he "Eb and Flo" near the
shore in front of the Grimsby house, which was a poor, ramshackle
affair. The water here was deep, so he was able to run close to the
bank. A long-haired, ragged, dirty boy pushed off for his father in a
leaky boat, and took him ashore. In a few minutes more the "Eb and
Flo" was again under way, clipping along under the light breeze, bound
for Beech Cove several miles beyond.

CHAPTER XIV

ANOTHER VICTIM

The garden in front of the Hampton cottage was at its best on a bright
summer afternoon. As Mrs. Hampton stood in the midst of the flowers,
her eyes shone with pride. She was very much at home here, and loved
each flower, from the delicate, fragrant mignonette to the
gaily-coloured, boisterous tiger-lily. The fence surrounding the
garden was lost in a wealth of vines, chief among which was the
morning-glory, whose vase-shaped blossoms were drooping sleepily
beneath the sun's hot glare.

Close to the garden ran the main highway, and at times Mrs. Hampton
lifted her head and looked longingly down the road as if expecting
someone. She was a woman of generous mould, and graceful bearing,
scarcely past the meridian of life. It was not age which had whitened
her hair, and years of toil had not stamped the furrows upon her brow,
nor fixed the sad expression in her clear blue eyes. Something more
subtle than the silent alchemy of time had wrought the change, and of
this Mrs. Hampton was thinking now.

The click of the garden gate startled her, and turning quickly she saw
Gabriel Grimsby, hot and dust-laden coming toward her. His face was
beaming as usual, but more sunburnt, and he was mopping his forehead
with a big red handkerchief. Mrs. Hampton smiled as she held out a
hand of welcome.

"I am glad to see you, Gabriel," she accosted. "It has been a long
time since you were here. Busy, I suppose?"

"Very. My, it's hot!" he panted, as he again wiped his brow. "I never
felt the heat so much before. It must be ninety in the shade."

"Hardly that," and Mrs. Hampton smiled. "Come up on the verandah,
Gabriel. I think you will find it nice and cool there."

Grimsby at once followed Mrs. Hampton out of the garden, and up the
steps to the spacious verandah, where he sank at once into a
comfortable chair.

"This is great!" he exclaimed. "You are fortunate in having such a
beautiful spot."

"You are tired, Gabriel. Just rest yourself. I shall be back shortly."

Grimsby