The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-08-27
THE
FORTUNE
HUNTER
AMeu Gripping
Romance Serial
BY RUBY AYRES
(contiausd from Yesterday. }

says he's not hungry IL was
Anne who spoke. but the Fortune
Hunter interrupted
I'm afraid he is angry with me.
He got some keys and opened the
my box. and i snapped his head off.
It's my fault I'm sorry"
Mr. Harding said: Dear me-!
very mildly. ''Tommy>is rather SEN
sitive. You must not take any
notice of his little ways" but his
eyes sought the young mans face
changed the subject.
When dinner was ended the For
tune Hunter made another attempt
10 find Tommy. Let me go and
look for him. Where is he likely to
be-"
Anne shook her head. 81 don't
know. He wanders of by himself
for hours at a time. Leave him
alone. John" she smiled, suddenly.
If YOU want to be particularly
nice to him when he comes in huS>
NJ the bearskin."
The Fortune Hunter flushed and
frowned. but he answered quietly
enough: Very well, II he really
wants it."
Thev wandered out into the
garden together again, and sat
down on the narrow steps that led
down to the river. -.
IT'S very dull here in Somerton,
Anne said suddenly. II wonder how
soon you will be tired of II. John?
when you are tired of me. per-
haps-'
she leaned her cheek against his
shoulder You know you are quite
safe in making that remark" she
answered.
There was a little silence which
the -ortun. Hunter broke. what
do people do here all day? People
WIZ i've here. I mean" he asked.
"T don't know; ] look after the
bose for uncle and GO about with
To-nv. and Stmetimes we play ten
mis- and sometimes we go to dinner
NJ the Fosters or other people
IVES. but 7 mean ordinary people
"A man like Fernie, for instance"
"Oh-Fernie," She gave a little
sbiyer of distaste. II don't know
VIA. he does. He's a kind of mys-
ter, Altogether. Some people say
he :. very rich and that his little
hoI-se is a regular treasure island:
-ther people say that he has only
srst enough to live on.
The Fortune Hunter picked up
smooth little stone and threw II
idly into the river. where does ne
live?' he asked
Anne pointed down the river.
There's a little cottage on the BANK
about half a mile along. It's a tum-
bIe-down place. but rather pic
+ursyouc- Fernie won't do anything
~ il, of course: they call 1t Long
End Cottage"
And he lives there alone
She looked away from him across
tho river.
It's his own fault" she said. in
rather a hard voice. He had
wife, but she ran away from him.
7 don't know. but they say he was
awfuIly cruel to her. At any rate,
she ran away-oh, years ago!-and
took their child with her"
Well, you can hardly blame her
when YOU look at the old man" the
Fortune Hunter admitted whimsi-
calIy. He rose to his feet.
shall we go for a walk" 1t was
getting dusk as they walked
through the village and past the
wood where John Smith had been
found. Anne stopped at its en-
trance with a little shiver.
Il used to love the woods" she
said. but now don't believe
shall ever want to go there again.
The Fortune Hunter made no re-
pl-: he was wondering what she
would have felt had he told her that
Il was he who had found the dead
man lying there under the bracken
and what that dead man was.
he glanced down at the pretty
fare beside him-grave now and
little sad-and n throb Of jealousy
touched his heart. Was it he for
whom she cared or the dead man?
He mt an arm round her and drew
her to him with a fierce little move
mcnt.
"rs it me you love-" he asked. 'or
the man you thought was-all
those years ago?"
She looked up, flushing sensitive
": then her eyes fell. IT think it's
since you've been here somehow !
seem to have forgotten all that hap
pened-all those years ago"
II wish you could forget utterly.
he said: then he let her go. and his
face was moody as they walked on.
Tie tried in vain to shake off his
melancholy. but II clung like
mantle: he was bitterly angry with
himself for that little scene with
TCmwy; he liked the hoy. and had
not wished TO hurt him, apart from
the tactlessness NJ such a thing.
"Does Tommy often stay awaT
like this" he asked abruptly. and
Anre adr'itted that he had done 81
before. 81 wish he would come
home. though" she added uneasiIy:
81 Taresay he's down at Long End
C"tta~e with Fernie. He has
wonderful collection of curios there
you know. and Tommy loves them"
"Ie doesn't share your dislike o.
Fernie. tHen?' the Fortune Hunter
said drvly. Anne shook her head.
''Nn they are quite friends"
THeE went back through the
CPraen and into the drawing-room.
Anne walked over to-the piano and
sat down. idly turning over the
pa~es of a song that stood on the
rack
The Fortune Hunter stood at the
open window. smoking, and watch
ing her across the room.
~ penny for your thoughts" he
. said suddenly. As she did not an
swer Re moved across and took the
sorV from her hands. reading the
wor@s on the open page aloud.
When you're Jog. Jog. joggin' along
the white road
with your luck all upside down.
Well. you don't much care IL you're
~ he 1T ~