The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-10-28
Neal of the Navy
ty. She caught sight of Neal and
started toward him.
Continued from page 81

III you 0On mlnu, SaIu tne young
woman, in dulcet tones--and with Just
the trace of foreign accent In her
voice--"if you do not mind, should
like to End the post office-if you
have one here"
Neal nodded. 'I go past there" an.
swered Neal, "Tn take you to It.
Come with me-"
Neal liked her-but she didn't ring
true.
This is the post Office" he ex.
claimed at length.
Neal passed on toward the beach.
He had not gone far when he heard a
woman's scream. He looked back. In
front of the post office a crumpled
heap turned out to be the pretty wom-
an.
II slipped-I stumblea--something."
she exclaimed, "and, oh-the pain-the
pain"
"where?" queried the postmaster.
my foot, my ankle" returned the
young lady; 1T is bad-bad."
She fell back, half fainting, In Meals
arms. The postmaster nodded to Neal.
"she was going to your mothers,
Neal" he said.
my mothers" gasped Neal, does
does she know my mother?"
The postmaster shook his head
"she wanted quiet place--not a
boarding house. nor nothing OF the
7, kinda quiet place for her and her
old father. gave her your mothers
name. ] didn't know. thought may
be your mother might take EN- in"
Neal clutched her In his strong arms
and staggered to his feet.
I'll take you to my mothers" he
said aloud; that's where you were
'bound-I'm Mrs. Hardin's SON"
Meals mother, Mrs. Captain Hardin.
had spent good part OF the last hour
in the attic Of her coy little house.
She was delving into the depths Of an
old leather trunk--and that meant
that she was delving into the past.
At the very bottom OF the trunk
where she had placed them years ago.
was n newspaper package. carefully
tied up. She opened II and spread Its
contents on the lid OF the trunk They
consisted of the clothing--all the
clothing-of q little girl-the dress
and the linen articles had turned
oelightly yellow--even the thirteen
|years had left their mark upon them.
But this was not all--there was a
bag Of gold--the bag OF gold that the
little girl had brought aboard the Prin.
cess during that day Of terror back Mt
Martinique. And pinned to the tiny
dress was still the note--hastily PEN
ciled by IN unknown hand:
am Annette iiinoton, heiress Of
tho lost Isle Of cInnahar. I will he
very rich some day. Save my cIoth,s
and the oIlskIn packet until my father
comes for me, or until ! am eighteen.
must look out for man with sabsr
cut upon hIs face. For Gods sake,
keep me safe.
She was startled by Annettes cry
from below. Hastily she slowed away
the contents OF the newspaper pack
age and shut and locked the trunk.
When she reached the living room.
she started back. A young woman
her skirt dusty with the dirt OF the
road. was lying full length upon the
lounge. Her eyes we're closed. Neal
was standing at her head. placing
wet cloth upon her forehead. Annette
removed her shoe.
"Ah. the pain--the pain" groaned
the sufferer.
why. there's no swelling" said An
nette.
The girl on the lounge opened her
eyes. 1T Is always that way" she re-
piled; that Is not the first time. II
Is the injury to what you call the--the
synovial membrane-the covering OF
the bones. II has happened twice be-
fore"
Tho girl signaled for her leather
handbag which was on the table. Neal
fetched It for her. and she took from
1t a card. She handed 1t TO Annette
Annette passed It TO Mrs. Hardin This
is what 1t said.
Miss Irene courtier,
Nassau,
, The Bahama Isles.
81 must send telegram" she
added. shutting her bag and handing It
back to Neil.
The girl dictated and Neal wrote as
follows:
Napoleon courtIer, Esq, Hotel eer
muda. New York City:
eprained my ankle. Don't worry. !
Have found friends In Seaport.
IRENE.
Over In the Hotel Bermuda in New
York sat Mr.. Napoleon Courtier-a |
foreign-looking gentleman OF distin-
guished appearance. He was a strik-
ing-looking figure and had many Pc
culiarities and eccentricities or man
ner The most striking thing about |
him. however. was livid saber cut
across his cheek-a deep. deep cut
bad scar. II Is probable. however,
that Mr.. Courtier attracted no more