Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-15


at him inqulringly.
do you know that man, Mr..
Ainley?"
The dapper young man laughed a
short, discordant laugh.
He certainly bears a resemblance
to a mar whom I knew some years
ago."
lie seemed to recognize you. Mr..
Ainley. l saw that much in his
eyes"
Gerald Ainley's face had regained
it's natural color. Again he laughed
as ne REPLIED: IF he is the man 1
knew he is certainly of the lost le-
gion. for he has been in prison."
In PRISON." echoed the woman
quickly. He does not look like a
jail-bird. What was the crime?"
Forgery! The judge was merci-
full and gave him three years penal
servitude."
What is his name?'
"Stane-Hubert Stane!" replied
the man shortly. AS he spoke he
glanced back over his shoulder to-
wards the man whom they were dis
cussing, then hastily averted his
eyes.
The man from the river had
49, oaAio IN ri OOh1IlE dI MIN
with concentrated gaze. His face
was working as if he had lost con-
troll of his facial muscles and his
hands were tightly clenched.
The hound!" he whispered to
himself. 'the contemplate hound!'
Then as Ainley and the factors
wife disappeared in the store, he
laughed harshly and relit his pipe.
mol" he whispered below his
breath. TN wait till the cad comes
out-In force him to acknowledge
me-"
But scarcely had he reached the |
decision when on the quiet air came
the clear notes of a bugle sounding
the alert and turning his thoughts
in a new direction. The notes came
from the river and were so alien
to that northern land that he swung
round to discover their origin. At
the same moment the two half
breeds leapt from the bench and be-
gan to u towards the wharf. John
Rodwell. the factor and his wife,
emerged from the Store and hurried
In the same direction. followed by
the Indian who had been bartering.
W other men appeared at the
warehouse door, and as the strains
of the bugle sounded again, also be-
gan to run towards the wharf,
whilst from the factors house came
a boy and girl followed by a white
oma and a couple of Indian SER
wants, all of whom followed in the
wake Of the others.
move. Having turned towards the
move. Having turne dtowards the
river as the bugle-call fioated clear
and silvery. and being unable to see
upstream because of the fort build
ings, he remained where he was,
keeping n eye on the store. The
man who had passed him in the
Square had not emerged. Stane
stood there for two or three min
utes watching first the river and
then the door. At the end of that
time, with a resolute look on his
face, he began to stride towards the
store. He was halfway there when
the sound of n thin cheer reached
him from the wharf. He turned and
looked round. His change of position !
had given him an enlarged view of
the river, and distant perhaps a
quarter of a mile or so away he saw
a brigade of boats. He stood and
stared at them wonderingly for a
moment, then resumed his way to-
wards the store.
AS he entered he looked round.
and standing near the parchment
window he caught sight of the man
for whom he vas looking. Ainley
rather white OF face, but his
eyeglass was in its place, and out
wardly he was collected and cool.
Hubert Stane regarded him silently
for a moment. then he laughed
We'll. Ainley," he said abruptly,
this is a strange meeting place"
"Ah!" said the other quickly. as
it you, Staue. after ALL"
Surely you knew that just now?"
was the reply in a cutting voice.
Gerald Ainley did not reply. He
there with an embarrassed look
on his face, obviously i'll at ease,
and the other continued: you do
not seem pleased to see me-an old
cut me just now. Why?"
enthusiastically. Stane, you
you ought to-er-be able to GUEST"
Perhaps I can" answered Stane,
ruthlessly. Things are different
now. 1 am a discharged convict,
down and out. and old friendship
counts for nothing. Is thai it?"
well" replied Ainley, half
apologetically, you a scarcely ex-
pect that it should be otherwise. /
suppose that, really, that is why you
left England. 1t would have been
for you to resume your
old life among the men you knew"
"You are the first of them that I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS one excep-
Indeed" asked the other politely,
"who var the ex~ception?"
1T was Kingsley. You remember
He came to see me just before
I left Dartmoor. He believed in my
and he wanted me to stay
in England and clear my name. He
also told me something that set me
thinking, and latterly 1 have been
wanting to meet you, because
there is a question 1 want answer
The sound of the bugle playing a
gay fanfare broke in on the silence
that. followed his words, and this
was followed by a rather scattered
Ainley started.
Really, Stane, you must excuse
me just now; l must so down to the
wharf-it is my duty to do SO. Att
era more fitting opportunity I
shall be glad for the sake of old
times, to answer any question that
you may wish to ask me. But /
must go now. That is one of
the governors of the company ar
He will be expecting to see
metz
He took a step towards the door,
but the other blocked the way.
- "