Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-28
CHAPTER xII-Continued.

he cried, elated. "Greetings!"
She paused by the steps, looking up.
fascinating vision.
you're able to stand without assist
Nnce"
"As a matter of fact, | can move
only at the cost of excruciating agony.
She considered him with sober face
and smiling eyes. 81 don't believe you
You're 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-
tionY
81 did, unwillingly. He was 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 co.
"Please-rm furnished 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 filled. A most
bOresome errand. If promise to come
over this evening and play you 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
woods / can't permit that"
"Elsie shall row me down the shore
and then go back to keep cook COM
pany. Sum Fat can see me hOme-if
you find it still necessary to keep up
the invalid pose"
I'm afraid" he laughed, II 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 look OF
acute discomfort. Three mortal hours
to fritter away in profitless anticipa-
uOn
At seven Whitaker was merely nerv-
Gus.
BY eight he was 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, tinglins
with impotence, but finding some little
consolation in the restless sweep OF
the wind against his face and body. lie
could see little-a mere suggestion OF
the shore line picked out with the dim,
semiphosphorescent glow of breaking
wavelets. Some minutes elapsed. The
pallor of the east grew more marked.
Whitaker fancied he could detect
figure moving on the Fiske dock.
Then, startled, he grew conscious OF
the thick drone Of a heavily-powered
motor boat near inshore. Turning
quickly, he discovered black, vague
shape not twenty yards from where he
stood, showing neither bow nor side |
lights: a 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:
mot 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.
a wondering apprehension Of some
nameless 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 his
stiff ankle. But he had not gone half
the way before he pulled up with
humping heart, startled beyond ex-
preston by cry in the night-a cry
of wild appeal and protest ringing
clear down the wind, voice whose
timbre was Enthusiastically 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
the beach high enough to aid him some
what with its waxing light; and, lock.