Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-03-31

which had come in time to rescue him
from complete defeat. But Seagrue,s
henchman, Capelle, conniving with the
disaffected element in the directorate
was pushing to a vote with every pros.
pect OF success the resolution to stop
work.
VIVA have we got to go on?" he
demanded, facing Rhinelander down
You know as well as ] do we are
throwing hundreds of thousands into a
project absolutely uncertain. You of.
fer a telegram. What good is the
telegram? Where can Helen Holmes
get a survey at an hours notice that
would justify us in keeping on?"
Beside the engine of the limited the
conductor and Seagrue were volleyine
sharp and suspicious questions at the
fireman. He told, reluctantly, of the
mysterious launch and of Storms ex.
change of signals. No more was need.
ed to infuriate Seagrue, who now I'm.
derstood the connivance. Storm
crawled out from under the engine
and Seagrue met him with an abusive
epithet. The stalwart engineman
promptly knocked him down. The crew
dragged the two men apart and the
conductor ordered the fireman to take
the limited in, Storm, with folded
arms, refusing to lend further as.
sistance. But despite his stubborn.
ness the big train pulled into Ocean.
side just after Helen stepped from the
deck of the speed launch to the dock.
She ran all the way up the e~splanade.
survey in hand, to where she could
catch a taxicab and drove hard for the
Tidewater building. There she alight.
ed only to be confronted by two men
-Seagrue and an officer. Seagrue
pointed to Helen: There she is!
There are the documents she stole-in
her hand. Arrest her!"
Before Helen could collect her
senses, the officer had seized her and
Seagrue had snatched the survey.
STOP" she cried, that is my prop
erty, stolen from my father. /, not
he, am it's rightful owner!"
While she protested, stormed and
wept tears of humiliation and anger.
Seagrue was producing papers to con-
vince the slow-witted official that the
survey belonged to him and that Helen
was the thief. In spite of all she could
say, he won out. Indeed, the guardian
of the law was ready to take Helen
to the station when Seagrue magnani-
mously interviewed, told him to let her
go and said he was satisfied to recover
his property.
Upstairs the directors were closing
their protracted session, Rhinelander
vainly trying to hold them together IN
til his ally should appear. The sound
of an opening door raised his hopes.
Helen rushed into the room and has.
tened to his side.
"The survey-where is it?' he cried.
reading bad news in her face.
She told him of her battle-of how
she had been robbed at the very foot
Of what were once her fathers stairs.
Everyone listened. Then half a dozen
men began talking-some for, some
against crediting what they had just
heard.
Rhinelander put his arm around the
despairing girl. mo matter. We know
now who has our property, gentlemen.
Well get it yet"
Capelle, laughing f~urtively, left the
room to report to Seagrue. The chair
man raped for order. Rhinelander,
trying to comfort Helen, took her to
her taxicab and they drove back to the
launch together. DaZed, furious at her
misfortune, Helen met another sur
prise at the pier. Storm, awaiting
her return there, helped her to alight
from the taxicab. She could only re-
gard him breathlessly. He laughed in
his r~eassuring way: Its really l." he
said to her, offering his hand. I'm
discharged-but l told the superin-
tendent I might yet live long enough
to discharge him. What do you think
he threw back at me? 4 hope if | ever
deserve it as much as you do, you will
discharge me- l guess it was COM
Ing" concluded Storm good naturally.
But I've got a marine license and I'm
going to run your launch to Signal bay
for you. Got plenty of gas in the old
tub, Helen?"
His robust humor was infectious.
With Storm at the drivers wheel, they
soon reached the ofing in the launch
and were discussing the exciting
events of the night when Helen's eyes
fixed on the canvas covering the deck
of the boat. 1t was on this she had
laid the blue print to dry and the i'm
preston had been definitely trans
ferred. She seized her uncle's arm,
pointed and explained. Rhinelander,
jerking a knife from his pocket, cut
the canva from the deck and showed
it to Storm, who headed the launch
in a great foaming circle back toward
Oceanside.
The directors were preparing to go
home when three half-crazed people
daehad into their rom Rhine1and-