The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-23

out avail Now he had come to me.
believing that his presence In the dis
trict would cause Thorpe to remain
In concealment
Twice Thorpe has been seen in the
last week--Once In a range of hills
near the coast, once running out in
the lake in his launch but at a distance
and speeding to cover when hailed.
These facts I verified within a few
hours after my arrival at Clyde.
Dacre had searched the hills In vain.
wasted no time in that direction. It
was the man who had seen Thorpe in
the launch to whom I paid the most
attention. He was a fisherman and
he was positive of his Identification
OF the man was after.
you see," he observed to me,
there are one or two charges
against Thorpe for violating the
game laws, and Of course he is under
cover to evade arrest With q steam
craft, though, you can make up your
mind he won't take much to over
country rambling"
THAT looks reasonable" acceded.
Where did he disappear to when you
hailed him the other day."
Between Point of Rocks and the
Bay, as we call it. There's a mile
stretch. Somewhere along there he
disappeared. Cave or a secret path
up those steep cliffs, l don't know,
but when ran in shore there was no
sign of either craft or man."
you are sure it was Thorpe?"
"Humph! guess So That yellow
sweater and red fez of his are not to
be mistaken" was the confident re-
ply.
secured a small row boat and
spent the better part of two succeed
Ing days on the lake. particularly
lowered about the points of location
designated.
It was late in the afternoon and
was midway between Point of Rocks
and the Bay, when I saw a light gaso-
line launch making from the open wa
ter for shore. l saw, too, the man in
charge-yellow sweater, red fez. I
was on my way to Clyde, for the sky
had become overcast and a sudden
stiff breeze threatened.
my man, Reuben Thorpe, sure as
fate!" l breathed.
I steadied the yawl as best I could.
The little launch was headed for
shore straight as an arrow. l sat
spellbound. 1t was curdling. At full
speed 1t seemed to crash into a great
mass of grim gray rock and-disap-
pear!
Particularly had noticed a promi.
nent chalky line in the rock directly
where the launch had vanished. I
doubted not that could keep 1t in
sight and took up my oars to start
direct for the spot l was off in my
calculations. A tempest of wind
drove one oar from my grasp. The
same fierce source drove me land
wards with incredible rapidly.
As I neared the frowning wall of
rock, prepared to jump to evade
being dashed against it. To my in.
finite amazement the yawl dove into
soft. yielding surface.
It was canvas curtain painted to
resemble rocky surface on its out
side and the deception discoverable
only at close contact!
Just beyond this masked entrance
was a cavelike apartment. There
Thorpe and his stepdaughter had
found refuge. fingered unsupported
until I learned the situation. The
poor girl was pining for her lover,
but her stepfather was arranging to
go far of to some isolated spot with
the morrow. His great contention
seemed to be that her sutton was too
high above her to mean really to wed
her.
But of that he was convinced, when
later that night sent for my client
and led him to the cave.
What came of 1t all? Happiness
complete. Dacre gave up society,
time-serving friends, hollow plans for
fame. In quiet hamlet he built
pretty home. Thorpe was welcome
there, and as time went on some of
the roughness left his rugged nature,
and he became a really presentable
member Of the contented group Of
three.