Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-01-09
THE BLUE BOMB /
". OIESY
Z" A Story OF Humor Mystery, Romance Adventure"
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He came in sight of the beach and
of a trim launch, into which several
men seemed lifting an impassive fig
ure. With a yell he leaped forward
and charged down upon the group.
One OF them, standing little apart,
turned toward him. A dart of flame
whine of the bullet as it sped past.
He lifted his own weapon and fired
as he ran. His painting breath and
his motion caused his shot to go
wild. In the few instants since he
had seen them, they had placed the
burden they carried in the launch.
Now the man who had fired at his
appearance leaped aboard. The
launch moved forward, gained head
way, and swept from the shore.
Gafford reached the waters edge
and paused breathless before the
strip of widening water. By just
that much he was again too late.
Oshitu had made good his escape.
From impulse rather than purpose,
the man on the beach lifted his re-
volver and fired again after the
speeding launch. In a way it was a
defiance, a declaration of war to the
last.
A moment later he began to re-
trace his steps. He had but one
thought now-to get back to Kate
and report his pitiful failure, and
plan how he might still continue the
pursuit. "God help her! God help
herp he painted as he ran across the
island to where he had left the sam
pan. Surely the woman who had
gone an unwilling captive on the
launch of Oshitu had need of help.
He found his man waiting. For a
moment he had feared that even he
might have deserted. But no doubt
he, too, had heard the pant of the
launch's escape, and decided to wait
for his passenger and collect his
pay. Gafford boarded the sampan
in silence, and courtly ordered the
man back to the waterfront.
A man of a lesser fiber would
have been totally cast down. CAT
ford, on the other hand, seemed to
himself to be turning to ice. The
continued success which attended his
enemy's efforts was rousing a deadly
cold purpose of combat within him
which nothing else could have done.
of nations, was narrowing to a per-
sonal issue. This man had begun by
wrecking his life prospects, soiling
his name, driving HIM into exile, and
to the very brink of the oblivion of
the lost. Now once more he was
Haunting his every effort. Tonight
he had won by the narrow margin
of a strip of water-but he had won.
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the next time he would not win.
From now on he would take up
the trail, and not pause until he had
ran him down. He had a triple pur-
pose to urge him; the life of a ma
and his personal score. Each foot
that the sampan crept back across
the moon-silvered water seemed to
the glinting rays into his soul. His
face took on new lines of firmness
while he sat and waited for his ar
rival at the beach.
The white yacht lay sleeping as
they passed her. Not a soul aboard
her dreamed that the girl who had
come as her honored guest to this
port had been abducted under their
very eyes. Gafford scanned her
closely, reading the lettered MAN
tucket" upon her pointed bows. And
it seemed to him that at that instant
a new link in the chain of his en-
deavOrs was forged by Fate He
nodded slightly in approval of the
thought which had walked, and be-
gan to plan anew.
Gradually the sampan moved up
the harbor. The little fire of the
boatmen winked from the beach.
After time they reached it, and
Gafford sprang ashore. Without a
glance he handed the astonished
boatman a piece of gold How much
it was or how little he did not notice
as he turned away.
The man burst into frantic avow-
ais Of undying gratitude and cut
them suddenly short. The man he
addressed was already racing along
the beach in the direction of the
quay.
"They are an odd people, these
Americans" unused the boatman,
"and | am certainly lucky beyond all
my hopes. Here in my hand | hold
much rice and fish, and the price of
fowl or two. All! The Gods are
good"
Gafford in the mean time had
reached the first street of shops, and
still running, arrived at the House
of Moon Faces. He entered and
made his way back through the tea
rooms, spied White Kate as he
passed, and signed her to follow.
Once in the seclusion of her rooms
he turned upon her with a white
face and lips that snarled.
"They have beaten us, Kate" he
said harshly. "They got the girl
was too late