The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-09
CHAPTER VII.
The Clue.


and seized the glasses once again. He
passed them to IneZ. Tell me what
you see," he said
The woman shuddered slightly.
Government vessel" she returned.
With the woman at his side he
strobe into the huge living room.
A moment later he reappeared tug
ging with him a small steamer trunk.
With her aid he carried it to the We.
randa; then they went back for an
other-and another-and still another
"Senor,' exclaimed Ponto, from the
inner edge of small pit that he and
the brute had finished digging, behold.
the task is now complete"
Come them cried Hernandez
sharply dump these in
Half an hour later and half mile
from shore revenue cutter stopped
its engines and later dropped an an
Choir.
Another half an hour and Hernandez
and his dark-haired Inez sauntered
shoreward and stood bowling on the
crazy little wharf They waited calm
ly, the woman smoking a cigarette
and Hernandez enjoying his panetela,
until the ships gig Grew up to the
wharf.
Hernandez deity caught the rope as
it was thrown to him.
mr. Hernandez" said the officer
brusquely, I've got government
search warrant"
do not produce it, sir he said II
take you at your word"
Mr.. Hernandez" went on the OFF,
GER "a Porto Rican fisherman reported
to us yesterday that his kicker had
been hired three times by notorious
negro smuggler-that three times he
had watched the departure of his boat
and its return. Each time it had come
in this direction--each time returned
from this direction"
"The point u.s." went on the officer.
just tbi-: This is the only point south
Of Porto Rico within a given distance.
The kicker owned by our informant,
when it left its owner, sailed direct
toward you and returned direct from
you. Possibly am on fools errand,
but I've got to do my duty"
Permit me to escort you, senor," "
said Hernandez.
An hour later the officer was seated
on the veranda waiting for his men.
One by one they filed in and reported.
No go, sir" they all said. We've
covered the whole place. There's not
an ounce of gum nor penny's worth
of fake"
The officer shook his head and dis
missed his men.
You were speaking" he remarked,
slipping his glass of ice-cold vichy,
you were speaking of the Martinique
eruption"
OF that" assented Hernandez land
of something else-the steamship Prin.
cess of New York
burned, that tramp-burned two days
out from Martinique"
Hernandez's eyes narrowed How
do you know. senor?" he Queried
Il know" returned the officer, "be
cause was a seaman on the gunboat
Eaglet- and the gunboat Eaglet res
cued the survivors of the Princess
Senior" said Hernandez gravely, 81
would hear about this Princess of New
York. She stood by. senor-I remem
Der well, for | thought my last hour
had come-she stood by to succol
refugees and l with my man Ponto
here-l was a refugee. | fled from
The smoke and lava of Mount Pelet
back in 1902"
Were YOU on the steamer Prin
cess?" asked the officer
No. returned Hernandez. they
would not let us on: they beat u:
back. But a strange thing happened
senior. There were four of us, myself
my servant Ponto and an American
named llington.'
-Four of you?" queried the officer.
"Ah." said Hernandez. there was
fourth member of the party-w,
had put of in a leaky boat She wa:
baby girl-a child. She was tbs
daughter of this Ilington
The officer leaned forward, HI.
mind was at work. His memory trav
eled back over some thirteen years
He nodded.
Ellington" he repeated "A chile
"a baby girl | remember now"
That baby girl, senior, boarded tn,
ship-they took her out of all he
party-her and her native woman sery
ant"
The officer slapped his thigh Il re
member now he said. Il remembe
all about it, Let me see. 1t was com
mon talk aboard the Eaglet Thi
child came aboard with the wife o
the Princess captain. She had tw,
boys with her and this little girl
don't remember the girl. but she wa
young. say five years old The car
tain's boy ! remember well-he slep
In my hammock the first night h
came aboard | remember him Blu
there was something about the girl
wait, ] have II. A bag of gold-Spar
ish pieces most of them, | think-o
maybe French A bag of gold-an
something else. Some note or pack
age-some mystery at any rate. as
recall"
Hernandez knocked the ashes from
his panetela You don't say so. ser
or" he replied. with show Of inter
est. "A bag of gold and mystery
knew nothing. of all that. l wonde
what has become of Ilington. BY tn
way. senior, what became OF the sur
viYors OF the Princess?"