The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-10-28

and Its return. Each time 1t had come
In this direction--each time returned
from this direction"
"The point is," went on the officer,
"just this This is the only point south
Of Porto Rico within given distance.
The kicker owned by our informant,
when 1t left its owner, sailed direct
toward you and returned direct from
you. Possibly am on FOOLS errand.
but I've got to do my duty"
Permit me to escort you, senor,"
said Hernandez.
An hour later the offioer was seated
on the veranda waiting for his men.
One by one they filed in and reported.
mo go. sir" they all said. We've
covered the whole place. There's not
an ounce Of gum nor a penny's worth
Of fake"
The officer shook his head and dis
missed his men.
"You we're speaking" he remarked,
slipping his glass OF ice-cold vichy,
you we're speaking Of the Martinique
eruption"
"of that" assented Hernandez, "and
of something else--the steamship Prin-
cess OF New York"
why" said the officer, "she was
burned, that tramp-burned two days
out from Martinique"
Hernandez's eyes narrowed. How
do you know, senor?" he queried.
II know" returned the officer, be
cause was a seaman on the gunboat
Eaglet-and the gunboat Eaglet res
cued the survivors of the Princess"
"Senor," said Hernapdez gravely. Il
would hear about this Princess Of New
York. She stood by, senor-I remem.
Der well, for I thought my last hour
had come-she stood by to succor
refugees and with my man Ponto
here-I was q refugee. fed from
the smoke and lava of Mount Fe!ae
back In 1902"
Were you on the steamer Prin
cess7" asked the Officer.
"No," returned Hernandez. they
would not let us on: they beat us
back. But q strange thing happened.
my servant Ponto ard an American
named Ilington."
-Four OF your" dueried the ofilcer.
"Ah," said Hernandez. there was
a fourth member OF the party--we
had put OF in n leaky boat. She was
q baby girl--a child. She was the
dspsh'er of this Ilington."
The offcer leaned forward. His
mind was at work. His memory trav.
eled back over some thirteen years.
lie nodded.
"Ilington." he repeated. "a child
"A baby girl. remember now"
THAT baby girl. senor, boarded the
ship-they took her out OF all her
party-her and her native woman serv-
ant"
Tho officer slapped his thigh. II 70
member now." he said. Il remember
all about II. Lot me see. II was com.
mon talk aboard the Eaglet. This
child came aboard with the wife OF
the Princess captain. She had two
boys with her and this little girl.
don't remember tho girl, but she was
young. say Ave years old. The cap
tain's boy ! remember well-he slept
In my hammock the first night he
came aboard. | remember him. But
there was something about the girl
wait, have II. A bag OF gold-span-
ish pieces most OF them. l think-or
maybe French. A bag OF gold-and
something else. Some note or pack
age-some mystery at any rate. as
recall"
Hernandez knocked the ashes from
his panetela. "You don't say so. SEN
or" he replied. with a show OF inter
est. "A bag OF gold and a mystery--I
knew nothing. OF all that l wonder
what has become OF Ilington. by the
way. senor. what became OF the sur
vitors OF the Princessg"
The officer nodded I'VE landed
them at Brooklyn navy yard. They
were people from the North. New
York OF thereabouts. Curious about
this little girl. had almost forgot
all about her. ! will have to look her
up somehow some day and see what
her history is and what the mystery
was"
Hernandez shrugged his shoulders.
Like looking for needle In a hay
stack. officer" he suggested.
"oh. no." said the officer. they've
got the record In the Brooklyn navy
yard. can easily find out" He rose
and held out his hand. Sorry to
trouble you, Mr.. Hernandez. Duty is
iuty and the government is no re-
'pector Of persons"