Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-04-23
CHAPTER VI.
Tom PhInneY,s Adventure.

what he was pleased TO call his friends
alterations" that at Van Vechten's
intimation that he desired TO be LEFT
alone. Tom stallsed on to the billiard
room without word.
Unluckly for his peace OF mind
he intruded upon two OF his closest
cronies, and interrupted desultory
game OF billiards. And the instant he
appeared he was assailed by a bonn.
bardment OF questions. all prompted
by eager curiosity respecting Number
1873 tragedy.
Say. you fellows. cut It outl" he
cried in desperation. I'm not going
to tell you anything at all. I'm not
going TO talk about It,"
At which they woe all the more
curious and eager. concluding that
Tom himself was In some way In.
volved-or at least. that he really
possessed some inside Information.
This drew an explosion.
Il don't know a d thing about
It," Tom shouted. beating the air
with his hands. Il saw lot OF fell
lows going into the house. and WON.
an Confound you chaps. Why
cant you let fellow alone when he
wants to think by himself"
A woman!" he was quickly taken
up by both. who was she?"
But Tom relapsed into an obstinate
silence. lie was angry and morose.
and his two friends left him In a hum
calling him impolite names and guy.
ing him for expressing a desire to
put his mental processes through an
unaccustomed exercise. This made
him gloomier still. And when he re-
nected that. after all, he had men.
toned the mysterious woman I'm tina
taxi. his depression became acute.
lie drove the balls around a de-
serted table with vicious jabs OF his
cue, the while he too bewalled the
rate that kept him away from the
Carterets' yacht For he could not
think OF availing himself of this
pleasure unless Rudy were along
Toms income did not permit OF his
owning yachts or motor-cars: but
what he did not know about them
was not worth anybody's time trying
TO find out.
he was thus reminded OF a catboat
over at Rocky Cove, belonging IN n
friend who was In Europe. and which
ne could use whenever he wanted to.
he threw down his cue, hunted IN
timetable. then FASTENED home TO
loss battered but wonderfully com.
portable negligee outfit into a bag
anu ME himself over to Long Island.
As ne passed through the lounging.
room-it Is worth recordins-yan
Vechten was brooding in his corner
anu 30 ala not see him. Tom sur
'eyed him a second or SO. then con.
Guiding that he had better not break
In upon his cogitations, FASTENED
away.
While 1t was yet daylight Tom
round the sail where 1t was stored IN
MS friends boathouse. shipped the
single mast and rugged 1t up. then
went up Into town after a box OF pro.
VISIONS He meant to cruise around
the Sound for a day or two. thus civ.
ing huddy plenty OF time to think
ana perhaps learn something definite
ABOUT his Cousin Paiges movements
mo the bargain; afterwards they
might find time to join the Carterets
ne was profoundly disgusted that a
SITS caprice was depriving him and
0udoy OF jolly good time.
mat night. after a couple of pines
40 went TO sleep in his little crafts
;aDin' and before daylight he was
istir and taking advantage of a light |
'n-Snore breeze. All day he loafed
lround the lower Sound, enjoying
nimself Immensely and incidentally
'"ptying the provision locker to the
asst crumb. He viewed this oircum.
lance with rueful laugh.
Moses and green spectaclesl And
thought was laying In supplies
or weeks cruisel"
Then he laughed Acknowledgement
IDLY this time-and trimmed about for |
lome.
Dusk was falling when he drifted
lose In toward Rocky Cove. He was
possibly two miles OF shore whom
lie heard the muffied exhaust and
pipe Of q motor-boat Ana
iere Is where his adventure NAV he
'aid to have begun. "
CHANGING back, he made out tbe
craft bearing down upon him undor
smother Of spray OF her own kIcL,na
ip. she swept by so close 10 no.,
-na.' despite the half-light. he was
anoroeo distinct view OF severa, -,
The boats occupants. several OF
mere were five men and tbres
women. The latter were baI,h, .a,ee
N tneir wraps and kept their lush
4verted' but the men all turnaa 'a "
starred at him with fxednass , anu !
surprised Tom considerably and INA. maj
nm not a little curious. So hn a'aue
.urned the scrutiny with an ,a We re-
'slt "ouio not have