, 1917-09-20

shore. the automobile came to an alb
rupt stop. Miss Farrar jumped
gracefully to the ground. Her austere
escort followed her. He carried two
satchels. She taking one of these,
they ran to the yacht and clambered
unceremoniously aboard. There
seemed to be some discussion with
the one man in charge. Then he went
about his duties and the pretty craft
made for the offing. =
We were getting SO lear now that
l could read the name of the yacht
in gilt letters at her stern: "The Ar
row." The little pursuer of the auto
mobile leaped toward the yacht as she
pushed off, but Colonel Aloa Gaspard,
a revolutionary South American, and
present convoy of Miss Farrar lifted
a stake from the bottom of the yacht,
dealt him a blow and tent him hurting
back into the water.
1t was done so quickly that by the
time we came to the spot where the
craft had been moored h was lost in
the dim sea mists, and the wiry for
eigner stood rubbing his aching head.
Marvel gave me a quiet direction to
return to the hotel and o the strang-
er in tow. When he put in an ap-
p~earance at our rooms several hours
later he briefly stated:
The man who got the ducking was
a Venezuelan spy, who it seems has
beer watching Gaspard and u young
lady for a week, and, learning this, he
was my selected pilot, with the de-
~nouncement as you have seen. Again
he asserts hat those two satchels
carried by the parties who have skip
ped US contained dynamite.
Marvel did not seem to worry any
over the uncertain shape affairs had
taken. He kept busy in his own
way. 1 knew he did a lot of cabling
and even used the wireless. The sec
ond morning he ushered into our room
a stranger.
This is the gentleman who took
charge of our friends on his yacht,
The Arrow" explained Marvel. We
bowed, and I saw that the man was
a gentleman.
The promised story, my friend"
intimated Marvel in his effective way.
why, when that young lady and
her military escort bounced aboard
my boa two evenings ago." stated
the man, Il had just taken a queer
commission from the police authori-
ties of Galveston. Know me as Adam
Butler, unsuccessful business man, IN
valid of good repute and mild habits,
combining the quest of health with a
moderate income easily earned
through running a pleasure yacht,
and o will discern that nothing
could be so far fetched as piracy, or
anything criminal or revolutionary.
And yet you will soon see that unwill-
ingly l was made an agent in a STIR
ring episode hat may turn out san
culinary, sensational and fairly inter
national in its scope"
The speaker chose good language,
and was clear and direct in his mar
rative.
The sky was dull and lowering,
the bay chopping and streaked with
yellow splotches, when a flat boat
came creeping along the shore in a
way that told me she was crippled in
some part of her running gear. This
was the afternoon of the day you
gentlemen saw me. There were our
men in police uniform aboard. One
of them / observed wore a c~aptaincy
button, and as the unwieldy craft
came nearer 1 recognized him.
"'Hello,' he hailed, 4 know you,'
and he smiled and waved his hand in
a friendly fashion. Remember
Captain Discoll, / believe.'
Father of the bride whose party
you took down the coast last week.
added the official. You not only
know your business, my friend, but
you take such good care Of your pas
sengers that they have none but the
~pleasantest memories. BY the way
"A sudden idea seemed suggested 20
my official friend as his eye rested
on my trim and natty craft. He spoke
some words to his companion and the
police boat was soon alongside.
"'See here, Mr.. Butler he said to
me. drawing me to one side, you
would guess a long time before you
fixed on what we've got in the hold
of that old tub
"'Yes?'
az think SO. Contraband expresses
it, in a way. We have four big boxes
loaded to the brim with fire arms,
weapons and burglar tools confiscated
from prisoners. Once a year we Ioad
them on a boat, run out a few miles
and sink them. We started today,
but the boat has gone afoul. Again,
we are ordered past the ten-mile linn
it this time, as some of the plumber
has been fished up in the past
81 see,' / observed.
at would be a speedy job for you.