Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-01-23
CHAPTER IlI.-contInued.

CHAPTER ilI.-Contlnued.
On the instant his brain became &C
tive again. II did not take long, as q
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 start.
1t was such tangible evidence of
what had threatened to grow vague
and unreal on his hands He squeezed
himself into tho narrow space between
it and the wall, finally thrusting his
head under the curtains of the ton
neau
1t was high aud dry, empty as last
years cocklesbell. Not sign of life,
not a loose object of any kind except
a filmy thing which Hambleton found
himself observing thoughtfully. At
last he picked 1t up-a long, mist-like
veil. He spread 1t out, held it gin
gerly between a thumb and finger of
each hand, and continued to look at
Il abstractedly. Part of it was clean
snd 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.
sels Moreover, it was dirty, as If 1t
nad been ground under a muddy heel.
II was, in its way. a shrieking evil
dence of violence, of unrighteous
struggle Hambleton folded the scarf
carefully, with lis edges together, and
put it in hiB pocket.
Jimmy's actions from this time on
had an incentive and spirit that had
before been lacking He noted again
the number of tie car, and returned
to the edge Of the dock to observe the
yacht She had steamed up river g
little way for some reason known only
to herself, and was now turning ver.r
slowly. She was but family lighted ana
would pass for some pleasure craft just
coming home But Jim knew better. He
could, at last, put two and two togeth-
err He would follow the Face-ip-
deed, he could not help following it..
IN him had begun that divine expert
ence of youth--of youth essentially,
whether it como in early years or late
--of being carried off his feet by e
spirit not himself. He ran like a
youag athlete down the dock to the
nearest workman, evolving schemes
as he went.
The dock-hand alphabetically trun-
died a small key from one pile of
freight to another, wiped his hands
on his trousers, took dry pipe out
of his pocket, and looked vacantly up
the river before he replied to Handle
tons question.
Queer name-Jene Dark they call
ber."
1t was like pulling teeth to get in
formation out of him, but Jim applied
the forceps.
The yacht had been lying out in the
river for two weeks or more, possibly
less; belonged to foreign parts; no
one Whereabouts knew who its owner
was; nor its captain; nor its purpose
IN the harbor of New York At last,
osite gratuitously, the man volun-
t&ered a personal opinion. Slippery
b,at in gale wouldn't trust her"
Hambleton walked smartly back,
taking look both at the yacht and
the motor-car as he went. The yachts
nose pointed toward the Jersey shore;
the car was creeping out % the dock.
As he overlook the machine, he saw
that it was in the hands of mechanic
in overalls and jumper. In answer
to Hambleton's question as to the
owner OF the car, the mechanic told
him pleasantly to go to the devil, and
fer once the sight of coin failed to
produce any perceptible effect But
the maior-general. waiting half a
block away, was still in the humor of
giving fatherly advice. He welcomed
Jim heartily.
That's a hole amt got no use
for. Ovid you make OUT"
We'll enough, for all present pur-
poses. Can you undertake to do Job
for me?"
III 1t amt nothing I'd have to ar
rest you for, might consider It," he
chuckled.
Il want you to go to the Laramie
Club and tell Aleck Van Camp-got
the name?-that Hambleton has gone
on on the Jeanne Dare and may not
be back for some time; and he is to
look after the Sea Gull"
Hold on, young man; you're not
going to do anything out of reason, as
one might say!"
''Oh, no not at all; most reasonable