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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1922)
2 M TIIR rF.K: OMAHA. SUNDAY. JANUARY 23. 1922. Henry C. Rowland sworsis. Mkltltr Halm' nd boa la vrwkd hfl h4 U M h to IniMMl kM nnH. Jafwn 1'wlar. la ni fin nuuuuliar, LAiuiiuf i iiw eUt I'ttl MT plK-tk Im U rn(4 If ihnrn larnxau to u4 nWlov lanifiwr. IU I unit lb ilioub ttpua 11 four ud UrM. lis Inni thai Hrlri. bin of iliwa Uxa. the milliucum, w4 lu f riwVU Orivm. haa diuoiwtn-d btt cwiw. Hut la iwlad wirnjlf by I'n.l Jm, mtto htm rlna traa tua auipoaa4 ifeatbbMl la butt May Uploo. hla pntXf auraa. Mall bad bnm in dlafaTat vu h bulb, but bow I'neta Jarrr Mania feim aa a M-mar, aa bnaullful m7. bla aiaior, at "rannlot tha plara." Maiwy wmi Hrlna aithftf kaa bn drawooil or baa olnpMl arilb ftam praa-oa. tha abirbulldar. Nail darlaaa aba baa bran kut Bapwl fur raiiaora, baTliw kn mind tha (urricnTa al Ilia IDUk-7 plaa. Tti'r BnH a ntaard ol f UHl.OfHI a bait offaml for tna a mum. Ammpanixt lr Uia Bra wunruuhar ami Hvxv, Mall Tiiia Ua Jutn-7 piara aad aa a laun.-b (Uda aul. " Nrlia La balac lalimi ," ba Ihiuka. But lha lainxk Juaj no baaaennr. Rnoa 11 rrturaa and Ihna maa loxl lla earro ol wttxtra raana lou two Umoualuaa. 'Whlaky ruuaom." err Malt and Nan7, and ro koma. Kanry atvaaaaa lha throrr tha bonilani w ba koitUof Hanrr ttpun, and tha twa trail a oaportad " buotWrm' ahip " to a ooarbr I aland, thru turn bark, aturb to Nancy a dlariiai. xl day hoy raid lb Puuwr plaua, but too lata. Tha too alcnora bar fld. Malt fooa to lb I aland la traa lb bnotletrara. Ttrinr o( bla rlail and tb drlrlDC rain, ha bun la OB a eabtn. but aa ba Mara II ha ana a lliht, It la Manry. whs baa rafuaad to ba lofl kafcind. Malt and hantr And footafp In tha aand and a ropo. abirh. thry auapert, lead to tha boot bmnf carba. Tha rain barta araln and Uwr Mk Mfuaa ta a raram. Malt la bnntinc la aupplia wban ba atrhta a bnal. bear a mrnvn, and ana Vancy trunUnr wllh two man. whlla two mora ara Mnmmchlnt. Tha kldnaparB, ba ooix-lndta. Thy laipuaai him attar ba haa noarty btlndad Kane wtvbyVb aand -doriad axttn(Mlakr, I TO-wordj of Matt'i could hT ll m tn efTeot M Um look of I fJ aurtonlshment which overs 1 race aa lha mean In of thens KKJimi DnrtAIXACENT. Thrflls u4 Sarprlnav frodooad blank prcad bla words auik mto him. Ha Bta rod domfounded kt lb captain of the amack. thoa at Nancy. "Good Lord," ha gaitped. they think vvY Bylvlaf -WHO. why ahoonnn therT" crlfd Nkncy. "TheyT9 been earchlnu for her, and they (aand me here alone In tola care. I told " them they were wrong-, but tlicy were too ex sited to listen. If yon hadn't been In your kraal frantlo rash to Jump at a concluakm V4 might hare made them understand. "AH the same, they are the bootlpffgera We ran Into night before last," Matt began, lewa-TOy, when he was tnterrnpted by tha BTlaxled captain. ""Who esa booOeggeiaT" he demanded, fiercely. "Not ne, younga renfleman. We . ta boneat-a-men and make-a, a beer and wine "aw drtlnk ontHV-selves. "You've guessed wrong avgatn, Sherlock," Bald Nancy, oottlngly. - These men look like good, sou are, stibetantial fishermen. I dont bellora they've had anything to do with tha tootlegirers at alL" " Datta what, Meea." aaM the captain wtth ylgoroua nod. "Nlghta before last wa coma outa here and anchor to waita for da fog to clear. Next day I go ashore and finds, tJa In da paper." Ha took a black, shiny wallet from aa Inner pocket and extracted a newspaper clip " 'prag which bora tha marks of greasy . thumbs. Unfolding this, the fishing skipper thrust It under Matt's nose. Nancy stepped wp to look at it over hla shoulder. - . , ' It was an article which gave more details of Sylvia's disappearance and in which the reward for her safe recovery was officially offered. There was a dose description of - the missing girl, her physical appearance and costume, with a portrait of her which waa announced as the nearest to her general appearance at tha time aa could be had. Nancy glanced at this with an exclama tion of surprise, for no doubt because tha photograph had been taken most recently and In tha same sailor gown Sylvia had been wearing on her disappearance Mr. Gates , had given tha reporters a print which in- eluded Nancy also, and the compositor had . tailed to cut this oat, contenting himself with the caption, "Tha missing girl. Miss . Bylvla Gates," than In parentheses "left" Both portraits were clear and distinct Ilka nessoa, tha of Nancy to ba recognized aa readily as Sylvia's, "So that's tha reason yon were so deter mined to drag me off," cried Nancy to tha skipper. "Sura tfctf, Bfees," aatd he, "Hera, la year picture in da paper, and bera I fine you in da island shYtm' en da rocks, "What I COttatlnk?" .. -,' " But dont you see," said Matt, - that un . eWneath It saya left," "I no read da Inglisah," growled the dla aqrpotnted captain, and a look of gloom spread ever his square, swarthy face as he : saw tha great reward slipping through his net. " X see da face and fli:e da younga lady In da rocks on da toetla island way offa da shore." Matt could not tn an Justice Mama the honest fellow. The fishermen, on the off . chance that the missing girl might have been driven on the Island, and not knowing how . thorough a search of it might have been . made, nod decided to look It over for them- selves, and It was natural that with a por trait fixed on their visual memory they had - leaped to the conclusion that the bedraggled : girl sitting alone and dejected in a niche of the rocks must certainly be she. In their ex , cltement and exultation they had paid no heed to her protestations, no doubt assum ing these to be in the nature of ravings as the result of a mind deranged from fright and hardship or fright at their rough appear ance. They had decided to return her with all dispatch, and on encountering Matt's frenzied rush had leaped to the conclusion that he must be her abductor. An emphatic explanation and the legend of the portrait soon convinced them of their , error, when, being simple, honest men, they bravely swallowed their disappointment and offered their apologies. Nancy looked at Matt with a bitter, scornful face. - "And you might have blinded them all," ; ! said she, " if you'd been able to manage it. Just as you nearly managed to blind me. That's what comes of your Inspired lm- pulses." ' "I've got to admit you are right," said Matt, dejectedly. " Well, since this seems to blow up the theory that brought us here, I suppose we might as well ask them to set us - ashore." "You can do as you like," said Nancy, " but now that I'm here I'm going to wait for Murphy." " What's the good of that? " asked Matt " Never mind," said Nancy. " I've got a theory of my own." Matt perceived immediately what was In her mind. The rehabilitation of the cabin required some explanation. If Sylvia had been abducted, there was the possibility that her captors might have anticipated a search of the island, but might yet bring her there when they felt safe to do so. This seemed very little to go on while yet offering soma slight cue. " Then 111 stay with you," said he. -.4 ' ,.-f-,tlV" , .avr. ffUKi r-e, . Ij ??',! I 4W. . 1 faaiaMaaaa'aaMeakiaal MlieM'JWlttati l w-'aai,-r-jf- - '.. .aarw . . rr?-r r . -m ,.i i. . Hsai , inii'if'n-Trriiif'ifi " T r" i'i-"'i ' fiVm iitAai.iiMr.aakkai., .n. Ul? jrjuff fffffj n i "i f "rrr--rrT ,.-irz-r,i Th naxf monaovara inm mout pmauRng to account tor, Tho big man acr ambit J out ami offorod hi hand to t hm girl, who appeared to Jit Jain it at if in anger " We seem to have changed our tune," said Nancy. " I must say I think you owe these taen something to pay for your vicious and unwarranted attack on them." Matt thought so, too. His blows bad . fallen heavily, although quite warranted In a violent offensive at sight of Nancy being dragged away; still, the fishermen were act ing with honest purpose. He took from his pocket the roll of bills with which TJncle Jerry had supplied him, peeled off two twen ties, and handed one to each of the men he had bowled over in his onslaught. : "That's to pay for your eye and your Jaw," said he. "Our launch is coming for us pretty soon, so well wait here for it." There being not much else to say, the sorely disappointed fishermen took their de parture, when Matt and Nancy returned to the cave. "I'm afraid this cooks it," said Matt des pondently. ' i " You nearly cooked me," said Nancy. "Why were you ao long?" Matt reached in his pocket and handed her the thermos. "I stopped to make you some hot tea," said he. "Thought it might cheer you up while I was getting a fire started." Nancy looked a little mollified. "You are the most thoughtfully thoughtless person I ever knew," said she. ".What happened to your old extinguisher anyhow? " " The nozzle must have got plugged with sand when I threw it down," said Matt. " Lucky thing ft did as matters turned out I mean for the fishermen," he added, hastily. These latter had returned aboard their , smack, which was now putting off under power. Matt looked thoughtfully after it. , " All the same," said he, " this doesnt ax plain that line to the shore." " Why didnt you tell them te haul It up? " Nancy asked. "Didn't think about it, to tell the truth," said Matt. " My mind was too occupied with other things." " That seems, to be the trouble with your brilliant brain," Nancy retorted. " It seizes one idea and 'rushes at It like a salmon trout at an artificial fly." " And then I get the gaff," Matt muttered, " Well, anyhow, we know there were some bootleggers, because we saw them land the stuff, and this island is Just in the right place to serve them as a depot We may yet make a haul if they don't come before Murphy gets here." " . Nancy rose. " I think IT1 go back to the cabin and lla down," said she. . " My eyes and nose smart and I've had about enough excitement for one day." ' " Did they hurt you? " asked Matt, soUcitr ously. , "No, but yon did. I wouldn't use that thing on a dog. Speaking of dogs, I saw a big Newfoundland on that smack. It must have been the one we heard the other night" Matt groaned. " There goes the last shred of evidence against those people," said he. " Just the same, if you'll kindly lend me a hairpin I'll get the good old extinguisher In working order again." " Then for heaven's sake, dilute It with some water," said Nancy. " There's no tell- , Ing on whom your impulse might lead you , to use it and if a little spray from it can do . what It did to me, the solid stream might blind somebody for life." "All right" said Matt, rather chilled at his narrow escape from having possibly done this very thing. He cleared the nozzle with the hairpin Nancy handed him, then pumped out a few Jets, and, unscrewing the cap, fjjed up the cylinder with water from tho bucket of this superfluous commodity that he had brought on his first trip from the cabin. - "111 go back with you and get a bite to eat then return and take up my permanent residence here until we leave this Isle of Dreams. You won't be afraid to pass the night alone there, will you? " "No," said Nancy, "but yon might leave me the extinguisher." They shared the tea, then, feeling consider ably refreshed, set out across the moor, Matt remarking that before long he should have worn a path. j They walked back on to higher ground. The weather showed no signs of changing, though it had grown light and the drizzling shower for the moment ceased. Then aa the gray sea came in sight for a distance of two or three miles out Matt let out a yell which was followed by a groan. "Look there!" said he. "Here comes an other outfit" For Just emerging from the wind flung haze was a small vessel of the sea going motor cruiser type, about fifty feet in length, full bodied and spacious, with high bows and roomy cabin accommodations almost a houseboat in fact, such a type of floating home as Is much in vogue for winter cruis ing in southern waters, and combining safe ty, comfort and speed. It was apparently heading to cut in close to the eastern end of the island and might for all they knew, have no intention at all of stopping there, but be laying a course for any point in shore. " That's not the boat we got a glimpse of," said Matt " but it might be the one to bring the booze here for the other to distribute, though I don't see Just why they, should want to take the trouble of trans-shipping their stuff." ' . . . . "Perhaps ifs the campers coming back," said Nancy, with a worried look. " I must say Td never counted on anything like that" ' A short lapse of time seemed to prove the truth of this catastrophe, for the yacht passed around the end of the island, cutting in close .with the assurance of a pilot to whom those waters were familiar, then rounded up under the lee of the slightly higher ground where the cabin waa placed, and came to anchor in good shelter about two hundred yards off the shore. " Let's try to have a look at them without : being seen ourselves," said Matt " Here comes the rain again," and come it did in a ' drenching shower, with a darkening of the . atmosphere. The pair of sleuths, dejected at this new development and the compulsion of sharing the snug cabin even with harmless campers, made their way cautiously along the moor. A big bowlder offered an ambush from behind which they might reconnoiter the strangers. They saw a dinghy dropped into the water, and A man step into it; then Matt gasped. "Look!" said he. "Isn't that one in the yellow slicker a girl? " Nancy stared eagerly. A second figure In a long oilskin overcoat and sou'wester pulled down practically to hide the head was get ting into the boat. Another person, unques tlonably a big man, followed her. The first ' then picked up the oars, shoved off the boat, and started to pull in to the rocks with the short Jerky fisherman's stroke. Nancy turned to Matt a face which had suddenly paled. "It's a girl, or woman," said she, "but I can't see her face." " A hundred to one on Sylvia," said Matt. " They carried her off shore until, the search was over, and now they've brought her back here. Let's see what happens next" But the next maneuvers were most puzzling to account for. The big man scram bled out and offered his hand to the girl, who appeared to disdain it as if in anger. She clambered out unassisted, and the two made their way amongst the loose bowlders and up toward the cabin. Oifce or twice the girl stopped and flung out her arms as if in furious protest The man in the dinghy had shoved off and rowed back alongside, where, not bothering to hoist out the boat, he occupied himself getting in the small kedge anchor. The other two made their way toward the cabin, walking some distance apart "Now hen be coming to get the booze," said Matt "But I wonder he didn't go there first so the other fellow could lend a hand, and there's not a thing I can do to prevent" . "O, bother the booze," said Nancy, Im patiently. " If that is really Sylvia, you've got quite enough to do ahead of you." But contrary to all expectation, the. man In .the cruising boat having brought his anchor, to. the bow, went aft and a moment later there came a churning of water under the stern, when the swift If bulky craft swung off shoreward, presently to disappear in the penumbra of the driving rain. Matt and Nancy stared at each other bewildered. "Now, what's the meaning of that, Sher lock," she said. "Why should they leave them there with no chance of escape? " " I'm afraid your first guess was right" said Matt dismally. ' That may be some chap and his wife with a taste for soli tude " he looked about with a grim smile " paradla a deux, I don't think. Perhaps ( they're honeymooning." "Then from those gestures of hers," said Nancy, " I should say the moon was In the wrong quarter." " They're going to get a Jolt when they see our duffle," said Matt, and this prophecy was Immediately fulfilled. The pair had dis appeared in the direction of the cabin, which was not visible from the swale where Matt and Nancy -were watching. But now the man suddenly appeared upon a knoll, waving , his arms and gesticulating violently at the . disappearing boat These semaphorlc signals were either undiscovered or disregarded, however, as the course of the departing craft was not altered, and almost""immediately it dissolved in the aqueous solution of the . atmosphere. " He's discovered that the place has other tenants, and It's put a crimp in him," said . Matt . " He's not the only one," said Nancy. "This thing has put a regular marcel wave In me. I didn't bother about the reputation part of it before." . " But now that you see that abstract quan tity doing a fadeout, it assumes some little value after all." "It surely does," said Nancy. "I can't go there and let those people see me. They'd be certain to find out about me later, and then good-by Rep." I've been promised a professorship in England in a fashionable girls' school, and I can see what that's worth now. There's only one thing about it Matt, I've got to hide out" Matt shook his head. "You can't" said he. "In the first place, there's no place to hide, and the second, you'd perish of ex posure. Better the snug cabin without a character, than the cold, cold field with a wobbly one. Besides, it might be Sylvia, after all." Nancy wrung her hands In despair. " Ifs nothing of the sort," said she. "They wouldn't dare leave her here like that. They're, much more apt to have landed her as you said. It's a couple come out here to camp and they've had a fight" " Perhaps," suggested Matt encouragingly, "our being here might Jeopardize her own rep, and they'd be only too glad to enter into a secret treaty." To his consternation Nancy burst into tears. Matt was profoundly sorry for her. Nancy's brief shower of tears passed quick ly, though that of the elements continued in a sort of businesslike way that promised to make a thorough day's work of it and no doubt a night's of it for that matter. " Darn it! " said Nancy, presently. " I sup pose there's nothing to do but go up and face the music ' It's raining harder every minute, and I never yet had a waterproof that was anything like proof. This thing of mine doesn't shed the water, but merely filters It" "Well, then," said Matt "let's sneak up and reconnoiter. Mind you, Nancy, it's not as if we'd come out here for our health or . for love in a cottage, like those two." ' They made a little detour along the shore so as to approach the cabin from the rear, Nancy scoffing bitterly at this precaution; then climbing the bank they executed a flank ing movement until under the cabin's lee. "You peek in the window," said Matt " and see If it's anybody that you know." Nancy obeyed in silence. Matt watching her, observed the sudden tautening of her features as she thrust her head cautiously around the edge of the window's rim. Her pretty profile was presented, and it seemed to Matt that this hardened like a cameo. Then her head was quickly drawn away and she staggered back, and into his supporting arms, for her knees appeared to be buckling under her. Matt drew her behind the cabin. " Good heavens, Matt" she gasped. "It Is Sylvia!" Matt folt for an instant as though he had swallowed an alarm clock which had gone off on landing under his ribs. "Jumping James!" he breathed, "Are you certain?" "As certain as I am that I am I. She Is sitting in front of the fire diving her skirt and she looks like a newly captured tigress." . "Did you see the man?" asked Matt "No," said Nancy; "he must be In the little room." "Look again," said Matt, and loosened a strap of the haversack in which reposed the extinguisher. Nancy repeated her espionage. But this time Matt was at a loss to account for the singularity of her expression. Her pretty chin dropped to leave her mouth agape, and. so it remained for some moments, when, to Matt's further bewilderment, she closed it with a snap, swallowed once or twice, then , lurched back to where he stood, and, clapping her hands over her face, sank down behind the cabin in such a gust of evidently hys terical laughter that Matt feared the excite ment had overwhelmed her grip upon h;r self. " Nancy," he whispered anxiously, and gave her a little shake. "My dear girl. Stop it. You sit here and I'll go in and put that kidnaper where he belongs." Nancy struggled to her feet. Then, still jerking convulsively, her strong little hand fell on his wet wrist- "Come," she choked, "come quick or Til burst. Come down here under the bank where I can have my laugh out without their hearing it" So violent was , Nancy's paroxysm that Matt, now thoroughly alarmed, was obliged partly to carry her. They reached the edge of the sandy bank, partly lost their balance, or at least Matt did, for Nancy had no longer any equilibrium at all, went down It pell-mell, and landed in a tangled heap at the bottom, which was fortunately soft sand. The disorder of this retreat appeared, If possible, to lend fresh force and volume to Nancy's convulsions of mirth. Nancy appeared to have passed the limits of all self-control, and Matt, while intensely worried (as bachelors invariably are under such alarming conditions) could not greatly wonder at this nerve storm. "irst, grief and distress at what seemed to be the tragedy overtaking her dearest and most intimate friend, then the nocturnal expedition to the old Putney place and the sinister encounter with the dogs, and obser vitionf the bootleggers' maneuvers. Quick ly followed.the offshore scouting of the enemy craft a return in which shipwreck was several times missed by a hair's breadth. Then had come the disappointment of find ing the birds flown, the discouraging con-' sulfation with Donovan, and the offering te the stricken parent of hopes which were ao insecurely based. And now here was this discovery of Sy'via in the flesh, and so far as one could t?H, unharmed, but in the custody of some ruf fian of whose intentions toward her she couH feel none too secure. The girl's condition seemed then to go from bad to worse. She struggled to her feet and would have collapsed again if Matt's athletic arms had not encircled her. Thus support ing her, he gave her a vigorous shake. " Stop itl " he cried. " You're scaring me to death! " "I can't I can't," walled Nancy, and started in on a fresh paroxism. "You stop that!" cried Matt desperately; "they'll hear you! 4 dont e-rar!" sbrirkoij Nancy with so plnrting note that Matt's alarm waa augmented, if poiaitl. Her rlmti hat bad fallen off, and her ht4 wlib golden hair tumbling about nor ears lolled Un-k against his encircling arm. leiUe hla great con cern. Matt was aiao conscious of tha denioraW Istng quality to bar uncommon prattlneaa. "Now stop, and tell me what It's ail about" ha commanded sternly. But this adjuration had about tha same affect in abating Nancy's stampeded emo tion as might have had the aiUngulaher If charged with tmaollne in putting out lire. And then Matt, aa a lat resort and as It seemed a sort of Ins tlnctlvt one, stooped down and kloaed her. The effect of this was a'.l that could be desired, rather more, In fact, for Nancy's cxhauet came under auen swift control as ta be alarming. She stopped short, treed heo self with a sudden violent effort, then awlns ing at tha angle of Matt's Jaw, landed there a slap which would have pleased an alhletla trainer. "How how do you dare?" she cried, and fared him, tenee and quivering. "That's better." said Matt "Now stand fast, or you'll get another." "Too brute." said Nancy, and drew the back of her wet hand acrosa her lips. "Desperate situations require deeper te measures," said Matt "If you'd gone on much longer you'd have ahaken yourself apart" " I'll shake you apart before I rt through with you," said Nancy. "Well, something had to be done," said Matt " If you lose all control of yourself I've got to take measures to get you back where you belong." He looked into her flashing eyes, and observed the set of her white even teeth. "And I must say, yon seem to be there," said he. " Now let's try to forget the treatment long enough for me to learn what sent you so completely off your track." "I'll tell you nothing," said Nsney, and turned her back. "AH right," said Matt, grimly, "then IH go and find out fur myself." He stepped past her, taking the extinguish er from the sack as he did so. Nancy gripped him by the shoulder. "Hold on!" she said. "I suppose I brought It on myself by slipping my self control when alone with the sort of man you've shown yourself to be." "Well discuss that, later," said Matt. "Carry on, then, and be quick about it Beeause somebody's going to pay for that side swipe and mighty soon." " Listen, you idiot" said Nancy. " That is Sylvia in the cabin and the man that haa kidnaped hei- is is is " she began to choke again. "Look out," warned Matt, "or you may get another Cofse. I've got as many of those in the clip as I have shots In the extinguisher and then some." This warning checked effectually what might. have been another outburst. Nancy swallowed once or twice like a little girl fetched up by a round turn. " Well Is who? " Matt demanded. " Sara Sprague! " said Nancy. It took, a second or two for this state ment to percolate Its ttay to Matt's inner consciousness, but even then It was adulter ated by a good deal of foreign matter. " Sam Sprague," said he, trying to re- . member what he had learned about this rough actor from his fliwer informant " Sam Sprague! So he's in the business, too, is he? Well," he rubbed his chin, "every body's doing it nowadays but I'd scarcely have thought it of Sam." " Doing what? " demanded Nancy. "O, bootlegging and stealing girls and other outdoor sports." Nancy ground her heel Into the sand. . "Nonsense, stupid!" said she. "Sam hasn't anything to do with this bootlegging tuff." "Then he's In a worse business," said Matt. " He's nothing of the sort. He's told Sylvia, right along that she wasn't going to marry this fool of a Freddy Grlscom, and being a good deal of a man he's gone and played a bold stroke to prevent it." " O, be has, has he? " growled Matt. ' Than our deas about boldness must agree as much as I tey do on other topics. If you call it boluuess for a big husky brute of a man to waylay and capture a young girl Just out of college and carry her off to sea and then back to a desolate scrap of sand and moor and nearly kill her father with grief and worry, why, then, I suppose Sam's Is a bold and dashing stroke." " That brutal male stuff sounds well from you," said Nancy. - " I didn't bring you out here," said Mart "I did my best to keep you from coming here. But since you butted in and then started to throw a fit of hysterics at tha crucial moment it was up to me to shock you out. of it It was a choice between that , and using the extinguisher. If Sylvia had been playing fast and loose with Sam, ha wouldn't be so much to blame. But although not officially announced, ' folks say ' that she was practically engaged to this Grlscom Johnny." Nancy seemed a little subdued by Matt a unquestionably sincere and righteous anger. " I'm not quite sure," said she ," that Sylvia could be considered entirely innocent of the charge of playing fast and loose with both of them." Matt looked at her, searchingly. "If that Is really true," said he, ." then she's got what was coming to her. But that does'i't excuse the rotten mean trick on her father." ' " The chances are," said Nancy, " that Mr. Gates will get word that she is safe soon after that bcut reaches shore. I remember now seeing it in Sam's shipyard one day . when I went there with Sylvia. It had just been finished for some one's order. What I think is that he may have been brooding over , Sylvia's marrying Grlscom and determined , that it was better to take a ohance than to have her ruin both their lives, Sylvia's and . Sam's." " In that case," said Matt '" the symptoms would seem to indicate that he has lost his bet. Serves him right too. This Viking stuff would not be so bad if it could bo con fined to the two principally concerned. But Sylvia might go home and find her father on his death bed as a result of this, and a Jolly kind of old father, too." " I must admit that part of it seems pretty raw," said Nancy. "The chances ara that Sam Intended to send word that she was safe, but hadn't counted on the big fleet of boats patrolling off shore." "Well," said Matt, "he'll soon have a chance to tell all that to the judge," and at the sudden harshness of his voice Nancy glanced q lickly at him with the first pang of actual mligiving which she had yet felt la his cheerful presence, (Continued Next Sunday.) (Copyright: lilt: by Henry C. Rowland ) 7