The Washington times., 1916-01-17


turned to look seaward. The
brisk wind that had sprung up
during the last half hour snapped the
folds of her sailor suit about her ]
ankles, with daring impertincnce. She J
flung her arms wide to the refreshing !.
breeze and laughed exultantly.
Out there. at the end Of the pier. the
surface of the water had become
smooth again. There was nothing to
prove that, only a minute before. a |
large bundle heavily weighted and con-
tanning invention plans worth million !
human lives had plunged to depths
leaving only nest OF circular ripples |
that grew fainter as they grew larger. !
The wise old sea guards its secrets |
wonderfully well.
One less weapon for the war god"
she cried to the waves. old Neptune. !
put it in your safc-deposit vaults so
that it will never rise again.
She bent to pick up broken she'll
that was lying on the edge of the pier.
A particularly brilliant ray of sunlight
caught the back of her hand. making
the red circle look like a scarlet welt
on the white flesh She covered the
telltaie mark with her other hand, and
looked around. guilty.
Crouched there, the old. stark fear
cut into her heart for a moment .\s
her keen. searching eyes found the
beach she sprang to her feet and
started toward little building on the
pier that had been used for a boat
renting office. Once safe in the shad-
ow 1t cast. she looked shorcward
again.
On the bench, running around cor
per of the battered shack, she saw
Todd Drew, and Count Freels. AS she
and stood looking about blankly.
Drew was a desolate figure. Nursing
his injured hand. he stood poised on
one foot. the other kicking and wig
Cling as if in effort to relieve the
pain.
The count was talking excitedly and
pulling at the ends of his long goatee.
In spite of her imminent danger June
laughed at the strange pair: then
lodged bac!; into the shadow when
she fancied she saw their eyes turn
toward the ocean. Their loud. agitat-
ed dialogue drifted out to her faint
ly. She caught the words: (which
way? Find her.
A wave a little heavier than the
rest swish"d nosily under the pier
Something knocked against one of the
piles. June turned in sudden fear.
She saw the ends of = perpendicular,
wooden alder showing above the
edge of the strirgpiccc.
Bending over, she noted that an
low her. Little sunlit puddles slid
lazily from one side to the other, on
its bottom, Us 1t rocked to and fro on
the gentle tide
her ankles. June gripped the sides of
the ladder and descended carefully.
rung by rung. Naturally athletic, she
ba lanced easily while she united the
side of the pier. Then, dropping on TO
the rower's seat she adjusted the oars
and pulled with long. easy strokes.
When she felt that she was at a safe
looked toward the shore. The beau!,
was dotted with girls in white. girls
with parasols of dazzling greens and
reds. girls in the soft sheen Of satin
bathing suits, here and there white.
flanneled OF bluc-scrscd figure pro-
claimed a man.
Too far away to distinguish face,
and well content at her clever escap,
June tried not to scan the shore toe
carefully for the two men who were
searching for her. The first glance, die
not reveal them. so she dismissed then
from her thoughts for the moment an,
took to dreaming. The sun was warm
the slow rise ana fall Of the placid SCI
was soothing tho day Was meant fo'
dreams. She drifted on. smiling now
and thcn-sometimes startled from hel
revery by tho sharp flapping Of a sea
gull's wings as it rose from the sur
face and sped away.
raised his glass TO learn what thu
white spot on the horizon might be
lowered it again before he had
chance to look Two excited indivd
aals, talking to each other. had conn
across his line of visiou---in fact. on
of them had actually stumbled Owe
his white canvas foot and had gon
on without apology. He looked afte
the unmannerlY chap, with a half min'
to follow and demand redress.
He saw, the fellow who had so gros5l
offended him approach a group OF girls
Three of them i'll bathing suits wer
talking to a remarkably pretty fourth
who was sitting on rock. In spite o
his recent irritation. the man could M
IA her trim sailor suit aud fetchin
hat He wondered whether she was
friend of the two awkward doors.
was strange that such q pretty gil
could have such uncodth friends.
Suddenly one of tna fellows who brok
through the little group, abrupt
seized the right hand Of the pretty sir
looked closely at the back of II an
dropped 1t Just as abruptly. The cir
her eyes blazing with anger, reache
for the closed parasol that was lyin
at her side and raised it in midair.
The two men backed away, utterin
abject apologies and loud protest b.
fore the sudden onslaught of indignar
feminity: then they broke into ri
and made for the csplanade. Slippil
his marine glass into his coat pock"
the onlooker, amused, started IN Pu
suit.
Partly because he was not runnin
away from ANYTHING. partly because h
white shoes were diStressinglv new an
tight he found it impossible to keep u
with the fleeing pair lie saw thel
stop suddenly: he raw the same irnl
dent fellow approach a girl. dressed in
sailor suit sefzc her right hand. sea
Its surface hastily. thCn drop It, an
attempt getaway
But the girl MAS too quick for hin
Getting hold uC the mans injured hal
she hung um. calling for help az the q
Ns-aV ,FL