The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-10
THE DAILY
5SEIORT'STORY
Modern Methods. :
eyRusv DOUGLAS.

~ swim, He had been passing
Hayyilie Beach IN his little road.
ster, and the waves called to him
10 come in and cool OF.
He had parked hts car far on the
fsad, locked Ne motor and donnad
4 bathing suit in the convenient
nayflion. Now, instead Of return.
ing; he was lured to further tru'
4ncy from his salesman's duty In
these suburban parts. He wanted
70 lie on the sand and dream In the
sun. He hung himself down.
Overhead, he could hear the
ehug.chug Of a hydroplape motor,
d Int the sound and sight had become
so ordinary since he had been 10,
Gated on Long Island that he did
not even look up.
Suddenly something whlzzed
through the air and Embedded It.
self in the sand not six feet from
him.
He sat up. He looked up. The
hydroplane was going on It's way
coward the entrance TO the harhor.
He looked at the sand where the
missile had struck. The bottom OF
j bottle was visible.
Literally hurled at my head"
he gasped.
He unearthed bottle which
seemed TO be stuffed full of news
paper. "The proverbial message in
4 bottle-from a sentimental ad.
lie began to dig out the crushed
paper, and as he did so no discov.
cred a tiny folded note. AS he
Strengthened It out to READ It he
felt like the hero IN play. He
looked about; he did not wish to
be caught at such trick,
Am being Kidnapped. Here is
the key to my house. Kidnappers
expect motor boat to meet them
at Huntington, then motor to-God
knows where!"
George searched in the crumpled
paper for the key. He found Il.
1.-THE handwriting Is the fashion.
able scrawl Of girl OF today" he
decided. He looked up at the dis.
appearing hydroplane,
He did not know what to do.
Should he jump into his car and
90 TO Huntington? Should ne ignore
the note and perhaps see from the
papers that another young and
beautitul girl had been kidnapped?
ITS the end OF perfect day for
me all rlght-all right" he NUT
tered. II stop for a rest and to
cool off and-look at me-"
Eventually he got into his clothes
and, note the key in hand. started
along the shore road toward Oyster
Bay and Huntington. might as we'll
.fhe the key to her heart" he said.
e"How do know where her house
fts?"
Excitement and the sensation OF
seeking adventure soon had hin,
n Stepping OH the exhilarator and
sforcing such speed out OF his little
car as he had never before known
was IN her.
The Huntington harbor was as he
had pictured It full OF craft OF
every variety. There were house.
boats with tapping cretonnc cush.
ions; rowboats, motor boats, ca
noes and sailing boats. He slowed
tip as he approached the harhor and
observed moe than one llydroplape
rocking at her moorings.
s'The needle in the haystack for
q mine he decided as he scanned the
water.
He stopped his car IN the shade
of some weeping willows that over.
hung the road near a landing dock.
Perhaps he could detect a car that
looked as II It were waiting for
L passengers from a motor boat.
He could hardly believe his own
eyes when he saw, coming toward
3him, touring car in which tia
5Kseemed to be looking a6xIously for
seemed to be looking apxioUsiy FOE
some one to arrive off tho water.
He marveled at his own excitement.
He had never been an adventurer,
and here he found himself in the
midst Of veritable moving picture
scene.
"Honk! Honk! Honk! Honk!
donk!" blew the touring car horn,
sS "Toot! loot! loot! loot! Toot!'g
answered the motor boat whistle.
1.-THE signal cried George. He
eat quietly In the shade, unobservec
apd pretending to read. "some
kidnappers to get away with this"
The motor boat made & landing
vt the second pier, but George
thought It wise not to move his car
closer. He would wait.
Presently a girl In a bathing
Il suit with a beach cape thrown
about her and tight rubber CAP on
her head emerged from the boat.
a man held her arm in what seemed
40 be q friendly, protective manner.
The door OF the big touring car
WAS open and It stood at the end
81 tho pier. The girl was assisted
Quickly into the tonneau, the man
Ia the flying suit got IN beside her
and OF they went down the shore
drive.
"'rhree to one,' hastily computed
George. "All can do Is 10 follow"
ias He followed at a discreet dis
tAnoe. He read the note again
then motor to = God knows
where!" 4
"well-Tm on my way" laughed
George. Where she goes, 60.
as long as my gas holds OUT"
The two cars wendell their way
At an even thirty.mtle speed along
the shore road, through Cold
Spring Harbor, past the State
fisheries and on UP the big hill
overlooking the water again.
In the course OF time the big
oar turned into q dirt road that
was nothing but I'LL across a tiny
hay that let itself in from the main
harbor.