Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-06-25
CHAPTER XVII.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND.

Eager to have Harcourt safely hid
den from the gaze of chance wan
derers or whoever might live nearby,
Cornish started OFF on a hurried tour
of investigation. He knew 1t would
soon be daylight, and already the
darkness was fading. Great clouds
rolled seaward, and the wind was
gale, but, although there was no
sign of the sun, the storm seemed to
be over.
Alert against discovery Cornish
moved cautiously along the beach in
the dull gray of the morning. He
was elated over the trick he had
played the officers of the cutter, but
he realized only too well the diff
culties that now lay before him. The
cafe of an injured man wanted by the
police would be no easy matter, and
he was trying his best to invent some
plausible reason for their presence
on the coast, wet and bedraggled at
so early an hour.
Just around a little mound of sand
dunes, covered with tall, rank grass,
he stopped short. There stood a
rude snack or lean-to, apparently a
shelter set up by fishermen, The
door stood partly open, but there was
no sign of life about the place.
Kneeling down behind the grass Cor
nish watched carefully for several
minutes Then, drawing revolver
from his pocket, he slowly approached
the hut. He listened, alert for the
slightest sound within, but hearing
nothing, walked boldly up and looked
inside 1t was deserted-a hovel de-
void of furniture or fittings, and ap-
parently unoccupied.
AS he stepped inside, however, he
noticed change in temperature. 1t
was much warmer than the air out
side. The place had a smoky odor,
too, and in the far corner he saw a
blackened stone with ashes scattered
over it. NThe fire was dead, but the
stone was still hot cs he stopped down
to touch it. Apparently someone had
spent the night t.ere and had only
recently left, although there was moth
ing else to indicate that the place had
been recently inhabited.
Satisfying himself that whoever
might Lave been there was not now
about, Cornish hurried back to Adele.
She was weary after the strain of the
night, but she smiled brightly when
he told her what he had found, and
at once arose to accompany him.
Once inside the hut, Adele made a
rude bed for Harcourt with the
greatcoats of the two men. while Cor.
nish spread out Adele's slicker for her
to lie down upon.
"Now I'm going off to find the near.
est village" he said when she had
stretched herself out with little
sigh. "I'll bring back doctor If
can find one, and I'm going to tele'
graph to Sir Harry"
isn't that rather dangerous?' p
Adele asked apprehensively, Both
he and Mr.. Darlington are probably
being watched by the police in an
ticipation of just such communities
ton"
Cornish smiled. "Sir Harry can
read the message to MacBee himself
II he likes. When / find out where
we are I'll send him message that
NO one else can understand. I'll sigr
any name that comes into my head
and Sir Harry will be on in min
ute."
AS Cornish finished speaking, Har
court stirred uneasily and murmuret
something family. They bent ovel
him and Adele removed the bandags
from the wound.
"It doesn't seem to be much of &
out" she said, examining 1t closely.
mo. The trouble Is apparently in
side" Cornish answered. "It looks
to me like fractured skull. in which
case there's no time to lose. I'm of
now" He handed his revolver t.
Adele. you'd better have this" h,
said ~ don't imagine you'll hav'
the slightest use for 1t, but you'll fee
more comfortable with 1t. here alone
AS she too kthe weapon she smiles
confidently at him. Don't be anxious
dad. / shall be safe enough. shan