s
a day and night nurse, and, surrounded by every comfort and the prayers
of anxious and loving friends, Tania began her fight for life.

CHAPTER XXII

CAPTAIN JULES LISTENS TO A STORY

Tania did not die. After a few days the fever left her, but she was so
weak and frail that the physician in charge of her case advised Mrs.
Curtis to allow her to remain in the sanatorium for at least a month.
When she should have sufficiently recovered Mrs. Curtis had decided to
take upon herself the responsibility of the child's future. She had been
a constant visitor in the sickroom and during the long hours she had
spent with the imaginative little one had grown to love her, while Tania
in turn adored the stately, white-haired woman and clung to her even as
she did to Madge, a fact which pleased Mrs. Curtis more than she would
admit.

Philip Holt was discovered hiding in New York City. The treasure-box was
in the keeping of old Sal, for Philip had not dared to dispose of the
coins or the jewelry while the detectives were on the lookout for him.
Tom Curtis saw that the case against Philip Holt was conducted very
quietly. The houseboat girls had had enough trouble and excitement. Their
treasure was restored to them and they had no desire ever to hear Philip
Holt's name mentioned again.

Tom Curtis was more curious. In questioning Philip, Tom learned that he
himself was innocently to blame for Philip's crime. Holt recalled to Tom
the fact that, on returning from the houseboat after spending the evening
with Captain Jules and his friends, Tom had mentioned to his mother that
the precious iron safe was on the houseboat, and that if she cared to
look at the old jewelry again Miss Jenny Ann would unlock the sideboard
drawer and show it to her the next day. In that moment Philip Holt
decided on his theft, but he did not expect Tania to thwart him. He had
slipped through one of the open staterooms into the dining room of the
houseboat, broken the lock of the sideboard and opened the dining room
door from the inside to make his escape. Philip Holt believed that in
taking Tania with him he had accomplished his own downfall.

If he had not stopped to leave the child at the deserted farmhouse, his
movements would never have been traced.

Madge Morton was a good deal changed by the events of the last few weeks.
She was so unlike her usual happy, light-hearted and impetuous self that
Miss Jenny Ann and the houseboat girls were worri