The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-11-04
THIRD INSTALLMENT
THE FAILURE
CHAPTER xI.
May tho Best Man Win.


uniform. sat upon the gunwale OF his
lifeboat. gazing seaward-ever sea.
ward. He was seeing visions--always
visions OF the sea. lie caught An.
nette's hand In his own. He turned TO
her.
Annette" he cried. i've got TO do
it, can't help IT, IL calls to me-tho
sea. Its in my blood"
The girl smiled--a bit sadly per
haps. hut her eyes glowed She re.
turned the pressure OF Neais 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 60"
"You-want mo TOT" ho asked.
"Yes, I want you to-"
''l'll co." said Neal.
Tho girl held IN her right hand
newspaper--tho current issue OF tho
local Seaport weekly. II saved this
Just for you. Look. Read II. 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 A" \ jNnnap-
ollie HnaIs will bs held a. he High
School hero on Thursday nest at 0 ..
m. The eonoressman's privilege 10
limited TO but one appointment. May
the best man win.
ITS your chance, Neal" said the
girl. She placed hand upon his
shoulder, and mt her touch the blood
"a. through his veins like wine
sYoure the best man. Neal" she
whispered. always tho best man
You're bound to win"
Congressman James J. Prime was a
Seaport man-and the biggest man IN
that shore town. lie had sprung from
bodybuilding. seafaring ancestors; ho
knew seago,ng folk; ho liked them.
And nc, liked tho sea. And tho pleas
ATTEST thing he did. he was wont TO
tell his friends. was 10 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 oronies. holding forth
upon the navy. As he talked he exam.
ined his mail opening II with clumsy
forefinger. lie 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 acci' |
dentally dropped something else upon |
the foor--a long. folded printed paper |
He didn't miss Il; and when Congress
man James J. Prime moved on In the
direction OF his home, human being
slouched over 10 that corner, placed a
concealing foot upon the folded paper
struck a match and III cigarette,
stopped suddenly and with nicotine
stained fingers. picked up the docu'
ment.
The concealing foot and the nico-
une-stained unSere pciohbeu W +"
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 he
reached a place less public, he exam
ined his ind. lie was disappointed at
fret. 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-
poIntment - District Of New Jer
ssx for Navy Academy. Annapolis
Duplicate.
II didn't interest him, but he glanced
over its contents; then thrust IT into
his hip pocket and went his way
smoking a cigarette
CHAPTER XII.