The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-03
A Summer
Cruise
Il Lnvolved an Ad-
venture
By JAMES BRAINARD

There have been two cases OF ships
discovered In good condition, but de-
serted by their crews. One was found
on the open sea under sail, the other
at anchor on a coast. These two are
all that thus far have been recorded.
1t remains for me to record a third.
l am a gentleman of leisure given to
yachting. | am fond of cruising on my
yacht either with party Of friends or
a single male companion. During the
last season l started from the New
YOrk Yacht clubs dock at New York
for cruise eastward along the coast
] put in at several places on the route
New London. Marblehead. Portland
and other ports-for fresh table sup
plies, then steamed on. intending to en-
ter the st. Lawrence river and visit
the Thousand islands.
We met a number of yachts for it
was In the season, and yachtsmen are
prone In hot weather to occupy the
cooler regions Of the northeastern
coast. One evening while steaming
across one Of those beautiful bays that
tndent the rocky coast Of Maine we
saw near the shore a steam yacht rid
ing at anchor within a cables length
Of the shore.
Alec Wingate was with me on this
cruise. Alec was the son Of British
baronet and had domestic troubles
He had married the daughter of colo
mel In the English army. a very beau
dful girl, who, after couple of years
Of married life, during which she and
her husband had lived very happily to-
.gether. suddenly disappeared. Wheth-
Or she had been kidnapped or had gone
OF with lover no one could tell
There was no evidence, at least none
that any one had ever got hold of, to
point In either Of these directions. The
only other theory was that she had
been murdered. Wingate had hunted
for her all over the world and had come
to America for the purpose. had met
him and. having taken a liking to him.
begged him to divert his mind from his
loss by going on cruise with me.
Our course lay near enough to the an
chored yacht to enable us to see with
glasses what she was-that Is. we could
have seen any flags. people or other
distinguishing marks. But there were
neither people nor flags. She was q
steamer yacht but no smoke was being
emitted from her stack. Her stern
was at one time toward us, and what
Was my astOnishment to see no uaL.>
on her.
We slowed up, expecting every min.
ute to see some one appear on the deck
but after waiting half an hour without
any one appearing 1t began to look as
II either party had gone ashore from
her for some purpose or she had been
deserted. The first of these theories
was not very likely correct. In the
drst place, at least one member Of the
crew would have been left in charge,
and, In the second, this was a perfectly
Wild coast. and there could be no OBJ
1ect for any party to 60 ashore unless
AOE WuteE.
] gave orders to steam up alongside
the nameless yacht The hour was
about In the evening. and fine din
ner was set in the cabin. A fire was
burning In the galley. Every boat be-
longing to the yacht was in its place
In the lockers in the after part Of the
vessel were articles Of male and female
wearing apparel. the latter indicating
that ladies had been aboard
And here the mystery changes from
those sea secrets have mentioned.
Or. rather. another mystery Is added.
Alec Wingate recognized q dress con-
tained In rosewood locker as one
that had belonged to his wife. He at
snce became wild with varying emo
lions. There was pleasure at this evil
dence that his wife at least had been
recently alive. There was bitterness
lest she might have been living on this
yacht with a paramour. There was
fear lest. though she had so recently
lived, she had met with some misfor-
tune.
, To allay this excitement l told Win
gate that he might easily be mistaken
In the dress. But he said that it was
the one In which he had most liked to
see his wife arrayed and the only one
Of her wardrobe that he would surely
recognize.
We went through the yacht from
stem to stern looking for some ex-
PLANTATION Of the mystery. Every state.
room. every receptacle. was ransacked
The firebox door stood partly open, and
looked in to see II materials had
been put in to light a new fire. The
old fire was still smolderlng. The only
thing we discovered was that the yacht
had undoubtedly been made In Eng
land. And the makers marks on the
finishing and furniture were English
The upholstery had been purchased oi
Q well known upholsterer In London.
Having satisfied ourselves that there
was no one aboard. we left "the name
less'' and returned to our own vessel
I induced Wingate to sit down to din
ner-he would eat nothing-and discus.
the matter. he wanted to 60 ashor,
the next day and search the coast
A.