The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-12-31
Copyright, 1914. by Louis Joseph Vance

louis Joseph Vance
heart of a thug, the face Of a charm
ing child-the face Of the that
sat beside him, duplicating its every
perfect feature SC nearly that even he
who loved the one could scarcely dis
tinguish her from the other but by in
stinct, intuition, blind guesswork. .
He nodded he~avy-hearted confirma-
ton Of a surmise slowly settling into
conviction in his mind, that such cum
ming, such purpose and pertinacity
could not possibly spring from a mind
we'll balanced, that the woman. Judith
Urine, sister to the Rose he loved so
we'll, was as mad as hat monomaniac,
her father, who sat helpless In his
cell Of silence and shadows In New
York, day after day, eating his heart
out with Impotence for the word that
his vengeance had been consummated
by the daughter whom he had inspired
TO execute 1t.
An hour late, In dusk of evening,
the train numbered into Portland sta
ton; and, heart in mouth, Alan helped
Rose from the steps, shouldered a way
for her through the crowd, and almost
lifted her into a taxicab.
Best hotel in town." he demanded.
And be quick about it-for a double
tip"
He communicated his one desperate
scheme 70 the girl en- route, receiving
her Endorsement of 1t. So, having reg
istered for her and seer her safely to
the door OF the best available room IN
the house within ready call OF the pub
lie lobby and office, he washed up,
gulped a hasty meal-which Rose had
declined to share, pleading fatigue
and hurried away into the night with
only the negro driver of a public hack,
picked up haphazard at some distance
from the hotel, for his guide.
CHAPTER X.
FortuIty.
He wasted the better part of an
hour In fruitless and perhaps III
advised inquiries; Their his luck, such
as IL was, led him on suspicion down
q poorly lighted wharf, at the ex-
IRENE end OF which he discovered a
lonely young man perched atop a pile,
hands in pockets, gaze turned to a
tide whereon, now black night had
fallen, pallid wraiths of yachts swung
just yisibly beneath uneasy riding
lights.
Pardon me-" Alan ventured, but
perhaps you can help me out
You've come TO the wrong shop, my
friend" the young man interposed
with morose civility; y couldn't help
anybody out Of anything-the way
am now"
I'm sorry" said Alan. but 1
thought possibly you might know
where | could find a ~seaworthy boat
to charter
The young man slipped smartly
down from his perch. "If you don't
look sharp" he said ominously, you'll
charter the Seaventure." He waved
his hand toward a vessel moored
alongside the wharf: There she is,
and a better boat you won't find any
where-schooner-rigged, fifty feet over
all, twenty-five horsepower, motor aux
Hilary, two staterooms-all ready for
as long a coastwise cruise as you care
to take. Come aboard"
He led briskly across the wharf.
down a gangplank, then aft along the
deck to a companionway. by which the
two men gained a comfortable and
roomy cabin, bright with fresh white
enamel.
Here the light of the cabin lamp re-
vealed to Alan's searching scrutiny a
person Of sturdy build and independent
carriage. with a roughly modelled,
good-humored face. reddish hair, and
steady though twinkling blue eyes.
Name, Barcus." the young man in
troduced himself cheerfully; chris
tened Thomas. Nativity, American.
State Of life. fiat broke. That's the
rub" he laughed, and shrugged, shame
faced. Il found myself hard up this
spring with this boat on my hands,
sunk every cent l had-and then some
fitting out IN an oral charter with
a moneyed Brighter In New York, who
was to have met me here q fortnight
since. He didnt-and here ! am, In
pawn to the ship chandler, desperate
enough for anything"
How much do you over"
Upwards Of a hundred"
Say / q advanced that amount-when
car we sail?"
The young man reflected briefly.
There's something 90 engagingly idi-
otic about this proceeding" he OBJ
served wistfully. I've got the strang-
est kind Of q bunch It's going to 60
through. Pay my bills, and We AN be
on inside an hour. That is"
He checked with an exclamation Of
dismay, chapfallen. II may have some
trouble soaring up . crew 1T short
notice. i had two men engaged. but
last week they got tired doing moth
Ing for nothing and left me nat"
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