Evening journal., 1914-08-31
DEAD RECKONING.

wls schooner on island south Of
cape Cod
DEAD RECKONING.
On Nauset Beach. in the shank Of a midsummer
night two men sprawed on the sands. dis
tance back from the water, and listened to the
heavy humping of their overtaxed hearts, and
painted
Now and again one would lift his head and stare
out over the black face Of the waters at little
Inc OF reddish flames about mile OF shore all
that remained to witness to the fact that an hour
since these two had been in command of as trim
small schooner as ever ventured the coastwise
trip from Portland to New York
AS far out again. shone the starboard light of a
oecamod schooner whose people had been directly
responsible for the disaster which had overtaken
lhe smaller vessel
IN the course OF time beginning TO breathe with
more case. one OF the two marooned gentlemen said
Tell me. Barcus. what's the nearest symptom OF
'ivilzation?"
Chatham village" said Mr. Barcus. six miles
to tho nothards. and cut of by an inlet a mile or
SO wide At that"
Mr. Law groaned soulfuIy.
Then there's the lighthouse on Monomoy Point"
Mr.. narcus pursued. three miles 10 the south
silence commented eloquently on this asser
tlon. broken only when Mr.. Law voiced a thought
bred Of long and malignant observation Of the
schooners green eye.
I'd give a deal to know who's aboard that yes
You don't mean you think your regular young
WOMAN"
IT'S possible. Judith kidnapped Rose in Port
land. That's not far from Gloucester; a motor
could have caught that schooner before she
sailed 10 waylay us this morning. And what better
way TO take care Of able-bodied. fultempered
girl you've kidnapped than to ship her somewhere
BY sea, in the care Of trustworthy hellions?"
Don't ask mei I've done very little kidnapping
for OF my years"
For tuppence" said Mr. law, I'D risk swim
Of 10 that boat snd see for myself"
For two million dollars--l would mott" Barcus
affirmed with great decision
a moment or so later the line OF little flames
went ont altogether ana unexpectedly; and the
Of the late Seaventors faucied he could hear
az that distance the h.ss Of charred and
smolderine tirahera sucked under and drowned out
Exit" he announced plaintiyey. exit seaven-
ture, with heroic gesture. r : p good little
ship"
"Oh let up can't you" Mr. Law exclaimed peev.
lehy. I'm sorrier. than you are-and after all, it's
my loss: I've got 10 buy you another boat All
you've lost is your temper"
And my susceptibility to the charms of the we'll
known sex" Mr. Barcus corrected. Nothing can
ever restore my lost faith in gentle woman's gen
tlerees when you brought that young woman
aboard thought butter wouldn't melt In her mouth,
and for q while actually contemplated doing her
the kindness OF tipping you over into the drink,
SOS she could lavish her tender affections a reg
ular guy someone able to appreciate her-meanng
me Of course And first thing know she ups
and points gun at my mead ana tlps me over
hoard and then makes pretty bonfire out of my
sailboat And all the excuse you produce is
that she's crazy in the headl Well, who said she
wasn't? Any woman who would consent to elope
with you is a n subject fora commission de
iunatlco inquirendo all right"
For moment the two maintained attentive ST.
snken whisper troubled the silence. little
autter of sound from far across the waters. Grad
nally it gathered volume, became recognizable as
I the lisp Of cautious oars
Z sTn going away from here" Mr. Barcus an.
rounced guardedly. and gathered his legs under
him preparatory TO rising
Half second Alan Law insisted, rising in
turn and srasping the other by his arm They've
cot 10 land-haven't they?-and leave the boat
while thew look for u.s. Well then what's 70 pre-
vent our hiding in the dunes and"
In the next breath, Look outl" he shrieked.
With no warning whatever, and within fifty feet
offhem CHASTITY fare broke out in full blaze on
the surface Of the water revealing the shape OF
dorv which had drawn in unseen under cover OF
the profound darkness. and at the same time dis
covering to its occupants the two startled hgures
On the beach.
pefore they could stir the weird light glimmered
on polished weapon in the bow OF the boat a
spiteful tongue Of reddish flame spat out, bullet
sano between Messrs Law and Barcus, and with
a sad thud of disappointment buried itself In the
sands of wave-eaten bluff behind them
like twin automatons stirred TO action by the
renort the two turned and pelted on down the
beach to escape that deadly OF illumination.
other shots sped after them. but none was so
we'll aimed: and presently, finding break in
fhe bluff they swung OF into the grateful shelter
of the night-wrapped dunes.
Meantime the dory had grounded on the beach
and its several occupants-four or five Of them all
men. apparenty-jumpng out set of in pursuit
of the fugitives following the tracks in the sand
The blackqess OF the night however, conspired
with the savage labyrinth of the dunes TO save
Alan and his companion
Within another five minutes-while sti the Dur