Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1909 — The Kidnaper [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Kidnaper

By BARNEY PRESTON.

Copyrighted. 1909, by Associated Literary Press.

/ Young Mr. William McVicker was much given to two things—an ardent reading of certain pessimistic German philosophers and to sleefl. To many mlads these two pastimes may appear synonymous, but Billy McVicker. withal a rather serlons personage, while be found them each equally pleasant, was never more awake than when, with his shortsighted eyes close to one .of his favorite and well thumbed volumes, he absorbed Teutonic reflections on life in general to bis heart's content. The philosophical tomes were übiquitous with him. They bulged his pockets or were trundled—if they happened to be larger—beneath hlB arm with a patience worthy of better things. Therefore on a certain perfect early summer day, when Mr. McVicker walked slowly down the winding path that led to the anchorage in the bay, a brown book stuck out of the hip pocket of his yachting trousers and a lean forefinger rested between the pages of another, which he carried In his band. Between his periods of reading and sleep Billy McVicker was something of a sailor, and today, with just enough breeze, for a spin with a whole sail, he untied the painter of the little tender, floating at the end of the pier, pushed off and sculled leisurely to his knockabout, which lay at her moorings in the bay. Once aboard the knockabout, the breeze, to McVlcker’s unutterable disgust, began to die out. The ruffled surface of the bay began to take on an oily smoothness, indicative of the coming calm. McVicker,. beholding it, grunted disgustedly. However, there would be plenty of other days with a good breeze. There was even a chance that one might spring up a bit later. A patient and uncemptalnlng soul was Billy McVicker—when he was armed with one of bis philosophical tomes. Therefore he ensconced himself comfortably on the cushions of the cockpit opened the volume in his band and. forgetful alike of sun and calm, was soon engrossed in his reading. Long and thoughtfully did McVicker follow the text Then, pausing for a moment to digest what he had just been perusing, he was aware that the second of his pastimes was crying

strongly for recognition. In other words. Billy McVicker was beautifully and luxuriously drowsy. The breeze by this time had died out completely. The sun was becoming uncomfortably hot. Mr. McVicker retired to the diminutive cuddy, half closed the doors to shut out the reflected glare of the sun on the quiet water and. curling himself up. lost himself In profound and dreamless slumber. He was awakened by the noisy rattle of the sail and the squeak of the blocks as the peak was hoisted. Lazily he opened his eyes, and as he did so his ear caught the sound of light footfalls on the deck. This was followed by a loud splash as the knockabout’s moorings were thrown off and the sharp cracking of the sail as it filled. With these sounds also came the lapping of water about the bow, which told him plainly that the knockabout was under way. He yawned lazily an.d collected his scattered wits. Why should the sail be up and the knockabout starting out of the bay? There was no reason whatever, he told himself. The footfalls sounded along the deck again, thudded into the cockpit, and Immediately McVicker realized that bis kidnaper. Whoever it might be. bad taken the tiller, for at once the knockabout heeled sharply and went scudding out of the bay toward the sound beyond. “By George, this Is pretty cool and nervy,” McVicker observed to himself, and then he crept to the cuddy doors and through a crack peered cautiously aft. One glance was sufficient to make Mr. McVicker gasp in whole souled sun

prise, for there ..by the tiller stood Helen Weldon, who was spending the week with the Grays and for whom, ever since her first appearance at Bayport the summer before, Billy McVicker had evinced something decidedly more than a passing interest With a covert chuckle he drew away from his peephole at the doors, nibbed the sleep from his eyes and smoothed down his tumbled hair as best he could. Then he pushed open the doors and stepped calmly into the cockpit with the gravest of bows to the startled young woman by the tiller. And startled she undoubtedly was—so startled. Indeed, that sheet and tiller alike slipped from her grasp, and the knockabout, left to its own devices, came suddenly into the wind with a great flapping of sail and rattling of sheets. “Oh!” said the girl in amazement. Again McVicker bowed. “You’ll pardon my Intrusion, won’t you?” said he. "I’m mighty sorry I frightened you; but you see, there was really no other way of making my presence known, and it would have been a shame to miss this chance of a sail with you.” “Where did you come from, and what on earth are you doing here?" she asked. To cover her evident embarrassment she began trimming in the sheet and putting the neglected boat on her course again. “I came from the cuddy,” said Mc- ' Vlcker gravely, “and, as to what I am doing, well, lam waiting at present for an invitation to finish your sail with you.” “How do you happen to be aboard this knockabout, anyway?” she persisted. “Well, I believe I own her. At any rate, there are papers purporting to be a bill of sale of her in my desk at home.” “Your boat?” she cried in amazement “You say this is your boat?” He nodded, smiling. “Then somebody has made a mistake. Mr. Gray told me to take this boat the one at the third buoy from the pier.” “Under ordinary circumstances the boat at the third buoy would have been Gray’s.” said McVicker. “But Hanson just went out awhile ago, and I’m afraid you’ve not taken the ejnpty mooring buoy, which he left, into your reckoning.” “And I’ve come aboard yonr boat and taken you out then,” she said, with an odd expression curling her lips. “Why didn’t you tell me when I first came aboard?” “To tell the truth, I waa asleep in the cuddy,” said be. “I made my presence known as soon as 1 was awakened by the slatting of the sail.” “Well," she said, with decision, “I’ll take you back, with profuse apologies. I’ll leave the boat at the moorings just as I found her, and then yon can finish your interrupted nap,” she ended, with a mocking laugh. “Look here,” said McVicker; “you have kidnaped me, to say nothing of laying yourself liable to charges of piracy In stealing my boat I have a few demands to make in return.” “What are they?” she asked, with a light laugh. “In the first place, I demand that you finish your sail in this boat,” said he. “And, in the second place”— He paused. “What is the second condition?” she asked. “The second condition is that you give me an answer—an affirmative answer—to the.question I asked yon after the dinner at the Grays’ last Tuesday night-” The girl flushed. Her head was turned away. “And if I refuse to comply with the conditions?” she suggested. “I shall press both the charges of piracy and kidnaping.” said he severely. “Of course I can’t face any such charges as those,” she said demurely. “Take the tiller, please, Billy. This breeze is getting flawy.” McVicker sprang to her side with a wonderful light in his eyes. A small brown volume slipped from his pocket, caromed off the rail and went overboard with a splash, but so engrossed was he at that moment tbat he failed to notice bis loss, nor did be realize tbat his choicest tome was bobbing up and down in the knockabout’s wake.

“WHIM DID YOU COME FROM, AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”