The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-06-22


and firm, girlish bosom.
Her eyes met his for a moment
with a frank, trustful expression, then
she had passed.
The vision made Mark pensive, as
sudden beauty will, and he wondered
about the girl.
Tramping forward now the detective
came to a great crater that CAPPED on
the hillside and stood above the dead
quarry workings of Foggintor. Tn
derneath him opened a cavity with
sides 200 feet high.
Mark proceeded to the extreme
breadth of the quarry. fifty yards
northerly, and stood above two wide,
still pools in the midst. Trout moved
and here and there circles of light
widened out on the water and rippled
to the cliff beyond.
Mark set about his sport. yet felt
that a sort of unfamiliar division had
come into his mind and while he
brought two tiny-eyed flies from a
box and fastened them to the hair
like leader he always used, there per-
sisted the thought of the auburn girl
her eyes blue as April-her swift,
delicate tread
He began to fish as the light thick
ened; but he only cast once or twice
and then decided to wait half an
hour. He grounded his rod and
brought brier pipe and a pouch of to-
bacco from his pocket. The things Of
day were turning to slumber; but still
there persisted a blinking sound. ut
tered monotonously from time to
time, which the sportsman supposed
to be a bird. 1t came from behind the
great activities that ran opposite his
place by the pools. BrendOn sudden
ly perceived that it was no natural
noise that arose from some human &C
tivity. 1t was, in fact, the musical
note of a mason's trowel. and when
presently it ceased. he was annoyed
to hear heavy footsteps in the quarry.
A big. broad man approached him,
clad in a Norfolk jacket and knickcr-
bockers and a red waistcOat and Gaudy
brass buttons.
The stranger stopped as he saw
Brendon, straddled his great legs,
took a cigar from his mouth and
spoke.
'Ah, You've found EN-. them"
Found what" asked the detective.
Found these trout. / come here
for a swim sometimes. I've won
dered why I never saw rod in this
hole. There are a dozen half pound
ers there and possibly some bigger
ones"
1t was Marks instructive way 10
study all fellow creatures with whom
he came in contact.
He saw a pair of broad shoulders
and thick neck over which hung
square, hard jaw and determined
chin. Then came a big mouth and
The largest pair of mustaches Bren-
don remembered to have observed
on any countenance. They were OF
a foxy red, and beneath them flashed
l3rge. white teeth when the big man
talked in rather grating tones. His
hair was a fiery red. cut close. and
Of a hue yet more violent than his
mUstaches.
The big man appeared friendly.
though Brendon heartily wished him
away.
This bally place seems to bewitch
people" said the big man.
The other laughed. There is a
magic here. 1t gets into your blood"
so it does. a man I know is
building himself a bungalow out here.
He and his wife will be just as happy
as a pair Of wood pigeons-at least
they think So"
Il heard a trOWel cliuIxinr
Yes. l lend a hand sometimes
when the workmen are gone. But
think of ito turn your back on
civilization and make yourself a home
in a DESERT
Might do worse-if you've got no
ambitions"
'Yes-ambition is not their strong
point. They think loves enough-poor
souls. Why don't you fish,"
Waiting for it TO get a bit darker"
We'll, so long. Take care you
don't catch anything thatu pull you
in"
Laughing at his joke the red man
/ strobe off through the gap fifty yards
| distant. Then in the stiffness Mark
heard the purr Of a machine. He had
evidently departed upon a motor
| bicycle to the main road half a mile
distant
| When he was gone Brendon rose and
/ strolled down to the other entrance
| Of the quarry that he might see the
bungalow Of which the stranger had
! spoken.
The day grew very dim and the fret
/ Of light and shadow died off the
earth, leaving all vague and vast and
! featureless. Brendon returned to his
sport and found a small "coachman"
fly sufficiently destructive. The two
pools yielded a dozen trout. of which
| he kept six and returned the rest
| TO the water
| Tramping back under the stars. his
thoughts drifted to the auburn girl
of the moor.
Four evenings after his first fishing
expedition to the quarries. Mark de-
\ voted a morning to the lower waters
Of the MeaVy River; at the end of
that day, not far short of midnight
when glasses were empty and pipes
knocked out. half a dozen men. lust
about to retire, heard a sudden and
evil report.
VIII Blake, Boots" at the Duchy
Hotel, was waiting to extingush the
| lights, and seeing Brendon he said:
There's something in your line
happened, master. by the look of it.
a pretty Robbery tomorrow
"a convict escaped, WHIP" asked
the detective VawD{Do and IoDOf1o, For