The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-03-24
THIRD INSTALLMENT
THE FAILURE
CHAPTER XII.
May the Best Man Win

uniform, sat upon the gunwale Of his
iifeboat, gazing seaward-ever sea
ward. He was seeing visions-always
visions of the sea. He caught An
nette's hand in his own. He turned to
her.
Annette" he cried, I've got to do
tt can't help 1t. 1t calls to me-the
sea- It's in my blood"
The girl smiled-a bit sadly per-
haps. But her eyes glowed She re-
turned the pressure of Meals hand
with her warm, strong, girlish grasp.
ITS 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 me to-" he asked.
Yes, want you to-"
I'll CO." said Neal
The girl held in her right hand a
local Seaport weekly. 81 saved this
Just for you. Look. Read it, Neal"
she said She pointed to an item on
the first page.
SONSHE SSMAN PRIME AN
NOUNCES PRELIMINARY AN
NAPOLIS EXAMINATIONS.
Congressman James j. Prime Of Sea-
port announces that tho preliminary
examination for candidacy for Annap-
oils finals will be held at the High
School here on Thursday next at 9 a.
m. Tho congressman's privilege is
limited to but one appointment. May
the best man win.
IT'S your chance, Neal" said the
girl. She placed hand upon his
shoulder, and at her touch the blood
ran through his veins like wine.
You're the best man, Neal" she
whispered, always the best man.
You're bound to win"
Congressman James ]. Prime was a
Seaport man-and the biggest man in
that shore town. He had sprung from
bodybuilding. seafaring ancestors; he
knew seagoing folk; he liked them
And he liked the sea. And the pleas
ATTEST thing he did, he was wont to
tell his friends, was to recommend
elear-eyed, clean limbed young fellows
for Annapolis. At the very time that
Annette and Neal were sitting in the
tifeboat gazing seward, the congress
man was at the post office, surrounded
by circle Of old cronies, holding forth
upon the navy. AS he talked he exam
tined his mail, opening 1t with clumsy
forefnger. He had mail aplenty
small envelopes and big ones, long
and short. Three times he dropped a
letter, once he dropped a check -
somebody picked them up for him.
Then. unknown to himself, and un-
seen of anyone about him, he acct
dentally dropped something else upon
the floor-a long, folded printed paper
He didn't miss 1t; and when Congress
man James ]. Prime moved of In the
direction of his home, human being
slouched over to that corner, placed a
struck match and lit cigarette,
stopped suddenly and with nicotine
stained fingers, picked up the docu-
ment.
The concealing foot and the nico-
tine-stained fingers belonged to
young and sporty gentleman of the
name of Joey Welcher.
He thrust the document into his
pocket and then, he too. moved OF to
some less public place. When he
reached place less public, he exam
ined his find. He was disappointed at
first. 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 Congregational Ap-
continent - District Of New Jer
soy, for Navy Academy, Annapolis.
Duplicate.
1t didn't interest him, but he glanced
over its contents; then thrust II into
lis hip pocket and went his way
smoking cigarette.
CHAPTER XII.