Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-01-26
CHAPTER xII-continued.

4 fascinating vision.
you're able to stand without assist
ANGER"
''As matter of fact, I can move
only at the cost of excruciating agony"
Size considered him with sober face
and smiling eyes. 81 don't believe you.
You're a fraud. Besides, / didn't
come to see you at all came to find
out why Mr.. Ember dares so to neg
lect me. Did you deliver my invita-
don7"
II did, unwillingly. He vas DESC
lated, but he couldn't accept-had to
run back to town Immediately after
dinner"
Hes as great fraud as you are.
But since he isn't here, shall go"
"Please-Pm famished for human So
ciety. Have pity. Sit down. Tell me
where you've been with the boat"
Merely to the head of the bay to
have the gasoline tanks filed. A most
boresome errand. If promise to come
over this evening and play you a rub
Der or two-will you permit me to go
home now?"
"On such terms I'll do anything you
can possibly suggest" he declared, en-
chanted. But how will you
get here? Not alone, through the
woodsl 1 can't permit that"
"Elsie shall row me down the shore
and then go back to keep cook COM
parry. Sum Fat canssee me home-if
you find it still necessary to keep up
the invalid pose"
I'm afraid" helaughed, 81 shall call
my own bluff. Must you really
go so soon?"
"GoOd afternoon" she returned de-
murely; and ran down the STEPS and
off to her boat.
Smiling quietly to himself, Whitaker
watched her cast the boat off, get I'M
der way, and swing it out of sight be-
hind the trees. Then his smile wavered
and faded and gave place to a look of
acute discomfort. Three mortal hours
TO fritter away in profitless anticipa-
Gus.
By eight he Gas unable to sit still.
Half an hour later the house was too
small to contain him. He found him
self at the end of the dock, tingling
with impatience, but finding some little
consolation in the restless sweep Of
the wind against his face end body. He
could see little-a mere suggestion of
the shore line picked out with the dim,
semiphosphO.escent glow of breaking
wavelets. Some minutes elapsed. The
pallor of the east grew more marked.
Whitaker fancied he could detect a
figure moving on the Fiske dock.
Then, startled, he grew conscious of
the thick drone Of heavily-powered
motor boat near inshore. Turning
quickly, he discovered a black, vague
shape not twenty yards from where he
stood, showing neither bow nor side
lights: stealthy and mysterious ap-
partition creeping toward the dock with
something of the effect of an animal
about to spring.
And Immediately he heard mans
voice from the boat, abrupt with anger:
'Not this place, you ass-the next"
"Shut up" another voice replied.
There's somebody ON that dock"
AT the same time the bows of the
boat swung off and the shadow slipped
away to westward--toward the Fiske
place.
4 wondering apprehension of some
Pameless and desperate enterprise,
somehow involving the woman who
obsessed his thoughts, crawled in Whit
aker's mind. Automatically he turned
back, let himself down to the beach,
and began to pick his way toward the
Fiske dock, half running despite bis
stiff ankle. But he had not gone half
the way before he pulled up with a
humping heart, startled beyond ex-
preston by a cry in the night-a cry
of wild appeal and protest ringing
clear down the wind, a voice whose
dmbre was unmistaka5l that of a
woman: AUX secourS Aux Secours ~
Twice it cried out, and then was
hushed as grimly as the first incO-
herent screams. No need now to guess
at what was towards: Whitaker was
running, Needless of his injured foot
pitching, slipping, stumbling, leaping--
somehow making progress.
BY now the moon had lifted above
he beach high enough to aid him some
what with its waxing light; and, look
ng ahead, he could distinguish dimly
;hapcs about the dock and upon it that
,eemed to bear out his most cruel
ears. The power boat was passablv
distinct, her white side showing plainl7
through the tempered darkness. Mid
way down the dock he made out strug-
fling figures--two of them, he Judged /:
l man ii close grips with a frantic
woman. And where the structure
ioinea the land, second pair. again a
am a0d n wOr,.on Strova md Su-oynd