Show SERIAL Lu STORY THE SMUGGLER I By ELLA MIDDLETON TYBOUT Illustrations by Ray Walters I o N Coiorrltfbt 1W7 Ity J 11 IIII > plucotl Cu > SYNOPSIS Three girls Elizabeth Gabrielle and innsstarted for CunaiU to spend 1 tin mnmncM then On board Htcamor they were trlKhtcnrd by an apparently demented dement-ed KlraiiRcr who Iliiilliii it bag belonging to one ot them tool enjoyment In scrutinizing scru-tinizing n photo of thin trio Kllse shored her stateroom with n Mrs Graham ulao bound tor Canada The yomiR women on n alAI < clnA tour met Mm Qrahntn anxiously I awaiting her husband who had n imnla for miUlmr They were Introduced Intro-duced to Lurch VllfrIil and Iudy Kdlth A cottage hy tho ocean watt rented by the trio for the summer 1llznbeth learned that n friend of her fathers was to call Two men called one of them being the queer nethtg stranger on the learner The Furls were not at homo but discovered hy tho curds left tint oni of tho men was Elizabeths fatiTB friend Tho men proved to be John lllnkn and Gordon nl1I II Itt The party was told of the search for snniRBlorB In the Vicinity of the cottage llllse visited l Mrs Graham to Unit that her life was rot the happiest Bite learned that the Grahams and Lads Kdlth sere aniualnt ed A wisp of yellow hair from Mr Grahams Gra-hams pocket fell Into the hands of Ease Mrs Grahams hair was black CHAPTER V After all It was Gabrielle who first opened tho door In our wall of reserve and allowed Gordon Bennett to penetrate pene-trate beyond It and In the light of after events I was very glad Indeed I was not responsible It happened this way She had washed her hair and gone out In tho sun to dry It taking a book and a box of chocolates to help pass away tho time and after wandering about a little had established herself at tho top of the light of steps leading down to the boathouse as tho most secluded se-cluded as well as tho sunniest place sho could find Gabrlelles hair Is reddish brown and when tho sun shines upon it there are gold threads which glitter exceedingly exceed-ingly so wo tell her sho makes a point ot going out of doors to dry It but she says this Is a slander and she does It because fresh air and sunshine are good for tho scalp Anyhow sho wont And she also borrowed Eliza beths Ivory comb with tho silver back because Its teeth are very wide apart and therefore acceptable when It comes to getting out the tangles Now this especial comb Is solely for ornament orna-ment and lies In state upon Eliza bents dressing table with tho brush beside It they belong to a set brought her from Japan and have associations which render them sacred so I was astonished at Gabrlcllos vandalism In proposing to desecrate It lust what really happened I dont know I believe shogot to dreaming out there In tho sunshine but this Is what sho said I was silting quietly reading when I heard a little thump and there was that miserable comb balancing on tho bottom step Of course I went after It and of course before I got there It toppled over and went through a crack of the slip Into the water That slip Is hoodooed interrupted Elizabeth Why dont you do as I do and keep away from It It was low tide continued Gabrielle Gabri-elle and I could look through the crack and see It lying on tho sand beneath be-neath tho water so I took a stick and tried to poko It out I got along very well by progressing from crack to crack but at tho critical moment I got excited and poked too hard and It shot out just beyond my reach That made mo wild for I know I couldnt face Elizabeth without it so I simply lay down and grappled with my stick Well I inquired as sho paused with a reminiscent chuckle Well as I was lying there with my faco tho color of a boiled lobster fishing away for all I was worth I beard a voice say Allow me and tloro he was in a sailboat the picture of coolness and comfort Ho rolled up his sleeve though and went to work and finally got it then calmly landed und Introduced himself saying something some-thing about having boon unfortunate In his visits Then was your opportunity to be dignified and squelching I inter rnpted You should have frozen him with n glance I tried to sho returned but all It once I remembored my hair and who could bo dignified then So you brought him homo with yon as a reward of merit laughed Elizabeth I shall never forgot how you looked as you came up the vet unda steps Yes said Gabrlello and you two sat and stared as though we had os capod fromtho zoo Take your comb Elizabeth 1 never borrowed ono before be-fore and I never will again I suppose remarked Elizabeth ic flectlvely examining her itcovered property wo may bo said to havt dropped into his life first your havr then Ellsos sldccomb and now this of mine Its fate weve cot to know him but it wasnt so bud after all was IU Indeed we lad all enjoyed the afternoon aft-ernoon Even Gabrielle returned to tho veranda with hor hair as high upon up-on her head as she could got It and with her most Impressive manner but wo none If us referred to our trip upon up-on the steamer and our visitor departed de-parted without once mentioning our property in his possession although my sldecombs were obviously not mutes which made mo very uncomfortable uncom-fortable Elizabeth asked him to como again and when reproached for her cordiality cordiali-ty said sho did It only to plonsc us and qutto expected to bo bored to doalh herself from which wo knew she was very favorably Impressed A sudden storm came up that afternoon after-noon and when Mr Bennett roso to go the sky was very black and lowering and the ocean roared ominously1 so he left his boat tied to our slip and wont up Into the village to do somo errands er-rands and wait until it should be over Instead of a short squall how over It settled down Into a heavy rain with howling easterly wind and tossing turbulent sea so lie was obliged to spend tho night In the vII him e as of course he could not cross to his Island In his small boat It was our first real storm In tho cottage and ns we heard the boom of the waves and listened Co tho wind sweep about our little homo until It sometimes trembled upon Its foundations i founda-tions I must admit we were slightly nervous and could not settle to any occupation So wo gathered around our stone fireplace lighted tho driftwood drift-wood Mary Anne had placed ready and watched tho wonderful green lavender lav-ender scarlet and blue of the crackling flames In silence Elizabeth sat on tho rug and leaned lor head against Gabrielles kneo and their faces gradually assumed tho dreamy faraway expression which means they have withdrawn into their own inner world whero outsiders may not follow them and where memory and anticipation are softened by mutual mu-tual Interest and mutual affection But I did not care for I also had a little Inner world with memories and liked to anticipate tho future now very i hazy and Indistinct to bo sure but i filled with delightful possibilities and i alluring in its very vagueness iSo i-So I leaned back in my low wicker I chair and built castles In tho air while 1 1 t r i tt 1 r I t f t l All at Once I Remembered My Hair andWho Could Be Dignified Then tho rain beat unnoticed against the windows and tho surf thundered angrily angri-ly I upon tho shore Whats that cried Elizabeth sharply sharp-ly and with ono accord wo sprang to our feet For above tho noise of the storm wo had heard a crash as of metal striking metal and the fall of a heavy body apparently right beneath us Its tho storm said Gabrielle Only tho storm But sho was white and trembling as sho spoke and cast an apprehensive glance at the floor as though sho expected ex-pected it to open and engulf us The cellar whispered Elizabeth some one Is down there Now tho cellar was a part of our abode wo had not yet explored so it had all tho mystery of tho unknown and as wo crept stealthily into tho kitchen wo experienced a sensation of standing over a bomb which might at at any time explode and annihilate us Gabrlollo valiantly advanced to time door leading down Into It and opened it the fraction of an Inch Who is there sho said beginning bravely enough and ending with a quavering whisper Of course there was no reply and wo would havo been frightened to death If there had been yet wo felt Indignant at tho stillness ns woll as at tho impenetrable darkness our eyes could not pierce Gabrielle shut and locked tho door Shall wo go down Her voice was rather tremulous and sho looked re Hoved when wo shook our heads decidedly de-cidedly If wo only had a dog I hazarded wo could put It down ahead of us to find out If any ono was there but wo havent No agreed Elizabeth thoughtfully thoughtful-ly I but wo have Mary Anne As though in response to her uamo tho outer kitchen door opened and Mary Anno herself wet draggled and breathless stood before usHer us-Her usually ruddy faco was palo and her eyes rolled wildly as she looked from ono to tho othor whllo her shawl slipped unnoticed to tho floor and wo saw that her gown was badly torn and her arm scratched and blinding Youve been out l It was Elizabeth 1 who spoke and her I voice brought Mary Annes wandering eye to a focus und held it a moment Yes miss Sho picked up her shawl and folded it carefully smoothing the creascn with trembling hands Its a wild night Miss Elizabeth sho Bald with a shudder The storm got into me blood miss and sleep I couldnt fur thinking of thorn 1 knows who are maybe out on tho sea so T got mo shawl and started fur nit brothers ouse to see If o ad got nine safe and sound but I couldnt Sit down tho bluff Miss wise the wind being that vlleut It clean druv mo back And I stumbled Miss Gabrl cite and urt meself aglnst tho sldo of tho ono miss as you kin see fur yersolf Ow but Its a night God save them out on tho wide water Mary Anno paused for breath and looked curiously nt us Hut what are yo nil In tho kitchen fur sho Inquired In a moro natural way Is It afraid ye are too and como out ore to look fur mo to keel yo compny We told her about our fright anti sho promptly reassured us saying sho had locked everything securely early In the evening but would go down and Investigate Ill go with you and hold the light I volunteered but Mary Anne declined my society moro firmly than politely And what good would you be Miss Elise Jumpln at yer shudder and drlppln candle grease over mo clean floor No thank ye kindly Ill go alone full well I know theres nothln bigger than a rat down there It was very pleasant to hear her moving about and when she called up to us with a laugh that tho hanging shelf had fallen coming down upon the coal shovel and scuttle wo laughed also and felt a weight lifted from our hearts Them ropes was rotten announced Mary Anne laboriously ascending tho stairs and Its a mercy I didnt set the cream there to raise as usual which praise bo given I didnt Dont you worry no more but go to bed and Ill make some chocolate to warm you like for its very com fortin to the Innerds on a night like this It was acceptable advice and we gladly followed it but as wo left tho kitchen I chanced to glance back and saw Mar Anno at tho cellar door her head bent and her whole bearing tense and alert much the attitude of a dog who waits an expected command In its masters voice Yet when she appeared upstairs a little later carrying a tray with three cups of steaming chocolate and filled with motherly solicitude as to our comfort com-fort she was merely a respectable middlonged servant whose opinions ono would receive with duo respect Sho had rearranged her dress and her manner was quite natural and composed com-posed as she drew aside the curtain and looked Into the night with a comment com-ment on Its wlldness Wo Joined her at the window and as wo stood looking out a beam of light pierced tho enveloping darkness casting a broad path across the black water and wo could see a little boat making its way around tho point of tho Islandnow riding tho waves gallantly gal-lantly now tipped so far to one sldo It seemed certain to capsize Our friend tho searchlight remarked re-marked Gabrielle in the tone of ono who welcomes an old acquaintance but a smothered sound as tho little boat careened dangerously caused me to glance curiously at Mary Aanno Sho was leaning against tho window frame and was evidently In pnln for her face was livid and her breath camo In short gasps Its nothing Miss Elise sho muttered mut-tered as sho caught my eye Tho dyspepsy ketches mo around tho eart now and then And to think of somo mothers son in that little cockleshell tonight Come now got Into bed and drink your chocolate whllo Its ot I think remarked Elizabeth as she sipped appreciatively that Mr Bennetts boat will bo beaten to pieces against our slip tonight I wish wo could get into tho boathouse for Such emergencies You must make your brother get us a key Mary Anno I Yes miss said Mary Anne quietly I tried to say something but found myself suddenly too sleepy to articulate articu-late and saw Mary Anno retreat with tho empty cups as though through a veil I slept heavily that night and dreamed that Gordon Bennett made a boathouse of our collar in spite of our remonstrances to tho contrary I also had a curiously vivid impression of Mary Anne and a candle passing and ropasslng my door but when I tried to call out and ask her what sho wanted I could make no sound and could only struggle with tho oppressed smothering sensation which Elizabeth said always accompanied nightmare I was willing to take her word for It never having experienced it myself but I did not like it and mentally ro solved to drink no more chocolate at night if it produced such unwelcome aftereffects l TO BH CONTINUED |