The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-01-14

credulity informing his countenance.
And, surely enough, Alan brought
forth an empty hand.
make light" he said sharply. my
moneys in a belt round my waist.
Open your office. You'll get your dol.
lar. all right"
"All right" he grumbled, reopening
the door of the telegraph booth and
making a second light inside. There's
blanks and pencil. Write your mes.
sage. It amt often do this-but I'll
make an exception for you"
Alan delayed long enough only to
make few inquiries, drawing out
the information that, for one who had
not patience to wait the morning
train northbound, the quickest way
to any city of importance was by boat
across Buzzard's bay to New Bedford.
Boats, 1t was implied, were plenti.
full readily to be chartered.
A timetable supplied all other need.
full advice. Alan wrote his message
swiftly.
Addressed to Digby, his man OF
business in New York, 1t required that
gentleman to arrange for rnotor-cor
to be held in waiting on the water.
front of New Bedford from 800 a. m.
until called for in the name Of Mr..
Law, as we'll as for a special train II
Providence, on similar provisions.
But now, though he was all uncon.
scious of the fact, he Went no more
alone.
His shadow in the moonlight kept
him company upon the sands; and
above, on the edge of the bluffs, an
other shadow moved on parallel
course and at pace sedulously pat
termed after his.
He found his sweetheart and his
friend much as he had left them, with
this difference-that Mr.. Barcus now
lay fiat on his back and snoring
Justify.
He was wakened quickly enough,
however, by Alan's news.
But when it was the turn of Rose
they faltered. She lay so still, be-
trayed her exhaustion so patiently In
every line of her unconscious posture,
as we'll as in the sharp pallor Of her
face upturned to the moon, that it
seemed scarcely less than downright
inhumanity to disturb her.
None the less, it had to be done.
Alan hardened his heart with the re-
hinder Of their urgent necessity, and
eventually brought her to with the
aid of a few drops Of brandy. !
Between them, they helped her up
the beach, past the point, and at length
to the door of the hotel, where-reani.
mated by the mere promise of food
Rose disengaged their arms and en-.
tered without more assistance; while
Barcus was deferred from treading
her heels in his own famished eager
ness, by the hand Of Alan falling heav-
lily upon his arm.
"Wait!" the latter admonished in
a half-whisper. Look there!"
Barcus followed the direction OF his
gesture-and was transfixed by the
sight of rocket spearing into the
night-draped sky from point invis-
ible beyond the headland of the light
house.
The two consulted one another with
startled and fearful eyes.
AS with one voice they murmured
one word: Judith" To this Alan
added gravely: "Or some spy of
hersn
Then rousing, Alan released his
friend, with a smart shove urging him
across the threshold of the hotel.
go on he insisted, "join Rose and
get your supper. III be with you as
soon as can arrange for boat. Tell
her nothing more than that-that l
thought it unwise to wait until every
body was abed before looking round"
He turned to find his landlord ap-
preaching from the direction of the
hotel barroom. And for the time it
seemed that the wind of their luck
must have veered to a favoring quar-.
ter; for the question was barely ut
tered before the landlord lifted a will
ing voice and hailed fellow towns.
man idling nearby.
'Hey, Jake-come here!"
Introduced as Mr.. Breed, Jake
pleaded guilty to ownership Of the
fastest and stanchest power-cruiser
in the adjacent waters, which he was
avariciously keen to charter.
They observed haste religiously;
within ten minutes they stood upon a
float at the foot of a flight of wooden
| steps down the side of the town wharf,
while the promised rowboat of Mr..
Breed drew in, at most leisurely pace,
to meet them.
Aboard and away from the wharf,
the burden of Alans solicitude seemed
to grow lighter with every squeal
Of the greaseless carlocks, with ev'
cry dip and splash of the blades
which, welded by a crew Of villainous
countenance, brought them nearer the
handsome motorboat which Mr.. Breed
designated as his own. 1t was not
until Alan looked up suddenly to find
Mr.. Breed covering him with re
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