Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-11-08


Neal leaped out of one OF the small
boats of the destroyer Jackson and
ran nimbly up the wharf. He had
good reason to. for on the yeranda OF
hotel not a quarter of a mile away
he saw 9 girl he knew. In record time
he was by her side.
Look" said Annette to Meals
mother and. Inez, look who's here"
Always" said Inez, do like uni
form and" she added coyly, with
ieer toward Neal. "and what comes in
them too"
You got my note?" queried Annette
Il got it." returned Neal, "but no
CO."
What are you talking about?" said
Annette. We are specially invited by
the governor himself"
I'm out of it, tell you," repeated
Neal. "But I'll tell you what I'll do
I'll come to the back gate of the gov.
ernor's garden and I'll flirt with you"
Many came and most were served
that night. But among the first to
come. though none were served, were
four unlimited guests. They were
strange quartet, these four, and they
came to see rather than to be seen.
Each one of these four men became
shadow in himself, watching, ever
watching. Suddenly there was light
tread upon the graveled path. A
jaunty figure swung into the moon
light and looked about him. Out of
the hundred guests or so that clus.
tered about the verandas of the dis
tant house Neal peered anxiously for
Annette Ilington.
He trilled a little whistle-his sig
nal and Annette's-and as though that
whistle were signal for an onslaught,
huge shadow and another sprang
across the intervening space and
caught Neal from behind. A coat or
cloak descended over his head with
all the effectiveness OF a trait-jacket
It was the governor himself who
kept Annette within the range OF ar
titicial light and from her appointment
In the moonlight out beyond.
While she still talked to the COVER
nor, an individual with cunning eyes
and insinuating leer stepped up to the
tlunky at the main gate that led to the
governors mansion and handed him
note.
For a guest-Miss Ilington," he
said. II am TO wait for an answer"
The fiunky nodded, summoned an
other hunky and handed him the note.
qhe dunky made en- inquiry or two.
then stepped directly to the governor
and handed him the note
This is the young lady here, Fran
cois." exclaimed the governor.
Annette took the note to a window
where there was somewhat better
light, and opened it. 1t was written
Ia srawling, unaccustomed hand,
This is what it said:
Have seen scar face. Need you .
moment for Identification. We have
run him down. Come with bearer of
this note. Excuse scrawl--rlaht hand
NJ. c. Hastily,
p. S.-Don't drag mother into this.
Come as you are.
Annette beckoned to the fiunky.
Where" she said. lis the bearer of
this note?"
The flunky bowed. Follow me-" he
said.
At the gate there stood man wait
ing hat in hand-a man with cunning
eyes and insinuating smile.
"Mr. Hardin sent your" she in
quired.
The man bowed. "Oui, mademoi.
selle," he returned.
''Where is he now?" she queried
cautiously
Where he said he would wait--by
the postern garden gate. returned the
bearer.
Disarmed, she followed this man
into the shadows.
In another instant she had reached
a carriage and an instant later some
thing descended over her head, smoth
ering her cries-something bound her
arms to her side. But the smuggler
had been right Neal was there, bound
and speechless-helpless on the bot
tom of the carriage.
An instant later the vehicle ratified
sharply off into the night.