Spencer Vance had proceeded but a short distance, when he saw
the figure of a girl coming across the sand, and his
astonishment was great, when, upon a nearer approach, he
recognized Renie.
The girl was neatly dressed, and her feet were covered with
dainty slippers, while her hair was tastefully arranged.
Our hero had been impressed with the girl's rare beauty upon
beholding her barefooted in her loose gown and unkempt hair;
but, as he gazed upon her face when arrayed in neat and
well-fitting attire, his admiration was increased.
Renie was indeed a rarely lovely girl--yes, upon those sands
he had come upon one of the most beautiful girls he had ever
beheld--classically beautiful; not pretty, but, as we write
it, rarely beautiful, and she had been reared in a fisherman's
cabin.
There was a certain suggestion in the girl's appearance before
him in her best attire, that caused a glow of satisfaction
around the detective's heart.
There was nothing rich nor elegant in her apparel, but she was
so exquisitely lovely her beauty could not be hidden by
clothing, no matter how plain. The girl greeted the detective
in a frank, open manner, and appeared greatly pleased to meet
him. "I expected you to return to the cabin," she said.
"No; I spent the evening with the crew."
"You did not go in the yacht?"
"Yes, I did."
"Oh, why do you take such risks?"
"Never mind about the risk; how is your father?"
"He appears to be all right. He is up and around."
"What does he say about the assault?"
"He has said nothing since last night."
"Has he expressed any determination as to his course?"
"No."
"Well, you must be on your guard, and when I return from my
trip, I will have a proposition to make."
"When you return from your trip?"
"Yes."
"Where are you going?"
"I am going off in the yacht."
"This must not be. No, no, you must not go off in the yacht,
it will be certain death!"
"I have spent the night with the crew of the 'Nancy,' and they
all think me a splendid fellow, and none of them has the least
suspicion of my real identity."
"Was Sol Burton present?"
"No."
"Then you must not go on the yacht."
"What has the presence of Sol Burton to do with my going or
staying?"
"I believe that man has penetrated your disguise."
"Impossible!"
"I saw him this morning."
"Well?"
"He asked eked me some strange questions. He was very curious
concerning your identity."
A shadow fell over the detective's face.
"He spoke about me?"
"Yes."
"But he was speaking of the Government detective?"
"No; he was speaking of you as you have appeared among them in
your present guise."
"Does he suspect my real identity."
"I do not know, but he was very inquisitive concerning you."
"What did he say?"
"He lay in wait for me this morning, and when he got an
opportunity he asked: 'Renie, who is that man the boys were
going to hang last night?'"
"What answer slid you make?"
"I answered: 'You know as well as I do;' when he exclaimed:
'You can't fool me, Renie, you have met that man before.'"
The detective was thoughtful a moment, but at length said:
"I reckon that fellow would be jealous of anyone whom you
might address."
"There was a deeper significance in his declaration, and as he
went away he said: 'I would not be surprised Renie, if that
fellow were to be hanged yet, before another sunrise!'"
"His talk is all buncome, Renie, you need not attach any
importance to anything he may say."
"But you will not go off in the yacht?"
"Yes; I shall go!"
A pallor overspread the girl's face, and a look of expressive
sadness shone in her eyes as she murmured,
"It is my fate!"
"What do you mean, child?"
"I mean that you are a real friend; you are he of whom I
dreamed."
The detective glanced at the girl with an expression of
aroused curiousness as he said:
"You dreamed of me?"
"Yes."
"This is very strange. What could have suggested such a
dream?"
"I have dreamed all my life that some good friend would come
some day and unravel the mystery of my parentage. It was
accident that brought you and me together; but I had come to
believe, although I have only known you for a few hours, that
you were the good angel who would open the sealed book."
The detective advanced close to the girl, fixed his eyes upon
her, and, while a bright flush reddened his cheek, he said, in
an earnest tone:
"And so I will, Renie!"
"No, no; you have only come to raise a false hope."
"You are a strange girl, Renie."
"Yes, I am a strange girl in your eyes; but there is nothing
strange about me. Mv surroundings make me appear so. Listen:
I long for other scenes and associations; there is nothing
that holds me to my present life. I know there is someone
somewhere who longs for me as I yearn for her."
"Your mother?"
"Yes, my mother."
"If your mother be alive, it shall be my good office to bring
mother and child together."
"Never."
"Why do you say never?"
"You are determined to go off on the yacht?"
"Yes, I shall go off on the yacht."
"We will never meet again."
"You take too gloomy a view of the situation."
"I know well the character of the crew of the 'Nancy.'"
"So do I."
A deeper pallor overspread the girl's face, as in a low,
husky voice she whispered:
"I believe they are leading you on."
"Leading me on?"
"Yes."
"I do not understand."
"You say you are going off with them?"
"Yes."
"They would not take a stranger off with them unless they had
a purpose."
The girl had offered a most startling suggestion.
"The circumstances are peculiar, Renie, and I am a good
seaman. I have already proved myself of service to them."
"That does not alter my idea."
"What's your idea?"
"I have a suspicion."
A moment's silence followed, when the detective asked:
"What do you suspect!"
"They have recognized you!"