The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-01-24

another matter. The Island II up
peared. had for some years been aban
doned by its owner. and its only In
habitant was n gray aud grizzly oil,
man, known TO the region as the her
init Ills fancy was 20 keep a ligh
burning always by night In the land
ward window of his cabin, 80 as u
warn sailors off the dangerous head
land There was no lighthouse IN the
vicinity, and by q kindly consent the
! people on tho neighborlng Islands and
on tbe mainland opposite encouraged
his benevolent delusion. II delusion II
might be called. They cohtrived Ia
send him provisions at least once a
week; and they had supplied him with
flag which, II was understood, he
would ay 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
mits island-that's the glst Of IT,"
said Alecl0
THE hermit said the man wouldn't
eat off his table" went on Mr.. Cham
berlaln; but asked him for raw eggs
and ate them outdoors. Said that eX-
cept when he asked for eggs he never
spoke without curslng. At least, the
hermit couldn't understand what he
said, so he thought il was cursing.
And while the old man was talking
added Chamberlain resentfully. that
blooming peacock sluawked like
demon"
The yacht that went down, accord.
ing to the man, was the Jeanne Dare"
said Aleck, who had been grave
enough between all their light-hearted
talk. Il didn't tell you. Chamberlain,
that my cousin. my old chum, went
off quite Unexpectedly on a boat
called the Jeanne Dare. Where he
went or what for, / don't know. OF
course, ii may have been another
Jeanne DArc; it probably was. But
it troubles me-"
Melanie was instantly aroused.
"Oh, ! had an uncanny feeling when
you first mentioned the Jeanne
DArc!" she cried But could you not
find out more? What became of the
man that was marooned?"
He got off the island a 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. !
If you don't mind" said Aleck. IF |
| can find the man that was marooned, !
may be able to learn something |
about Jim. if he really was on the
yacht. You can all go ashore, if you
like. There's a big summer hotel near
by, and it's a lovely country"
Well stay wherever it's most con
venient for you to have u.s." said
looking at Aleck, for once.
with more than a friendly interest in
Ter eyes
And perhaps l can help you, Van;
wo heads, you know" said Chamber
ain.
The village still rang, if so staid a
could be said to ring, with
'eports of the event of the week be-
ore. Doctor Thayer had been sphinx
ike, and Little Simon had been imag-
native and voluble; and it would have
,een difficult to say which had teased
he popular curiosity the more. Aleck
ound a tale ready for his ears about
he launch and it's three passengers, {
nth many conflicting details. Some
aid that great singer had been [
'recked off Rams Head, others that {
was the captain and mate of the {
eanne Dare, others that it was a !
aughter of old Parson Thayers sweet
cart and two sailors that came
shore. Little or nothing was known
bout the island castaway. Aleck fol-
WED the only clue he could find, c
linking to get at least some inkling I
the truth. U