The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1914-11-20

| SET OH.
And so it came about that, what
with one thing and another, Hill re-
mained in Jersey until night fell, ate
his supper from crowded lunch
wagon near the docks, and afterward
gave the wagon itself a minute and
critical examination. The result OF
this last was, that as soon as he had
done, he went to the nearest news
stand. Here he bought a post card
upon which was depicted pea-green
likeness of the local soldiers monu-
ment, and wrote in the space for cor
respondence-I had supper tonight
with Mr.. Lovejoy. His wagon is
superb, and at the present rate Of the
business he has, I shall expect a we'd
ding invitation inside month" Then
he signed his own name, appended the
Jones street address, and posted it.
Then, much exhilarated by his long
| thought" OF Iris, and the piquant coin
cidence that had befallen him, he de-
termined to turn the night to profit,
and set to work among the river-front
resorts.
|
At midnight the Jersey shipyards
are very still, and down toward where
the docks are fewer, and farther apart,
it is quiet indeed, once darkness has
| fallen. Here and there one hears the
| baying of humanity ESQ called belch-
| ing out from the swinging doorway Of
some low-ceilinged, evil-lighted den,
the resort Of poverty and brute
engendered by outdoor work find vent
under the name of recreation. Against
| the outer darkness loom masses yet
| more dark, and sometimes a crimson
light, like dull jewel, smokes at the
crest of these, when the indefinable
| bulk is a ship.
At wide intervals, flaring light H.
lumines throng of toilers, who, like
the distorted creatures of a dream,
| rush about in methodical disorder, ac-
compltshing the loading of some vessel
| that must sail at dawn. Whichever
| lies before one, the darkness or the in
ferno of light and noise, it is a won
| server with its vast suggestive quality
and arouse the desire to linger and
| watch.
Hill thought of this when he came
out from one of the low saloons into
| the tingling cold of night, and saw the
strange panorama that melted away
| on either hand.
Presently they reached small COW
cred dock where greenish light was
| burning, in the glow of which some
| score of men were at work, loading
great cases into the hold of a small
| third or fourth rate steamer.
There seemed to be curiously little
disorder or excitement in connection
| with this embarkment, a fact which
soon impressed itself upon Hills mind.
Nor did the men appear to be In any
particular hurry. Then question OBJ
| truded itself. If they were not rushed,
| why did they work so late at night? 1t
| was rather odd. The cargo was odd,
too. From the size, shape and weight
of the wooden cases of which it prin-
cipally consisted, the shipment was
evidently composed of pianos. Where
on earth could so many pianos be 60
| ing to? With little effort he remem-
bered the sign at the entrance to the
dock-"The Venezuela Fruit Steam
ship company" All, that accounted
| for it! Of course, It was only reason
able to suppose that Venezuela turned
out very few pianos, if any. How
quaint, though! He began to muse
upon the melodious consignment, and
| therefore, to observe the cases more
closely. How odd that they should be
put aboard at night!
A man who had been directing the
| work, his back toward Hill, now turned
about so that the light shone full upon
| his face, and at the sight of it Sam
| gave an involuntary cry of recognition
which, however, was lost in the gen.
eral noise. 1t was Rowe! The mem
ory of their last meeting. and of Old
| Nita, came to him in a flash, and his
hands clenched ominously. Here, per-
| hans. was a chance for retaliation!
Rut before he could act on the i'm
pulse, several things happened all at
once
A piano case, which was being low
| cred from a truck, was allowed to drop
in such a way that it split open. From
the aperture several objects fell out
upon the pier. They We're rifles! Field
| rifles, new and shining!
With snort Of amazement Sam
sprang forward, and at that same in
slant he felt himself seized upon either
shoulder. Looking around, he saw that
he was captive between two huge long
shoremen. who proceeded to propel
him toward. the ship AS they came
mn with Rowe, who was cursing
| roundly, but had already managed to
get the rifles out of sight, one of the
| rptflans called out: Here's a detect
i've mister, disguised as a dago. We
caught him spying just before the case
| broke
with an oath, Rowe whipped around.
and for a moment the two men stood
glaring at each other.
"Take him aboard" said Rowe,
breathing hard. Captains room. I'll
be there directly
What the devil :" began Hill
furiossly. But he was cut short by
::.') azaK