The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-05


fancies? What did this mans death
signify to her more than 1t did to any
one else here present?
To one such as Van Vechten. accus-
toned TO reading the al but impercept-
ible induces Of schooled features, this
vision was like q naked human soul
Terror and despair parted the delicate
pink lips and widened the lustrous
dark eyes. they blanched her cheeks
and held her breathless, utterly OBJ
/ livious of aught else save the dead
man.
And now he discovered, suddenly.
that he was not the only person inter
ested in the agitated girl. His atten-
! ton was somehow drawn 20 a man
standing a half dozen or so feet from
her; a tall, raw-boned fellow with a
powerful frame and a sullen cast Of
countenance-a countenance just now
scratched and bruised, as if it's owner
! had recently met with a severe acct
dent of some kind.
This man was staring angrily at the
girl. He too seemed to be oblivious of
! the dead man, and intent only upon
catching her eye. And then the mag
netism of his look had its effect; her
| eyes were drawn to his, and she came
to herself with a start. A tinge of color
appeared in her cheeks; but Van Vech-
ten observed that the terror and de-
spair still fingered in her eyes.
Van Vechten turned his attention
to the man with something like resent
ment stirring in his bosom, for the fell
lows manner suggested a proprietary
relationship toward the girl, which, for
a reason he did not attempt just then
to explain, made him angry. AS far
as attire went, the man was present
able enough; but Van Vechten was not
favorably prepossessed by the sullen,
battered countenance, the coarse,
sandy hair, nor the big, loose-jointed,
powerful body.
Then the cautioning glance was of a
sudden accounted for; the man, salts
fed that the girl had caught his mean
ing, showed that he had noted Van
Vechten's more than casual regard, by
vindictive look from pair of steely
gray eyes-a look at once so keen and
truculent and challenging that it's re-
7 cipient was for the moment dunn
founded.
However, Van Vechten's puzzlement
over this strange bit of byplay, his en-
crossing admiration of the girls
beauty, was broken rudely in upon by
a sudden confused movement of the
crowd. With changing bell and a
noisy clatter of iron-shod hoofs upon
the asphalt, police ambulance drew
! OF hn oil
ten were jostled with the others, and
the latter's attention was distracted
from the girl and the sandy-haired man
He watched a second officer and the
young surgeon leap nimbly down; the
first to join his comrade in holding
the crowd in check, the other to rem
der such aid to the stricken man as
> any faint Indication of life might call
for. The motionless figure, however,
was beyond the reach Of any surgeon
skill; it required but a cursory inspec.
ton to determine this.
8 Van Vechten saw, hazily, the young
. physician indicate the mark on the
mans temple, and lay the tip of a fore
finger upon another spot behind the
l left ear, the while he talked in under
tones to the two policemen. Then the
crowd quoted, and he had an oppor
tunity to look at the girl again.
;, 1t was with something of a shock
that he realized she was no longer con
fronting him. His glance few quickly
: hither and thither-even hoping fol
!. the sandy-haired man, as sort OF
clue-but she was nowhere to be seen
Both had vanished.
. The ambulance was now departing
= with it's silent burden, the crowd was
> dissolving or breaking up into little
, groups to discuss the tragedy, and the
;, two friends were walking at leisure
!, ly pace back to the Powhatan. Once
;, more to themselves, and Tom Phin
neys volubility returned.
why the dickens didn't you wan
to tell him what you know?" he de
handed.
The answer was uttered softly.
tom, whatever reasons l may have
l couldn't put into words. At least,
sha'n't attempt to just now. You sure
ly know what a 'hunch' is; your
scheme of life seems largely to be gov
erned by them"
HUH" grunted Tom, without under
standing, but inadvertently hitting up
on a part of the reason for his friend.
reticence. 1T is the yelled lady in tn,
taxi; you think you are on the seen
Of an adventure. Rats! No adventur,
there. She was lady, can tell yol
that"
The other gave him a sharp glance
as if estimating the degree of his per
spicacity. How much could Tom tell
"Tom'-after a moment, 'if yo,
must falkland I know your limita
lions as compared with your inten
tions-promise me that you will no
mention the lady in the taxi-to any
body"
Van Vechten's manner was so DELHI