Adventure Magazine, March 1916 — page 75: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

3 Ws fas a J " i al ol se ma ‘ a bs <- e - es J * aS mes — SP. ae Cas =, nil u ee oe Rr Oe gn ee nyt 4 & M si 5 ee o ee ee el Ne oe nS Et or a — < The Secret She stood at a little distance, waiting while he moored the machine. “You are not going to put it away in the tent?” she asked. “No,” he said. “I am not altogether cer- tain that I shall not need it again.”’ He saw her start and look at him anx- iously. “You are not thinking of going down there again—to hunt for them?” she asked. “Tam not sure. I think I shall wait until I see Carl. | His talk with Greiner will in- fluence me.’ She sate away with a little shudder. From the corners of his eyes, he could see her pondering over some thought, as if she hesitated to express it. Finally she turned back to him. eae “Tf you go,” she said slowly, “‘will you let me go with you” He looked up in surprise. “Why?” he asked. “Because—because it is not right that you should face these dangers alone for me. I can not let you do it unless you let me bear my share.”’ “Very well,” he said quietly. “If I go, I will at least talk it over with you before- hand.” “Do you know?’ she asked in a new tone, “T have been thinking of something I saw down there, and I am just beginning to realize the significance of it. Did you notice that camp-fire?”’ “No,” he admitted in some surprise. “The embers were still smoking,’’ she said. “It was a tiny wisp of smoke that first showed me that I had left the path you pointed out to me and turned in straight for the camp.” His eyes lighted with a quick under- standing of her meaning. “By Jove!” he exclaimed. “Then they cooked their breakfast there this morning!” “That was what I thought. I can not understand what it may portend. But I thought you ought to know because you are better able to think such things out than I am.” She put her hand to her head but took it away suddenly and he saw her fists clench as if she were fighting hard to overcome an attack of vertigo. Her violent grief of so short a time before had very evidently left her weak and unfitted to stand the strain of the fears that a further discussion would arouse, so he choked back the questions that of Caprice 73 came to his lips and spoke gently and reas- - suringly. “T am sure everything is going to come out all right, Miss Blaydon,” he said. “Take my advice; go to your state-room now and rest for an hour or so. I will call you after I have had time to consider every- thing thoroughly. But do not become ner- vous if you should hear my motor start. I think it likely that I shall fly up to Sea View to catch Carl and find out what Mr. Greiner has advised. The tender would not get him back here until long after dark. Go now and lie down, please.” Her brown eyes rested on him for a mo- ment in a glance that made him grip him- self hard again. It told of gratitude, of trust, of a sentiment of warm regard that set his blood to pulsing madly. “Very well, ” she said. “I will doasI am told.” With a bright little smile and a nod, she left him ‘and disappeared into the cabin of the yacht. Very slowly and thoughtfully, he walked up to his tent and sat down to figure out his problem undisturbed. But, in whatever light he considered it, he became convinced that it would be folly to act without first hearing from Greiner. His own total ignorance of the many things which the detective and Phil must have dis- covered might lead him far astray and he determined to fly up to the resort before acting. WITH a cup of hot coffee to strengthen him, he hurried down again to the shore to start the ma- chine, but he had scarcely reached it before he became conscious of a faint, low buzzing sound coming from the north. - His ex- perienced ear told him at once what it was. It was the rapid pulsation of a gasoline — motor, and a moment’s listening convinced him that it came from the motorcycle ridden by the telegraph operator of Sea View. He ran back to the tents and on down to the shore, straining every muscle, in his anxiety to see what had brought the talka- tive knight of the key to this distant camp again. Soon a cloud of dust whirled out from the bend up the shore and the machine darted forth, careening over at a dangerous angle as it swung at full speed around the curve, its rider bent over the bars. He saw Fenton and brought the machine to a stop twenty feet away. 7 comichbook