The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-01-08
| (@e TIME
| - LOCK
4 By CHARLES EDMONDS WALK |
u Author of "The Silver Blade"
"The Paternoster Ruby" etc.

diouS- Suo met MIN Win a charming
friendly smile which, in his estimation,
fully compensated for all his hours of
loneliness, and her first words made
him forget his cares.
Captain Phinney," she began, do
you know, it is downright selfish of
you not to grant me at least a peep
at that coy room up forward, where
you spend SO much of your time"
"The chart-house?" he exclaimed
why, you can have 1t for a boudoir,
| IL you want it. Come on
Once inside, Tom instantly recog-
nized what, no doubt, had been in the
/ girls mind from the beginning-that
while they might talk with absolute
assurance against being overheard, the
numerous ports rendered them visible
to any of the men forward who cared
to look that way, and those Of the
watch who had occasion to pass on
one side or the other.
"Oh, how comfy!" she exclaimed in
q low voice as soon as they had en-
tered. eff / was the Kohinur's skip
per, you would always find me right
here"
"And I'll spend a good part of my
time here, once we're out at sea-" Tom
responded. "and hope you'll want to
find me often. But il you're judging
by these comfortable quarters that my
jobs sinecure, why, you-you-"
Have another guess coming?" she
finished for him.
He nodded dejectedly. Mistaken
was what l was trying to think of,
though" Then, with an abrupt change
of manner and tone, he went on:
Della, no doubt you have noticed
the past two or three days that have
been as worried as the dickens. 1t is
bad enough to have charge of this
boat and know that something secret
is going on, without having an inkling
of what that secret is; a fellow is
bound to make all sorts of conjectures
and be suspicious of Willard, you
know. The certainty that you couldn't
be mixed up with anything crooked is
the one thing that's made me rather
ashamed of my own suspicious.
"But l have reasons aside from all
this for being worried, reasons you
haven't the slightest idea of, that make
my position about as devilish one as
fellow ever got into. Until this week
l never knew I had any nerves; now
I'm nearly wreck"
Perhaps" said the girl slowly, 81
know more about the real cause OF
your perturbation than you suspect"
NO" returned Tom. confidently
you couldn't. Remember the chum
told you about whose cousin disap
peared? Well, some way she's involved
In whatever 1t is old Willard's plotting
What's the matter?"
His hearer had uttered q little cry
and was now looking ut him with q
shocked and puzzled expression.
How in the world" she demanded
did you reach such a conclusion?''
Il didn't" truthfully explained Tom
But a detective and Ruddy-that'.
my chum-did because the missing
girls purse was found in that ole
house where Willard hung out &C
. long"
There was a silent pause while the
: girl seemed to consider, and Ton
watched her earnestly and fondly A
sober look
What is it you want to known" she
gravely asked.
"Delia"-Tom's voice lowered per
! ceptibly and serious note crept int
it-"you ought to know-you ought tt
see-where my chief interest lies
Hang it all! / wish l could express
myself better. But if you can't Sc,
that my first concern is for you, til
going to be dashed hard for me to ex
plain
Captain Phinney," returned the gir
after a moment, Il sought this inter
view deliberately. l wanted to tel
you that have seen just how harasse,
with anxiety you have been, and tina.
have deep appreciation of your fdel
: ity to project about which you know
SO little. and which at best you fear i
observation-disclosures, perhaps. But
please Colby this time tomorrow al
cause for worry will have been re
moved; and if my word bears an
weight, you have nothing to cause yo
any concern or misgivings."
THAT" Tom interjected, remove
the last doubt. You're a brick!"
But she was not through; she cor
tinued, haltingly now and with slowl
heightening color:
Il am telling you these things b.
cause it Is not right that my influenc
4 should govern you. as 1t seemed to b
: doing, and you ignorant OF my yer
= identity"
\ In this mien the girl was 80 utter
ably sweet and charming that Tor
could scarcely contain himself H
darted scowling look at the upcu1
tanned ports, at which her color all a
once deepened still more, and sh
dropped her gaze with nervous littl
!, laugh. 1t was Just that easy to folio,
:, his train Of thought.
That's something soon remedied
- he urged her eagerly.
And now the hoautiful faro took n