American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-09-09

al Must Get TO Panama In Time to
Save Her."
Anyway, / must get to Panama In
time to save her"
"Or you might go along to the
island" suggested Bess.
/ paused to glare at her.
"Bessl And let them murder me,
too7"
"Or marry you" cooed Bess.
One month later | was climbing out
Of q numbering hack before the Tivoli
hotel, which rises square and white
and imposing on the low green height
above the old Spanish city of Pan
anna. In spite of the melting trop-
lcal heat there was a chill fear at my
heart, the fear that Aunt Jane and
her band Of treasure-seekers had al
ready departed on their quest.
/ crossed the broad gallery and
plunged into the cool dlmness of the
lobby in the wake OF the bellboys who,
discerning a helpless prey, had
swooped en- masse upon my bags.
miss Jane Hardingf' repeated the
clerk, and at the cool negatlon Of his
tone my heart gave a slckening down
ward swoop. Miss Jane Harding and
party have left the hotel |"
"For-the islsnd7" I gasped.
He raised his eyebrows. Cant
say, Tn sure." He gave me an APP
praising stare. Perhaps the woe In
my face touched him, for he descend
ed from the eminence Of the hotel
clerk where he dwclt apart sufficient
ly to add, "Is IL important that you
should see herr"
II am her niece. I have come all
the way from IAN Francisco expect.
ing to Join her here"
The clerk meditated, his shrewd
eyes piercing the very secrets of my
soul.
"She knew nothing about It." / has.
tened to add. II intended II for a
surprise"
This candor helped my cause
"Well," he said, shat explains her
not leaving any word. As you are
her niece, ! suppose 1t will do no harm
to tell you that Miss Harding and hen
party embarked this morning on the
freighter Rufus Smith, and / think
II very likely that the steamer has
not left port. II you like I will send
o man to the waterfront with you ant
you may be able to go on board ant
have a talk with your aunt"
Did / thank him7 | have Otter
wondered when i walked up In thu
night. have a vision Of mysel
dashlng out OF the hotel, and then tn,
hack that brought me is bearing mi
away. Bellboys hurled my bags II
after me, and 1 threw them larges
recklessly. Madly we clattered owe
cobbled ways. Out on the smootl
waters of the roadstead lay ship
great and small, ships with strippe
masts and smokeless tunnels, other
with faint gray spirals wreathing NJ
ward from their stacks. Was n O
these the Rufus Smith, and would
reach her-or him-before the TIL
gray feather became a thick blac
plume1 1 thought of my aunt Mt tn
mercy of these unknown ~adventurer
with whom she had set forth. hell
less as a little fat pigeon anon
hawks. and I felt, desperately, that
must reach her, must save her frol
them and bring her safe back
shore. How I was to do this ut II
eleventh hour. plus about hfty-seve
minutes, as at present, l hadn't col
sidered. But experience had taugi
me that once In my clutches Aui
Jane would offer about as much r
sistance rs a slightly melted wax do
She gets so soft that you are aims
afraid to touch her for fear Of lea
ing dents.
SO to get there, get there, get Their
was the one prayer OF my soul.
| got there. I'm a boat hastily col
~mandeered by the hotel clerks de
uty. We brought up under the si'
OF the little steamer. and the wi,
surprised face Of a Swedish dec
hand stared down az US.
let me aboardl l must cor
aboard" l cried,
Other faces appeared, then a roI
ladder. Somehow vas mouutil
tia dizzy feat TO which only the