The Detroit times., 1914-10-29

falls somewhere IN advance.
/
Braine thought he really had clue
to the treasure. aud with his usual
promptness he set about to learn II
II was worth anything. He procured
launch and began to prowl about.
using pole as feeler. All the whole
he was being closely watched by Nor
ton. who had concluded to hang onto
Braine's trail till he found something
worthy Of note. Braine was disguised.
but this time Jim was not to be fool
ed. But what was he looking for,
wondered the reporter. Braine con-
tinued to pole along. sometimes paus-
ing to look over the gunwale down
Into the water. In raising his head
after the last investigation he discern
ed something struggling In the water.
about 800 yards away. The current
leisurely brought the object into full
view. II was a young woman with
just power enough TO keep herself
afloat. The golden head reused some
thing In him stronger than curiosity.
II might be!
Braine proceeded to move the
launch In the direction Of the girl. II
was this movement that turned the
reporters gaze. He, too, now saw the
! woman In the water and wondered
how she had come there When
Braine reached the girl and pulled
her into the launch Jim saw her face
plainly.
He few from his vantage point,
found skin. and started after Braine.
| by the Lord Harry" murmured
the rogue. well, they can talk OF
mama from heaven, but this Is what
call luck. Florence Hargreave, out OF
nowhere, into my arms! The god OF
luck has cast another horseshoe and
it's mine"
He had a flask In his pocket, and
he forced some of the biting spirits
down the girls throat. She opened
her eyes.
We'll my beauty?'
Florence eyed him wildly, not quite
understanding where he had come
from.
Il don't know how yon got here"
he said; "and don't care. But here
we are together at last Where Is
your fatherY"
/ IL don't know" dazedly.
Better think quickly" he warned.
81 want lucid answers to my ques-
lions, or back you go into the water.
I'm about at the end Of my rope.
I've been beaten too many times, my
girl. to have any particular love for
you. Now, where Is your father"
Il don't know: I have never seen
him"
Braine laughed.
And Jim's boat ran afoul some
rocks and into the water he vent. He
had not attracted Braine's attention,
fortunately. He began to swim to-
ward the drifting launch.
Where have they hidden that
money!
II don't know"
We'll, well; I've given you your
chance. You'll have to try your luck
with the water again"
Florence, weak as she was, set her
Lips.
'sYou don't ask for mercy" he said
banteringly.
II should be wasting my breath to
ask for mercy from such monster
as you are" she answered quickly.
THAT damned Hargreave nerve!"
he snarled.
He rolled up his sleeves and
stepped toward her. She braced her
self but did not turn her eyes from
his. Suddenly, from nowhere at ell,
| came q pair of hands. One clutched
the gunwale and the other laid hold
OF Braine. A quick pull followed. and
Braine began to topple. But even as
he fell he managed to ding himself
atop his assailant; and Il was only
when the struggle began In the water
that he recognized the reporter. All
the devil In him came to the surface
and he fought with the ferceness of a
tiger to kill, kill, kill In nearly every
instance this meddling reporter had
checkmated him. This time one or
the other OF them should stay in the
water.
Norton recognized that he had
large order before him to disable
Braine. The recognition between
them was now frank and absolute;
there could never again be any diplo-
matte sidestepping.
You're dead man, Norton!" pant
ed Braine, as he reached for the re-
porter's throat.
Norton said nothing, but struck the
manu- hsiuo. TUT moment tney DOtn
went under. They came up sputter-
ing. each trying for hold. II was
terribly enervating struggle
Florence could do nothing. The
boat In which she sat continued 10
drift away from the lighting men.
Once she tried to reach Braine with
the pole he had been using. but
failed.
From the shore came another boat
For awhile she could not tell whether
| II contained friends or enemies. II
was terrible to be forced to wait, alb
solutely helpless. When she heard
the newcomers call encouragingly to
Braine she knew then that the brave
fight OF her sweetheart was going to
come to naught. She knew q little
about motors. She threw on the pow
er and headed straight toward the
rowboat. The men shouted at her,
! but she did not alter her course. The
rowboat had its sides crushed In and
the men went piling into the water.
"Jim," she cried.
Norton suddenly flung on Braine
and began TO swim madly for the mo-
torboat, which Florence had brought
about. Even then II was only by the
barest luck In the world that Norton
managed to catch the gunwale. The
rest of It was simple. When they
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