davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13
i9l4, by Louis Joseph Vance


tempts at assassination In hundred
forms-and that by a slip of a girl
with the cunning of madwoman, the
heart of a thug, the face of charm
ing child-the face of the woman that
sat beside him. duplicating It's every
perfect feature so nearly thateven he
who loved the one could scarcely dis
tinguish her from the other but by in
stinct, intuition, blind guesswork.
He nodded heavy-hearted conhrma-
ton of a surmise slowly settling into
conviction in his mind, that such cum
ming, such purpose and pertinacity
could not possibly spring from a mind
well balanced, that the woman. Judith
Urine, sister to the Rose he loved so
well, was as mad as that monomaniac,
her father, who sat helpless in his
cell of silence and shadows In New
York, day after day. eating his heart
out with impotence for the word that
his vengeance had been consummated
by the daughter whom he had inspired
to execute 1t.
An hour late. in dusk of evening,
the train numbered into Portland sta
ton; and, heart in mouth, Alan helped
Rose from the steps, shouldered way
for her through the crowd, and almost
lifted her into a taxicab.
BEST hotel in town." he demanded.
"And be quick about it--for a double
tip"
He communicated his one desperate
scheme to the girl en- route, receiving
her Endorsement of 1t. So, having reg
istered for her and seen her safely to
the door of the best available room in
the house within ready call of the pub
lie lobby and office, he washed up.
gulped hasty meal (which Rose had
| declined TO share, pleading fatigue
and hurried away into the night with
| only the negro driver of public hack,
picked up haphazard at some distance
from the hotel, for his guide.
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

walked
He was on deck again almost before
he rubbed the sleepiness from his
eyes, emerging abruptly from the half
light OF the cabin 10 a dazzle of sun
light that filled the cup of day with
rarefied gold. even as he passed from
conviction of security to realization of
immediate and extraordinary peril.
His first glance discovered the wheel
deserted the woman with back to him
standing at the taffrail, Barcus--no-
where to be seen. The second con
firmed his surmise that the Seaventure
had come up into the wind, and now
was yawing off wildly into the trough
of a stiff If not heavy sea A third
showed him, to his amazement, the
Gloucester fisherman overhauled
with such ease that morning and now,
by rights well down the northern hori-
zon-not two miles distant, and stand
ing squarely for the smaller vessel.
BewildeTed, he darted to the girls
side, with a shout, demanding to
know what was the matter. She
turned to him a face he hardly recog-
nized-but still he didn't understand.
The inevitable inference seemed a
thing unthinkabbe; his brain faltered
when asked TO credit It, Only when
he saw her tearing frantically at the
painter, striving to cast it off and with
it the dory towing hundred feet or
so astern, and when another wonder
ing glance had discovered the head
and shoulders of Mr.. Barcus rising
over the stern of the dory as he strove
to lift himself out N the water-only
then did Alan begin to appreciate
what had happened
Even so, it was with the feeling that
all the world and himself as well had
gone stark, raving mad that he seized
the girl and, despite her struggles, tore
her away from the rail before she had
succeeded in unknotting the painter.
"Rose!" he cried stupidity. "Rose!
What's the matter with you? Don't
you see what you're doing?"
Defiance inflamed her countenance
and accents. Cant you ever say any
thing but Rose! Rosel Rosev Is
there no other name that means any
thing to you? Can't you understand
how intolerable it is to me? l love
you no less than she-better than she
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

She's her sister, mean, the right
girls sister-and her precise double
fooled me-not quite right in the head,
I'm afraid"
You may well be afraid, you poor
flati" Mr. Barcus snapped. "D'you
know what she did? Threw me over
board! Fact! Came on deck a while
ago, sweet as peaches-and all OF
sudden whips out a gun as big as
cannon, points it at my head and or
ders me to huff into the wind Before
| could make sure | wasn't dreaming,
she had fired twice-in the air-a sig
nal to that blessed fisherman astern
there--at least, they answered with
two toots of a power whistle and
changed course to run up to us. Look
how she's gained already"
'But how did she happen to throw
you overheard"
Happen nothing!" Barcus snapped,
getting to his feet, "She df1 it a.
purpose-few at me like a wildcat,
and before | knew what was up-I
was slammed backwards over the
rail"
Il can't tell you how sorry am, "
Alan responded gravely. There's
more to tell-but one thing to be done
first!
And that?" Mr.. Barcus inquired
suspiciously.
ITO get rid of the lady" Alan an
nounced firmly Make that fisher
man u present of the woman in the
case. You don't mind parting with
the Gory In good cause-if pay for
it?"
Take it for nothing" Barcus
grumbled. "Cheap at the price!"
He took Alan's place, watching him
with a sardonic eye as he drew the
tender in under the leeward quarter,
made 1t fast, and reopened the com
panionway.
AS the girl came on deck with
out other invitation, in a sullen rage
that only heightened her wonderful
loveliness, Alan noted that her first
look was for him, of untempered ma
lignity; her second for Barcus. with
a curling lip; her third astern. with
a glimmer of satisfaction as she rec
ognized how we'll the fisherman had
drawn up on the Seaventure.
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13
Flames Licked Out All Over tho
Schooner.

this reek of gasoline; but just for
moral effect Phew-w! I'd give a dol
lar for a breath Of clean air; I've in
hailed so much gas in the last few
hours I'm dry-cleaned down to my
silly old toes!"
Gaining no response from Alan, he
observed critically: "Chatty little GUS
toner, your are" and resumed the
binoculars.
For thirty minutes nothing hap
pened, other than that the sound Of
the fisherman's launch was stilled. It
rested moveless In the waters, two
figures mysteriously busy in the cock
pit, the Seaventures dory trailing be-
hind 1t on long painter.
Gradually these details became
blurred, and were blotted out by the
closing shadows. The afterglow in
the west grew cool and faint. The
crimson waters darkened, to mauve,
to violet, to d translucent green, to
blackness. Far up the coast two
white eyes. peering over the horizon,
stared steadfastly through the dark.
Chatham lights" Barcus said they
were.
Abruptly be dropped the glasses and
jumped up. Hear that!" he cried.
Now the humming of the motor was
again audible and growing louder with
every instant; and Alan, getting to his
feet In turn, infected with the excite
ment of Barcus, could just make out
meath the dim. spluttering glimmer of
light, that moved swiftly and steadily
toward the Seaventure.
What the DEVIL" he demanded.
puzzled.
You uttered a mouthful when you
said 'deviP!" Barcus commented.
grasping his arm and hurrying him to
the landward side of the vessel
"Quick-kick off your shoes-get set
for a mile-long swiml Devils work,
all right" he painted, hastily divest.
ing himself of shoes and outer gar.
ments. Il couldn't made out what
they were up to till saw them lash
the wheel, light the fuse, start the
motor and take to the dory. They've
made on grand little torpedo boat out
of that tender"
de sprang upon the rail, steadying
himself with stay. READY" he
asked. Look sharp!"
BY way of answer Alan joined him;
the two had diyed as one, entering the
water with a single splash, and com
ing to the surface good ten yards
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

Friends of yours. infer?" Alan
inquired civilly.
Judith nodded.
"Then it would save us some trouble
yourself included-if you'll be good
enough to step into the dory without a
struggle"
Without a word, Judith stepped to
the rail and as Barcus luffed, swung
herself oversize into the dory.
Immediately Alan cast off, and as
the little boat sheered off, Barcus,
with a sigh of relief. brought the Sea
venture once more back upon her
course
For some few minutes there was ST.
lence between the two men, while the
tender dropped swiftly astern. the
woman plying a brisk pair Of oars.
Then, suddenly elevating his nose,
Barcus suiA'sd audibly. Here" he
said sharply, relieve me for a min
ute, will you? / want to go forward
and have a look at that motor"
In the time that he remained invis-
ible between decks the fisherman
luffed, picked up the dory and its
occupant, and came round again in
open chase of the Seaventure.
When BarcHs reappeared it was
with grave face.
The devil and the deep She" he OBJ
served obscurely, coming aft. from
all their works, good Lord deliver us!"
Whats the trouble now"
Nothing much-only your playful
little friend has been up to another of
her light-hearted tricks If you
should happen to want a smoke or
anything to eat when you go below,
just find a mirror and kiss yourself
good-by before striking the match.
The drain-cocks of both fuel tanks
have been opened, and there are up
wards Of a hundred and fifty gallons
Of highly explosive gasoline eloshing
around in the bilge!"
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

from the Seaventure. For the new
several seconds they were swimming
frantically, and not until three hun.
dred feet or more separated them
from the schooner did either dare
pause for breath or a backward glanca
Then the impact of the launch
against the Seaventure's side rang ont
across the waters, and with a husky
roar the launch blew up, spewing sky.
wards a widespread fan of flame. Over
the Seaventure, as this famed and
died. pale fire seemed to hover like a
tremendous pail of phosphorescence. a
weird and CHASTITY glare that suddenly
descended to the decks. There fol.
lowed a cracking noise, a sound as
of the labored breathing of giant:
and bright flames, orange, crimson.
violet and gold, licked out all over the
schooner, from stem to stern, from
deck TO topmasts.
1t seemed several minutes that she
burned in this wise-it was probably
not so long-before her decks blew
I'D and the flames swept roaring to
the sky.
By the time Alan and Barcus, swim
ming steadily, had gained a shoal
which permitted them footing in
waist-deep waters, the Seaventure had
burned to the waters edge.
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

the Seaventure. But nothing hap
pened while Mr. Barcus was as good
as his word Alan had barely set foot
on deck, following the girl, when the
gangpiank came aboard with a clatter
aud the Seaventure swung away from
the wharf.
Until the distance was too great for
even flying leap Alan fingered watch
fully on deck.
At length, satisfied that all was well,
he returned to the cabin.
"All right" he nodded; we're clear
of that lot. apparently; nobody but the
three of us aboard. Now you'd best
turn in. This is evidently to be your
stateroom, this one to port and you'll
have a long nights sleep to make up
for what you've gone through-dear-
est"
He drew nearer dropping his voice
tenderly. And Of a sudden, with a
little low cry. the girl came into his
arms and chung pasionately to him.
But your" she murmured. You
need rest as much as /! What about
your"
"Oh, no don't" he contended. BE
sides I'll have plenty of time to rest
up once we're fairly at sea. Barcus
and | stand watch and watch, Of
course. There's nothing for you to
do but be completely at your ease.
But-you must let me go"
Uvas balf-closad her head thrOWu
back, she seemed to suffer his kiss
rather than to respond, then turned
hastily away to her stateroom-leav-
ing him staring with wonder at her
strangeness
by midnight the Seayenture was
spinning swiftly south-southeast, close
reefed to a snoring sou'west wind
the fixed white eye of Portland head
light fast falling astern.
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

ever dreamed Of loving you-because
l hate you, too! What is love that
is no more than love? Can't you UNI
derstand?"
Judith" he cried in a voice of stu
pefaction. 'But--Good Lord!-how
did you get aboard? Where's Rose?"
Where you1l not find her easily
again." the woman angrily retorted.
Trust me for that!"
What do you mean?" Illumination
came in a binding fash DO you
mean It was you-you whom brought
aboard last night?"
''Nho else?"
you waylaid her there in the hotel,
substituted yourself for her, deceived
me into thinking you"
"Of course" she said simply. why
not? When saw her sleeping there
the mirror of myself completely at
my mercy-what else should I think
of than to take her place with the man
/ loved? / knew you'd never know the
difference-at least l was fool enough
for the moment to believe l could
stand being loved by you in her name!
1t was only today, when I'd had time
to think, that | realized how imDos-
sible that was!"
A sudden slap Of the mainsail boom
athwartships and a simultaneous cry
from over the stern reused Alan from
his CONSERVATION to fresh appreciation
Of the emergency. With scant consid-
Grafton he hustled the woman to the
companionway and below. slammed its
doors and closed her in with the slid
ing hatch-all in a breath-then
sprang to the taffrail, just in time to
lend q helping hand sorely wanted by
Mr. Barcus in his efforts to climb
aboard, after he had pulled the dory
up under the stern by its painter
He came over the rail in a towering
temper.
Il hope you'll pardon the apparent
impertinence," he suggested acidly,
as soon as able to articulate coher-
ently-"but may inquire IL that
0lOouy-minueu vixen Is your pushing
bride-to-be?"
Alan shook a helpless head The
thing dehed reasonable explanation.
He made a feeble stagger at it with
out much satisfaction either to him
self or to the outraged Barcus.
"No--it's all a damnable mistake
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13
Continued From Last sunday)
CHAPTER TX.
ForeWarned.

Forewarned.
The thing was managed with an in
ganuity that Alan termed devilish--it
was indisputably Machiavellian.
The lovers had come down from the
North in hot haste and the shadow of
death Two days of steady travelling
by canoe, by woods trail, by lake
steamer -forty-eight hours of fatigue
and strain eased by not one instant's
relaxation from the high tension of
vigilance upon which their very lives
depended - wore to elimination
through this tedious afternoon on the
train from Moosehead-a trap of phys
zeal torment only made possible by
Alan's luck in securing. through sheer
accident, two parlor-car reservations
turned back at the last moment be-
fore leaving Kineo station
No matter-the longest afternoon
must have its evening: the pokiest of
trains comes the more surely to it's
destination; IN another hour or two
they would be in Portland-free at
last to draw breath of ease In a land
of law, order and sane living
AS If in answer TO this thought, the
train slowed down with whistling
brakes to the last hill-station, and as
the trucks groaned and moved anew.
a lout of q boy came galloping down
the aisle, brandishing two yellow en-
velopes and blatting like a stray calf:
"Mista Lawrl Mista Lawr! Tel
grams for Mista Lawr!"
Alan had been expecting at every
station prepaid reply to his wire for
reservations on the night express from
Portland to New York.
But why two envelopes superscribed
"Mr A. Law, Kineo train southbound
Oakland sta. 2"
He tore one open, unfolded the In
closure, and grunted disgust with ite
curt advice, opened the other and
caught his breath sharply as he with
drew-part way only--a playing card
a trey of hearts.
Thrusting 1t back quickly, he clapped
botk envelopes together tore them
into a hundred fragments, and scat
tered them from the window. But
the fiendish wind whisked one small
scrap back--and only one!-into the
lap of the woman he loved.
Vainly he prayed that she might
be asleep. The silken lashes trembled
on her cheeks and lifted slightly. dis
closing the dark glimmer of question:
ing eyes. And as she clipped the scrap
OF cardboard between thumb and fore
finger he bent forward and silently
took it from heroine corner of the
trey of hearts, but inevitably a corner
bearing the figure 80" above a heart.
THE Pullman agent at Portland
wires no reservations available on any
New York train in the next thirty-six
hours" he said with lowered voice
Couldn't we possibly catch the New
York boat tonight?"
He shook a glum head. "No-I
looked that up first. 1t leaves before
we get in.'
She said, TOO bad" abstractedly,
reclosed her eyes, and apparently
lapsed anew into semi-somnolence-
but without deeeiving him who could
well guess what poignant anxiety
gnawed at her heart.
He could have ground his teeth in
exasperation--the impish insolence Of
that warning. timed SO precisely to set
their nerves on edge at the very mo-
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

man TO man, / don't believe one word
of it. It's all d-n foollshness!
His voice took on a plalntiVe ac-
cent particularly thisl" he expos
tulated, and waved an indignant manu.
comprising their plight
"The rest of your adventures are
reasonable enough" he said, "they
won my credulity-and I'm natlVe Vi
Missouri But this last chapter Is I'M
noseible. And that's fiat. 1t couldn
happen-and has. And there IN
manner of speaking, we are!"
Against the western horizon a long,
Iow-lving strip of sand dunes rested
like a bar of purple cloud between the
crimson afterglow of sunset IN the
sky and the ensanguined sea that mir
rored IL.
The wind had gone down with the
sun. leaving the Seaventure becalmeu
her motor long since inert for want
of fuel-in shoal water mile or SO
off the desolate and barren coast that
Barcus, out of his Astounding kno"l-
edge OF those waters, named Nauset
Beach
Still another mile further off shore
the so-caIled Gloucester fisherman
rode. without motion, waters as still
and CLASSY. Through the cleaning
with the aid of glasses, figures might
- econ moving about her decks: and
as II grew still more dark she lowered
a small boat that heretofore had
swung In davits. A little later faint
humming noise drifted across the tide.
Power tender" the owner of the
Seaventure interpreted. Coming to
call. | presume. Sociable lot. What
| can't make out is why they seem to
think 1t necessary to tow our dory
back Uneasy conscience. maybe
what?"
He lowered the binoculars and
glanced inquiringly at his employer
who grunted his disgust, and said nc
more.
Don't take it so hard. old top" Bar
Gus advised with a change of note
from irony to sympathy. Then he rose
| and dived down the mpanionway
presently to reappear with a mega
phone and a double barreled shotgun
mo cutting-out parties in this out
fit" he explained, grinning amiably
None of that old stuff, revised to suit
your infatuated female friend-once
aboard the lugger and the man is
| minei"
( Stationing himself at the seawart
rail, where his figure would show IL
sharp silhouette against the glowing
sunset sky. he brandished the shot
gun at arms length above his head
and beloved stertorously through The
megaphone:
Keep off Keep off! This meant
you! Come within gunshot and II
blow your fool heads off,"
Putting aside the megaphone, he sa
down again. Not that I'd dare fir
this blunderbuss, he coniided. witt
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13
CHAPTER xI.
Blue Water.

Blue Water.
Anxiety ate like an acid at Alan's
heart. If this shift to the sea might
be thought a desperate venture, he
was a weathered saltwater man and
undlsmayed; nothing would have been
more to his Hiding than a brisk coast
wise cruise in an able boat-under
auspices less forbidding
But when he re-entered the hotel
one surprising thing happened that
gave him new heart-momentarily it
seemed almost as If his luck had
turned. For, as he paused by the desk
of the cashier to demand his bill, the
elevator gate opened and Rose came
out eagerly to meet him with an eager
air of hope that masked measurably
the signs of fatigue.
Il worried so | couldn't rest" she
told him guardedly as he drew her
aside; so / arose and got ready, and
watched from the window till | saw
you drive up"
He acquainted ner briefly with MS
fortune.
But she seemed unable TO echo his
confidence or even to overcome the
heaviness of her spirits when their
cab, without misadventure, set them
down at the wharf
Here, Alan had feared, was the cru
cial point of danger--if the influence
of the trey Of hearts was to bring
disaster upon them it would be here
in the hush and darkness of this de-
serted water front. And he bore him
self most warily as he helped the girl
/ from the car and to the gangplank OF
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13
CHAPTER XII.
Down the Cape.

At four o'clock. or shortly after,
Alan was awakened by boot-heels
pounding imperstively overhead, and
went on deck again, to stand both dog
watches-saw the sun lift up smiling
over a world Of tumbled blue water,
crossed the wake Of a Cunard liner in
bound for Boston, raised and over
hauled a graceful but busineselike fish
erman (from Gloucester. Barcus
opined when called to stand his trick
at eight and saw It a mile or two
astern when-still aching with fatigue
he was free to return to his berth
for another four-hcur rest.
rms time mlsguided consideration
induced Barcus to let his crew sleep
through the first afternoon watch. Six
bells We're ringing when, in drowsy APP
prehension that something had gone
suddenly and radically wrong, Alan
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13
Samples Free by Ma"

( why should use Cutlcura 500 here
is nothing the matter with my skin and
thought Cuucura Soap was only for skin
troubles" True. II is for skin troubles, hut
its great mission is TO prevent skin troubles.
For more than a Rcncration its delicate,
cmoient and prophyactic properties have
rendered 1t the standard for this purpose,
while its extreme purity and refreshing fra
GRANGE give 10 it all the advantages Of the
best Of toilet soaps. Although Cuticura
Soap (25c) and Cuticura Ointment (50c)
are sold by druggists everywhere. sample
Of each with 32-p. skin Book will he sent
free upon request Address post -card;
"Cuticura, Dept. r. Boston
The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-13

short time I washed his face and neck three
times day with the Cuticura Soap and after
each time I applied the Cuticura Ointment
freely I used one cake of the Cuticura soap
and two boxes OF Cuticura Ointment and in
less than month he was completely cured
and never has had any symptoms Of 1t
since" (signed) Mrs. Myrta Hanna Mar.
9S IQI4