The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-26

near Capt. Barnes cottage just outside the
village.
An say, Mister, seen anythin' In tn pa
pers about a missin' young wcman?" asked
some one.
missing young woman? What's that?'
The man told the story Of Florences leap
into the sea and her subsequent arrival at
the cape.
"That's funny" said the stranger. Il
don't recollect reading about any young
woman being lost at But those big
liners are always keeping such things under
cover. Hoodoos the ship, they say, and turns
prospective passengers to other lines. It
hurts business. What's the young girl look
likeY'
Florence was described infinitely The
stranger teetered in his chair and smoked.
Finally ne spoke.
She was probably insane. That's tho
way generally with insane people. They
can't see water look of tall building
without wanting to jump. Ny business is In
surance, and we've got the thing figured
pretty close to the ground. They used to get
the best Of as on the suicide game. A man
would take out large policy today and to-
morrow he'd blow his mead OF, and we'd have
10 pay his wife. But nowadays a policy is
not worth the paper it's written on II 4 man
commits suicide under two years."
you amt tyf1 t insure anybody in
town, are your"
20, no. No work for me when I'm on my
vacation. Well, I'm going to bed, and to-
morrow morning IN go out to Capt. Barnes
beach and have 4 good swim. I'm no sailor,
but like water"
He honestly enjoyed swimming. Early the
next morning he was in the water, frolicking
about as playfully as a boy. He had all the
time in the world. Over his shoulder he saw
two women wandering down toward the
beach Deeper he went, farther out. He
was q bold swimmer, but that did not pre-
vent a sudden and violent attack Of cramps.
And 1t was a rare piece Of irony that the
poor girl should save the life of that scoun-
drel who was without pity mercy. As she
saw his face startled frown marred ner
brow. But she could not figure out the puz-
xle. Had she ever seen the man before? She
did not know, she could not tell. Why could
not she remember? Why must her poor head
ache so when she tried to pierce the wall of
darkness which surrounded her mentally?
The man thanked her feebly, but the graf
itrde was on his lips and not In his heart.
When he mad sufficiently recovered he re-
turned to the village and sought the railway
station, where the Western Union had its
ONCE.
want to send a code message to my
firm. Do you think you can follow it,"
can try" said the operator.
The code was really s3lav; and when the
long message was signed it was signed by
the name Vroon-
The day after the news came that Flor
ence had jumped overheard OF the Banks.
vroon with dozen other men had started
out to comb all the fishing villages along the
New England coast. Somewhere along the
way he felt confident that he would learn
whether the girl was dead alive. If she
was dead, then the game was . draw: but il
she was alive there was stffl fighting chance
for the Black Hundred he had had some
idea Of remaining in the village and accom-
pEshing the work himself; but after deIiber1
ton be concluded that it was important
enough for Braine himself to take hard IN
So the following night he departed for Bos
ton, f1um there to New York. BE proceedei
sks