The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-08-29
THE MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERY 5 RZ assIs K

cried the master iii. y iuhbers'"
he yelled TO the crew. lower III
dory. Thcy's a woman IN th' wa.
ter out there. | seen her leap IN
rail-. Look alive, sharp's tn
wordl Mate. you go long"
The crew dropped their tasks
and spranK for the davits. and the
starboard dory was lowered IN
shipshape style.
II takes a good BIT OF seamanship
to haul body out OF the sea into
a dancing. bob-thled dory. when
one moment Il Is climbing fran.
ticaily heavenward and the next
heading for the bottomless pit. They
laid her out IN IN. bottom OF the
boat. with tho life buoy as q pillow
and pulled energetically for the
schooner. Shs was alive. because
she brcathed: but she did not stir
so much as an eyelid II was a stiff
bit OF work. too. 20 land her aboard
without adding 20 her injuries. The
master ordered tho men 10 put her
In his own bunk. where he nearly
strnngled her by forcing raw brandy
down her throat.
Wells she's alive. anyhow"
When Florence finally opened her
eyes the gray OF dawn lay on the go.
dotted hero and there by the
schooners of the fleet. which seem
ed to bc hanging In midair. ~ At
the moment there was visible 20
the eye no horizon.
Don't seem q recognize uothln'.-
"Mebbe she's got a fever" sug-
ges,ed the mate. rubbing his bristly
chin.
Fever nothin'' No, after bein'
In tn water half an hour Msbbe
she hit one o. them wooden floats
we left Them dinged liners keep
on crowdin' u.s. Erowled Barnes.
with n fisherman's hate for the
floating hotels. Went by with
never loot. SEQ 'er. iesf like tn
bankers wife goin' Z church on
Sunday A mile a minute. fog OF
no fog. It's all the same 4 them.
They run us down an never stop.
What tn tarnation ws goln' 70 dor
She'll haff { stay aboard TIL tn
run In over cant afford { yank
up my mudhook this time o. day."
Guess she can stand three r four
days In our company, smeilin' oil.
cloths. fish. kerosene. an punk
t'bacco."
III y don't like tn kind o. ,'bacco
buy. buy your own. I Amt objectin'
none"
The mate stepped over 20 the
bunk and ginEerly ran bis hand over
the girls head. Gods vhiskers,
Cap'n. they's a bump az hig's cork
on tn back o. her headl She's
struck one o. them floats all right.
Where's tn arnica7"
For three days Florence evinced
not the slightest inclination 10 leave
the bunk. She lay on her back,
either asleep or with her eyes star.
Ing at the beams above her head.
She ate just enough 10 keep her
alive; and the strong black coffee
did nothing moro than to mako her
wakeful. No one knew what tho
matter was. There was the bump,
now diminished; but that It should
leave her In this comatose state
vastly puzzled the men. The truth
Ia, she had suffered a slight concus-
sion OF the brain, and this. atop OF
all the worry she had had for the
last few weeks. was sufficient 20
cause this darkness OF the mind.
Tho final cod was cleaned and
packed away In salt. the mudhook
raised. and the schooner Betty set
her sails for the southwest. Barnes
realized that TO save the girl she
must have a doctor who knew HIS
business. Mrs. Barnes would know
how 20 care for the girl. once she
knew what the trouble was. There
would be SOME news In the papers
A young and beautiful woman did
not Jump from a big Atlantic liner
withou. the newspapers getting hold
OF the facts.
A fair wind carried the Betty into
her haven; and shortly after Flor.
ence was sleeping peacefully in a
feather bed. ancient, II Ia true, but
none the less soft and inviting. In
all this time she had not spoken a
single word.
The poor young thing" muir.
INJURED the motherly Mrs. Barnes
What beautiful HART o, John, |
wish you would give up the sea. I
hate II. n Ia terrible. | am always
watching you in my minds eye. In
calm weather, in storms. Pieces OF
wrecks come ashore, and always
wonder over tho death and terror
back OF them"
Don't y worry none about me.
Betty. never take no chances.
Now I'm goin' int tn village an
bring back the sawbones. He'll tell
us what & do"
The village doctor shook his griz.
zled head grayely.
Shes been hurt and shocked nj
the same time. II will be many DAYS
before she comes around TO herself.