Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-17

istered as Henri Theriere, Comte de Cad
enet, and servant, France"
His first act thereafter was to hand n
note TO the clerk, asking that It be dis
patched Immediately. The note was ad-
dressed to Anthony Harding, Esq, on board
yacht Lotus
Count de Cadenet and his servant re-
paired to the counts rooms, there to await
an answer to the note Henri Theriere,
the second officer Of the Halfmoon, In
frock coat and silk hat. looked every inch
a nobleman and n gentleman.
What his past had been none but he
knew, but his polished manners, his knowl-
edge of navigation and seamanshtp, ana
his leaning toward the ways of the mar
tnet In his dealings with the men beneath
him, led skipper Smms to assume that he
had once held a commission in the French
Navy, from which he had, doubtless been
kicked in disgrace.
The man was cold, cruel, of a moody dis
position and quick to anger. He had been
signed as second officer for this cruise
through the Intervention of Divine and
Clinker
He had sailed with simms before. but
the skipper found him too hard customer
to deal with, and had been on the point Of
seeking another second when Divine and
Clnker discovered him on board the Half
moon. After ten minutes conversation
with him they found that he fitted so per-
fectly into their scheme of action that they
would not hear of Simms releasing him
Ward had little use for the Frenchman,
whose naughty manner and condescending
airs grated on the sensblllties of the un-
couth and boorish first officer.
The duty which necesstated him acting
In the capacity of Therlere's servant was
about as distasteful to him as anything
could be. and only served to add to his
hatred for the inferior, who. Mt the bottom
of his heart, he knew to be in every way,
except upon tho roster of the Halfmoon, his
superior.
But money can work wonders, and Di.
vines promise that the officers and crew
of the Halfmoon would have n cool million
United States dollars to divide among them
In case of the success of tho venture had
quite effectually overcome any dislike which
Mr.. Ward had felt for this particular phase
of his duty.
Tho two officers sat in silence in their
room at the hotel waiting an answer to the
note they had dispatched to Anthony Hard
ing, Esq Tho parts they were to act had
been carefully rehcarscd on board tho Half
moon many times Each was occupied with
his own thoughts. As they had nothing in
common outside the present rascality that
had brought them together, and as that
subject was one not we'll to discuss more
than necessary. there seemed no call for
conversation
On board the yacht in the harbor prepa-
rations were being made to land small
party that contemplated motor trip up the
Nuuanu valley when a small boat drew
alongside and messenger from the hotel
handed sealed note to one of tho sailors.
From the deck of the Halfmoon Skipper
Simms witnessed the transaction, smiling
inwardly. Billy Byrne also saw II, but II
meant nothing to him He had been loling
upon the deck of the brlgantlne, glaring at
tho yacht Lotus, hating her and the gay.
well.dressed mon and women he could SEQ
laughing and chatting upon her deck.
They represented to him the concentrated
essonce- of all that was pusillanimous, dis.
gusting, loathsome In that other world that
was as far separated from him as though
he had been n grubworm in the manure pile
back of Bradley's livery stable.
He saw the note handed by the sailor to
a gray-haired smooth.faced mana large.
sleek, well-groomed man. Billy could inn
agine tho white hands and polished nails OF
him. The thought was nauseating.
Tho man who took and opened tho note
was Anthony Harding, ESQ. He read It,
and then passed 1t to n young woman who
stood nearby talking with several other
young people.
Here, Barbara" no said. rs something