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member me words to the letter Your guns made a crowd out of thia nappy reunion. I've merely dispensed with them; I call ye both to witness that ye have neither of ye suffered. Sure, I'm as peaceable as any lamb. Sit down, sit ye down and take it like little men. The situation's unchanged, save that I've put temptation out ol your reach." And as they wavered, plainly ol two minds. O'Rourke clinched the ar gument of his attitude. "I beg to cal) your attention," he remarked, "to th? fact that ye have left me own brace o? revolvers here at me feet, when ye BO joyously turned me bag inside out. Tm not touching them, mind ye, but mind ye further: I'll brook no non sense. If ye make a move as if to at tack me, I'll . . . There! That'? much better. Wise lads, ye are, both of ye: graceful in defeat Let me see: We've a long ride together, though ye did come uninvited. I trust ye will help me beguile the tedium with society chatter, me friend," with a twinkle at the discomfited vicomte "I'm in danger of forgetting me man ners. Pardon me, I pray, but-but 1 trust your nose is convalescing?" In high feather with himself. OTRourke entertained his companions with a running fire of pleasantries foi the balance of the darkened hours And he touched both more than once with the rapier-point of his wit and Irony, and had the pleasure of seeing both squirm in impotent rage. They cut wretched figures, two against one, yet failures, while he taunted them in one breath, with the next declared Hmself their captive. Toward the end the reserve which the vicomte im posed upon the Honorable Bertie waa worn down: the Englishman turned with raw nerves upon his tormentor "You damned ass!" he stammered, all, but incoherent. "You sit there and-and gloat, damn you! When all the time we've got the upper hand!" "Be quiet!" interposed the vicomte, "I won't!" raged the honorable. "He thinks himself so Infernally clever! What 'dyou say, you Irish braggart, ii I told you you'd never see the Pool of Flame again?" .Td say," returned O'Rourke, "that you were either lying or a fool. In either case a fool. If, as ye seem to be trying to make me believe-which I don't for one Instant-ye have suc ceeded in stealing the Pool of Flame, TU hunt the pair of ye to the ends ol the earth, if need be." He eyed them reflectively during a moment or two made interesting by Glynn's desperate attempts to blurt out indiscretions against the prohibi tion of the vicomte: something which the older man enforced crudely by clapping his hand across the English man's mouth, as well as by whisper. lng savagely in his ear. "But there'll be no need," continued the Irishman, when Glynn was calm. "Let's consider the matter dispassion ately, presupposing that ye have the stone. Well, what then? Ye dare not attempt to sell it-'twould resu!t in instant detection. It would not pay ye to have it secretly cut up into smaller stones-the loss in value would be stupendous, the whole not worth your while, as I say. Ye can not take the Pool of Flame (don't get excited: I'm not going to tell yo where) to claim the .reward, for ye don't know where to go. 'Tis a white elephant it would be on your hands." "It dees not seem to strike mon sieur that there are other ways of finding out who offers the reward," the vicomte suggested icily. "I can see ye wandering around ask ing somebody please to relieve ye of the Pool of Flame and pay ye a com mission. I wonder how long ye think ye'd last. But 'tis no use trying to hoodwink me: I don't believe one word ye say. I'll walt until I find out the truth before I bother meself with ye." Their persistence In hinting that they had gained possession, of the ruby perplexed and discomfited him He did not believe lt; 'twas Incon ceivable: yet-he had known stranger things to happen. Still, without a due, to have stumbled upon the se cret, co have made off with it from fonder the very nose of the Governor General-! No; lt was not reason able to ask him to be"ne all that Nevertheless, when he arrived at Algiers, lils anxiety had grown so overpowering that he called a cab and desired to be conveyei post-haste to tLe Palace de la Government CHAPTER X. It was high noon when O'Rourke drove up before the Palace of the Governor-General. Weary, dusty and travel-stained as he was, he hesitated ho Instant about sending in his name ?nd requesting an interview with the representative of France's sovereign power. Disappointment awaited him at the very outset; disappointment In the shape of word that his excellency was ?way. But the name of O'Rourke was pno^weU and favorablyJmowa in the V province, and secured him an invita" tion to ascend to the Governor's office and state his business-if he cared to do so-to the gubernatorial secre tary. Upon consideration he accepted, and a little later was seated in a -.road, low, cool room in the old Moorish palace, the affable secretary- a young, lively and engaging French man-solicitously sounding him as tc bis errand. It was obviously the office of a man !>f great affairs, presenting an eminent ly business-like look for all its Ori ental setting. To one side, set in the solid masonry of the wall, was a mas live safe with doors ajar, exposing a cavity well stocked with documents, lt occurred to the adventurer that such a safe might easily have been the place of security selected by the UovWnor-General for anything he held In trust He built upon it a theory whilst he listened-nor lost a point md replied to the secretary. The latter regretted excessively ?hat his excellency was absent: his excellency would undoubtedly be deso lated when he returned and found he lad missed Colonel O'Rourke. "He'll be back soon, monsieur?" "Alas, no!" with a shrug. "He is in route for Paris-possibly arrived ?y this moment-on matters of state." "And he left? ' "Several days since, monsieur." "You know nothing of this package, Indorsed with tie name of Monsieur Dhambret?" To the contrary: the secretary knew lt very well. Hi* could place his hand apon it at anjr moment-monsieur would appreciate that he durst not surrender it without the Governor's suthority. O'Rourke drew a long sigh of relief md was abruptly conscious of fatigue md a desire to get away and rest. "I'm obliged to ye," he said slowly, rising. 'TH have to wait until the Governor returns, I presume. . . . By the way, are ye be any chance ac jualnted with Monsieur le Vicomte les Trebes?" But certainly; the vicomte was a great friend of his excellency's. He had dined with his excellency some thing over a week since, just prior to the latter's departure. "And I take lt ye have seen nothing pf the gentleman since?" "On the contrary, monsieur: the vi ;omte called here but two days ago." lt appeared that he had desired some A Frown of Bewilderment Clouded the Secretary'? Face. trifling information, with which the secretary had obliged him. "Ye didn't happen to leave him alone in this room?" The secretary, plainly much per plexed by this odd catechism, ad mitted that such had been the case; the pursuit of Ute desired data had necessitated his absence from the Gov ernor's room for a matter of some ten minutes. "But ye say ye can put your hand on this package?" "But certainly, monsieur." "Would ye mind making sure 'tie safe. 'Twould nave me a deal ol waiting, perhaps-" With alacrity end a smile that de precated his visitor's anxiety over sc trifling a matter, the secretary rose went to the safe and con fl de ntl j enough thrust a hand into one of thc pigeon-holes. The hand came forth empty. A frown of bewilderment clouded the secretary's face. "It mus? be here," he announced with convie tion. "It was in plain sight and la belled with the name of Monsieur Chambret . . He turned. "Il Monsieur le Colonel will but return in half an hour, I undertake then tc show him the packet itself. I shall by then have found it-but assuredly!" "Ye are very courteous, monsieur, I will return." This he did-in two hours. The packet had not been found; the sec retary, in a flutter of nerves, confessed that through some culpable negligence lt must have been misplaced. An ex tended search was even then In progress. It would surely come gc ngut ueiurc evening. "Thank ye; I shan't he hack," re turned O'Rourke grimly;1 and went ?way, cfowncasti for the first time since the Inception of the adventure. "Faith! and to think I would not be lieve the truth when they slapped me face with lt! And all the time, beliko, 'twas in the vicomte's own pocket! . . ." But he had no vocabulary^ ade quate to the task of expressing his Iself-contempt. Disconsolate, conceiving that he had proven himself a blind, egregious fool, Une plodded with heavy steps and a ihanging head back to his hotel; where 'the crowning stroke of the day was (presented to him in the shape of a ?^note, by the hand of a black Biskri "porter. i "Monsieur le Colonel Terence [O'Rourke. Be hand," he conned the address. "Faith, and what's this?" "If Monsieur le Colonel O'Rourke i will do Monsieur des Trebes the hon ,or of dining with him, at seven or .seven-thirty this evening, at the "Villa . d'Orl?ans, St Eugene, an arrangement ? satisfactory to both himself and Mon sieur le Vicomte may be consummat ed. i. "R. S. V. P.-The bearer waits." . A trap? A subterfuge? A trick to . throw him off the scent whilst the two i blackguards escaped with their booty ? ?The adventurer frowned darkly over . it, dubious. Then, in a flush of reck lessness, he seized a sheet of paper from a near-by desk, scrawled a formal acceptance of the strange invi i tatton, and handed lt to the Biskri boy. "All to gain, naught to lose," he sum med up the state of mind which had dictated his response: and at six thirty, with brow and eye serene, he left the hotel in a carriage bound for the suburb of St Eugene-and heaven knew where besides! CHAPTER Xl. * J! The Villa d'Orl?ans proved to be a aandsome house of white stone, situ ated In extensive and well-groomed grounds, on a height outside the town, overlooking the Mediterranean. So complete and elegant seemed the es tablishment, indeed, viewed from with out or within, that O'Rourke's suspic-' lons were stimulated and his certainty that he was being played with resolv ed into a pretty definite conviction, os he waited in the broad hallway. It was inconceivable that a man like Des Trebes, so reduced as to be un der the necessity of stealing-even of stealing so considerable a sum as a hundred thousand pounds-could main tain so imposing an establishment His uneasy/ conjectures were Inter rupted when the vicomte appeared to welcome his guest Suave, dressed properly for the occasion, showing ! traces neither of fatigue nor of his antipathy for O'Rourke, blandly ignor ing the, peculiarities of the situation which his own Inexplicable Invitation had created, he presented himself In the guise of a gracious host_. "Monsieur," he declared, bowing to O'Rourke (but with a' care not to offer his hand), "overpowers me with his condescension and punctuality. I can only regret"-with a significant glance at the bulge of the adventur er's coat-"that he thought it wise to come armed." " 'Tis a habit I find lt hard to break meself of." O'Rourke offered the in adequate explanation In a dry and coolish tone. "It was unnecessary, I assure mon sieur." "Faith, I'm convinced 'twill prove BO." Tactfully the vicomte digressed from the unpleasant topic. "I have asked you here, monsieur," he said with an air of deprecation, "to confer with me on business after we have dined. I trust the arrangement suits your convenience." "I'm content, monsieur." "I regret that circumstances pre vent me from receiving you under my own roof-tree. The Villa d'Orl?ans ls the property of a dear friend, merely loaned me during my stay in Algiers." "Ye're fortunate in your choice of friends." Over his next remark Des Trebes faltered a trifle, with a curious 6milo that O'Rourke failed to fathom. "Monr sieur Glynn," he said, "is-ah-a trifle .indisposed-the sun. Nevertheless, I believe he will join us during dinner, .if you will be so kind as to excuse him-?" "I could do very well without him." The vicomte caught the eye of a .servant, and, "Dinner is announced," ha said. "Do me the honor to ac company me to the table." 1 In the course of time, as the vicomte had predicted, the Honorable Bertie Joined them; and on sight O'Rourke i diagnosed the "indisposition" as plain .Intoxication. The Englishman waa deep in his cups, far too deep to ape .the urbanity of his host. He favored , O'Rourke with a curt nod and a surly tlook, then slumped limply Into a chair rand called for champagne, which he ,drank greedily and with a sullen air, avoiding the vicomte's eye. Before ^dessert was served he passed into a ;black humor, and sat mutely glower .lng at his glass (what time he was .not unsteadily filling lt) without re gard for either of his companions. ; When the cloth was cleared and the servants had withdrawn, Des Tre bbes definitely cast aside pretence. A ?cigarette between his lips, he lounged in his chair, eyelids drooping over .eyes that never left his guest's whije either spoke. A cynical smile pre faced his first words. . "So," he said, "the farce ls over. Some regard for the conventions was ? necessary before the servants of my .friend, the owner of this villa. Now, ,we can be natural, Monsieur le Colo nel." 3 (Continued on Next Page) We have in stock a full assortment of different styles of IHackney Buggies such as side springs, handy tops, side spring Moyer de sign, side spring Wood Bar construction, These buggies have bee failed to give satisfactioi we have no hesitation ir the market today. Try word we say and even n mind that the big store < hieles just as cheaply as W. M. Ouztsville New Drop in and le Crossett We have all o: est and nobbie cut shoes. N< in the popular Do] The Ed F?rtil We now have on Y foi mixing. We re] extend to our custon Kainit, 1 Mixed goods of e facturers. Armour Royster, Georgia C] motto is the best go? Garden Seed. Every gardener in Edgefield county knows what Bnist's seed | are. We have them fresh from this j celebrated farm, and can furnish you with anything you want. Buist'a. seed never fail to germinate under j proper conditions. Penn Sc Holstein. , also in end spring full Ele] n thoroughly tested in this ? i. Taking into consideration I i saying that the Hackney bug ene of them and you will b lore is true of the Hackney t it Ouztsville sells Hackney buj any place in the country. & J. T. Ou p. o. I Spring O; it us fit you with a ; or Selz-Schwab fthe popular leathi st lasts. Also spring ew spring hats for i shades and latest ? rn&M gefield Mercantile C izers for land a full line of fertilizers ar present the best manufacturer* ?ers the best service and goods k.cid Phosphai Seed Meal, Sod very formula made by the mo , Swift, American Agricult hemical. works and other well 1 ods on the market. 500 Saits, 200 Overcoats and 50u pair of Trousers to be closed dat at bargain prices. See F. G. MERTINS, Augusta, Ga. 200 Boys' Suits, 100 Overcoats, and 500 pairs of pants, to be sold to make room for my spring good*. We will save you money. F. G. MERTINS, Augusta, Ga. )tic style oval pattern, ection^ and have never the very reasonable price jory is without a peer on e convinced that every )uggy. Always bear in ?gies and all other ve zts Co. frrksey, S. C. tfords pair of stylish Oxfords irs in the new s' styles in high nen and boys )locks. ims ompany 1912 td fertilizer material i and will be glad to ; on the market. be, Cotton .a / i st reg atable manu ural Chemical Co., known goods. Our We always carry a full supply of Glenn Springs and Harris Lithia water. Penn & Holstein. For Sale: One lot of good cedar posts will be "delivered in Edgefield for ten cents each. H. Ernest Quarles. Gold Spring, S. C.