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tl 3?! The Po! ii of Flame LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE ill j EIustratioDS by Ells worth Youug Sid c-j,'v il bf Louis Jcoep?. Vaucc SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I.-The story opens at Monte Carlo with Col. Terence O'Rourks In his hotel. O'Rourke, a military free lance and something of a gambler, is dreisfing for appearance In the restaurant fcelo^ when the sound of a girlish voice Hinging attracts his attention. Leaning ?ut on the balcony he sees a beautiful fir! who suddenly disappears. He rushes o the corridor to see a neatly gowned form enter the elevator and pass from Bight. CHAPTER II.-O'Rourke's mind ls filled with thoughts of ?he girl, and when he" roes t-j the griming table he allowa Iiis remarkable binnings to accumulate in differently. H*> ?otlcea two men watch ing him. One ls the Hon. Bertie Glynn, wljik- his companion Is Viscount Dea Trebes. a noted duelist. When O'Rourke >e?ves the table the viscount tells him lie represents the French government and that ho has bc directed tn O'Rourke as a man who would undertake a secret mission. CHAPTER TH.-At his room O'R.urke, who had agreed to undertake the mis ilon, awaits the viscount. O'Rourke find? a .mysrerious letter in his apartment. The viscount arrives, hands a sealed packatro to O.Rourke, who is not tn np"? H until on the ocean, fie says the French gov ernment will pay O'Rourke 25.000 franca 'for his services. A pair of ?ainty clip pers are seen protruding from nndei a Sborjray curtain and the viscount chargea O'Rmhke with having p. spy secr ted ?there. CHAPTER TV.-When the irishman ??roes to his room he finds there the own . 1er or ti e mvst-'rious feet. It is his wife Beatrjx from whom he had run away ,yeaf previous. They are reconciled, and opening the letter i'e lind received, h finds that a law firm in Rangoon, Trdia offers him loo ooo pounds for an India {ewe! kpown as the Pool of Fl^^i" andi eft to him by a dvlng friend. O'R felis his wife that it is in the keeping of a friend camed Chnmbret in A Ver?a. CHAPTTR V.-O'Rourke ls '.-rr'd tel fight ft duel with the viscount. Th< hrnjr part nobleman is worsted In Ihi comba and acts the poltroon CHAPTER VT.-The loval w?fn Wda Cflourke farewell and he nrom'an? to M?o? return with the reward offered the Pool of Flame. He .Usi-ovra hit li Olvnn and the viscount on b^sr? th? | chip which takes him to Algeria. CHAPTER VTT.-Chambret h^ ?eft ?1. grria anl O'Rourke has to cain tJixy detachment going acrr'?s the deserl to reach his friend. As he fine1? the lan**! ther^ is an attack by banella ?.tid Cha^abret la shot CHAPTER VHT.-Chamhr?.i d'e? relMut. O'Rfflirke that he has !?>f* tb? P?ol ol | FTanfe ":th the governor general of Al geri*. He gives the oolonel a slime' rina Rt^lif* sieht of whloh he nays {Iso o'^.ela' will deliver ove' the Jewel CHAPTER IX.-O'Rourk? !s attartceil by ?lynn and ?he rlscouc* wi o r?usaclt| his co: th? s lutrgage, bu' he worsts them !i ?#cf. CHAPTER X.-When he arrives at Al the T"lshman finds Uta govern**!! 1 away. He recelvVs a note iron: | ebes making a mysterious appoint [APTER XT.-The viscount Jurke that he has gained possep.?Jni. of the jewel by stenllner lt from thr. *nU\ of the governor general. H? does rot hoaj&ver. know who has offered thc waPfl for ft. He sueerests a du*! vr't>| rafters, the vietor to get that infi.,rm*t'or | and the jewel. CHAPTER XTT.-Tn tho duel 0'R,mrk?| malters his adversary and secures pos session of the Pool of* Flame. CHAPTER XTIT. - The eftV-rt? ot| O'Rpurke *.re now directed toward speed ily getting to Rangoon with the jewe and he s tarts by ship. CHAPTER XTV.-He find? ?he c--'i':? of the y sse] to be a smurirlor ?rho :: ?ej| to steal the jewel from him. CHAPTER XV.-The jewel ls ?mlly s?v I rurffi by the ship's captain and ORourk?| escSfks to Ip.nd. CHAPTER XVT.-With the aid of on. | and his sweetheart, the Pool of Flame. a ea ii pursue his Joumey lt Vi*?" Danny an<l his sweetheart. O'Rc-urke re cc-vlft the Pool of Flame. ' CHAPTER XVII. - O'Rourke f^ms Ms plans to Htn?oon. CHAPTER XVTTT.-On board ?hip oneil more a mysterious lady appears who puz | zles* and interests the Irishman CHAPTER XTX.-O'Rourke come? np on a lasci-r about to attack, the lady who is a Mrs. Prynne. Ht kick* th? | man; Into the hold. CHAPTER XX.-Mrs. Prvime cln?mil sho-3s en route for India on a :r:!ssioi | for The Ung. CHAPTER XXI.-The ship captain hi offeffl? money to increase the speed oi| the Tassel toward Its destination. CHAPTER XX?I. -There are suspicion- I occuBences on board, and a lascar see mi to^ watching; O'Rourke and Mrs | CHAPTER XXin.-The woman tells o some" one prowling about tho cabin ant" | trying the ?foot of her stateroom. CHAPTER XXIV.-O'Rourke is At? tacked by the lascar, who ??eures th? I Poolof Flame, the captain U shot uni| the lascar lampa Into the sea. CHAPTER XXV.-The Bblp arrives lar | port, and O'Rourke learns that Mrs. Pryuhe has preceded him ashore. CHAPTER XXVI. - Danny hand. O'Rourko the Pool of Flame which hi has Molen from Mrs. Prynne. It is th? realjfewel. the one lost at sea being s ;jumerfelt. CHAPTER XXVII.-O'Rourke goes ttl Calcutta determining to get rid of th? | Jewel and out of the country. CHAPTER XXVni.-He discovers Dei Trebel disguised and now knows thai Mrs. Trynno waa an accomplice of th? nobleman. CHAPTER XXIX.-Flnally he gets te the lawyer who has .offered the reward. CHAPTER XXX.-He delivers the Jewel and tho lawyer pays over the money. CHAPTER XXXI.-Oolng to the resi-1 dence of the lawyer on Invitation,! O'Rourke fn.ds him murdered. CHAPTER XXXII.-Des Trebes, who was probably attacked by the men who robbed the lawyer of the Jewel, is found dying. CHAPTER XXXIII.-An officer appear? I and O'Rourke assists him In unraveling the iriystery. CHAPTER XXXIV.-Leaving with thal reward. O'Rourke has a thrilling expert ence with a Chinese Junk. CHAPTER XXXV.-O'Rourke meets his wife, they bid farewell to India and the lll-f^ied Poo: of Flame, and sail for hom? tcrfe^oy fortune and happiness. life long been trimmed to the winds of Chance; he was accustomed to see ing them fall flat and flapping, empty, jnst when a venture seemed most propitious. . The loss of the money was nothing; the initial amount had been little enough in all conscience, though the major part of all that he possessed; but to him the woman was everything-the world and all. And now she was gone, had disap peared with her companions! In that Instant in which he had turned from her to the table, she had made her es cape. He cursed roundly the weakness that had lost her to him, and passing rapidly through the lobby, left the Casino, pausing before the entrance to look right and left. * There was no sign of what he Bought; the party had vanished. And who should s whither? "Damnation! ' he grumbled. "Monsieur," a voice Intruded at his Bide. "He turned with a start, annoyed. "Well?" he demanded curtly, recogniz ing De Trebes. The Frenchman bowed. "I have the bonor to address Monsieur le Colonel O'Rourke?" Reflecting that the man might af ford him the information he sought, O'Rourke unbent. "I am he, Monsieur des Trebes." Surprised, the latter lifted his eye brows, showing even white teeth in a deprecatory smile. "You know me, monsieur?" "By sight and reputation only, mon Bieur." "I am honored." "No more than meself, if it comes to that." The vicomte laughed "Then I may presume to ask the favor of a word with you?" "Are ye not having it, monsieur?" "True . . . But in private?" "One moment. Ye can do me a [avor, if ye will. Afterwards-" "I am charmed." " 'Tis not much I'll be asking ye merely a question or two. Now that gentleman ye were talking with awhile back: isn't he the Honorable Bertie Glynn?" "The same, monsieur." "And the lady who spoke to bim-?" - "Madame Smyth-Herriott, I believe; ? know her only slightly." "Then ye are not of their party?" "Party?" Des Trebes appeared per plexeii. "What party?" "Why, Lady Plinlimmon's, of course." "I have not the honor of that lady's acquaintance, monsieur." "Oh, ye have not? But Mr. Glynn?" "Is here with me, monsieur-a fly ing trip. We ran down from Paris but yesterday. Our meeting with Madame Smyth-Herriott was quite accidental." "Oh, the divvle!" said O'Rourke be neath his breath. Plainly he might expect nothing more helpful from this man; he had jumped prematurely at a baseless conclusion, I* seemed. And by now lt was much too late to think ot furtaer pursuit. "That ls all I wished to know, monsieur," he admit ted lamely. "There was a lady in the group whom I thought I recognized. I wished to find her, and fancied ye might perhaps direct me. Ye didn't by any chance happen to hear Mrs. Bm;-th-Herrlot say where she was ge ing with Mr. Glynn?" "Unhappily, no, monsieur." "Very well then. What can I hava the happ'ness to serve ye in?" The Frenchman hesitated briefly. "This is a trifle public," he suggest ed. "Will you not be kind enough to walk with me a little distance, while we converse?" "Gladly, monsieur." Des Trebes produced a cigarette case, and together, smoking, the two turned their backs upon the casino and wan dered off along the paths of the ter-. "I Have the Honor to Address Mon* sieur Ls Colonel O'Rourke." raoed gai dens. Ever descending, they came at length to the secluded, little lighted and less frequented portions of the grounds which border the water front, and presently sat side by side upon a bench, looking out over th? harbor. Then and then only did Dea Trebes approach his eubject-some thing which he had until now studious ly avoided, distracting the not over patient Irishman by a falling fire of banalities. "I dare say, Colonel O'Rourke," he suggested abandoning his mother tongue for excellent English-"I dare say you are wondering-" "I am that." "I feared so. But lt was essential that we should speak in privacy." "Yes-?" "But before I proceed, may I put you a question or two bordering, perhaps, upon Impertinence, yet not so con ceived?" "What a Ions-winded beggar!" O'Rourke commented mentally. "As for that," said he aloud, " 'tis impos sible for me to calculate the imperti nence until 'tis put to me. Eh?" "Believe me, sir, I am anxious only to avoid indiscretion. It is the ques tion of your identity alone. I desire only to be assured that you are the Colonel O'Rourke I take you to be." "My faith! And who else would I be, now?" "There's the bare possibility that two of the same name might exist" "Tis so bare that 'tis fairly inde cent," chuckled the Irishman. "But fire away." "I am not mistaken in assuming that I address the Colonel Terence O'Rourke who was at one time a party to le petit Lemercie's mad Empire du Sahara project and who later mar ried Lemarcier's widow, Madame la Princesse de Grandlieu?" O'Rourke took a long breath and looked his questioner up and down. "Ye have a very pretty taste in the matters of impertinences," he said gravely. "However, let that pass. I'm the same man." - "A thousand pardons. Caution In matters such as this-" A shrug com pleted the thought most eloquently. "YotJ can give me proofs of your iden tity, then?" "Proofs!" O'Rourke got to his feet. "Believe me, monsieur, ye have all the proof I'm willing to give ye, and that's my last word. If ye find it insufficient, why, then-" "Pardon!" Des Trebes interrupted, rising. "I am myself more than con tent. But the Government of France-" "The Government of France-!" O'Rourke whistled. "Is more exacting than L It knows a certain Colonel O'Rourke and him alone does it need." "The divvle it does! And what will lt be wanting with me?" "I can say at present no more than that I represent Government in an affair demanding secrecy and dispatch. ? have a certain diplomatic mission to discharge, and shall have need, mon sieur, of a man strong, bold, venture some, willing to undertake a long and perhaps perilous journey." Had Des Trebes been inspired he could have formulated no speech better calculated to intrigue the Irishman; the merest echo of its import would have fired his hearer's fancy. He added: "And I am authorized to i-ptain for that pur pose, should I be fortunate enough to Snd him unengaged, a certain Colonel Terence O'Rourke." "Say no more, monsieur. 'Tis enough. 'Secrecy-dispatch-a long and perilous journey!' Faith I'm just your man!" "You have no other business of the moment?" , "None whatever." "Then I am indeed fortunate. And now, I presume,-you will no longer object to satisfying mo as to your iden tity." "Not in the least. Although, to be candid, monsieur, I'm not in the hab it of carrying me Bertlllion record about me. But if ye'il have the good nes to accompany me to the Orient, over there, 111 put your mind at ease before ye can say knife." Des Trebes ncddeJ. "I should be delighted, but unfortunately" - he snapped the case of his watch-"I have an appointment with a confrere. May we fix a time-in half an hour, say-when it will be convenient for you to have me call at the Orient?" "In half an hour? I'll await ye then, monsieur." "Pardon, then, my haste. I ara'late. I must be off." The man's hand touched O'Rourke's in the most brief of clasps, singularly firm and cold. The Irishman pondered the sensation for some moments after Des Trebes' hurrying figure had van ished in shadows. "I don't like it," he averred; "'tis a bad sign-a hand that's naturally cold. I never yet touched one like lt that belonged to a man ye could trust. I misdoubt he's sound at the core, Des Trebes. . . . But then, what's the odds? Can I not take care of me self? And since 'tis the Government of France I'm treating with, and him self only the medium-that puts alto gether a different complexion on the motter." He spent the ensuing half-hour loi tering In the more populous portion of the grounds, smoking as he stroll ed, his eyes keen to scrutinize each woman who came his way. But he dis covered none resembling her whom he had seen in the Casino. CHAPTER III. As he stepped out of the lift Colonel O'Rourke remarked a light in his room, visible through the transom over the door. "The femme de chambre," he thought. "Sure and the poor thing's still busy trying to clear up. , , To the contrary, he found the door fast. " 'Tis careless she was to leave the light on," he observed, fitting his key in the lock. If thoughtless in that one way, the woman had fulfilled the letter of her word In the other. It was with com prehensive relief (since he anticipated a taller) that he found the room once again presentable. But one thing surprised him; and more surprising still was the fact that his ordinarily Indifferent eye should have detected lt at the first glance. He had Indeed hardly entered before he became aware of a square of white paper tucked In the corner of the bu reau mirror. "The divvle, now!" he greeted lt. "That's curious. . . . Could one of me many admirers have bribed the femme de chambre to bring a note to me?" He chuckled, holding to the light a much soiled envelope, "grimy with the marks of many fingers, plat Wood and Coal I have opened a wood yard and am prepared to deliver wood any size or length anywhere in town at reasonable prices. Can also lill orders for coal. Will move my saw cut wood where lots of four or more cords are offered at one place. I also run a public dray. Ring me np. My' phone is No. 32. J. R. TOMPKINS Round Trip Excursion Rates Via Augusta, Ga.,-Via Southern Railway-Premier Carrier of the South. p Account Aviation Exhibitions, Au gusta, Ga., January 10, 26, Februa ry 14, 23, March 13 and 29, 1912, by the Aviation Schools, the South ern Railway announces low round trip tickets to Augusta on the above dates, good returning the third day from, and including date of sale. For further information, call on ticket acrents, or, John L. Meek, AGFA., Atlanta, Ga. ' Frank L Jenkins, TPA., Augusta, Ga. SSdSfflb Economy in Painting w m Your House j does not mean buying the paint sold at the lowest price per gallon. 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