The Coolidge examiner., 1939-03-23
CHAPTER VI-Continued

Once Marine caught him perform
ing what seemed to be some sort OF
propitiatory rite to unseen gods,
presumably Of the weather. Be-
tween observations he would retire
to a small work-shed attached to the
mansion, to tinker with an ancient
and decrepit fat-boat which he had
dragged up. derelict, from the lake.
There was plenty of weather for
his observations. All the Finger
Lakes region had for month cow
cred under a pail Of weepy, gray
clouds. The normally peaceful lit
tie creek which crooked a protec-
tive elbow around Holmesholm be-
fore emptying into the lake, was a
brawling torrent, and the dry ra-
vine on the other side of the house
now hardly controlled boisterous
stream. Marine repeated Moby
Dickstein's despairing query to
Chunk.
, Doesn't ii ever clear up? I'm
getting bored with it."
With Marine the monster occasion
ally became quite loquacious. He
now burst into consecutive speech.
Rain" he chartered. Plenty
rain. Mo- rain. Tomorrow, meb-
be sun. Mebbe two day. Mebbe
tree. Rain again." He swept a
long. anxious look around the dull
horizon and drew his head in be-
tween his shoulders like a threat
ened turtle. TOO much rain. Bad
place." he announced.
II think it's a lovely place, if it
weren't so wet.
Chunk produced his weeks check.
"You get mon'?" he requested con-
fidently.
She nodded. Nobody else would
the creature trust in his financial
dealings, and each time that Marine
produced cash for his bit Of paper.
he gazed upon her with the worship
full awe due to a worker of miracles.
What do you do with all your
money, Glunk?"
"Whusshh." He pressed his hairy,
great hand over his lips, then re-
moved it to exhibit his three-fanged
smile. You come" he invited, aft
er spying about to assure himself
that there was no one within watch
ing distance.
Roundabout, threading between
barns and outhouses, stopping to
stare and humble at the brawling
creek, he led her by devious route
back to a vine-swathed, wooden
structure behind the house, shelter.
ing a long disused well. Darling tc
his work-shed, he reappeared with
a fashlight which he directed into
the well-mouth.
"You keep it down there?"
"Urgck."
That's very clever of you"
Grinning, he indicated a cavity,
some eight feet down, formed by the
displacement of stone. This, she
was given to understand, was his
bank. He seemed enormously
pleased with it.
well, l wouldn't want to go down
there" the girl decided. Il don't
believe it's safe. Those walls look
bulgy to me-"
Again the hoarder hunched hi:
shoulders. Too much rain," he
growled uneasily.
True to his prophecy, however
the sun blazed forth on the follow
ing morning and chased all the loi
tering clouds from the sky. 1t wa:
the perfect opportunity for the ca
noe test. To be sure, A. Leon Sny
dacker was away for the day, bu
further upon the capricious weather
The first step was to get his leading
man to the low bluff overlooking the
lake. To one of Moby's diplomat
ic attainments, this was easy. The
pretense was that he needed exper
advice in working out some detail o.
topography. Kelsey made no de
muir.
Everything, the director fondly
decided, was perfect. Below tbs
cliff the waters went off very sheer
to a depth of several feet. For {
skilled swimmer in a hurry, a:
Moby anticipated that the hero
would be. dive from the summit
into safe water would be quite feast
BILE. Or he might elect to slide dowr
the little precipice and plunge from
the thin edge of shore. Either way
would suit Moby. All that was nov
needed was Miss Van Stratten.
Prompt to the assigned minute
she appeared around the bend, clat
in a most becoming bathing suit anc
propelling the small canoe witt
strong, easy strokes. AS an addec
feature. not figured in the directori
al calculations, the faithful Glunl
foundered along the beach, now in
now out of the water, and keeping
as nearly abreast as possible. How
ever, that did not matter at the mo
ment All was set.
Exactly opposite the spot wher,
Moby Dickstein and his leading mar
were engaged il Typographical con
ference and the masked Gamer;
waited below for its prey, the canoe
paused and drifted, some thirt,
yards offshore. The occupant lifted