Tombstone epitaph., 1916-01-09

MT. Hazard. wait, want to speak with you"
 Felix Hazard had just descended the "L" steps at Fifth avenue and Madison street. and was hurrying to his office at the Sutherland Detective agency. to take up ihe iaDors oi tine day. when his steps were arrested by a soft femi- nine voice. He stopped instantly. and not without some surprise wheeled round and met the speakers anxious look. He knew the voice
 Certainly. Helen" he agreed. You sound mighty serious"
 The two drew closer together and jostling sidewalk throng.
 NOminally. Helen Bertel was ste nographer at the Sutherland offices; but. besides being strikingly pretty giri with a Dianalike length Of limb and iitheness, she had on more than one occasion, when asked to meet an emergency. shown a capability and adaptability that placed her in the rank with the company's best opera lives Accordingly, she drew an oper- stive's salary.
 Felix Hazard and Helen Bertel were good friends. Indeed. it was hard sometimes for the man to smother the warm glow that was wont to leap into his eyes at sight Of her; he made no attempt to hide his admiration, how ever.
 The girl smiled faintly.
 Perhaps it is serious" she returned. Anyhow. it's awfully queer-what I want to see you about I'm glad we met here instead of having to wait till we got to the office.
 Last night, as maybe you remem- Der. was beautiful-a full moon-and was out lots later than l should have been. alone in my canoe. and went out into the lake lots farther than l should have gone. l had an ad- venture"
 Her fine gray eyes were dancing with suppressed excitement
 Tn the middle of the lake?" Hazard inquired.
 Goodness, no, But I was far enough of shore to make it very strange and mysterious. The moon glare was behind me at the time, and once when I looked back ! saw a row boat It was white-like a shell of aIabaster on path of cold silver fire"
 Felix Hazard smiled whimsically and remarked:
 The moons influence still fingers, l see What queer girl you sre,"
 She made little mouth at him and went on:
 Tt was empty, or l thought it was; one doesn't find empty skiffs floating on the lake every night, you know: and of course I turned and padded straight to where it was.
 Wei. it wasn't empty. A man lay unconscious in the bottom. his white face turned up ghostly to the moon. l thought he was dead; but even while was holding the two boats together and peering down at him, he opened his eyes and looked up al me.
 Tt was funny! To save my life I couldn't think of a word to say! We just stared at each other like two
  all at once sat up and groaned. He caught at his head with both hands and toppied forward oyer one of the thwarts.
 'I knew then that he had been hurt, and I got busy. Would you believe 1t? He hadn't the slightest idea how he got injured. or how he happened to
 thA fok Sr 1f nearly midnight.
 By this time I was making mental note of everything. He had an un- buttoned appearance, if you know what mesn-shirt unfastened, shoes un- laced: his collar and tie were lying on the grating. and his hat was missing utterly. Also he didn't have an oar to his name.
 He was too weak to help much, and there wasn't another boat in sight any wheFe-just us two away out in the silent. modniit lake. I tied my canoe to the boat and lowed it back to the beach: not so easy to do with only a single paddle
 t4azard was intensely interested. not atone because the episode was unusual ir itself. but also because he knew thai Heien BerteJ would not be telling him about it with so much detail ii she were not moved by some under lying purpose.
 "weU. he prompted her. whats the answerT
 Why, on the way to land 1 made another ciseovery-seyeral of them to tea the truth. He IS a yo-ng mau