The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-08
(Co,y.izhs 1912 By A. c. AcClurz co.)
CHAPTER vi.
Tom Phinney's Adventure.

.
/. alterations" that at Van Vechten's
intimation that he desired to be left
alone, Tom stalked off to the billiard
room without a word.
Unluckily for his peace of mind,
he intruded upon two of his closest
cronies, and interrupted desultory
game of billiards. And the instant he
bardment of questions, all prompted
by eager curiosity respecting Number
1873 tragedy.
Say, you fellows, cut it QUIT" he
cried in desperation. I'm not going
to tell you anything at all. I'm not
going to talk about it,
At which they were all the more
Tom himself was in some way in
volved-or, at least, that he really
possessed some inside information.
This drew an explosion.
Il don't know a d thing about
it." Tom shouted, beating the air
| with his hands. Il saw a lot of fell
lows going into the house, and a wom-
an Confound you chaps! Why
can't you let fellow alone when he
: wants to think by himself"
"A woman!" he was quickly taken
up by both. who was she?"
But Tom relapsed into an obstinate
silence. He was angry and morose,
and his two friends left him in a huff,
calling him impolite names and guy
ing him for expressing a desire to
put his mental processes through an
unaccustomed exercise. This made
him gloomier still. And when he re-
flected that, after all, he had men
toned the mysterious woman in the
taxi, his depression became acute.
He drove the balls around a de-
serted table with vicious jabs Of his
cue, the while he too bewailed the
fate that kept him away from the
Carterets' yacht. For he could not
| think Of ayailing himself of this
pleasure unless Rudy were along.
Toms income did not permit of his
owning yachts or motor-cars; but
| what he did not know about them
| was not worth anybody's time trying
to find out.
He was thus reminded of a catboat
over at Rocky Cove, belonging to a
| friend who was in Europe, and which
| he could use whenever he wanted to.
| He threw down his cue, hunted up
timetable, then fastened home to
| toss a battered but wonderfully COM
and HE himself over to Long Island.
| AS he passed through the lounging-
room-it is worth recording-Van
Vechten was brooding in his corner,
and so did not see him. Tom sur
veyed him a second or SO, then con-
Guiding that he had better not break
in upon his cogitations, fastened
away.
| While it was yet daylight, Tom
found the sail where it was stored in
his friends boathouse, shipped the
| single mast and rugged it up, then
went up into town after a box of pro.
visions. He meant to cruise around
the Sound for a day or two, thus Civ.
ing Rudy plenty of time to think
and perhaps learn something definite
about his Cousin Paiges movements
|
might find time to join the Carterets
He was profoundly disguised that a
girls caprice was depriving him and
Ruddy of jolly good time.
That night, after a couple of pipes
he went to sleep in his little crafts
cabin, and before daylight he was
astir and taking advantage of a light
off-shore breeze. All day he loafeC
around the lower Sound, enjoying
himself immensely and incidentally
emptying the provision locker to the
last crumb. He viewed this CT cun
stance with rueful laugh.
Moses and green spectacles! ADt
| 7 thought l was laying in supple:
for weeks cruise!"
Then he laughed again-light-heart
edly this time-and trimmed about fol
home.
Dusk was falling when he driftet
close in toward Rocky Cove. He was
i possibly two miles off shore wheI
he heard the muEed exhaust anG
warning pipe Of a motor-boat. AnG
here is where his adventure may be
said 10 have begun.
CHANGING back, he made out the
craft bearing down upon him under E
smother Of spray of her own kicking
up. She swept by so close 10 por
that, despite the half-light, ne was
afforded a distinct view of several OF
} the boats occupants.
There were five men and three
} women. The latter were haf-hidder
in their wraps and kept their face: