The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-01-22

shore. He had learned II on the
sleepy Cam, where the long, gliding
blade counts best. The men stayed
ashore a long time, disappearing en-
tirely beyond the clump of trees that
screened the outbuildings. When they
reappeared, an old man was with
them, following them down to the
boat. Then the white handkerchief
arDeared. and the boat started on its
return.
Aleck profted by Chamberlain's
work, and made the boat leap forward
by shorter, almost 1erky stroke. He
came back easily with five minutes to
spare.
Good work." said Mr.. Chamber
lain. you have me beaten, and you'll
get the bachelors buttons; but you
had the tide with you"
Nonsense! / had the Holsters ex-
tra!" asserted Aleck.
We'll, if you had been born an Eng
lishman, we'd make an oarsman out
of you yeti"
HUH" said Aleck.
But they had news to tell the ladies,
and while they we're having their
dinner their thoughts were turned to
another matter The island it ap-
peared, had for some years been aban-
doned by its owner, and it's only in
habitant was a gray and grizzly old
man, known to the region as the her
NIT. His fancy was to keep a light
burning always by night in the land
ward window of his cabin, so as to
warn sailors off the dangerous head
land. There was no lighthouse in the
vicinity, and by a kindly consent the
people on the neighboring islands and
on the mainland opposite encouraged
his benevolent delusion, if delusion it
might be called They contrived to
send him provisions at least once a
week; and they had supplied him with
a flag which. it was understood, he
would fly in case he was in actual
need. So. alone with his COW and his
fowls, the old hermit spent his days,
winter and summer, tending his lamp
when the dark came on.
Aleck and Mr.. Chamberlain had
picked up some of this information at
the last port which the Sea Gull made;
but what was of new and real interest
to them was. the story which the old
man told them of a castaway on the
island few days before.
"All hands had abandoned the
yacht just before she went down, it
appears. The owner was robbed by
his own men and marooned on the her.
mit's island-that's the gist of it,"
said Aleck.
"The hermit said the man wouldn't
eat off his table," went on Mr.. Cham
berlain; "but asked him for raw eggs
and ate them outdoors. Said that ex-
cept when he asked for eggs he never
spoke without cursing. At least, the
hermit couldn't understand what he
said, so he thought it was cursing.
And while the old man was talking, T"
added Chamberlain resentfully, that
DAoOhih6 PSdSOOh odudWhSu hhO q
demon"
'The yacht that went down, accord
ing to the man, was the Jeanne DArc,"
said Aleck, who had been grave
enough between all their light-hearted
talk 81 didn't tell you. Chamberlain.
that my cousin, my old chum, went
off quite Unexpectedly on boat
called the Jeanne D'Arc. Where he
went or what for, l don't know. OF
course, 1t may have been another
Jeanne D'Arc; 1t probably was. But
it troubles me-"
Melanie was instantly aroused.
"Oh, had an uncanny feeling when
you first mentioned the Jeanne
D'Arcl" she cried. But could you not
find out more? What became of the
man that was marooned?"
"He got off the island day or two
ago." said Aleck. The people that
brought provisions to the old man
took him TO the mainland, to Charles
port"
"The beggar left without so much
as thanking the old man for his
eggs" added Chamberlain.
Wen put into Charlesport tonight,
II you don't mind" said AlAck, IF