The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-12-13


wharf, the two men embarked
thanked Mr.. Witherbee, and went
on their way.
'That's a funny co." said heI
host. turning to her.
Rosalind raised her eyebrows In
polite curiosity.
American customs agents." ex-
planned Mr.. Witherbee. Looking
for diamond smugglers. It seems
there's been a good deal of 1t going
on. Last night somebody left an
anonymous letter in their boat
containing some sort of hint
about Mr.. Norton"
''Mr. Morton?"
"Uh-huh! Ridiculous, of course
! think | satisfied 'em on that
score. They didn't seem to take
much stock in whatever the letter
said"
"Of course not" agreed Rosa.
lind.
''But here's the queerest part
On the back of the paper was the
name of Mr.. Davidson. They went
over to his island before they came
here and showed 1t to him. And
Davidson said that 1t was his own
handwriting!"
How curious! OF course he
didn't know anything about the
note?"
"Not a thing In the world. The
note was written in lead pencil In
an entirely different hand. But
there was his name on the back OF
Il. 1t looks like a half-sheet OF
paper torn off from the other part
Davidson Acknowledges the sigma
ture, and that's every blessed
thing he knows about 1t. Now
wouldn't that get your"
ut would" admitted Rosalind
forgetting her adherence of slang
Mr.. Witherbee went off mutter'
ing.
Rosalind sensed a suddenly
awakened interest in the English
man. She resolved to satisfy hel
curiosity, SO, rising from her sea-
on the wharf, She went briskly VI
to the house.
Mrs. Witherbee was in cornel
Of the porch. Rosalind dropped
into a seat beside her. For few
minutes she watched the tennis
players, then remarked indiffer
emily:
''Mr. Morton plays rather Q
strong game, don't you think?"
well, l don't understand ten.
MIS-" said Mrs. Witherbee; "but
they tell me he does. He's a rather
interesting man."
you've known him for some
tfme?"
mo, we haven't" said Mrs
Witherbee. Hes been here most
OF the summer, but he's only been
with us few weeks. He was Mr.
Davidson's guest at first. That's
how we came to meet him.
Stephen took a fancy to him
and invited him over here.
imagine he was glad of the chance
because things were rather slow
over at Davidson's after Billy
kellogg went away"
billy heliOBB!
"Mr. Davidson's nephew. A nice
boy, but an idler. You probably
heard his uncle mention the fact
that he was working in New York.
Mr.. Davidson forced him to. The
straw that broke the camel's back,
It seems. was when Billy lost big
sum of money playing bridge with
Mr.. Morton. That disguised his
uncle"
In some mysterious way, known
only to popular young ladies.
Miss Chalmers contrived to get
Mr.. Morton to take them all fish
ing that afternoon. She also con-
tributed to get him to hire Sans
launch. Rosalind went down to
the wharf while Morton collected
the rest of the party.
She found the boatman wipine
the seats and otherwise engaged
IN the discouraging task of trying
TO make his craft tidy. He greeted
her with a brief nod.
sFishing?" he asked.
"Yes."
How many in the party I
Space is limited, you know"
Myself--Mr. Morton-perhaps
half q dozen others"
miss Dawson?" he asked.
Rosalind looked at him In quici
notonishment.
because / can't take Miss Daw'
son." he added.
This is the most unheard-oi
&11lg yeti" she exclaimed.
1orton appeared on the wharf
0wed by the Winter girls and
Rescue Jones.
osalind did not meet the boat
~ eye rs the party embarked
was soon Disguised with heI
1<1ment. She was quite WILLING
<nndon II.
ha1l we turn back?" she ask
Norton who was strokinR hii