The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-12-24
THIRD INSTALLMENT
THE FAILURE
CHAPTER xl.
May the Best Man Win,

way the BEST wan WIN.
Neal Hardin, clad in his life-saving
uniform, sat upon the gunwale of his
lifeboat, gazing seaward- sea-
ward. He was seeing visions-always
visions of the sea. He caught An
nette's hand in his own. He turned to
her.
Annette" he cried, ''I've got to do
1T can't help it. It calls to me-the
sea. It's in my blood
The girl smiled-a bit sadly per-
haps. But her eyes glowed. She re-
turned the pressure of Meals hand
with her warm, strong, girlish grasp.
tits in your blood" she repeated,
s'your father was a hero Of the sea-
he saved me-you saved me, Neal.
You've got to CO."
'You-want me to-" he asked.
"Yes, l want you to-
It'll co." said Neal
The girl held in her right hand
neWspaper-the current issue of the
local Seaport weekly. II saved this
just for you. Look. Read it, Neal"
she said She pointed to an item on
the first page.
CONGRESSMAN PRIME AN.
NOUNCES PRELIMINARY An
NAPOLIS EXAMINATIONS.
Congressman James J. Prime Of Sea-
port announces that the preliminary
examination for candidacy for Annap-
oils finals will be held at the High
School here on Thursday next at a.
m. The congressman's privilege is
limited to but one appointment. May
the best man win.
Its your chance, Neal," said the
girl. She placed a hand upon his
shoulder, and at her touch the blood
ran through his veins like wine.
you're the best man, Neal" she
whispered, Railways the best man.
You're bound to win
Congressman James ]. Prime was
Seaport man-and the biggest man in
that shore town. He had sprung from
bodybuilding, seafaring ancestors; he
knew seagoing folk; he liked them.
And he liked the sea. And the pleas
antest thing he did, he was wont to
tell his friends, was to recommend
clear-eyed, clean limbed young fellows
for Annapolis. At the very time that
Annette and Neal were sitting in the
1ifeboat gazing seaward, the congress-
man was at the post office, surrounded
by circle Of old cronies, holding forth
upon the navy AS he talked he exam.
ined his mail, opening it with clumsy
forefnger. He had mail aplenty -
small envelopes and big ones, long
and short. Three times he dropped
letter, once he dropped a check -
somebody picked them up for him.
Then, unknown to himself, and un-
seen of anyone about him, he acci-
dentally dropped something else upon
the foor-a long, folded printed paper
He didn't miss it; and when Congress-
man James J. Prime moved off in the
direction of his home, human being
slouched over to that corner, placed
concealing foot upon the folded paper,
struck a match and lit cigarette,
stopped suddenly and with nicotine
stained fingers, picked up the docu-
ment
The concealing foot and the nico-
tine-stained fingers belonged to a
young and sporty gentleman of the
name of Joey Welcher.
He thrust the document. into his
pocket and then, be too, moved of to
some less public place. When he
reached a place, less public, he exam,
ined his find He was disappointed at
first. He was, prepared for anything
Of interest. But he was sdisgusted when
he opened the document and read its
headlines:
Questions and Correct Answers TO
be used In Preliminary Competitive
Examination for Congressional Ap-
sentiment --- District Of New Jer-
sey, for Navy Academy, Annapolis.
Duplicate.
It didn't interest him, but he glanced
over it's contents; then thrust it into
lis hip pocket and went his way
smoking cigarette.
CHAPTER XII.
~ Tho Spider and the Fly.
Doll, IN Tho Hardin c0ttapo hv the