The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-28
CHAPTER Il.

c-HE three river thieves in the exquistely
 furnished houseboat worked with delft ra-
 pidity. It was the woman's swift intui-
 tive part to discover hiding places the lean Jakes to discriminate in values; Big Ben's, with nippers and hammer and screwdriver, to rip ofr brasswork, to open drawers, to rend and tear and splinter if need be- Within an incredibly short space of time they had the skiff piled high with the rich and the best which the houseboat had contained then they spread the tarpaun their plunder and disposed their punches of celery so that the green leaves protruded in fringe from under the edge of the tarpaulin; then the heavily laden skin, with its four passengers and its loot, wormed its way clumsily from amid the barges looking like an innocent farmer boat
 The sun, now a golden ball in the eastern mist. looked down upon a harborage busy with the pur- suers of the little runaway bride Henri and Marie were swishng swiftly Ned and Robbie and Iris leaving the dock in Bobbe's speedy little crus CT; Honoria Bye and the well known and justly fa- nous private detective Bill Wolf putting out into the river in the Eagle Eye Detective agencys steam yawl, it's stovepipe stack rolling black smoke and Ncnders and hot sparks back over the already blackening passengers; Gilbert Blye and the heavy lidded Edwards just leaving the Hilarity in the keen little racer; Cunningham had been slow and below decks when they put off, but he followed now in the cutter. The and the cutter speed ed straight for the point around which June had dis appeared. Tommy Thomas waved scarf after them and shouted absurd instructions to them but Mrs Willard stood quietly by the rail- her eyes fixed Somberly on that distant point.
 Slowly June raised from her crouching position. The cling of the small boat which she had sighted seemed to be fainter rather than more distinct. It was fading into the distance when she looked, and from its red stern she knew that it was not one of the Hiarity's boats. Once more she breathed sigh of relief but even she did so she heard familiar sound-the siren whistle of the Hiaritys cutter! And it near!
 Frantically now she scanned the shore There was another inlet just ahead of her, and in despera ton she steered into it. It was narrow but dis tinct channel winding about amid tangle of shrub bery and marsh grass and stunted trees, with here and there a larger tree rising from mound of solid earth There high banks presently and then tiny island, in the center of which was de- crepit hut June about to step ashore when she heard the low purring of a motor. The cutter! From the sudden shut-inness of the sound it had entered the inlet. In terror June Jumped back into the boat The hut seemed deserted There was no smoke rising from the chimney and to protect her if she found there alone. She away in flash, circling the island From the other side she that the channel led away into the marshes probably to another inlet, and she had started to dart down this lonely waterway when suddenly she spied rope trailing out into the water from under bushes matted with marsh weeds. The whir of the motor rapidly advancing. She could scarcely hope to escape unseen Her wits sharp ened by her peril, she steered with swift decision toward the overhanging bushes. They parted her prov ran into them, and, bending low. she found herself shot into entire concealment. The whr of the approaching motor grew loud. Quick as flash June reached for the telltale rope which had be- trayed this hiding place and drew it under of the matted bushes.
 Louder and louder grew the whir It just upon her With her heart beating so that her full of the sound of it June peered out through her leafy screen. Orin Cunningham He circed the island in his swift little cutter his keen eyes search ing everywhere. He passed within ten feet of her She held her breath lest he might hear it. and once his eyes turned full in her direction and she thought he had certainly detected her hiding place. she almost screamed.
 He passed on, however, and, running his light ft tie boat ashore, stepped out and went up to the hu the only possible place of concealment the island.