THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
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Si
WDICL
iSHTDANGS LWI
EL0STMri0fi5CDDn0I)r5
8YNOPSI8.
6
Kenneth Grlswold. an unsuccessful
Writer, bccau.no of socialistic tendencies,
holds up Andrew Oalbralth, president of
I ho llayou Rtato Security, In tho presl
dent's prlvato office and cscapna with f 100,
OOO In cash. By original mothodn ho es
capes lha huo and cry and goes aboard
the Hollo Julio as a deckhand. lit; unox-x-ctMlIy
confronts Charlotto Pnrnhutn of
Wahaaka, Minn., who had aeon him cash
OoJbrnlth's check In the bank. Charlotte
recognltca Orlawold, and decides to do
Inounco him. 8ho seen tho brutal mato
rescued from drowning by Orlawold. Shu
lalka to Orlawold and by his advlco sends
ti letter of botrayal to Qalbralth anony
rnousty. Orlawold la arrested on the ar
rival of tho boat at Bt. tauls, but oscapos
pom hln captors. He decldea on Wa
baakn, Minn., an a hiding place, and after
outfitting hlninclr properly, tukos tho
(rain. Margery Qrloraon, daughter of
Jasper Qrtoroon, tho financial magnate of
rWahastiB. starts a campaign for social
recognition by the "old families" of the
town. Orlawold falln 111 on tho Blooper
puia la carod for and token to hor homo
In Wahaaka by Margery, who finds the
Htolea money In hln suitcase. Hrofnn,
detective, takes the troll. Margery asks
her rather to got Edward Raymnr Into
financial hot wuter and then help him
put or it
CHAPTER XI Continued.
"Ho ain't tho roan to go to his
(womenfolks whon ho gotn Into hot wa
iter. Ho'll koop It to himself; 11- '
Mioy'11 go on binding you, snmo ua
pTcr."
Miss Qrlorson pulled on hor gaunt
Bo to nnd inado roady to go, lel&uroly,
pB boflttcd hor pouo.
"That la whoro you aro mistaken,"
pho objoctod, coolly. "It Isn't very
often I can glvo you a business tip,
but this Is ono of tho times whon I
cun. Whon John Raymor died, ho left
nn undivided half of his eatato to his
Vifo, tho other half to bo sharod
pqually by tho children. At tho proB
wnt moment overy dollar tho ontlro
family has la Investod in tho Iron
plant. You will lot Mr. Raymer get
lilmsolf Into hot water, as you call It,
find then, when I say tho word, you'll
foach In nnd pull him out."
Whon alio was gone, tho prcsldont
noloctod nnothor of tho overgrown cl
lra from n box In tho desk drawer,
lighted It, and tilted back In the big
armchair to envelop himself In a cloud
of omoko. It was his slnglo expenslvo
habit tho novcr-ompty box of Brob
dlngnaglan cigars In tho drnwor nnd
TM31C1I
"That's Where You Are Mistaken,"
She Objected Coolly,
tho Indulgence helped him to push tho
lYollow-Dog period Into n remoter past.
After n tlmo the smoko cloud bo
camo nrtlculato, rumbling forth chuck
lings and HAlzabothan oaths, mlngllug
tylth muslngB Idiomatic and profane.
"By gad, I bellovo bIio thought sho
was fooling mo 1 do, for a fact! Hut
11'b too thin. Of courso, she wnntB to
inako tho women kowtow, but that
feln,t all thoro 1b to It not by a Jugful.
at It's all right; sho plays her owu
tiand, and sho'a bully good nnd nblo
to play It, If sho'B after Rnymur's
ncalp, ho might aa woll got ready to
roar a wig, right now. I'll bnck hor
to win, every tlmo."
Accordingly, whon Mr. Kdward Ray
lucr camo out of tho president's room
kt (he Farmora' and MerchnntB' bank
(the following morning, ho was trend
lug upon nlr. For lu hla mind's oye
lioro was a fair picture of a groat
and Buccossful Industry to bo built
tpou tho substantial extension ot
credit promlsod by tho capltallat
whoso presonco chamber ho had just
sulttod.
CHAPTER XII.
' Loss and Gain.
Striving feobly as ono who gathers
p the shards and fragmenta after an
Uxploslon, Orlawold rememborod
joloudlly tho supper of taatoleas
(courses at tho Hotel Chouteau. After
fward thoro woro vaguo Impressions,
Momentary breaches In tho wall of In
closing darknoss. In ono ot theso
Intervals a woman had stood beside
blin, and ho scouted to remombor that
bho had mit her cool hand on bis
30NA
forehead. When completo conscious
noan returnod, tho dream Improsslon
was still so sharply defined that ho
wna not surprised to And her atund
ing at his bedside
Iloforo ho could framo any of tho
queries which camo thronging to tho
door ot tho returned consciousness,
sho smiled and shook hor head and
forbado him.
Later in tho day tho doctor camo;
and whon tho professional require
ments woro satisfied, Orlawold learned
tho bare facts of his succoring. It
wan characteristic of tho Grlswold ot
other days that the Immenso obliga
tion under which tho Orlcrsons had
placed him made hhn gasp and per
splro afresh.
Grlswold looked long and earnestly
at tho faco of his professional adviBor.
It was a good faco, clearly lined, ho
novolont, and, above all, trustwo thy.
"Tell mo ono thing more, doctor, If
you can. What was tho motlvo? Was
It Just heavenly goodheartedness?
or"
Tho doctor's smllo was the least
possible shndo wintry.
"When you havo lived a few yenrB
longer In this world of ours, you will
not probe too doeply Into motives;
you will tako tho ducd us the sum
clcnt exponont of tho prompting be
hind It. If I say so much, you will
understand that I am not Impugning
Miss Orlerson's motives. Thero nre
times whon sho Is tho good angel of
everybody In sight, Mr. "
Tho pauso uftor tho courtesy title
was significant, nnd Grlswold filled it
promptly. "Grlswold Kenneth Grls
wold. Do you mean to say that you
hnvon't known my name, doctor?"
"Wo havo not. Wo took tho Good
Samaritan's privilege nnd rnnsncked
your belongings MIbs Margery and
I thinking there might bo relatives
or friends who should be notified."
"And you found nothing?" queried
the sick man, a cold fear gripping at
his heart.
"Nothing but clothing and your toi
let tools, a pistol, and n typewritten
book manuscript bearing no signa
ture" Grlswold turned hla fnco away and
shut his eyes. Once more his stake
in the gamo of llfo was gono.
"Thero was nnothor package of of
papers In one of tho grips," ho said,
faintly; "qulto a largo packago
wrapped In brown papor."
"Wo found nothing but the manu
script. Could anyone elso make ubo
of tho papers you Bpeak of?"
Grlswold was too feoblo to provarl
cate successfully.
"There was monoy In tho packngo,"
ho said, leaving tlio physician to Infer
whnt ho pleased.
"Ah; then you wero robbod. It's a
pity wo didn't know It at tho tlmo. It
la pretty lato to begin looking for
tho thief now, I'm nfrald."
"Quito too late," said Orlawold mo
notonously. It wns not until after tho doctor had
gono that Grlswold was able to face
tho now mlsfortuno with anything
Hko a Bober measure of equanimity.
With or without monoy, ho must ro
llovo tho GrlorsonB of their self
assumed burden at tho earliest pos
sible moment.
This wn3 tho thought with which ho
sank Into tho first natural sleep of
convnlcsconce. Hut during tho daya
which followed, Margery was able to
modify It without dulling tho keen
edge ot his obligation. What perfect
hospitality could do was dono, with
out ostentation, with tho oxact de
groo of Bpontanolty which mndo It ap
pear as a service rendered to a kins
man. It was ono of tho glfta of tho
daughter of mon to be able to Ignore
nil tho middle dlatancoa botweou nn
Introduction' and n friendship; and by
tho time Grlswold wns strong enough
to lot tho big, gontlo Swedo plnnt him
In a Morris chair In tho sun-warmed
bay window tho friendship was a fact
accomplished.
"Do you know, you'ro tho most won
dorful person I havo ever known?" ho
said to Margery, on tho first of tho
sunning duys when sho had come to
perch In tho window sent opposifo his
ciuur. "Do you believe In destiny?"
Sho nodded brightly. "Somotlmes I
do; when It bringR things out tho way
1 want tnom to como out."
"I'vo often wondered." ho wont on
musingly. "Think of It somowhoro
back In tho "past you took tho first
stop In tho path which was to lead
you to that lato supper In tho Chou
toau. Somowhoro In my pnst I took
tho first stop In tho crooked trail that
wob to lead mo thoro."
"Well?" alio oncouragod.
"Tho paths crossed and 1 am your
poor dobtor," ho finished. "I can
never hope to ropny you and your
ruiner ror wnat you iiavo dono."
"Oh, yos you can," alio assorted
lightly, "You can pass It along to tho
mnn farther down. Forgot It, and toll
mo what you want to know about Wa
haska."
"First, I'd llko to know my doctor's
namo."
"Tho Ideal" she exclaimed. "Hnmi
there boon anybody to lutroduco you?
Ho Is Wnhnska's best-beloved 'Doc
tor Bertie;' otborwlso Doctor Herbert
0. Farnham."
"Doctor Farnhnm? not Miss
Char" Ho bit tho namo In two In
tho middle, but tho mischief was
done.
"Yea; Charlotlo's father," was tho
calm reply. Then: "Whcro did you
meet Mlaa Farnhnni?"
"I haven't met her," ho protested
Instantly; "she sho doesn't know mo
from Adam. Rut I havo seen hor, and
I happened to learn her namo and her
homo address."
"Oh," said tho small fitter of deduc
tion pegB; nnd nfterwnrd alio talked,
and mado tho convalescent tulk, point
edly of other things.
This occurred In tho forenoon of a
pleasant day In May. In tho after
noon of tho samo day MIbs Grlcrson's
trap was halted before tho door of tho
temporary quartors or tho Wnhnska
public library. Raymor saw tho trap
and crossed tho street, remembering
what ho would othorwiso havo forgot
tenthat his sister had asked him
to get a hook on orchids.
MIsb Margery was in tho referenco
room, wading absently through tho
nowspnpor files. Sho nodded brightly
'It Is Pretty Late to Begin Lpoklng
for the Thief Now."
whon Raymer entered and was not
In tho least duat-bllnded by tho library
card In his hand.
'You aro Just In tlmo to help mo,"
also told him. "Do you remember tho
story of that daring bank robbery in
New Orleans a few weeks ago? tho
ono In which a man mado tho presi
dent draw a check and get It cashed
for him?"
Raymer did remember It, chiefly bo-
cnuso ho had talked about it at tho
tlmo with Jasper Grierson, and had
wondered curiously how tho president
of tho Farmers' nnd Merchants! would
doport himself under llko conditions.
"If you should meet the mnn faco to
faco, would you recognlzo him from
tho description?" sho Unshed up at
Raymer.
"Not In a thousand years," ho con
fessed. "Would you?"
"No; not from tho description," sho
admitted. Then sho passed to a mat
ter apparently qulto Irrelevant.
"Didn't I see Miss Farnhnm's ro-
turn noticed in tho Wnhnskan tho
other day?"
With Charlotte's father a dally visi
tor at M.bresldo, it seemed lncredtblo
that Miss Grierson had not heard of
tho daughter's homecoming. But Ray
mor answered in good faith.
"They camo up as far as St. LouIb on
ono of tho Anchor line tho Dello Ju
lio and oven Miss Oilman admits
that tho accommodations wero excel
lent."
S' nodded absently and begnu to
turn tho leaves of tho newspaper fllo.
Raymer took it as his dismissal and
wont to tho desk to got tho orchid
book. When ho looked In again on hla
way to tho street, MIbs Qrlorson had
gono, leaving tho fllo of the Pioneer
Press opon on tho reading desk. Al
most Involuntarily ho glanced at the
flrst-pago headings, thrilling to a little
shock of surprlso when ono of them
proved to bo tho caption of another
Associated Press dispatch giving a 20-
lino story of tho capturo and second
escapo of tho Uayou Stato Security
robber on tho levoo at St. Louis.
Tho reading of tho bit of stalo news
impressed him curiously. Why had
Miss Margery Interested herself In tho
details of tho Now Orleans bnnk rob
bery? Why with no apparent spe
cial reason should sho havo remem
bered It at all or, remembering It,
havo known where to look for the
two nowspupor roforoncos?
Raymor loft tho library speculating
vaguely 011 the unaccountable tan-
gonts at which tho fomtnlno mind
could now and then lly off from tho
woll-deflned clrclo of tho convention
ally usual. On raro occasions his
mothor or Gortrudo did It, nnd ho had
long Blnco learned tho folly of trying
to reduco tho small problem to terms
of known quuntltlos mascullno.
"Just tho samo, I'd llko to know
why, thtB tlmo," he snld to himself,
as ho crossed tho street to tho Manu
facturers club. "MIbs Grierson Isn't
at all tho person to do things without
an object."
CHAPTER XIII.
The Convalescent.
After u fow moro days In tho Mor
rls chair days during which ho wa
Idly contontcd when Margery- was
with him, and vaguely dlsaatlutled
when sho was not Grlswold wna per
mltted to go below stairs, whero ho
met, for tho first tlmo since tho Grier
son roof had given him shelter, the
master of Mercstdc.
Tho llttlo visit to Jasper Grlcrson's
library was not prolonged beyond tho
Invalid's strength; but not withstand
ing its hrovlty there wero Inert cur
rents of nntngonlsm evolved which
Margery, present nnd endenvorlug to
servo as a lightning arrester, could
neither ground nor turn aside.
Grlswold took nwny from tho rnthor
constrained ico-brenking In tho bank
er's library a renewed rcsolvo to cut
his obligation to Jasper Grierson as
short as possible. How ho should be
gin again tho mordant struggle for
existence wns still an unsolved prob
lem. Of the ouc-thousund-dollar
spending fund thero remained some
thing less than half; for a few weeks
or mouths ho could live nnd pay his
way; but after that. . . . Curiously
enough tho nlternatlvo of another at
tack upon the plutocratic dragon did
not siiKKt'Ht Itself. That, ho told him
self, was nn experiment tried and
found wanting. Hut In any event, he
muH not outstay his welcome at
Men wide; and with this thought In
mind he crept downstairs dally after
Jhn library -ulBode and would glvo
Margery tin peace because sho would
not let him go abroad In tho town.
"How sharper than a serpent's
tooti. it Is to have a thankless' what
shall 1 sny patient, or guest, or
friend?" eho Inughcd, garbling the
quotation to lit the occasion.
"Shakespeare snld 'child,' " he sug
gentcd mildly.
"And so shall I," she gibed but the
gibe Itself wns almost a caress. "Some
tlnv'H you remind 1110 of an impatient
boy who has been promised a peach
and can't wait until It ripens. But If
you must havo n reason why I won't
drlvo you this afternoon, you may.
Wo are going to have a tiny llttlo
social function at Meresldo this eve
ning, and I want you to bo fresh and
rested for It."
"Certainly, I shall come, If you wish
It," he assonted, remembering nfresh
his immenso obligation; nnd when the
time was rlpo ho made himself pre
sentable and felt hla way down the
dimly lighted library stair, being
minded to slip into the social pool
by the routo which promised the
smallest splash nnd tho fewest rlppleB.
It was a stirring of tho Philistine
In him that led him to prcflguro weari
ness and bannllty In tho prospect.
Without in tho least expecting It, Grls
wold was a Bruhmln of tho sevorest
sect on his social side; easily dis
posed to hold nloof and to criticize
and, as a man eastern-bred, serenely
nsBiired that nothing truly acceptable
In the social sense could como out of
tho Nazareth of the West.
For this cause ho was properly hu
miliated when ho entered tho spacious
double drawing-rooms and found them
bo comfortably crowded by a throng
of conventionally clothed and conven
tionally behaved guests that ho was
immediately ablo to loso himself and
nny lingering trace of solf-consclous-ness
In a company which, if appear
ances woro to bo trusted, was west
ern only by reason of Wnhaska'a loca
tion on tho map.
And tho charming young hostess
. . . Hitherto ho hnd known hor
only as his benefactress and the
thoughtful caretaker for hla comfort.
But now, at this first Bight of her
In tho broader social flold, sho shone
upon and dazzled him. Admitting that
the later charm might bo subtly sen
suousho refusod to analyze it too
closely It was undenlablo that It
warmed hlra to a newer nnd a
stronger llfo; that ho could bask In Its
generous glow llko somo hibernating
thing of tho wild answering to tho
first thrilling of tho springtide True.
Miss Grierson boro llttlo resomblnuce
to any ideal of his past imaginings.
She might oven bo tho Aspasla to
Charlotto Farnham's Saint Cecilia.
But, even so, was not tho daughter of
Axlochua well boloved ot men and of
heroes?
It was somo llttlo time nftorward,
and Jasper Grierson, stalking llko a
grim and rathor unwilling master of
ceremonies among his guests, had
gruffly introduced threo or four of tho
men, when Grlswold gladly mado room
in tho window seat for his trans
formed and glorified mistress of the
fitnesses. As hnd happened more than
onco before, her nearness Intoxicated
him; and whilo ho mado suro now
that tho charm was at least partly
physical, Its appeal was nono the less
Irresistible.
"Aro you drendfully tired?" she
asked, adding quickly: "You mustn't
lot us mnko a martyr of you. It's
your prlvllego to disappear whenever
you feel llko It."
"Indeed, I'm not at all tired," he
protested. "It Is all very comforting
and homollko; so vnBtly " ho hesi
tated, seeking thoughtfully for tho
word which should convoy his mean
ing without laying him open to tho
charge of patronizing supercilious
ncBB, and she supplied It promptly.
"So different from whnt you were
expoctlng; I know. You havo been
thinking of us as barbarians outor
bnrbarlans, perhaps and you find that
wo aro only harmless provincials. But
really, you know, wo aro improving.
I wish you could have known Wa
hnaka as It used to bo."
"It Is all very grateful and delight
ful to mo," ho confessed, nt longth.
"I havo been out ot tho social run
ning for a long tlmo, but I may as well
admit that I am shamelessly eplcu
rean by nature, and an ascetic only
when tho necessity Jrlve"
"I know," oho assented, with quick
appreciation. "An author has to bo
' both, haan't ho? keen to enjoy, and
' woll burdened to endure"
Mo turned upon hor squarely
"Whoro did you over lenrn how to
sny such things as that?" ho de
manded. it was an opening for mockery and
good-natured raillery, hut sho did not
make use of It. Instead, alio lot him
look as deeply na ho pleased Into tho
velvety eyes whon sho said: "It is
given to somo of us to seo nnd to
understand whcro others have to learn
slowly, letter by letter. "Surely, your
own gift has told you that, Mr. Grls
wold?" "It bus," ho acknowledged. "But I
have found few who ronlly do under
stand." "Which la to say that you haven't
yet found your other solf, Isn't It?
Perhaps that will come, too, If you'll
only bo patient and not expect too
many other sifts of tho goda along
with tho ono prlcele8B gift of perfect
sympnthy."
"When I find the ono prlcclosB gift,
I shnll confidently expect to find ev
erything else," ho nsBortod, still held
a willing prisoner by tho bewitching
eyes.
Sho laughod acitly. "You'll bo dis
appointed. Tho gift you demand will
preclude somo of tho others; ns tho
others would certainly procludo It.
How cnii you bo an author nnd not un
derstand that?"
"I am not an author, I am sorry to
say," ho objected. "I hnvo written
but tho ono book, nnd I havo never
been nblo to find a publisher for It."
"But you aro not going to give up?"
"No; I nm going to rewrite tho
book and try again and yet again, if
needful. It Is my message to man
kind, and I mean to deliver It."
"Bravo!" sho applauded, clapping
her hnndB In a little burst of enthu
siasm which, if It wero not real, was
at least an excellent simulation. "It
Is only tho weak ones who say, 'I
hope' For tho truly strong hearts
thero la only ono battle cry, 'I will!'
When you get blue nnd discouraged
you muat come to me and let mo
cheer you. Cheering people Is my
mission, If I havo any."
Grlswold'a pale faco fluahed and tho
blood sang Hltingly in his veins. Ho
wondered if sho hnd been tempted to
read tho manuscript of tho book whilo
ho was fighting his way back to con
sciousness nnd life. If thoy had been
nlono together, ho would havo asked
her. Tho bare possibility set all the
springs of the author's vanity upbub
bllng within him. Thero nnd then he
promised himself that sho should hear
tho rewriting of tho book, chapter by
chapter. But what he said was out
of. a deeper and worthier underthought.
"You have many missions, Miss
Margery; some of them you choose,
and some are chosen for you."
"No," sho denied; "nobody has ever
chosen for me."
"That may bo true, without making
me a fulse prophet. Sometimes when
wo think we arc choosing for our
selves, chance chooses for us; of toner
thnn not, I believe."
Sho turned on him quickly, and for
a single swiftly passing Instant tho
velvety oyes wero deep wells of sober
ness with an Indefinable underdepth
of borrow In them. Grlswold hnd a
sudden conviction that for tho first
tlmo In his knowing of her ho was
looking Into tho bouI of tho real Mar
gery Grierson.
"Whnt you call .'chance may pos
sibly havo a bigger and better namo."
sho said gravely.
Somo little time after this Raymer.
who hnd been one of the men Intro
duced by Jasper Grierson, turned up
again In the invalid's corner. Raymer
"You Have Many Missions, Miss
Margery."
suggested tho smoking-room and a
cigar, and Grlswold went willingly.
From that on the path to better ac
quaintance wns tho easiest of short
cuts, even as the mild cigar which
Raymer found In his pockot caso
paved, the wny for a return of tho
smokor'u zest In tho convalescent.
Without calling himself a reformer,
tho young Ironmaster proved to be a
practical sociologist. Wherefore, when
Grlswold presently mounted his own
Boclologlcnl hobby ho was promptly in
vited to visit tho Raymor foundry and
machluo works, to tho end that he
might hnvo somo of hla theories of tho
universal oppression of wage camera
charitably modified.
"Of course, I don't deny that wo'ro
a long way .from tho mllennlum yet,"
was Raymer's summing up of the con
ditions in his awn plant. "But I do
claim that wo aro on a present-day,
living footing. So far as the men un-
derstnnd loytvJty, they nre lo.vai, part
ly to my father's memory; partly, 1
hope, to mo. Wo havo novor hnd a
strlko or nn approach to one, or a dis
agreement that could not be adjusted
amicably. Whether theso conditions
can bo maintained nfter we doublo
our capacity nnd got In a lot of now
blocd, I can't say. But I hopo they
can."
"You aro enlarging?" said Grlswold,
Raymer waited until tho only other
man In tho smoking den had gono
bnck to tho drawing-rooms beforo ho
said: "Yes; iNiaught tho fever along
with tho rest of them a few weeks
ago, nnd I'm already beginning to
wish that I hadn't."
"You nro nfrald of the market?"
"N-no; times nre good, and tho mar
ketour market, at least Is dally
growing stronger. It Is rathor a mat
ter of finances. I am an engineer, as
my father was beforo me. When it
comes to wrestling with tho monoy
devil, I'm outclassed from tho start."
"There aro a good many moro of us
in the same boat," said Grlswold, leav
ing an opening for further confidence!!
If Jtnymor choso to make them. But
tho young Ironmaster was looking at.
his wntch, and the confidences wero
postponed.
"I'm keeping you up, when 1 dare
say you ought to b in bed," ho pro
tested; but Grlswold held htm long
enough to ask for a suggestion lu a
small matter of his own.
Now that ho was ablo to bo about,
ho was most anxious to relievo Miss
Grierson nnd her father of tho charge
and care of quo whoso obligation to
thorn was already moro than mountain-high;
did Raymer happen to know
of sorno quiet household whcro tho
obligated one could find lodging and a
simplo table?
Raymer, taking tlmo to think of it,
did know. Mrs. Holcomb, tho widow
of his father's bookkeeper, owned her
own house in Shawnee street. It was
not a boarding house Tho widow
rented rooms to two of Mr. Orlerson's
hank clerks, nnd sho was looking for
another desirable lodger. Quito pos
sibly sho would bo willing to board
tho extra lodger. Raymer himself
would go and seo her about it.
"It Is an exceedingly kind-hearted
community, thla homo town of yours,
Mr. Raymer," was tho convalescent's
leave-taking, when he shook hands
with tho Ironmaster at the foot of the
stairs; and that was the thought
which ho took to bed with htm after
Raymer had gono to make his adleux
to the small person who, In Grlswold'a
reckoning, owned tho kindest of kind
hearts.
CHAPTER XIV,
Broffin'a Equation.
Having Clerk Maurice's telegram to
time tho overtaking approach, Broffln
found tho Belle Julie backing and fill
ing for her berth at tho Vlcksburg
landing when, after a hasty Vlcksburg
breakfast, he had himself driven tc
tho river front.
Going aboard as soon as the swing
stage was lowered, he found Maurlco,
with whom ho had something more
than a speaking acquaintance, just
turning out of his bunk in tho texaa,
"I took it for granted you'd be
along," was Maurice's greeting. "Who!
bank robber aro wo running nwnj
with now?"
Brollln grinned.
"I'm still after tho one you took o
In tho placo of John Gavltt."
"Humph!" said tho clerk, sleepily;
"I thought that ono was John Gavltt.'
"No;, ho merely took Gavltt's plact
and name, Tell me nil you kno
about him."
"1 don't know anything about him
excopt that ho was fool enough to pui
Buck McGrath out of tho river jutt
after McGrath had tried to bump hlu
over the bows."
"Of courso, bo far aB you know, no
body on tho boat suspected that tin
fellow who called himself Gavltt wai
anything but the 'roustlo' ho was pass
Ing himself off for? You didn't know
of his having any talk with any of tin
upper-deck people?"
"Only onco," said tho day clerk
promptly.
"When wns that?"
"It was ono day Just after the 'man
overboard' lucldent, a llttlo while nftci
dusk In tho evening. I was up hen
In the texas, getting ready to go ti
supper. Gavltt we may as well keej
on calling him that till you've fount
another namo for him Gavltt hai
been cubbing for tho pilot. I saw hln
go across tho hurricane-deck guurda,
and a mlnuto later I heard him talklni
to somebody a woman on tin
guards below."
"You didn't hear what was said?"
"I didn't pay any attention. Pas
sengerB, woman passengers, especial
ly, often do that pull up a 'roustle
and pry into him to seo what sort o
wheels ho has. But I noticed tha
thoy talked for qulto a llttlo whilo,
because, when I finished dressing am
went below, ho was Just leaving her.'
Brollln roso up from tho bunk 01
which ho had been sitting and laid 1
heavy hand on Maurice's shouldoi
"You ain't going to tell me that yoj
didn't find out who tho woman wat
Clarence what?" he Bald' anxiously.
"That's Just what l'vo got to tol
you, Matt," roturned tho clerk, reluc
tantly. "I waa duo nt the second table
aniT I didn't go as far forward as th
stanchion sho was holding to. All
can toll you Is that sho was ono o
1 tho half-dozou or bo younger womei
wo had on board; I could guess a
that much."
Broflln'B oath wob not of anger;
was a roero upbubbllng ot dlsuppnln
raent.
tTO BE CONTINUED.!
I
