The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-10-23
THE sMuCcLERS


ttoniinuea from Page ~
pinsAi's reputation. when Ben couple
OF evenings later told her the next
night he would have to be out all
Night In his boat--s most unusual
thing something Jumped up in Caro-
lines throat aud her heart beat In
fear
No man could have deduced that
Kimplnskl had gotten Ben and his
boat mixed up In liquor smuggling
Any woman could. especially one who
knew Ben's streak OF recklessness,
and who had been reading iugger
stories
Wherefore, as Ben's trswler chugged
up TO an anchorage three rods
from the shore where kimpnski's
truck waited, on as dark a night as
YOU can have when there are no stars
and when Ben. with six OF the cases
| piled into his skiffboat. rowed ashore,
| four coastguard gobs and coastguard
| lieutenant arose out OF the hedge 10
! greet him, and AZ the same instant
two others stepped from behind the
trees where they had been watching
Kimpinski for 20 minutes, and grabbed
| the junkman by the collar
Wen Just trouble you for the loan
Of your skiff. Travis" said the officer,
| "tilI we bring the rest OF that stun
ashore ourselves, Then you can take
her and 90 about your business You're
very lucky chap"
II was at the front gate OF Caro-
line Websters home that they had II
out the next afternoon. Caroline.
pale, but determined, met Ben there
and talked to him over the barrier in
stead OF swinging II open, as usual
10 mute welcome.
II know what happened last night"
she began, taking the situation by
the horns. 1T was who informed
II you want to call Ii that"
Travis looked at her as II she had
struck him In the face.
"You."
Eyes. /. Ben Travis you and have
been nearly three years trying to get
a home together so as to start right.
II has meant just as much to me as II
has to you. And In my way I've workel
just as hard for 1t as you have. But
Ben. it's got to be one without a stain
on It, II has got TO be earned straight
and kept straight
II could have pretended not to know
anything about that escapade of yours.
Or could have let 1t go and then
pleaded with you afterward not to do !,
it ar,y Iaore. But that wouldn't do
neither of these things would do
for me. You've got a wild streak in |
you, Ben, that's got to be driven ont
$50 when / made up my mind that |
you were getting into this crooked |
liquor smuggling-croOked It Is, Ben. |
no matter what you may Think
went straight into town and saw the |
commandant Of the coast guard sta
ton. ! told them what felt sure
was going to be done. but | wouldn't
tell them where nor who was probably |
In It, until they promised to let you
go-and let Kimpinski go, too for the
information he could give them--if |
they could only get the goods and get
al the people higher up, the big men
behind the business. They didn't want
to make terms like that, but by and |
by they consented. Today the com.
mandant told me over the phone that
Kimpinski had come through and
the men who are financing this traffic |
are going to the penitentiary
ben, don't know how you're GO
ing to take this. Maybe you'll think
that woman who will do thing like
what ! did isn't goodenough pal TO
tie up to- If you do, l. can't help it.
But IL you come through that gate it's
got to be as a man who Is through,
for good and all, with every thought
of getting an easy dollar by breaking
the law Of the land" Caroline I'M
latched the gate and stood back.
And Kimpinski wasn't the only