The Spectator., 1916-04-28
Copyright, 1914, by Harold MacGrathl

l i take hand in. So the following night he departed for Boston, from there to New York. He proceeded at once to the apartment of the princess, where 1 Braine declared that he himself would go to the obscure village and claim Florence as his own child. But to insure absolute success they would charter Morse's yacht and steam right up into the primitive harbor. When Vroon left the apartment Nor ton saw him. He was a man of i'm pulses, and he had found by eXperi- ence that first impulses are generally the best. He did not know who Vroon was. Any man who called on the Princess Perigoff while Braine was with her would be worth following. | On the other hand, Vroon recognized the reporter instantly and with that l ever-ready and alert mind of his set about to lure the young man into a l come.
 Norton decided to follow his man. He might be going on wild-goose ] chase, he reasoned; still his first i'm pulses had hitherto served him well. He looked careworn. He was con- vinced that Florence was dead. despite 1 the assertions of Jones to the con i trary. He had gone over all the mis- haps which had taken place and he was now absolutely convinced that his whilom friend Braine and the Princess l Perigoff were directly concerned. Florence had either been going to or coming from the apartment. And i that memorable day of the abduction ] the princess had been in the dry goods 1 shop.
 Vroon took a downtown surface car. and Norton took the same. He sat huddled in a corner. never suspecting that Vroon was watching him from corner of his eye. Norton was not keen today. The thought of Florence kept running through his head.
 The car stopped and Vroon got of He led Norton winding course which at length ended at the door of tene- ment building Vroon entered Nor 1 ton paused, wondering what next to do, now that his man had reached his destination. Well, since he had fol lowed him all this distance he must make an effort to find out who he was and what he was going to do. Cau- tiously he entered the hallway. As he was about to lay his hand ou the newel post of the dilapidated stairs the floor dropped from under his feet and he was precipitated into the cellar.
 This tenement belonged to the Black Hundred; 1t concealed a thou sand doors and a hundred traps. It's history was as dark as it's railways.
 When Vroon and his companion. who had been waiting for him, de- scended into the cellar they found the reporter insensible. They bound, blind folded, and gagged him quickly Saunders, said Vroon. you tell Corrigan that I've a sailor for him to. night, and that l want this sailor booked for somewhere south of the equator Tell him to say to the mas ter that this fellow Is ugly and diso- bedient. A tramp freighter, whose captain Is bully. Do you understand me?"
 T get you. But there's no need to go to Corrigan this trip Bannock is in port and sails tonight for Norway. That's far enough"
 "Bannock? The very man. Well, Mir. Norton, reporter and amateur de-
 
 enough this time. You may or may not come back alive. Go and bring around a taxi; some one you can trust. I'll dope the reporter while you're gone.
 Long hours afterward Norton opened his aching eyes. He could hard ly move and his head buzzed abomi- nably. What had happened? What was the meaning of this slow rise and fall of his bed? Shanghaied?
 Come out O that now, ye skulk- er!" roared a voice down the com panionway
 "Shanghaied!" the reporter mur- mured. He sat up and ran through his pockets. Not sou-markee, not match even; and second glance told him that the clothes he wore were not his own. They've landed me this time. Shanghaied! What the devil am I going to do?"
 Dye hear me?" bawled the stri- dent voice again.
 Norton looked about desperately for some weapon of defense, He saw an engineers spanner on the floor by the bunk across the way, and with no small physical effort he succeeded in obtaining it. He stood up, his hand be- hind his back.
 All right, me bucko. I'll come down an git vel"
 A pair of enormous boots began to appear down the companionway, and there gradually rose up from them man as wide as a church door and as deep as a we'll.
 Wait moment" said Norton, grip ping the spanner. Let us have a per feet understanding right of. the bat"
 F-f.