Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-11-13
THIRD INsTALLMENT
THE FAILURE
CHAPTER XII.
May the Best Man Win.

A'Vui GIdu lIlo-odftul
uniform, sat upon the gunwale of hi
lifeboat, gazing seaward--ever sea
ward. He was seeing visions-alwayl
visions of the sea. He caught An
nette's hand In his own. He turned t.
her.
Annette he cried, I've got to de
it, can't help 1t. 1t calls to me-ths
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
IT'S In your blood she repeated
your father was hero of the sea-
he saved me--you saved me, Neal
You've got to go."
"You--want me TOT" he asked.
Yes, want you to-"
I'll CO. said Neal
The girl held In her right hand a
newspaper-the current issue of the
local Seaport weekly. Il saved this
just for you. Look. Read 1t, 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 10
limited to but one appointment. May
the best man win.
TITS 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, always the best man.
You're bound to win"
Congressman James J. Prime was
Seaport man--and the biggest man in
that shore town. He had sprung from
bodybuilding. seafaring ancestors; he
knew seagoing folk; ne liked them.
And he liked the sea. And the pleas
ATTEST 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
lifeboat gazing seward, the congress
man was at the post office. surrounded
by a circle OF old cronies, holding forth
upon the navy. AS he talked he exam.
fned his mail, opening 1t with clumsy
forefinger. He had mail aplenty -
small envelopes and big ones, long
and short Three times he dropped q
letter, once he dropped a check -
somebody picked them up for him.
Then, unknown to himself, and un
seen Of anyone about him, he acct.
dentally dropped something else upon
the fioor--a long, folded printed paper.
He didn't miss 1t; and when Congress-
man James j. Prime moved off In the
direction Of his home, human being
slouched over to, that corner, placed a
concealing foot upon the folded paper,
struck a match and lit q cigarette,
stopped suddenly and with nicotine
stained fingers, picked up the docu.
ment.
The concealing foot and the nico-
fingers belonged to
young and sporty gentleman of the
name Of Joey Welcher.
He thrust the document into his
pocket and then, he too, moved of to
some less public place. When he
reached place less public, he exam
ned his find. He was disappointed at
lrst. He was prepared for anything
II interest. But he was disguised when
10 opened the document and read its
headlines:
Questions and Correct Answers to
70 used In Preliminary Competitive
for Congressional APP
'olntnent ----- District of New Jer-
10y, for Navy Academy, Annapolis
duplicate.
1t didn't interest him, but he glanced
yer It's contents; then thrust 1t into
is hip pocket and went his way
moking cigarette.
CHAPTER XII.