The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-10-30
CHAPTER vi.

-uAVEu i JUST tOl0 yO0 NA1&S 1900
fight for my life? My boat was IN
flames. We had to swim for It I'LL
we were picked up by a Long Island
barge tug. l don't know what became
Of the metorman. He must nave
headed straight for shore. And I'm
glad he did. Otherwise he'd be howl
ing for the price of another boat.
Olga. for the first time I've had TO
let one of the boys have a look at
my face. Doesn't know the name;
but one of these days he'll stumble
across it, and the result will be black
mail, unless push him of into the
dark. 1t was accidental"
The countess leaned forward, her
hands tightly clinched.
But the box!"
Braine made a gesture of despair.
LEO, are you using any drug these
days?"
Don't make fun of me, Olga" i'm
patiently. did you ever see me drink
more than a pint of wine or smoke
more than two cigars in an evening?
Poor fools! What! let my brain go
into the wastebasket for the sake or
an hour or so of exhilaration? No,
and never will /, I'm keen about the
gray matter I've got, and by the Lord
Harry, I'm going to keep it. There's
only one dope fend in the Hundred,
and he's one of the best decoys we
have; so we let him have his coke
whenever he really needs it. But this
man FELTON, has seen my face. Some
day he'll see it again, ask questions,
and then :"
Then what?"
"A burial at sea-" he laughed. The
laughter died swiftly as it came.
Threw 1t into eight hundred feet OF
water, on a bar where the sands are
always shifting. He'll never find 1t,
even IL he took the range. He could
not have got decent one. The sun
was dropping and the shadows were
long. He threw the chest into the
water and then began pegging away
at us, cool as you please, and fired
our tank"
at looks to me as if he had wasted
his time"
THAT depends. Between you and
me and the gate-post, I've sneaking
idea that this man Jones, whom no.
body has given any particular atten-
ton, is a deep, clever man. He may
have been honestly attempting to find
a new hiding place; the advertisement
In the newspaper may have drawn
him. He may have thrown the box
over in pure rage at seeing himself
checkmated. Again, the whole thing
may have been worked up for our
benefit, a blind But If that's the
case, Jones has us on the hip, for we
can't tell. But we can do what in ali
probability he expects we'll cease to
do-watch him just as shrewdly as
before"
Olga caught his hand and drew him
down beside her. Il wasn't going to
bother you tonight, but it may mean
something vital"
-sWhat?" alertly.
For reply she rose and walked over
to the light button. She pressed it
and the apartment became dark.
Come over to the window, quick!"
She dragged him across the room.
Over the way, the house with the
marble frontage"
A man emerged, lit cigarette, and
walked leisurely down the street.
MOI" she cried, as Blaine turned
to make for the door doubtless with
the intention of finding out who this
man was. Every night after you
leave he appears"
Does he follow me?"
NO. And that's what bothered me
at first. l believed he was watching
some apartment above. But regularly
when / turn out the lights he comes
forth. So there's no doubt that be
watches you enter and takes note of
your departure"
But doesn't follow me. That's odd.
What the devil is his idea?"
I'd give a good deal to learn
The shadow and the glowing cigar
cite disappeared around the corner.
and the lights in the apartment were
turned on again.
He's gone You really think he's
watching me?"
He is watching this apartment, |
know that much"
And even at that moment the watch
u was watching from his vantage be
hind the corner.
suspicious" he murmured, tossins
ma cigarette into the gutter. They're
Watching me for change. I'll dror
caf. know what ! know. It's great
world It's fine to be alive and kickin.
On top Of it." He went on without
haste and took the subway train 70,
downtown.
Is there any way could get nea,
him." asked Braine.
Tomorrow night you might leave
~ the janitor's entrance. I'll kee,
me lights on till y0f,sra oufo;aa rrl. :.