The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-11-20
THIRD INSTALLMENT ,
THE FAILURE
CHAPTER XII.


Uniform, sat upon the gunwale of his
lifeboat, gazing seaward-ever sea-
ward. He was seeing visions always
visions of the sea- He caught An
nette's hand in his own. He turned to
her.
Annette" he cried, 1--WE got to do
1T can't help it. 1t calls to me-the
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.
TITS 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 to-" he asked.
Yes, II 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 it, Neal"
she said She pointed to an item on
the first page.
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. Tho congressman's privilege Il
limited 70 but one appointment. May
the best man win.
Its your chance, Neal" said the
girl She placed 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; he 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 seaward, the congress
man was at the post office, surrounded
by circle Of old cronies, holding forth
upon the navy. AS he talked he exam
ined 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 I'M
seen of anyone about him, he acct
dentally dropped something else upon
the floor-a long, folded printed paper.
He didn't miss it; and when Congress
man James J. Prime moved off in the
direction of his home, a human being
slouched over to that corner, placed
concealing foot upon the folded paper,
struck match and lit cigarette,
stopped suddenly and with nicotine
stained fingers. picked up the docu-
ment.
The concealing foot and the nico-
young and sporty gentleman OF the
name of Joey Welcher.
He thrust the document into his
pocket and then, he too, moved on to
some less public place. When ne
reached place less public, he exam
ined his find He was disappointed at
first. He was prepared for anything
OF interest. But he was disgusted when
he opened the document and read its
headlines:
Questions and Correct Answers to
be used In Preliminary Competitive
Examination for Congressional Ap-
pojntment District Of New Jer
soy, for Navy Academy, AnnapoIls- |
Duplicate.
1t didn't interest him, but he glanced
over its contents; then thrust It into
bis hip pocket and went his way
smoking cigarette.
CHAPTER XII.