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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1921)
The Omaha Sunday Bee FEATURES VOL. SI NO. 26. MAGAZINE OMAHA. SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 11, 1921. 1 M By Henry C. Rowland MAGAZINE """ "" ' CHAPTER I. AS the middle of a most unprofitable sum mer approached Mr. Matthew Holmes wus dismayed at being unable to discover any possible means, honost or merely cuutomary. for paying the next remittance of hli income tax, or of evading such an obligation. In previous situations of the sort, where the creditor had been other than Uncle Sam, sonic Impulse had Invariably arisen from the swift working of Matthew's active mind by which the crisis had been passed with more or less safety. Matthew had no very clear idea of what course the law might take In the present situation, and lie had avoided inquiry on the subject, prefer ring not to know until the blow fell. Ho had always mado It a maxim of his busy life never to let his thoughts dwell on the ap proach of a catastrophe which could not pos sibly be helped. Just as he had always believed llrmly in acting on impulse. The latter philoso phy had got him into a good deal of trouble at times, but had also got him out of it again, and it had saved a great deal of wear and tear on his nerve, which was of the finest temper. Matt was a very much unattached young man, an orphan with neither sisters nor broth ers, but with two uncles, both of whom now (ippeared to have turned him down: Uncle Sam, who can be generous or relentless, according I as his hundred million and odd nephews and ' nieces take advantage or disadvantage of the opportunities he offers for honest success, and Uncle Jeremy Taylor, a maternal uncle of Matt's, who had always disfavored his nephew's inclination for easy money, this, come by hon estly, but without commensurate effort. The trouble with Matt was a frequent one in these expensive days, spending before his debts were paid. .After making a good deal of money out of a rather silly novel which made an even sillier play, and a moving picture which was so slenderly motived as to prove not the slightest tax to the minds of the millions who enjoyed It, Matt had leaped to the conclusion that he could keep on doing that sort of thing indefinitely, and with the same commercial suc cess. But something had Jammed the cogs. Immediate subsequent efforts had got coagu lated and refused to Alter through the artistic appreciation of publisher, producers and the a. a. p. Meanwhile Matt had made a number of ex penditures, which seemed Justified to him at the time, but which were not of a sort to appeal to a soulless Internal revenue service as suffl- dent reason for his not squaring up. The last book had proved a flivver, the new play gasped out Its first infant breath in the dog town where It had been cradled, and Uncle Jeremy Taylor, on his death bed as all had thought, fooled the doctors and others by an unexpected display of stamina. Uncle Jerry, a confirmed bachelor, past mid dle age, had fallen in love with his young and pretty nurse. . The stimulant of this emotion had proved in the nature of an elixir of life, which all deep thinkers must admit it is. The death bed was hung with orange blossoms Instead of crepe, and Uncle Jerry, wrathful that Matt had been guilty of certain assurances of a post-obit character, had expelled him from his avuncular affection and from his bank account. Calling a meeting on ways and means with himself, Matt could see no lighthouse shining through the murk.. He was a young man of good birth and breeding, excellent connections, and his habits, while often expensive, had never been vicious or shifty. He had chosen the pro fession of literature because he was an easy writer and possessed no lack of whimsy and Imagination, and he had shown considerable promise, especially of commercial success. Old Man Gloom was sitting at Matt's side in his chummy roadster as he spun out over the turnpike, his errand being first to leave the car, recently disposed of to a friend at the Tacht Club Garage, then to take a small speed launch, likewise recently disposed of to the same friend, and proceed to Uncle Jerry's. Matt for all his optimism would scarcely have ventured to ap proach his uncle with no more than a plea for iinancial aid in the matter of his income tax. Neither would he have thought it worth while to try and interest the hard headed financier in the fire extinguisher alone. Uncle Jerry could scarcely be expected to worry about the honor of a family name which did not happen to be his, he being Matt's maternal uncle, nor had he any further need to interest himself in promot ing schemes of any sort. But Uncle Jerry, like most rich men who have passed through many years of lonely bachelorhood, had his fads and failings, and Matt in frequent visits to his home had dis covered his fraillty. The harsh and cynical millionaire had never managed to outgrow a boyish pa&sion for toys and games. If some im portant business man were to approach him now In his convalescence with the most excel lent schemes he would unquestionably have been met by the curt refusal even so much as to listen to the proposition. But if some ped dler or camelot could get near enough to show him a new fangled and ingenious mechanical toy, uch as a vest pocket wireless, or amateur water telephone, or electric dog clipper, the chances are that Uncle Jerry would have in vested immediately and played happily with his new gam for several days. Matt knew the house to be full of such contraptions, and as a matter of fact this failing is not an unusual one. Matt wu discerning enough to feel that an advance on the defenses of Uncle Jerry's bank account 'was a strategic movement to be con ducted much as one would approach the Sul tan of Morocco or the King cf Abyssinia, not with eriou and tiresome profnoting schemes, but with something to catch his eye and tickle his fancy. It seemed to Matt that his new -patent ex tinguisher was an admirable weapon for such a gas attack- He had seen it amply demonstrated in comparison with other devices of the sort, and was really convinced that it had them beaten for efficiency and ease of manipulation and volume of material for a sustained assault upon the flames. He planned to persuade his uncle to let htm light a bonfire and then experi ment on It himself. This, he thought, would be Just the sort of thing to fit the mood and whim of Uncle Jerry, and playing thus merrily together to soften the heart of his wncl in Matt's regard. The Jeremy Taylor estate was an imposing one en the shore, but Matt's immediate des tination was the yacht club, where he proposed lo leave the cor for its'recent puiehaaer. Thence he Intended to mnke his way to Otter Itoeks, his uncle's country home, In a small speed launch no longer his, but the uo of which would not be denied him, especially as he did not intend to go through the formality of asking for the loan of It. The first part of this program was carried out successfully enough. He left the little car lit the garage, figuratively kissed It good-bye, thinking with a heavy heart of the ninny chum my days which he had spent in it, then, no hand staying him, was aboard the speed launch, and a few moments later was tearing a wide slash In the still waters of the bay.- About half way to his destination he cut in close to a llulo rocky promontory, part of a short coun try home, and at this point catastrophe over took him. There came from under the motor a sudden grinding, clashing, splintering sound, mid as Matt snapped off the current and took :i dive into the engine to investigate the water began to well up into the bottom of the boat. 'My word!" groaned Matt, aghnst at this ilnal calamity. "Old Man Gloom sure got In with me, and he's Jinxed this shallop for good." So far as Matt could guess, a connecting rod or other part of the machinery had fetched mvay and ripped a hole in the bottom. Imme diate steps were necessary for the salvage of the craft. Just in shore, about three hundred yards away, was a little cove, with a pretty loat house and a landing stage. Mat figured ihat he had barely time to paddle the boat In and beach her before she sank, and this he now attempted with haste and the vigor to be found in a pair of arms and shoulders which had made him a place in the 'varsity boat through four years at Harvard. No gondolier with a promise of a double fare ever stirred the water more strongly than did Matt, and with such success that the stricken speed launch took the ground a few yards below high water mark before she sank. "Well," thought Matt, philosophically, for his nature was such as looked ever at ' the brighter side of things, "Billy (the boat's pur chaser) ought to be mighty glad of this. If it hadn't happened now it would probably have happened on Sunday when he was , well oft -shore with his latest girl, and he'd have lost the boat, and they might both have got rheu matism or pneumonia." Matt did not know at whose estate he had landed, but from what he could see of the big brick house, surrounded by splendid elms which might have been a hundred and fifty years old or more, and the general type of the building, concluded that It must be an old colonial manor house added to and modernized. . His eyes were caught immediately by a detail which seldom fails to arouse the hospitality of the free born if not free living American, especially when aggressively displayed in blatant letters freshly painted and so placed as to seem shoved into the face of the passerby, as if to accuse him of tho thought before the deed. This was a sign on the front of the boat house, "Private Property. No Landing Permitted." And this was buttressed, as one might say, by similar warning nailed to the trees at the top of the bank, "No Trespass Under Penalty of the Law." It cannot be said that these inhospitable In dications disturbed Matt greatly. He was too glad to get ashore before the little craft, no longer his, sank under him to plunge him into a fresh sea of liabilities. He was more annoyed at being unable to get Immediately ashore with out a wetting above the waist, as it might be an hour or more before the tide fell enough for him to manage without at least wet feet, the boat being about half full of water. There seemed to be nobody about, and although the landing float was rigged, the place had the gen iral appearance of being unoccupied. There were no boats in evidence, no tracks on the float or gangway, and such windows as he could see through the trees were closely shuttered. Observing these signs of the place being as yet untenanted for the summer, it occurred to Matt that Jn such a case there could be no great objection to his undressing from the waist clown and walking ashore with the anchor. But, to avoid possible embarrassment for himself and others, he first gave forth a lusty shout, after the manner of foregone generations, when the wayfarer or messenger rode up to a blinded building. "Hello, the house!" he bawled, and this greet ing bringing no response for several moments he repeated It, but with the same lack of result. "Here goes thought ' Matt, and peeled. He waded ashore with the most essential part of his costume, placed it on a rock, and re turned to get the anchor. To do this he had to get aboard the boat and rummage in the fore locker, and he had just succeeded in clearing the coil of lino when his attention was attracted by a curious growling, snarling sound. Matt looked up and saw that which gave him pause. Standing by the rock where he had left his clothes and sniffing at them in a hostile manner was a huge Harlequin Dane. Be hind the big brute were two police dogs of the big wolfish species. They were standing stiff legged, and as Matt's eyes fell on them they flung back his inspection in a silent and sin ister fashion, which seemed to say, "Not yet, but soon." The situation was embarrassing, but it be came even more so when several more lusty yells from Matt brought no other response than ominous noises from the Dane, which sounded like a giant gargling his throat and fixed and baleful stares from the tawny eyes of the two police dogs. There was something sinister and forbidding about the silence of these canines, and Matt argued to himself that if a barking dog does not bite, then, conversely, one whichy does not bark must have a waiting gnaw in his jaws, and while he might have beaten oft the police dogs with his oar he doubted that he could make much of a showing against all three. Getting desperate. Matt began to strike the automobile horn with which the boat was equipped, but the loud, rapidly repeated blasts brought no response whatever. It seemed in credible to Matt that nobody at all should be within hearing, a caretaker or gardener, for the grounds, though not elaborately kept up, ap peared to be in such order as they might have been put by an agent for the renting of the place, and the disagreeable fact of the dogs assured the presence of somebody to care for them. But if these faithful animals had the best of Matt in force majeur. so had they also that of being better equipped for an endurance test of this sort, and Matt finally decided to paw tip a few stones and try the effect of such artillery. As a sort of test of the efficiency of this he reached in a forward locker for a monkey wrench, which he hurled with good aim at the Dane. The effect was not encouraging, for the big brute merely sidestepped, and then, with a deeper gurgle, plunged defiantly out chest deep in the water, where it stood with bared fangs ( Jpl J v Ssi mm J Ifmney wa tmdiniably pretty, mnd the had the " nrpplied the rates? facing him defiantly. Incensed at this counter offensive, Matt reached under a thwart for the boat hook, intending to 'use this as a lance, and at this moment his eyes fell on the fire extin guisher in which he hoped to interest Uncle Jerry. Here seemed a proper weapon,' and, arguing that if such an implement could stifle the oxygenation of flaming gas, it would cer tainly produce the same result for the breathing . apparatus of a dog, Matt picked It up without ' further hesitation, tucked up the skirts of his silk shirt, and slipped over the side into the water three feet deep, which is to say exactly half his altitude. As he waded determinedly within range of this squirt the gargllngs of the Dane were raised in pitch and volume. The animals showed' no signs of retreat, but on the contrary, appeared inclined to launch a counter offensive. Within twenty feet, Matt aimed his weapon, and it seemed to him that he caught for the first time an expression of indecision on the dog's face. Matt began to work the piston, and at the sec ond thrust the Jet struck the Done in the muz zle. The result was (to Matt) gratifying in the extreme. There was a sort of explosion from the big chest, sniffling, agonizing coughs, and the dog, like a valiant soldier for the first time encountering gas, retreated from a position no longer tenable. Matt followed him up, econo mizing his ammunition. The police dogs moved forward on straight stiff legs and got their dose, when they, too, retreated in disorder, though not to any great distance. ' But now assured of the invulnerability of his position. Matt returned to the launch, picked . up the anchor and carried it ashore. He. then proceeded rapidly to dress, the dogs watching this operation at a respectful distance. Having obtained a footing on enemy soil, the next move was to traverse it as an armed force, and this Matt proceeded to do, flanked by the defenders, who seemed to feel that since,-un-. able to prevent the actual violation , of their territory, the best they could do was to escort the invader across it. Thus advancing with an occasional turn to direct his squirt gun at a dog which seemed inclined to approach. Matt held on in orderly fashion by a path which led up from the boathouse toward,' the stables . and garage. As ho approached he observed to his anger and surprise a man standing in the door way. From his dress it was. evident that, this individual was not a servant, , but' one of the , tenants of the place, for he wore stylish gray flannels and a soft white hat of French felt. He looked to be about Matt's age or a little older, was well built, rather squarely so, while his complexion, black curly" hair, and little' pointed mustache, gave him a certain European appearance, French or Spanish or Italian. . He was, in fact,' a distinctly handsome young man. But such attractive qualities as he possessed were entirely lost on Matt, who, if up to this moment vexed at his inhospitable reception, now -became Incensed to think that this person should have been so near at hand and utterly regardless of his. vociferous appeals for aid. -Matt walked up to within a few paces, not failing to keep a wary eye upon the dogs, which, however, appeared to have turned over their re sponsibility and squatted upon their haunches to await developments. "Well." aaid Matt, "jou're a nice sort of a a mind of her own; in fact, Unci Jerry tali for everybody in tight." fellow to skulk here and leave your brutes tear a man to pieces." The other eyed him coldly. "Landing here Is forbidden," he said. "This is arivate estate, not a yatcht club. You had better get back in . your boat and clear out, or I'll - have you arrested." "Look here, you swine," said Matt. "Some thing in my motor carried away and tore a hole in the bottom of the boat. I got her to the beach Just before she sank. Anybody has a right to land anywhere in case of accident. You might at least have had the decency to come down and see what was the matter." The young man shrugged. "I was not Inter ested," he said. "We have been annoyed by .trespassers, and the dogs are trained to keep thtm off." "Well," said Matt, "now that I've explained the case, the least you can do is to show a little helpful interest." "What do you want?" asked the young man. "I want to telephone to the nearest garage for a car to take me away from this hospitable spot," said Matt, "and I shall have to leave my boat on your beach until I can send somebody to patch her up and tow her away." To Matt's surprise the simple and unavoid able request not only failed to produce the com pliance which the most ordinary civility would have seemed to require, but a look of anger and suspicion appeared for a moment on the face of the other. Nor was this all, for Matt got the quick impression of a fleeting fear in the young man's dark brown eyes. ' ''I cannot be responsible for your boat," said he."' "I have come here only for the day, and am leaving immediately." "Good," said Matt. "In that case I shall take -the liberty of asking for a lift to the near est place where I can get transportation of my own." The reception of this natural request, which was one scarcely to be refused, convinced Matt instantly that the other had lied, and as if pro voked .beyond discretion at having exposed him self to added annoyance, the foreign looking In dividual burst out in a sort of gust of anger. "I can do nothing for you at all. You must And' your way from here the best you can. This road leads straight to the gates on the highway. No doubt somebody passing will give you a lift." . - Matt stared at him aghast, and the hot blood surged into his face. The succession of calami tous events had badly frayed a disposition, ami able by nature, never boasting any great fund of patience in the face of incivility. And it fceemed to him that never in all of his experience had ha encountered such absolute discourtesy as this, especially from ojie who, to judge from his dress and speech, might claim a similar sta tion in life. He stared at the other for a mo ment in astonishment. "Well, I'll be damned!" said he. "For down right putrid meanness, you certainly deserve a decoration, and if it wasn't for these dogs I'd hand you one that you"d carry for quite a while." His furious eyes went past the other to a telephone apparatus on the wall of the garage. Then, with or without your kind permission, I'll use your phone for a few minutes." and he was about to take a step In advance when the othr placed hlmnelf In a manner to eb struct his entry. "This I'hone Is not connected,' he snapped, "Tou had better go. These dogs are very savage." Matt eyed him balofully. "I've found that our already, thanks to you," he said, "but let me tell you, Mr. Skunk, they haven't any edge , on me at this moment. Now step axlde, or you ' may get somtthlng you won't like." The clear olive skin of the young man seemed to pale a trifle. " I warn you," aald he, "if you ottaok me they will tear you to pieces." "Will they?" asked Matt, to whom sur rounding objects were beginning to assume a reddish tinge. "Well, let's see if you're right." lie raised the extinguisher, and, regardless of the possible damage to sight or complexion, shoved down the piston. The jet struck his adversary In the throat, less by kind Intention than a slight Inaccuracy of aim. But it was quite enough. The choking iuines produced a simihir reaction to that dis played by tho big Harlequin Dano. Ho let out a sort of bleating, gurgling, coughing splutter. Hung his hands up over his face, and. leaping aside, retired swiftly out of range, falling back on the support of the dogs, which regarded him as though to say: "We know what that is like. Wc, too, have suffered. Here be a sort of human polecat." The young man glanced back malevolently over his. shoulder, then laid a hurried courso for the house, when the dogs, as if feeling their responsibility relieved, and reasoning perhaps 1hat where the master was discomfited there was not much show for mere canine support, followed dejectedly at his heels. Matt went to the telephone to. discover, as he had supposed, that his adversary had lied,' for there was an immediate responce, and, be ing given the garage, he was promised a car within a quarter of an hour. Stating his acci dent, he described the place where ho had landed, and was ' informed that it was the "old Putney Place." He then telephoned to the Yacht club and gave instructions that steps be immediately taken for the patching up and removal of the launch. Then, having had quite enough of the warm social atmosphere of the old Putney Place, he made his way on the high road, not seeing a soul in transit, and, seating himself on a stone wall directly opposite, lighted a cigaret and stared thoughtfully at the forbidding mansion, half hidden by the shel tering elms. For, as his anger began to dissipate, its place was taken by puzzled reflection. Matt found it impossible to imagine a reason for such out rageous treatment as he had received. It was incredible that any normal person of genteel or other appearance should behave in such a man ner to a man in his plight unless some un common motive lay behind the almost criminal hostility. The dogs might have chewed him up. What if he had landed without knowing that such brutes were at large and been attacked by them half way across the grounds and with no means of defense? Matt was turning this problem in his mind when a fliwer came bucketing down the road and fetched up with a Jerk opposite where he was seated. The driver, a lank youth, distin guished principally as a sort of culture medium for pimples, took a final drag at his cigaret, flicked it in the direction of Matt, and asked: "You the gent that phoned for a car?" Matt acknowledged the responsibility and got in beside the acne victim, whom as a local resident he desired to question a little. Having given "Otter Rocks" as his destination, the cogs were engaged and they started down the road. Matt as a sort of preface to his question naire explained his accident and compulsory debarkation upon a hostile shore, purposely omitting to mention its hostility. "Who lives there now?" he asked. "Some new folks," answered the youth, deft ly steering with his elbow as he lighted a fresh cigaret. "Dunno their names furrlners, I reckon." He took an Inhalation which must have saturated him to his astral body and asked irrelevantly, "Heard the news?" "No," said Matt, "I've just been ship wrecked here. What's happened?" The boy turned, shot out a telescopic arm, which he seemed able to lengthen and shorten at will, fumbled a little in the rear, then said indifferently: "I hadda paper, but she must a-blowed outer the car. Gates' darter went out for a paddle in her canoe last night and ain't showed up since. They live down the road a spell. He's a big millionaire. Folks say he made it profl teerin' in the war." "Too bad," said Matt absently, his mind still clinging to his recent adventure. "Ticklish things, canoes. What make you think they're foreigners?" "I didn't say he was a furrlner," replied the boy. "I said folks claim he's a profiteer." "O," said Matt "I understand. Well, that's worse than being a foreigner. But there's nothing to prevent a man from being both." "Nothin' furrin about 'em," said the boy. "I recken sho mighta lost her paddle and got blbwed off shore. Breeze was pretty peart from the nor'west." "0," said Matt. "You're talking about this little girl in the canoe. Do you think she's drowned?" "No because they ain't found the canoe yet. I reckon she'll be picked up out in the bay. A canvas canoe is so goldarned light that the least puffll spin 'em off to loo'ard. But it takes a lot to swamp one if you set down in the bottom." "You seem to understand the water," said Malt. "O, I growed up alongshore," said the boy. "A Hers went Iobsterin' summers until this year, when I gotta Job in the garage. 'Tain't much of a Job at that, but it's better than bein' wet and gurry smeared the hull of the time. If I had a motor boat I'd go out an look fer her. Gates has offered a reward of ten thou for the first news they get of her."V "Somebody stands to make a good day's work," said Matt, and It struck htm with a pang that but for the accident to his launch he might have had a try himself for this poten tial godsend. They spun past the front of a fine old place, originally a big, square wooden house, but re cently enlarged and rendered more elaborate than attractive. Several big cars were parked in the loop beyond the porte cochere, and Matt caught a glimpse of some new structures In the rear which appeared to be stables and garage. "Gates place," said the boy. "Folks say he cleaned up a couple million, mebbe more, sellln' soldier tents to the government" Matt scarcely heard hlra In his abitraoUon, A moment later he asked: "Have y mi aver teen any of tho 1M back there?" "Seen 'em comln to town ever since I wan knee high to a fiddler crab," answered the boy. "She's as pretty as a new lneboat. but folk ay she's got right uppish since her father mad his pile." "I mean the people In the old Putney pi," said Matt "O, them!" said the boy disdainfully. H. I dunno nawthln' about 'em, and don't wanter. Ain't got no use fer people that keep bad dogs and plaster up their place with 'no trespass nlgns. When the Putncys lived there, they never minded folks landing and walkln' across to the road. But this furrin bunch have stopped tt, Salem Tarr 'lows they ain't rot no right ter close a right of way. He aimed to land there a coupla weeks ago, but the dogs cum down und skarcd Jjlra off." He dropped the toplo as distasteful ana wttki an abrupt change to one more Interesting, said; "Folks say she's gonna marry a young feller named Grlscom. He's a millionaire, too. Bom people seem ter get It all, don't they? I reckon Fam Sprague must be terrible cut up. H growed up with Sylvy Gates and always sweet hearted her, but I guess she don't think he' good 'nuft now the old man' mad such a pile." "What Is Sam Sprague?" Matt asked wit a momentary flash of Interest la the local gossip, "Sam's the best boat builder In these porta. Got right smart of a shipyard now. H eum by his money honest, buildln small boat for the guvment durln' the war, coast patrol boat and the like, and he built 'em good uns, too. Didn't skimp nothin' neither in work nor ma terial like some o' those goldarned grafter. Sam's all right. Though folks say he' a ruff actor when he's riled, and I reckon Sylvy Gate wouldn't a married him, anyhow." Matt had listened subconsciously t thi anthology, his mind having reverted to that which interested him more. "How long hav they been there?" he asked. He of the skin you'd hat to touch appeared to reflect "Bout fifty years, I recken. Old Hiram Gates had the biggest sail loft in Boston and another In Gloucester. Then h had a rop walk." "O, to hell with Gates,"' cried Matt, then, realizing the futility of Irritation, reached In hi pocket, drew out his slim roll, and peeling oft a dollar bill offered It to the driver. "Now look here, buddy, I'm not Interested In th for tunes and misfortunes of the Gates family Just at this moment I'm sorry to learn that Sylvy' been blown off shore in her canoe, but the sea is calm and no doubt she's been picked up by thi time. Slip this in your jeans and try to give me a dollar's worth of Information about th people living In the old Putney place. Com on, now, search your bean." The boy looked sulky, but pocketed the bin. "I told you already I don't know nawthln' about 'em." he said. "They rented the place for the season and come here mebbe a month ago. Folks say that they got sump'n to do with one o these here furrin c'misslons." "How many In the family?" "I dunno!" The boy's vole was reluctant, as though he felt he was scarcely earning his dollar, but his next scrap of Information paid for this in good measure, for he volunteered: "Don't see why folks wanter live on th shore if they don't care for the water. Thesa people hain't taken the trouble to slide a boat overboard. They take more to car ridln', I reckon. They got two big limousines 'bout th size of a truck with them double wheels be hind. Folks passin say they meet 'em on the road all hours the night." Matt pondered this morsel. "It was curi ous," he reflected, "that people who did not care for boating should desire to rent a shore estate, and then, although the water was an important feature, had not so much as a row boat in evidence. The float had probably been rigged out before they had rented the place, but he had noticed that the doors of the boat house wore an air of being hermetically sealed, though the ways leading up to them were greased as though they had been got ready for the boat or boats to slip down. And why the two big limousines, with their double hind wheels, a feature which one does not see often in America, though frequent In Europe. But a moment's thought furnished Matt with a solution of the problem. Thes people were very likely rich South Americans attached to some embassy or legation. As folk-''' accustomed no doubt to a sort of regal setting in their own country, where they might hav inhabited some great hacienda under a system of peonage, they assessed a haughty intoler ance of the intrusion of folk of ordinary degree. "Where is the Putney family?" Matt In-' quired. "They bin in Europe for the last year. They're old timers, too, and some kin to the Gates. I reckon Mr. Gates must be nigh crazy if they hain't picked up Sylvy yet. Don't calculate she's drowned, though, becuz she can swim like a seal. Chances are a puff hit her when she was a mite off shore, and In tryin' to swing the canoe so's to pint into It sho bruk her paddle." "That sounds like a good theory," said Matt, now willing to take a little interest in the anxiety of the Gates family. "She might have been too far out to try for the shore in her clothes." "Reckon so," said the boy: "havin growed up along shore, she'd know better than to leav the boat. She's sartin sure to get picked up with the crowd that must be lookin fur her. Now if Sam Sprague was to home he'd hav every boat in his yard overboard and out scourin' the bay, and not fur no ten thousand dollar reward, neither." "Where is Sam?" asked Matt languidly. "Down east somewhere. I reckon. Folks say he was so cut up at Sylvy's keepln' company with this hyer New York feller that he packed up and went off mad for a spelt" "Sylvy's fiance must be pretty upset If he' heard about it," said Matt "Reckon so. Folks say they can't see what she sees in that young feller now that she don't need his money, and that she'd do a durnel sight better to marry Sam Sprague. Everybody likes Sam, even if ho is a mite rough sometimes, but I reckon Sylvy's sorta set tip and wants a husband that's got more stylo. Old Man Taylor a friend o yourn?" "No," Matt answered. "Anything but He' my uncle." "Don't say'." The boy looked, at him with a new respect "Well, it was a plum surprise to everybody when he got well all of a sudden and up and married. Folks say he look tea rears younger." (Continued Next Sundar.