The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-12-11

to see you fish her out of that hole"
But Hambleton was out of earshot
and out of sight. An empty passage
smelling of bilge-water and pent-up
gases opened suddenly on to the larg-
er dock. Damp flooring with wide
cracks stretched off to the left; on
the right the solid planking terminal
ed suddenly in huge piles, against
which the water. capped with scum
and weeds, splashed fitfully. The riv-
er bank, lined with docks, seemed
lulled into temporary quietness. Ferry
boats steamed at their labors farther
up and down the river. but the cur
rents of travel left here and there a
peaceful quarter such as this.
Hambleton's gaze searched the dock
and the river in a rapid survey. The
dock itself was dim and vast, with a
few workmen looking like ants in the
distance. II offered nothing of en-
enlargement; but on the river, fifty
yards away, and getting farther away
every minute, was a yachts tender.
The figures of the two rowers we're
quite distinct, their oars making
rhythmical flashes over the water,
but it was impossible to say exactly
what freight, human or otherwise, it
carried. 1t was evident that there
we're people aboard, possibly several.
Even as Hambleton strained his eyes
to see. the outlines of the rowboat
merged into the dimness. 1t was
pointed like a gun toward a large
yacht lying at ancher further out in
the stream. The vessel swayed pref
tily to the current, and slowly swung
its dim light from the masthead.
They've got her-out in that boat"
said Hambleton to himself, feeling,
while the words were on his lips,
that he was drawing conclusions I'M
warranted by the evidence. Thus he
stood, one foot on the slippery log
siding of the dock, watching while the
little drama played itself out so far
as his present knowledge could. go. His
Judgment still hung in suspense, but
his senses quickened themselves to
detect, If possible, what the outcome
might be. He saw the tender APP
proach the boat, lie alongside; saw
one sailor after another descend the
rope ladder, saw a limp, inert mass
lifted from the rowboat and carried
up, as if it had been merchandise, to
the deck of the yacht; saw two men
follow the limp bundle over the gun
vale; and finally saw the boat herself
drawn up and placed in her davits.
conclusion, like a bolt into its socket.
They're kidnapping her, without a
doubt" he said slowly. For a moment
he was like one struck stupid. Slowly
he turned to the dock, looking up and
down its orderly but unprepossessing
clutter. Dim lights shone here and
there, and a few hands were at work
at the farther end. The dull silence,
the unresponsive preoccupation Of
whatever life was in sight, made it all
seem as remote from him and from
this tragedy as from the stars.
In fact, 1t was impersonal and re-
mote to such a degree that Handle
toms practical mind halted yet an in
slant, in doubt whether there were
not some plausible explanation. The
thought came back to him suddenly
that the motor-car must be somewhere
in the neighborhood if his conclusion
were correct.
On. the instant his brain became ac-
tive again. II did not take long, as a
matter of fact, to find the car; though
when he stumbled on it, turned about
and neatly slowed away close beside
the partitioning wall, he gave a start.
It was such a tangible evidence of
what had threatened to grow vague
and unreal on his hands. He squeezed
himself into the narrow space between
it and the wall, finally thrusting his
head under the curtains of the ton
neau.
1t was high and dry, empty as last
years cockleshell. Not a sign of life,
not a loose object of any kind except
a filmy thing which Hambleton found
himself observing thoughtfully. At
last he picked it up-a long. mist-like
veil. He spread 1t out, held 1t gin
gerly between a thumb and finger OF
each hand, and continued to look at
1t abstractedly, Part Of it was clean
and whole, dainty as only a bit OF
woman's finery can be; but one end
of 1t was torn and twisted and
stretched out of all semblance to IT,
self. Moreover, II was dirty, as II II
had been ground under a muddy heel
1t was. in it's way, o shrieking evil
dence of violence, of unrighteous
struggle. Hambleton folded the scarf
carefully, with its edges together. and
put IT In his pocket.
Jimmy's actions from this time on
had an incentive and spirit that had
before been lacking. He noted again
the number OF the car. and returned
to the edge OF the dock TO observe the
yacht. She had steamed up river q
little way for some reason known only
TO herself. and was now turning very
olnugIu Che ma h..f Gal Al Il.hta "A a =. a