The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-12-06
CHAPTER llI.-contInued.

SF1AF EN- lIi.-Contlnueu.
On the instant his brain became ac
tive again. It did not take long, as O
matter of fact, to find the car; though
when he stumbled on 1t. turned about
and neatly slowed away close beside
the partitioning wall. he gave a start
1t 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
1t and the wall, finally thrusting his
head under the curtains of the ton
neau
II was high and dry, empty as last
years cockleshell. Not a sign OF life,
not loose object of any kind except
a filmy thing which Hambleton found
himself observing thOughtfully. At
last he picked 1t up-a long. mist.iike
veil. He spread 1t out, held it gin
gerly between a thumb and finger of
each hand, and continued to look at
1t abstractedly. Part Of 1t 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, 1t was dirty, as If It
had been ground under a muddy heel
1t was, in its way, a shrieking evi-
dence of violence, of unrighteous
struggle. Hambleton folded the scarf
carefully, with its edges together, and
put 1t 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 a |
little way for some reason known only .
to herself, and was now turning very
slowly. She was but family lighted and
would pass for some pleasure craft just
coming home. But Jim knew better. He
could, at last, put two and two togeth-
er He would follow the Face-in-
deed, he could not help following It.
In him had begun that divine expert
ence of youth-of youth essentially,
whether 1t come in early years or late
of being carried off his feet by Il
spirit not himself He ran like a
young athlete down the dock 70 the
nearest workman, evolving schemes
as he went
The dock-hand alphabetically trun- |
died a small keg from one pile of |
freight to another, wiped his hands
On his trousers, took a dry pipe out 4
Of his pocket, and looked vacantly up [
he river before he replied to HANDLE $
on's question q
Queer name-Jene Dark they call C
ler." q
1t was like pulling teeth to get in fl
out of him, but Jim applied e
he forceps. \
The yacht had been lying out in the fl
iver for two weeks or more, possibly C,
sss; belonged to foreign parts; no fl
ne thereabouts knew who it's owner rC
'as; nor its captain; nor its purpose A
/ the harbor of New York. At last. in
ute gratuitously, the man volun- m
'ered a personal opinion. Slippery fo
pat in gale-wouldn't trust her."
Hambleton walked smartly back, or
king a look both at the yacht and ar
le motor-car as he went. The yachts in
,se pointed toward the Jersey shore; ly
q car was creeping out of the dock. mi
) he overlook the machine he saw alb
at it was in the hands of mechanic tic
overalls and jumper. In answer eli
Hambletons question as to the Sol
tner of the car, the mechanic told CO.
m pleasantly to go to the devil, and of
: once the sight of coin failed to
oduce any perceptible effect. But "a
: major-general, waiting half a but
,ck away, was still in the humor of ser
ing fatherly advice. He welcomed are
n heartily. ave
That's hole amt got no use ner
. 'Ow'd you make out?" "a,
Well enough, for all present pur- an
'es. Can you undertake to do job in
me?" n
II 1t amt nothing I'd have to ar he
you for, l might consider it," he war
Ickled. II 9
want you to go to the Laramie %
b and tell Aleck Van Camp-got NAL
name THAT Hambleton has gone vetl
on 'he Jeanne DArc and may not him