The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-26
b MlIlON [OlIAP MYSTERY @fmold MacGntI


Brains thsrsupon rubbed forward = ssaso
J1ocenee Barnes swung r1orsnce bsAi11
1in.
~1 ssss sAs'n seay hsrs lsssls le.ea,
dr.
Time was vital. and this obstinacy made
Brains furious. He reached again for Floe-
enes
Clear ont . here. r show your author
ity," growled Barnea
She goes with me, or you'n regret IT.
An right. But l guess tn law woa't
hurt me none. I'm in my rights. ThexSis
the door, Mister
II refuse to 60 without hsrl"
Barnes sighed. He was on land . man Of
peace. but there was limit to his patience.
He ssissd Braine BY the shoulders and hus-
tied him out Of the house.
Bring your proofs, Mister, an pothins
morsu b sid: but TIN y bring EN-, keep
away from this cottage"
And. simple minded sailor that ~ was, ho
thought this ssttlsd the matter.
That night he kept his ears open for UNI
usual Sounds but he merely wasted H.
nights rest Quite naturally, he reckoneA
that the stranger would make his attempt
at night. Indeed. b made Il In broad day
light, with Barnes not hundred yards away,
calling . dosy WHOSE seams had sprung .
LEAK. Brains had Florence upon the char
t9sd yacht bseoEs the old man realised what
had happened. He never sxw Florence
again; but one day, months later, he read
an about her in . newspaper.
Florence fought; but she was weak, and
20 the conquest was easy. Braine was kind
enough, now that he had her safe. He
talked to her, but she merely stared at ths
receding coast.
IAN night: don't talk II you don't want 10.
Here" to one Of the men, take her to he
cabin and keep her there. But don't ron
touch her. IN break You If you do. Put
her in her cabin and guard the door; at
least keep an eye ON it, 49,
Even the temporarily demented are not
without . species of cunning Florence had
never seen Braine till he appeared at the
Barnes cottage. Yet she revolted at the
touch Of his hand; hated him with violence
which would have stirred the scientific in
terest Of an alienist. She wanted to hurt
him, torture him. beat him down and trample
on him. But ~ this was q physical impos-
sibility, she did the next most agreeable
thing to her disordered mind. On the second
day out toward New York, she found a box
Of matches and blithely set DIRE to her cabin,
walked out into the corridor and thence to
the deck. When the fire was discovered. IL
had gained too much headway to be stopped.
The yacht was doomed. They put OF In the
boats and for half Z day drifted helplessly.
Fate has everything mapped out like .
game Of chess. You move pawn, and hang
goes your bishop, or your knight or your
king; or she lets you almost win q game
and then checkmates you. But there ID ons
thing to be said in her favor-raf At he's
how we will, she Is always giving odds to the
innocent.
Mike Bannock was in the piloth0use, look
Ing over his charts wren the lookout in the
crows nest sang out: :" Two boats adrfft
OF the port bow, sir!" And Bannock, who
was . FIRST class sailor, although . rough
one, shouted down the tube to the engine
room. The freighter came to . halt in
about ten minutes. The castaways saw that
they had been noted. and pulled gallantly at
the CARA
There are some things which science, wen
advanced a. It Is, cannot explain. Among
them II the shock which cuts of the past
and the countershock which reawakens menu
DRY. They may write treatise after treatise
and expound, but they never succeed in truly
getting beyond that dark wall Of mystery.
At the sound Of Jim Norton's voice and at
the sight Of his face-for subconsciously sho
must have been thinking of him ali In,