The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1914-12-08


ABOUT Ordinary conversation she
seemed to understand; but Whenever
the past was broached she would
shake her head with frowning eyes,
Her main diversion consisted ofsitting
on the sand dunes and gazing out at
sea. ~
One. day a stranger came to. town.
He said he. represented a fife ,insur-
ance compeny and was up here from
Boston to take little vacation He
sat on the hotel porch that evening,
surrounded by an admiring audience.
The stranger had been all over the
world, so it seemed He spoke famil7
iarly Of St. Petersburg, Vladivostok.
Shanghai. as the villagers-some of
them--might have spoken of Boston.
There We're one or two old timers
AMONG the audience. They had been
to all. these parts The stranger knew
what he was telling about. After tell
ing OF his many voyages he asked if
there was a good bathing beach near
by. He was told that he would find
the most suitable spot near Captain
Barnes cottage just outside the vii
lage.
"An' say, Mister, seen anythin' in
tn papers about a missin' young wom-
an?" asked some one.
Missing young woman? What's
that?"
The man told the story Of F1orence's
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 sea. 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
like?"
Florence was described minutely. The
stranger teetered in his chair and
smoked. Finally he spoke.
"She probably was insane. That's
the way generally with insane people.
They can't see water OF look of a
tall building without wanting to jump.
My business is insurance, and we've
got the thing figured pretty close to
the ground, They used to get the
best of us on the suicide game A
man would take out a large policy
today and tomorrow he'd blow his
head of. and we'd have to pay his
wife. But nowadays a policy is not
worth the paper it's written on If
man commits suicide under two
years."
"You amt tryin' to insure anybody
In town. are your" 'T
"Oh, no. No work for me when
I'm on my vacation. Well, I'm going
to bed; and tomorrow morning III go
out to Captain Barnes beach and. have
a 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
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 bold swimmer, but that did
not prevent a sudden and violent attack
of cramps. Aud it was rare piece
Ct ir7ly Int the. 7cor girl should save
Jao life Of that scouadrcl Who was
'ith~rt Tity or mercy as she saw
h's face a startled frown marred her
brow. But she could not figure out the
puzzle. Had she ever seen the man.
before? She did not know, she could
not tell. Why could not she remem-
Der? Why must her poor head ache so
when she tried to pierce the wall Of
darkness which surrounded her nom
tally?
The man thanked her feebly, but
not in his heart. When he had sufl-
ciently recovered he returned to the
5illage and sought the railway station,
where the Western Union had its Of
flee.
Il want to send a code message to-
my firm. Do you think yor can fol-
low it?"
Il can try" said the operator.
The code was really Slav; and when
the long message was signed It was
signed by the name Vroon.
The day after the news came that
Florence had jumped overheard Off
the banks. Vroon with dozen other
men had started out to comb all the
fishing villages along the New Eng
land coast. Somewhere along the way
he felt confident that he would learn
whether the girl was dead or alive.
If she was dead then the game was a
draw, but if she was alive there was
still a fighting chance for the Black
Hundred. He had had some idea. Of re-
naming in the village and accomplish.
ing the work himself; but after DELHI
Grafton he concluded that Il was i'm
portant enough for Braine himself to
take hand in. So the following night
he departed for Boston, from there 10
New York. He proceeded at once to
the apartment Of the princess, where
Braine declared that he himself would