There's no one else
aboard a read them.
My rough exclamation astonished
them both Our Marconi instruments
had always been a pleasant source OF
mystery to the crew, and ever the cap
tain REGARDED them with some little
awe: Hitherto we had hardly made use
OF them at all, exchanging, I think, but
a couple of messages, one with q p. &
Q. teamer and another with a Union
boat. And now they spoke for the
third time, not from any ocean-going'
ship, I felt sure, nor from n station
shaw h,,t - ~y0f1~ l~~~~ 49,
pregnant Of good or i'll, 1t might be,
beyond any power OF the Imagination
to say. Be 1t said that I went below
with an anxiety, an excitement OF the
news, battling words. Was 1t possible
that this implement Of steel and brass.
electric batteries, would revea the
truth SO long concealed? Even that I.
dared to hope.
Now, the second officer watched the
instrument when 1 entered the fore
cabin, where we had set 1t up, and his
curiosity was natural enough. 1 caught
him in the act OF trying to send some
signal In reply, and arrested him with
so rough a hand upon his own, that he
must have believed me bereft sudden
ly of my nse
"Goodness!" I cried, mot a word,
man-not a word! This may be life or
death to us! Leave II alone-let them
speak before we answer!" 4
The instrument has been going for
hve minutes. sir. I know something Of
h Morse code, but 1 can't make head.
or tall of 1t. She's not q p. & O. ship.
Neither a p. & O.. nor any other
down now to Mr.. Bronson. the engineer,
and tell him to give an eye to the bat
teries and the coherer. I will see to
this"
He left me. and I took my stand be-
fore h implement and watched 1t as
a man watches a human face wherein
he may read the story OF his fate. A
message was being licked out there. but
so family. SO absolutely %inaudible, that
no Of mine could write it down.
Far away from US. 1t might be some
hundreds of miles away, an unknown
ship flashed its news over the lonely
ocean. What ship. then, and whose
were the voices? Fascinated beyond
expression. I stood a long hour by the,
instrument, and could hear my own
suspense. Would the instrument never
speak plainly? Should I risk a question
In answer, sent out from our own lofty.
mast where all had been prepared for
such a seeming miracle as this? And IL
so. what question? Had Imroth a pass
was not the possessor? 1 knew not
what to think. One man alone upon
the yacht might speak at such an hour
young Harry Avenhill, who silently,
willingly, and in gratitude had worked
with our engineers during these long
weeks OF the vain pursuit.
Harry came up to me from the depths
of the engine room, his face a little
pallad. but his eyes a clearer, healthier
blue than yhen I had taken him from
England and given him that second
chance which humanity owes to every
lad who sins. He told mo frankly that
there had been a password in use both
in England and France.
w used to have to write the letter
"A five times, running from the bottom
left hand, to the top, right hand, of a
slip of paper, sir. That was when we
wanted to get into any Of our houses
In London or Paris or Brussels. II wei
met a friend in the streets. it was the
Romany tongue we spoke-Kushto
bokh' or nero pal-or something Of
that sort; and when we had said it, one
or other asked how old Five AS was
doing. Once I remember the password
was Fordibras.' That was at Blois.
when we robbed the house Of the Count
of Sens, who q just bought some Of
the empress emeralds. 1 never remem-
Der it being used anywhere else but
there"
I smiled, for Imroth's perspicuity was
as evident here as 1t had been in Eng
man. Hubert F%ordibras. he who by
subtle cleverness and canting self-de-
ception tried to believe himself inno-
cent Of these crimes-he would be the
first prize when detection I'M This
was obvious, as obvious as the lads
inability to help me.
1T will not be 'Fordibras' upon the
high seas. nor will q Whole alphabet Of
AS help US. Harry" said I as kindly
as I could; but hat not your fault,