, 1912-02-22


lantic coast with his eyes shut.
Laura. you get the whisky and sugar
and hot water. You haven't brought
me a secretary, but you have brought
under my roof the son of an old
friend"
She laughed. II was rich and free
toned laughter good for any man to
hear. AS she went to prepare the
toddy music echoed through the hall.
sometimes ! wake up In the morn
ing with IA new gray hair" sighed the
admiral. What would you do with n
girl like that?"
nc hang on to her as long as /
could" earnestly.
81 SHALL" grimly. "Your father and
l were old friends. There wasn't n
yacht on these waters that could show
him her heels. not even my own. You
don't mean to tell me you're no yachts
man! Why, it ought to be In the
blood"
"Oh. I can handle small craft. but
l don't know much about the engine
room. What time does the next train
return to New York;"
For you there'll be no train under
a week. You're going to stay here,
since you've been the victim of a
hoax"
"Disabuse your mind there. sir. l
don't know when I've enjoyed any.
thing so thoroughly"
But you'll stay? oh, yesi" as Fitz.
gerald shook his head. THE secre
tary can do the work here while you
and ! can take care of the rats in
the hold Laura's Just imagining
things. but we'll humor her. If there's
any trouble with the chimney, why.
Wen get a bricklayer and pull 1t
down"
Miss Killigrew may have some real
cause for alarm l saw a man. or.
rather. l heard him. running as l
came up the road from the gates. ]
called to him. but he did not answer"
els that so? Wasn't the porter AT
the gates when you came In"
mo. The footpath was free"
'"This begins to look serious. If the
porter isn't there the gate bell rings.
I can open it myself by wire. l
never bother about 1t at night unless
l am expecting some one. But In the
daytime | can see from here whether
or not ! wish to open the gate. A
man running in the park. Ell? Little
good 1t will do him. The house is
a network of burglar alarms"
"Wires can be cut and quickly re-
paired"
But this is no house to rob. All
my valuables, excepting these books.
are in New York. The average bur
glar isn't of a literary turn of mind
Still. If Laura has really heard some
thing, all the more reason why you
should make us a visit. Wait a mo-
ment. I've an idea The admiral
set the burglar alarm and tried 1t.
The expression on his face was blank
Am l getting deaferf"
"No bell rang" said Fitzgerald
quickly.
by cracky. II Laura is right! But
not a word to her. mind. When she
soes upstairs we'll take a trip into the
cellar and have a look at the main
wire. You've got to stay; that's all
there is about 1t. This Is serious, |
hadn't tested the wires in a week"
perhaps It's only "A fuse"
I'VE can soon find out about that.
Sh, Not a word to her"
She entered with II tray and two
steaminG toddies, as graceful a being
az Hebe before she spilled the precious
drop. The two men could not keep
their eyes OF her. the one with loving
possession. the other with admiration
not wholly free from unrest. The OAR
Ing name In which she had lured him
here would never be forgetable. And
she had Known him at the start? And
that merry Mrs ColdHeld in the plot
81 hope this will cheer you, father"
"It always does" replied the admiral,