The Washington times., 1922-12-04
A Seeker of Thrills Finds Himself
Mistaken for Another and Thereby
Becomes Enmeshed in a Maze
of Love and Mystery.
puRv M AvREa
RUBY M. AYREs.

thCy wcfo III tuC iehAi' wv
quite right to be angry with me.
. behaved like a cad" She turned
eagerly.
You didn't! How can you say
such things? You were quite right
to be angry. Tommy ought not
to have opened your things. but
he didn't mean any harm"
II know, I'm sorry"
He felt absurdly sore over the
whole incident. He had had no in
tention of ever opening those
locked boxes In the empty room
upstairs; there was a strange sort
of superstition in his heart about
them-but now his hand had been
forced, and he knew that. sooner
or later, the thing would have to
be done. Tommy sat through
luncheon silent and frowning. and
all attempts to rouse him failed.
Afterward Mr.. Harding followed
the Fortune Hunter from the room
dIlu tOuCuCu ITO ~ Ia.
I'm sorry Tommy annoyed you.
John; 1t was thoughtless Of him.
He had no right to touch your
boxes I'm afraid 1t was the bear
skin that made him SO eager"
1T didn't matter in the least"
was the abrupt reply. IT lost
my temper like a fool. I'm sorry.
Tommy shall have his bearskin."
But. all the same, he could not
bring himself to go up to the
room where John Smiths luggage
stood, and the afternoon passed
slowly away. The beautiful morn
ing had turned to gray. showery
weather, and the river looked sui.
len and deserted.
Anne came downstairs after tea
in a macintosh and small woolen
hat. I'm going into the village.
Will you come. John?" she asked.
HOUSE LIKE PRISON.
He agreed readily: the house
stifled him; already he was begin.
ming to feel that he must be out
Of doors more. He was 30 used
to freedom that there was some
thing prison-like, in having to con.
form to the Hardings' mode or
living.
They walked together down the
village street. 1t was raining
faster now. Hadn't you better
go back for a coat?" Anne asked
you'll get wet through"
II haven't got" The For
tune Hunter checked the words
In time. I'm used to all wealth
ers," he said. Il never take cola"
There was hardly anybody about.
A horse with a sack over it's back
stood rideriess at the door of the
inn where the Fortune Hunter had
heard himself discussed last night;
some ducks waddled sbout in the
puddles and chuckled contentedly.
That's Mr.. Fernie's horse, 4"
Anne said, more for something to
say than because the matter was
OF any interest. She felt that the
little outburst between John and
Tommy had made an estrange-
ment between herself and the
man she loved.
She could not understand why
he had been 30 angry; he might
have seen that Tommy had only
been anxious to please.
Fernie seems to be an impcr.
tAnt man in the village" the
Fortune Hunter said rather wear.
lily. He glanced apprshsnsively at
the closed door a. he spoke.
He was not in the least afraid
Of Fernie. though he fully real
lied that the man might be an
unpleasant factor with which to
reckon; he had never been afraid
Of anyone. It was his proud
boast that he was master of his
own fate.
They walked on through the
village and across the bridge that
spanned the river. The same lit
tie steam launch that had passed
the island only that morning came
again chugsins its way up the
river.
"Yous friend Foster" the For.
tune Hunter said dryly.
He leaned his elbows on the
stone parapet OF the bridge and
looked down at the little craft
with moody eyes; but this time
the man in the bow did not glance
up or see them.
II suppose he hates me-, ,the
Fortune Hunter said. cynically
when the launch had passed be-
meath the bridge and gone on its
way.
"He has never seen you. Anne
answered gently.
"Or heard of met" he asked,
dryly. She raised puzzled eyes.
"Of course he has heard of you.
I told him when he asked me to