The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-13
CHAPTER V.
A Mysterious Motorboat.

was advised to fish without worry.
 He strolled out to that end of the veranda where the guides foregather- ed. He knew them all, from the clean, self respecting man down to the disso- 1ute and simprovident.
 Presently he saw Lester coming up the steps.
 This young guide never came to the hotel except on business. He was quiet, educated, a born naturalist; he could E'see'' bass in the water, the saying goes.
 He was heartily envied by the ma jority of the guides because he rowed for one man and had done so for seven years, from June IT to September.
 He had a small boat, easy to handle, and. being a natural mechanic, never tinkered with his two cylinder engine; travelled eight miles an hour, with nev- CT a glance at the spark plugs, which to date no machine shop could turn out to satisfy Uncle Billy
 'eWhere would you like to fish, sir, tomorrow P
 'eWe might try Pidgin.'
 The guide smiled '"Theyre biting fast at Bells and around Horseshoe"
 even try those in the afternoon" s'Lunch or shore dinner?'
 Rather believe I'd like whack at boned bass"
 sAll right, sir I'll be at the dock at 7:3O." Lester touched his hat and went down the steps
 Cranford went up to his room and began to straighten out his tackle. He whistled and llummed at the work all boy.
 Meantime a man arrived on the last train.
 He registered, ate late dinner, idled about the desk and carelessly ran over the names of the guests. He then in- auired the way to the telegraph office.
 Later the clerk asked him if he de- sired guide.
 ssNo. Pm leaving for Kingston in the morning. If you will giveNme my key I'll turn in at once. The boat leaves at 7.''
 Well call you, sir"
 Thanks, replied the stranger, who was tall, thickset, gray haired. ruddy faced, with an air of prosperity
 
 Cranford eyed the two rods affection ately
 Old rods; old tackle, the very leader he had fshed with that last day over ! at Horseshoe when the big fellow got away just as Uncle Billy was passing the net.
 A fawed hook had done the trick. In another corner of the room stood $50 worth of new tackle. glaringly new. He might not use one of them during the month, and again they might be called into active service befoSe the week was up
 The sou u'wester. the dripping rain coat, the oozing shoes, the strong white teeth burying themselves in the cheek of the rosy apple. Wynne-Diana Wynne it ought to be-Diana shut out forever from the Olympian heights, 1 made mortal, thereby attafnable.
 Had he met her in the heea! parlor she would have stirred only q passing admiration, but she had come from the heart of the storm, bringing with her a gust of heady ozone.
 CT love it out at Pidgin. It is wild and free there. was born at sea. He laughed a little and whipped the rod back and forth to test its pliancy. He must not permit any such nonsense to enter his head, only
 The next morning the late arrival of the night before changed his. plans.
 He told the clerk that he would re- turn at noon to Ogdensburg instead of crossing to Kingston! At breakfast he watched Cranford stealthily.
 When he saw him shoulder his rods and go whfstling down toward the l dock he went up to his room. quietly ! opened the window and slipped out on ] to the veranda- NonchaIantly he ap- l preached Cranford's window and, ind 1 ing it open stepped inside the room. l He paused to listen, tried the door i gently and found it locked. He smiled
 ] Deftly and quickly he searched l through the clothes in the closet through the luggage. Nothing escaped his marvellous fingers, and when he stood up it would have taken an eye more than mortal to have discovered 1 anything amiss. 1 < Again he listened. After q minute or so he went out l of the window and walked le1sureIy around to the north side. He was just 1 in time to see Cranford's boat sweep 1 out of the basin, with a twist or two 1 of blue vapor trailing in its wake. What a fair world it was-cloudless, rain washed, yistaed! Eeng island stood out against the i pale sky of early morning. crisp, mar | yelously distinct. You could see the cracks in the rotting lodges, the sun lances breaking 1 against the sharp angles of rosy gran 1 ite, the delicate lacing of pine and ma I pie. As for the water, it was flat and l burnished as Cleopatra's mirror. Far, far above him Cranford espied a l motionless speck. an eagle, and here and there the silly gulls rode and bob bed upon the rivers placid bosom, as unloyely at close view as decoy ducks, but of beauty unutterable when flying l in the face of gale.
 Even the midges. doubtless born that 1 sunrise, interested him. He settled 1 back in his comfortable chair seat, l pulled his gray felt hat down over his l eyes and drew contentedly at his pipe ] He was very near to hnnniness as