The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-01


yond his knowledge had not the sta.
tionary motor chosen an early moment
to choke up with a series OF cultural
snorts and stop dead. The unlocked
for suspension Of its contented work,
ing song left distinctly audible void
in the stiffness, in which the key of
the droning dynamo ran down the
scale to sour whine ere it ceased al
together. Reused by this, Coast
pulled himself together and hurried
round the building. listening with
shameless elation to the storm of an
ger which followed Blackstocks rec
ignition of the mishap.
A chair scraped roughly on the floor
and fell with crash; something else
was thrown violently down; Black
stock got his breath deliberately and
the doors and windows of the oper-
ating room became damned with bias
pheny. Discreetly Coast paused and
waited until the mans tongue began
to falter, until the oaths escaped from
him a trickle rather than a deIuge,
until he stopped short, his system
wrung dry of profanity. Then Coast
advanced.
He found Blackstock striding to and
fro and mumbling a cigar, the scowI
that darkened his eountenance sug-
costing a state Of perturbation and
anxiety no less acute than Coasts.
Even without Katherine's warning,
and ignoring his pettish rage over the
balky motor, Coast would have been
quick to guess that something had
happened seriously to complicate the
mans schemes. He few every sign
peculiar to one who to the physical
unhappiness following night of dissi.
patton has had added grave reason for
mental disquiet.
AS the younger man drew near
Blackstoqk stopped short, facing the
door with lowering look.
Who's that?" he demanded sharp.
~, with a nervous gesture pluok1ng
the unNghted cigar from between his
teeth. "You, Handyside2"
Coast entered. Mrs. Black said you
wished to sec me.
Il would to God I could" Black.
stock cried wrathfully, dashing the
cigar upon the floor. He lifted his
olenched hands and shook them above
his head, while his features twttched.
Abruptly he dropped them. Here
he said CURLY, what d'you know
about stationary motors? Everything,
SUPPOSED"
Not quite" returned Coast pacif.
1cally.
Then what the devil are you doing
here?"
I'm supposed to be a wireless op,
orator"
''Oh, y'are, eh?"
mot skilled mechanic" Coast con.
dnued evenly. still, I know a little
something about motors. Anything
can do?"
You can take look at that damned
engine, IL you don't mind. II tainted
dead just now. 1t hasn't had any at.
tention since Power quit and left the
In the lurch, hang him! don't know
whether it's oil or gas or water II
needs. Perhaps you do
I'll see," said Coast.
With an impatient grunt Blackstocl
resumed his walk, guiding himself in
and out amongst the furniture and ma,
chinery clutteTing the room with his
habitual but still extraordinary ease
The sound Of Blackstock's foot
steps ceased behind him, while he was
bending over the machine, and he
was conscious of the uneasy sensation
of being watched-which, of course
was absurd. the mans atfictio1
brought to mind.
well 2"
Haven't located It yet" said Coast
though this was not strictly true; he
could already hazard a shrewd guess
with the confession Of neglect to guide
! him.
d'you suppose became of the Corsair?'
"One guess is as good as another
isn't it?''
What d'you mean by that?"
THAT / don't know"
You'd think Finn nd we managed
to get her of by this time-eh
Wouldn't your Blackstock grumbled
Without outside help, I'd judge i
a pretty tough job"
We'll, but with help
mot so easy to get, under the cir
| cumstances. That wind was enough
to clear the Sound of ordinary traffic
and even today. up to some time aftel
noon at least, there'd be a fairly rug
| ged sea running to keep smaller Graf
at home"
/ ooh, you think so, eh?" commented
Blackstock with an accent of irony
that made Coast straighten up and
look over his shoulder. But the maj
was not even facing him, and he
| could gather little from his expression
That's all very we'll" he continued
ltss0ut it happens I advised Voorhis o.
their fix last night, and he sent a tut
down from Vineyard Haven this morn
ing. The tug reports no sign Of tht
Corsair. Now what d'you know about
! that?"
Its not easy to explain" said Coas'
IN perhaps too placid q tone. II wa'
! difficult to subtract from his voice The
exultatiou he felt So Appleysrd haf