The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-15

been forced or tempered with, the | satchel was open.
 But in it I found everything l had 1 placed there. even the bags of coin, | and they were apparently intact. I gasped, but they were all safe and had them. that was the point.
 I pulled myself together.
 Any reward due?" I asked.
 None due and none accepted" he replied curtly.
 Man" I exclaimed, you've given me back"
 Never mind what I have given you back he cut in "'No reward 8 the rule of the house. Stranger handed it to me; said he found it in the lobby
 protested and wanted to leave twenty dollar bill, at least, for the stranger. But he was firm. and I drove off in a cab, bewiIdered and wondering.
 When I reached the steamer I had no trouble in finding my number. 123 On the promenade deck, and we'll aft It proved to be a single state room. This delighted me greatly. But there was not a trace of my ef- fects.
 I stood irresolute. I was unwilling to leave my precious satche1 out of my sight. l doubted whether I could deposit it with the purser so late at night, and I thought it an easy prey for any thief if I carried it with me. | Thieves my ina gination now saw everywhere.
 l took hold of II Y resolution, turn ed up the mattress of the bunk, put 1 the bag under it at the head and ! went out, absent-mindedly still carry 1 ing my umbrella.
 No steward I found could give me any word of my baggage or any sug- l gestion to help toward finding it. Each stared at my claim checks and suggested the baggage might still be | On the pier.
 | Down the gang plank I went. tried several men in vain, but finally ac- | costed porter who could help me. ] "Rich's express, is it?'' he queried. | Did you see one of Richs men take your stuff? Then it's here. certain. l lou can trust Rich. Stand right here where you are, sir. and I'i1 have your 1 things here for you before you know I'm gone. Two trunks, is it, and a big valise and small one. Correct!'' He left me standing by a pile of | great packing cases. The glaring | rays of the electric arc lights drove shafts of intense brilliance through | the darkness. Listening to the rattle and chatter and hubbub of the driven gangs. hustling the last of the load ing. I stood in the shade of a post between two paths of brilliance, for the glare hurt my eyes. The porter was barely out of sight when I felt two hands clutch me from behind and I was pulled backward not at all strongly. rather weakly in fact, but very suddenly. As I felt the pull, something whizzed past be- low my chin- I could feel the wind Of 1t on my throat, and l could hea1 l the whir of it it flew through the air, and the thud when it struck the packing case by my head. The pull from behind nearly took me off my feet, and I staggered back ward a step or two, but kept my bal ance and whirIed round upon my as- sailant. I found myself looking into the eyes of the girl I had noticed or the ferryboat.
 I was petrified in the midst of my violent turn and stood dumb. She looked entirely self-possessed anG pointedly silently.
 Instinctively I turned back and rnJ eyes followed her gesture. As I turn. ed one of the hanging arc lights swung or twisted in the wind, and 6 shaft of it's rays swept across the heap of packing cases.
 What l saw was a bowie knife sticking in the wood, it's buckhorr handle still quivering.
 I stood more supplied than ever.
 Pull Il out," she commanded
 Her tone was as matter-of-fact a:
 if we had been old acquaintances
 Automatically I obeyed her.
 'Shut it up.'' she ordered me ir the same direct, unexcited tone I found the lever of the spring
 pressed it. and shut the eight inches
 of wicked, razor-edged, needIe-point.
 ed steel into the slot.
 Give it to me-" she then bade me
 I handed it to her, and she in.
 stantly threw it over the side of the pier heard it splash in the water.
 She turned back and gazed straigh
 into my face.
 Don't be alarmed" she said There are no more surprises com
 ing.'
 T am rot frightened" I answered But I am very curious Don't be curious, either, sh,
 rapped out vigorously. "Whatevel
 you are or are not. don't be curious
 Now listen to me. The fool took vol l for some else.
 ''I have signa1ed him, and you vii
 not be molested again. Forget al ) this instantly aand entirely. Abov, [ all, never show any signs of recogniz ing me. At not only as if you haC , never spoken to me. but as if yo, ? had never seen me. ssDon't notice m,
 Or look at me. Avoid me. If vol fail in anything, you will endange your mission"
 l "But-" I began. There are no buts,'' she asserted This closes the incident. Forget
 and stay here until your porter re turns.'
 Then she electrified me by drop | ping me a n oldfash!oned curtsy witt a smile visible even in those fitfu , cross lights. She walked off roun.
 the pile of packing cases and I, cran
 ing round the corner of the pile r watched her recede, a trig. blue serg !. shape in the f1ickering lights. < HaH-Way to the gangplank sh | half turned and waved a hand to m
 like friendly boy. I stood starin
 after her until she vanished into tn ' steamer Almost at the same mo
 ment the porter came back, trundIin |, a truck with all my baggage.
 F,