The Ordway new era., 1914-11-13
TREY O HEARTS
(Continued from Page u

But now, though hs was all uncon.
scious Of the fact. he went no mora
alone.
His shadow in the moonlight kept
him company upon the ssnAsf and
above. on the edss Of ths blum. an
othsr shadow moved On paSallel
course and q . pace ssdulously pat.
termed aftsr his.
He found his .sweetheart and his
frfsnd nuek - hs had lsfS tAen. wttA
this diHerence-that Mr. Barcus now
lAy Fat on his hack and snoring
Justify.
He was waksnsd quickly enough.
however. By Alan's news.
But whsa Il was the turn Of Bose
they faltersd. She lay % stili. b.
trayed her sxhsustion 90 patiently h
sYsry line OF her unconscious posture,
- wsll ~ In ths sharp palIor Of hsr
face upturned 70 the moon. that II
seemed scarcely less than downright
inhumanity TO disturb her.
None the less. It had to be done.
Alan hardened his heart with the re-
minder Of their urxent necessity. and
eventually brought Ter to with the
aid Of . few drops OF brandy.
Between them. they helped her mp
the beach. past the point. and at length
to the door Of the hotel. whers-reani.
mated BY the mere promise Of food
Rose disengaged their arms and en-
tered without more assistance; while
Barcus was deferred from trsading
her heels In his own famishSd eager.
ness. BY the hand OF Alan falling heav.
lily upon his arm.
'wait!" the latter admonishsd In
. half-whispsr. Look there!"
Barcus followed the direction Of his
gesture was transdxed BY the
sight Of . rocket spearing into the
night-draped sky from = point invis-
ible beyond the hesdland Of the 1tght-
house.
Tho two consulted one another with.
startled and fearful eyes.
A. with one voice they murmured
one word: "yudith!" To this Alan
added graveiy: -or some SPY Of
hersI"
Then rousing. Alan released his
friend. with smart shove urging him
across the threshold Of the hotel.
"0o on" he insisted. "toin Rose and
get your supper. III be with you a
soon ~ can arrange for boat Tell
her nothing moro than .that-that I
thought II unwise to wait until every.
body was abed before looking round"
He turned to hnd his landlord APP
from the direction OF the
hotel barroom. And for the time II
seemed that the wind Of their luck
must have veersd to . fAvoring guar
ter; for the question was barely ut
tered before the landlord lifted will
ing voice and hailed . fellow towns
man idling nearby.
-Hsy. Jake-come here!"
introduced q MI. Breed, Jaks
pssedsd guilty to ownership d the
fastest and stanchest powsr-cTuissr
in the adjacent waters. which hs was
avaricibusly keen TO chartee.
: They :. obasrved haste religiously:
within ten minutes they stood upon q
foat at khe. foot Of q night Of wooden
steps down the side Of the town wharf.
while the promised rowboat Of Mr..
Breed drew In, At most leisurely pace.
to meet them.
Aboard and away from the wharf.
the burden OF Alan'G solicitude seemed
to grow lighter with every squeal
Of tho greAseless oarlocks. with. ev.
cry dip and splash Of the blades
which. welded BY crew Of villainous
brought them nearer the
handsome motorboat which Mr.. Breed
~ his own. It was not
until Alan looked up suddenly to md
Mr.. Breed covering him with re-
volver Of most vicious character that
he had the least apprehension Of any
danger nearer than the ofang. where
Judith's schooner might be lurking.
waiting for it, prey to come out and
be devoured. ~
I'll take that money-beit Of yours,
young feller." Mr.: Breed announced.
'and be quick about it-not forgetting
what's in your trousers pocket!" 4
In tho patsion Of his Indignation
Alan neglected entirely to play the
game by the rules. The indifference
he displayed toward the weapon was
positiveiy unprofessional - for he
knocked II aside ~ II It had been
nothing more dangerous than . straw.
And in the same hutter Of an eyelash
he launched himself like wildcat at
the throat Of Mr.. Breed.
Dseprs that one knew what was hap
= ~.