Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-03-22

things, but her sense OF honor Woulunt
permit it.
She smiled when she saw the "No
Trespassing" sign still in place and
she spoke of it to Jim that afternoon.
"Funny thing about that, dearest.
I spoke to Harper when he left but
he wouldn't take it down. He's so
darn stubborn. He still believes it is
his island and he thinks he is doing
me a great favor to get out-that's
true enough. He left the sign pur-
posely, as sort of last defying ges-
ture."
"What do you think, Jim?"
81 think you are the loveliest girl in
the world"
"Silly! About the island"
with you it is Eden"
"Don't you believe that I own it?"
GAIL my life I shall believe every
word you say, dearest"
"Well, just to be prepared in case
I ever meet that stubborn and detest-
able Mr.. Harper, have sent to my
attorney in New York to forward me
copy of my deed"
"Can you tie that" Jim exclaimed,
thinking Of his own frantic wire for
his deed.
what is wrong about it?"
Nothing, dear"
Jim felt sorry for Jessica. She was
so proud, and she would be so humil-
lated when she found out that she had
been wrong all the time.
Jim believed that he ought to know
his own island. He had been there for
two short weeks the Winter before,
and when the native took him out to
Saltus Island he had no doubt about
it. The name of the island in Jim's
deed was "Saltus."
Meanwhile there was nothing more
delightful than to loaf about with his
beloved Jessica. All in good time his
deed would arrive and he would fig
ure out some nice diplomatic way to
let Jessica understand that she had
been mistaken. She owned an island
down there in some place. There were
scores and scores of them.
1t was all natural mistake.
Everything would be all right, Jim
was sure of it.
Dan Sykes had been inactive with
his bootlegging activities and he was
peeved. There was no profit in in
activity. He had plenty of money in
vested in good liquor now, but there
was no return and profits on his in
vestment so long as all of the bundles
lay cached in the cave at the hidden
inlet.
The prohibition men had been on
his heels, but Sykes had attended strict
ly to fishing for some weeks now and
these men were apparently going to
let him alone for a while.
One especially favorable night for
his work, cloudy and misty one,
Sykes got two loads Of liquor in to
mainland and received cash in return.
He thought that he could run a
third lot in, but just as he got around
to the hidden inlet the mist disap-
peared and the clouds departed.
Pink dawn was already family rim
ming the eastern horizon.
This made it too dangerous for
Sykes to try to run in any more. 1t
would be daylight before he could get
back to the mainland. He and his
crew put in at the inlet and opened
bottle for themselves. After this
they ran rather leisurely down the
east side of the island and rounded |
the southern point.
By this time the sun was peeping
up.
And Jim Harper was up and STIR
ring in his camp. He was going to
the mainland later in the day to see
if his father had sent down his deed
to the island.
Dan Sykes saw smoke arising from
the southern end of the island. He
promptly grabbed the wheel from the
hands of the steersman and sent the
launch about in sharp curve.
There amt no reefs here" the |
man yelled.
"Shet up" Sykes growled. 81 know
there amt no reefs, but them cussed
raiders are layin' for us. They're on
tn south beach now. seen the
smoke of their fire"
He directed his craft back toward
the hidden inlet.
"Gettin' pretty wise, them birds,
and too close for comfort" he said.