The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-12-07
The Case and
The Girl

He turned his eyes away. searching
the cabin, confident that West was
sufficiently secured.
"Come on out, Mary" he said sharp
y. "Who IL this guy. anyhowT
A woman came forward through the
shadows. West had a glimpse Of her
face, but the features were unfamiltar.
A woman Of forty, perhaps, still at
tractive In appearance. with dark hair
and bold black eyes that met his own
defiantly. So this was the woman he
had seen on board; not Natalie Coo
lidge at all. There had been a mis-
take Of some kind; but II SO, why had
these people given him this sort Of re-
ception aboard2 These thoughts swept
his mind In fash, as the woman
peered forward to see his features
more clearly. For moment she said
nothing, and the man broke out Inn
patiently.
"He's the lad. ain't he7" he asked.
"We amt gone and picked up the
wrong guy7"
mo; he's the bird. all right. nev.
or lamped him but once before myself.
1 heard his name then, but forgot 1t.
He's her friend, there amt no doubt
o. that, Joe, and it amt likely he's
hanging around here just for fun, is it7
My idea was 1t would be safer to take
him In"
Sure; what's yer name, young fel-
lowT
Concealment was useless; they evil
IDENTIFY had him correctly spotted; to
lie would do no good.
Matthew West"
"That's the name. Hogan" the wo-
man exclaimed eagerly. "He is u sol
dier--a captain, or something like
that. Jim told me about him he's the
same fellow who was shopping about
Mikes place last night, before we
pulled out"
els that so? How the HI did you
get out of there2"
1--WE had little trouble" West ad-
mitted, "but they let me CO."
"Yes, they did! know better than
that; Hobart don't do business that
way. I reckon we've played his game
all right taking you in. Well, you
don't get out of here so easy, let me
tell you. How'd you come to get onto
us2"
'That's my business"
"Oh, Is 1t? Well, we'll make 1t ours
from now on. There Is one thing pret-
ty sure-you were here playing lone
hand. So 1t don't make much differ
ence what yer Idea was. Well take
the bird along with u.s. Mary; then
he'll be out Of temptation"
The woman nodded
"Jim will know what to do with
him." she said. "All we got to do IL
keep him safe"
"I'n attend to that; come on. Mark,
let's throw the d-n sneak into that
left-hand stuteroom. He'll stay there
all right. Aw. take hold; don't bs
afraid Of hurting the fellow"
They roughed him forward, but
West made no attempt to resist; his
hands were bound, and he was help
! less. The woman threw open the mar
row door, and he was bundled uncere.
moniously across the threshold, and
thrown heavily to the floor. He strug
gled partially upright protesting
against being left In that helpless con.
! ditiOn, but the red-mustachad mar
, only laughed, shutting the door tight.
| ly, and locking It. The single port
| hole was covered by heavy drapery
the stateroom In total darkness.
West could distinguish the movemen,
| Of feet in the outer cabin. and then
| the closing Of a door Undoubtedly
the two men had gone on deck, leav
ing the woman there alone. His fee
were not tied and he could sit up, nj
though the hands were tightly bound
| behind him. With eyes accustomini
| themselves to the gloom, he could dis
| Germ something Of his surroundings
, * "1z Z. tho ordinary statarOOm OF
| q small yacht, with barely space ir
which to move about comfortably. Two
hunks were at one side, with a meta
stand Mt their foot for washing pur
poses. A rug covered the floor, tn.
beds were made, and a stool, screwed
to the deck, occupied a position JUS
below the portfolio. A few hooks were
In evidence on the opposite wall; bu
no garments dangled from them to tel
OF previous occupancy. Indeed th'
place was scrupulously clean, a!
| though unused for some time.
West made his way to the port
pushed aside the curtain with hi:
shoulders and looked out. The smal!
ness Of the opening made any hope o
escape in that way impossible; no
could he expect to attract the atten
tion of any one ashore. Convinced o
his complete heiplessness, he sat dow!
on the stool to consider the situation
| He had been fool; there was NJ
doubt rs to that; the only thing nov
was how he could best retrieve hi
folly. He had walked blindly into ,
trap, suspecting nothing confldentl.
J relying on his own smartness, believin,
himself unknown. Now he must fint
his way out. 1t angered him to rea
lize how easily It had been accom-
| plished; not so much as blOy