The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, February 13, 1912, Page THREE, Image 3
kyLOUIS JOSEPH VA]
COPYRICET9" by LOUI OSEPH
SYNC PSIS.
CHAPTER I.-Tn' story opens a
Monte Carlo with C 1. Terence O'Rourki
in his hotel. O'Rou -ke, a military fre,
lance and sornethin; of a gambler. i;
dressing for appeara:ice in the restauran
below when the sou;id of a girlish voic
singing attracts his attention.' Leanin
out on the balcony he sees a beautifu
girl who suddenly disappears. He rushe
to the corridor to see a neatly gowne<
form enter the elevator and pass fron
sight.
CHAPTER II.-O'Rourke's mind i
flled with thoughts of the girl, and whei
he goes to the gaming table he allows hi;
remarkable winnings to accumulate in
differently. He notices two men watch
ing him. One in the Hoa. Bertie Glynn
while his companion is Viscount De,
Trebes, a noted dueliat. When O'Rourk,
leaves the table the viscount tells him h
represents the French government an<
that he has been directed to O'Rourke a
a man who would undertake a secre
mission.
CHAPTER IIL.-At his room O'Rourke
who had agreed to undertake the mission
awaits the viscount. O'Rourke finds
mysterious letter in his apartment. Thi
viscount arrives, hands a sealed packag,
to O'Rourke, who is not to open it unti
on the ocean. He says the French gov
ernment will pay O'Rourke 25,000 franc
for his services. A pair of dainty slip
pers are seen protruding from under -
doorway curtain and the viscount charge
O'Rourke with having a spy secreted
there.
CHAPTER IV.-When the Irishmal
goes to his room he finds there the own
er of the mysterious feet. It is his wife
Beatrix, from whom he had run away ;
year previous. They are reconciled. an
\opening the letter he had received. he
finds that a law firm in Rangoon, Inria
offers him 100.000 pounds for an India
4ewel known as the Pool of Flame ant
Qft to him by a dying friend. 'O'Rourk
tUs his wife that it is in the kep?n;
t -friend named Chambret in Algeria.
APTER V.-,-O'Rourke is forced t,
fI,. a duel with the viscount. The brag
-&t nobleman 's worsted in the comba
and acts the poltroon.
CHAPTER VI.-The loyal wife bid
O'Rourke farewell and he promises t
soon return with the reward offered fo
the Pool of Flame. He discovers bot
Glynn and the viscount on board th
shiD which takes him to Algeria.
CHAPTER VII.LChambret has left Al
geria and O'Rourke has to gain a mill
tary detachment going across the deser
to reach his friend. As he finds the latte
there is an attacl by bandits an1
Chambret Is shot.
CHAPTER VIII.-Chambret dies tellina
O'Rourke that he has left the Pool c
Flame with the governor general of Al
geria. He gives the colonel a signet rini
at the sight of which he says the officia
will deliver over the jewel.
CHAPTER IX.-O0'Rourke is attacke<
by Glynn and the viscount who ransac1
his luggage, but he worsts them In th~
'conflict.
CHAPTER X.-When he arrives at Al
geria the Irishman finds the governo
general away. He receives a note frox
Des Trebes making a mysterious appoi
ment.
CHAPTER XI.-The viscount tell
O'Rourke that he has gained possesslo:
of the jewel by stealinr it from the saf
of the governor general. He does noi
however, know who ha. offered the ri
ward for It. He suggests a duel wit:
raplers. the victor to get that informatio:
and .the .jewel.
IHAPTER XII.-In the duel O'Rourt
masters his adversary and seures pos
session of the Pool of Flame.
CHAPTER X1IH. - The efforts c
O'Rourke are now directed toward speed
tly getting to Ranroon with the Jewi
andhe starts by ship.
CEAPTEL rN-.-R fnds the emptal:
of the vessel to be a smu 1 ~ who tri
to steal the jewel from
CHAPTER XY.-The jewel Is finally se
e ured by the shifb captain ad O'Rourk
escapes to land.
CH.APTER XVI.-WIth the aid of on
Danny and his sweetheart, O'Rourke re
covers the Pool of Flame.
CHAPTER XVHI. - O'Rourke agal:
forms his plans to pursue his joumney t
Rangoon.
CHAPTER XVIII.-On board ship onc
more a mysterious lady appears who puw
zies and Interests the Irishman.
CHAPTER XIX.-O'Rourke comes up
on a lascar about to attack the lady
*who is a Mrs. Prynne. He kicks th'
man Into the hold.
CHAPTER XX.-Mrs. Prynne claim
she Is en route for India on a missioi
far tu 1.
CHAPTER XXI.-The ship captain I2
offered money to increase the speed c
the vessel toward Its destination.
CHAPTER XXIH.-There are suspicioui
occurrences on board, and a lascar seem:
to be watching O'Rourke and Mrs
Prynne.
CHAPTER XXIII.-The woman tells c
some one prowling about the cabin an<
trying the door of her stateroom.
CHAPTER XXIV.-O'Rourke Is at
tacked by the lascar, who secures th<
Pool of Flame, the captain is shot an:
the lascar jumps Into tne sea.
CHAPTER XXV.
Mrs. Prynne, roused out of her semi
stupor by O'Rourke's cry, with som<
return of her habitual clearness o:
thought, stepped to the companionwa:
and called for her maid.
O'Rourke passed a hand over his
eyes, and brought it away black wit]
blood, but was no more than hal:
aware of this. Dazed and heart-brok
en, he stared blankly round the sham
bles that was the deck, then, recover
ing slightly, saw Cecie join her mis.
tress, and realized that, whatever his
personal grief, pain and despair, he
must play the jpart of the O'Rourke.
So he turned and staggered down inte
the saloon.
Danny was in his berth, sleeping the
childlike and loglike sleep that was
ever his. Dravos, below, his ears deaf
ened by the mighty chant of his en.
gines, had been no more conscious o;
the drama on deck than had Danny
O'Rourke caught the bc with hand:
that gripped his shoulders cruelly, and
sehook him awake, then methodically
ibooted him up the steps to the deck
Once there, Danny came to his prop
ler senses and fell with a will to thi
~tasks O'Rourke set for him. With Ce
#1il ha lifted the unconscious captaiI
left him to the ministrations of mi
tress and maid and returned to thro
overboard the last corpse, that of tl
a lascar whom the serang had set 1
t slay the adventurer from behind.
O'Rourke himself proceeded to ti
1 bridge, where he found the helmsms
still at the wheel, soberly keeping ti
2 vessel on her course. The circuz
stance at the time surprised him; bi
s it afterwards was developed by dii
1 of cross-examination of the remaindi
- of the crew that the serang had s
- cially exempted Quick and Dravc
a from the general massaere, they beir
I held necessary to the navigation i
i the ship. He had likewise put strii
t Injuctions on the helmsman not to d
sert the wheel, whatever the tide <
battle, whether for or against h
brethren. The stabbing of Q'-z<
L seemed to have been accidental,
necessary under circumstances unfor
1 seen.
As a matter of fact, the remaind<
- of the lascars were thoroughly cowE
and proved unbelievably docile for tl
I balance of the trip.
Thus it was that the voyage of ti
Ranee from Aden to Bombay w,
pushed through without further fate
ity. To the Irishman, however, mu
go more than half the credit; for fo
ty-eight hours he never left the brids
nor once closed his eyes in slumber.
e It was not indeed until the Rane
on the stroke.of the hour, the eveni:
of the fifteenth day of June, walki
smartly into Bombay harbor, the i
t ternational code signal "NJ" flutte
ing from her peak, rounded Colabi
s3 and dropped anchor off the point; ni
r until Danny and Drgvos, free at leng
r1
h from their toil in the broiling engin
' room, came on deck to relieve hir
- that O'Rourke collapsed-stumblE
down the bridge ladder and lurchF
t drunkenly down the saloon compa
ionway. His head humming wit
sleep, his brain bemused with fatigi
Sand pain, his eyes heavy, he brushi
by Mrs. Prynne without seeing her<
even hearing her low cry of pity at
.solicitude; and so entering the fir;
stateroom that he came to, threw hir
Sself, already asleep, into the berth.
e As he did so a loaded revolva
dropped from his numb fingers. ..
CHAPTER XXVI.
It was night when O'Rourke awokt
i he found himself staring wide-eyed
e the ceiling of the stateroom, upc
:which rippled wavering lines of lig!
h reflected through the porthole by di
D waters without. 'His mind for tU
time was a blank; he was merely co:
~scious that he was rested and ye:
thirsty, and that the ship was mn
I tionless.
,jThen in a bMeding flash memo:
returned to him. He rose, curious
n light-headed and strangely wea
Spushed open the door and stepped i
to the saloon.
* It was lighted, fit poorly, by a smoli
kerosene lamp dependent from a bea:
4 Iabove the center-table, and wore a hc
*low, dingy air of desolation for a
that Danny slept there, his vivid hea
o pillowed on arms crossed before hi:
oR the table. The ship was utterlyE
a lent, and the O'Rourke's sensitive i:
-stinct told him that it was tenante
only by himself and the servant.
. He clapped a hand on ?-m.ny
ashoulder and shook him into wakeft
aness. The boy leapt to his feet wit
z a cry and, seizing O'Rourke's hand, b
gan to sob upon it-a touching bi
*disconcerting performance, to the la:
degree exasperating to a man thirs
I ing and famished.
''O'Rourke, as gently as he could, di
engaged his hand and thrust Darn
I away, at the same time indicatingi
no uncertain tones that he preferre
meat and drink to emotional crisi
SProvided with a duty, Danny's sent
3 mental nature was diverted; he bus
led away and returned with an exce
lent cold meal-sandwiches, a salai
cheese, and other edibles upon a tra
graced likewise by a bottle of char
pagne. And you are to believe the
Sthe master fell to and wolfed it al
to the last crumb and the last dro]
A new man, refreshed, he demande
a pipe, and, with his head cocked c
Qne side and something of bis old h1
Smor twinkling in his eye, what tin
it was not clouded with bewildermer
Iand concern at the answers he rt
ceived, cross-examined his valet.
"How long," was his first questio:
I"will I have slept now, Danny y
divvle?"
"Wan complete round av the clocJ
yer honor."
"Where are we?''
"At anchor, sor, off the Fort in Bor
bay harbor."
"Umm-hm. I'm by way of remen
bering something of that. Whatc
the captain?"
"Raymoved, yer honor, to a hors<
pittle ashore, sor, to can-valesce. A~
Slaste, I'm thinking thot's the wor
the doctor used, sor."
O'Rourke pulled at his cigar, re
garded regretfully the empty glass be
fore him, and with some visible reluc
-ance nnt the questirn that, more tha
aught else, he had wished to put ever
since he had eaten.
"And Mrs. Prynne?"
"Aw, yer honor!"
"What's the matter, Danny?"
"Sure, sor, and axin' yer pardon for
spakin' so, and manin' no manner of
disrayspict whatsoever-"
"What the divvle, Danny!"
Danny dreW himself up with an air,
bristling indignation. "Sure, and 'tis
meself never seen the loike av thim
wimmin for rank ingratichude, sor.
And afther all thot meself had said
to thot black-eyed Frinch vixen-"
"Danny!"
"No, sor, not wan word av ut will
I widdror, not if yer honor discharges
me wid me usual month's notice, sor,
this minute. Faix, didn't I see? No
s more and the anchor was down, sor,
w m.nd yersiif did to the worrld in yer
e berth, sor, thin thim two does be after
o hailin' a boat and intendin' to go
ashore, widout so much as a fare-ye
Le well, and me meanin' the most hon
"n orable intintions in the world toward
te the maid-"
a "Have your intentions ever been
it aught else toward any woman ye ever
it won a smile from, spaipeen?"
er "Aw, now, yer honor-"
e- "Get on . with your story. What
)s about Mrs. Prynne?" demanded
4 O'Rourke, eyeing his servant curiously
1 and trying to fathom his but half-dis
ct guised and wholly awkward air of self
e- esteem. Plainly the boy thought
r highly of himself because of some
Is thing he had accomplished, some ex
'k ploit of prowess or stroke of diplo
>r macy as yet undisclosed.
e "Yissor. . . . I was tellin' ye it
seemed to me the height of maneness
she was displayin', ma'nin' this same
d Mrs. Prynne, whin 'twas mesilf knew,
e none betther, how much ye've laid
out on her account and. hersilf not
e waitin' to settle up wid ye-"
Is "What business was that of yours?"
Ll-'
-t "'Twas none, sor. But yersilf had
keeled over and was did to ivrythirg,
and what am I for if not to look out
e for ye at such times? . . . . So
I'm afther sthoppin' thim two just as
they would be lavin' their staterooms, 1
and sz'I, 'Missus Prynne,' sziI, 'me
masther's compliment, and he'd like a
worrd wid yees before y.'r; gone en
tirely.' And 'What's this?' sz'she wid
a fine show of surprise-the dayceyt
h ful huzzy !-though I'm watchin' her
e.and thinkin' she was frightened about
somethin', from the white turn av the
face av her. Sz'she: "Tis in the
d divvle's own hurry I am the minute,'
or' worrds to the same iffict. Sz'she:
h And phwat will he be wantin' av me?'
'A momint's conversation wid ye,'
dsz'I. And sz'she: TIve no time. Let
me pass.' TIll be doing,' sz'I, 'nawthin'
id like thot,' for be now I'm thinkin'
st there's somethin' deeper behint her
.fluster and flurry thin a mere desire
to bilk ye-p'rhaps 'twas this thing in
etoo-ishum I've heard ye mintion. And)
the next minit I'm sure av ut, for she
goes white as snow in the face and
the eyes of her begins to burn like
cold grazie fire and she screams to Ce
cile for help and is afther whipping
tout a gun to blow me out av her
way wid; but 'tis mesilf thot's be way
it av bein' too quick for her andi takin
tthe pistol away; and be the mercy av
16 the Saints Misther Dravos hears the
nshindy and hop. down just in time to
-'snatch another gun out of the hand av
o. that same O,alle, and he grabs the
)gurl and turns her into a stateroom
.and shuts the dura on her and-"
Ly "And," interrupted O'Rourke In s.
kblack rage, rising and tu.rning back his
a sleeves-"And now I'm going to give
Iye the father and mother of all
:thrashings, yo Insolent puppy! How
in dare ye lay hands on a lady--"
1. "Ow, murther!" chattered the boy,
.1 leaping away. "Be aisy, yer honor,
td and hear me out, for 'tis thin ye'll not
ml be blamin' me, but if ye do I'll take
dthe batin' widout a worrd, sor."
-"Very well," assented O'Rourke om
iinously. "But be quick about it, for
I'm mistrustful of ye altogether. Get
'sI on, ye whelp!"
11' Danny placed the table between
:h them with considerable expedition.
e"Aw, listhen now," he pleaded. "While
it Misther Dravos was 'tendin' to Cecile,
st1 this Missis Prynne was scrappin' like
ta wildcat, scratching and bitin', and
'tis all I can do to kape her .by wrap
s- pin' me arms tight about her and hold
in' her so, and I'm makin' a grab at
n! her waist whin be accident like what
ddo I catch hold av but something un
s. dernathe as big as a hin's egg-a
l' stone she's carryin' round her neck,
t the same as yer honor did wid the
1Pool as Flame; and be the feel av ut.
dut's the same entirely; and thin I'm
7sure 'tis the same and thot some scul
Sduggery's be way av havin' been put
t upon ye."
~, "What the dlvvle!"
P- "Wan momint more. . .. No'w
din fightin' wid me the collar av her
n (waist has come unfastened and me
l' self can see the string av ribbon that's
.e hiolding the thing there. So I sez tc
it mesilf, sz'I, ''Tis strange enough tcI
3- bear investigatin',' sz'I, 'an' I'll be
takin' a chanst at this if the masther
la do be afther flayin' me alive. So I
-e calls Misther Dravos and gets him to
hould her fast yhile I takes out me
a' knife and cuts Cot ribbon and pulls
the thing out widout any immodesty
1whatever; and there on thot ribbon Is
l'a chamois-case, all sewed up, and I'm
rippin' it open an' finding-this!"
"God in Heaven!" cried O'Rourke,
Sstupefied and agape; for Danny, hay
ing worked up to his climax, had dra-1
m'iatically whipped from his pocket andt
cast upon the table between them the
SPool of Flame.
He looked up, blind to the glee and
Striumph in Danny's face.
S"How did ye come be this?" he de
m ianded, speaking slowly and steadily,
as one who, having drunk more than
ennnugh, listens tn his own enunciation
to d"tect in it the slur that liqt
brings. "I mean-I mean-how coi
ye have taken this from the wom:
when it lay all the time at the bottc
of the sea-six hundred 'miles a
more behind us?"
"Ask Misther Dravos if ye do I
beldte me, sor. How would I be b,
in' it at all, widout I got it like I'
told ye? . . . 'Tis the real Pool
Flame ye're handlin'; that's su
T'other one--the stone the sera
flung into the say, sor, was a count
fnit."
"How do ye know that?"
'Aisly enough, yer honor; be putt
the maid Cecile on the witness star
'Twas this way: I tuk the stone fr(
Missus Prynne and Misther Drav
and mesilf lccked her in her cab
Thin aftber talkin' things over we :
Cecile out and be dint av threats a
persuashians, got her to tell what s
knew."
"Go o.i."
"She sez thot Frinchman ye k
back there in Algiers, sor, is at t
bottom av it all, only he's not did 1
cause ye didn't make a clane job
ut, but lift him wid the laste susph
ion av the breath av life in the bo
av him."
"I was afraid of that," nodd
O'Rourke. "The next time we me
Des Trebes and I, there'll be no m
take about it."
"She sez thot befure he fought w
ye he'd taken measuremints av t
stone and made a wax mould av 1
"God in Heaven!" Cried O'Rourk(
so thot whin he failed to kill yers
and had got his strength back, he. wi
to ars nd adnimiasuna
cah Tin-thy'v bee Owatch
Ca'sHoot faied to kill thes
andy had gthes dostt bck, e. n
stnefgther esaed from thet IPela
'Twaos axisore an' hmae tih upa
atohey,s he akes dayivers Pthnest
to partinhi and he mip
cshn intheyarain hee wnstn'
yeackl all the tPool asFlamey an h
heCan' Hole ote to ruby the sto
away and he stoe Soitwa liee k
Athner ye escapedmfrom thet salc
heigoes andhthe and mesouhe ao
ther hoel and theysames the sra
atherom getnghsoa. adth"
tho becautsee. kBut ye'w butom
afraidg? yeafrdid Ce1 il him t
"he culn't noeacoubto yeim
all, war, hae stot Soebbea the nati1
intoangoonthadfromehim tot wind
nthe fact thate sone wogabom
back and. an gang amthe seou
stale ut.m She."sMsusPyn
erShe acount aort for thim
acoverd sae hdot, bbe the seem
to knon prett coehowi gueor, n
th all tat ftt,tande'was o ema
bak thnt ah geang go thet mits
eru 'ht abcout Dteswa Tes d
thermad sad" btteyse
"No'l re thynihe'd boteed yef
Pris, so."
"And what 'ev ye done with the t'
of them, Mrs. Prynne and the mai
Are they still locked up safely?"
"Divvle a bit, yer honor. 'Twas I
possible to kape them so, Dravos sa
wid Missus Prynne threatening to y
bloody murther out av the poort a
kick up such a row thot the authc
ties wud be down on us-If we did
let her go. Besides, we'd got what
wanted out av her, and pwhat-was t
use av holdin' her anny longer?"
"So ye let them go?"
"Yissor."
"I could kill ye for it," se
O'Rourke, "and Dravos, too; I
there's a deal of matters I'd like
be inquiring into with the lady ti
blessed minute. But, Danny b(
there's nothing in the world I ca:
forgive ye now, for what ye've do
for me, and 'twill be a strange thi
if I don't serve ye handsomely wh
I come into a fortune. . ~. . NC
don't be standin' there like a ninz
but be off with ye and pack me thin
before I lift me hand to ye. 'Tis
haste we arewith Des Trebes all
and Mrs. Prynne on the loose; al
there'll be no such thing as rest f
either of us until we reach Rangoor
CHAPTER XXVii.
"Danny . . ." said O'Rour:
without looking up from the occui
tion which had engrossed his atte
tion for the last three hours; and f
the first time in that period he spo]
audibly, making an end to the mui
bled confabulation he had been ho]
tg with himself . Murrv's Guide,
or Bradshaw, an Indian railway guide,
id several steamship folders and a large
an colored map of the Indian empire.
>m "What day's this day, Danny?" I
nd Danny thought laboriously. "'Twas
this morn' we lift th' Ranee, sor? E
Lot . . . Thin yestiddy was Wednes
iv- day."
ve "And today Thursday, be logical
of progress of reasoning, eh?"
re. "Aw, yiss, sor."
ng "And what's the time?"
er- Danny consulted O'Rourke's watch '
on the bureau. "A quarter av twilve."
"Then bestir yourself, ye lazy good
in' for-nothing, and pack up me things." 1
Ld. "Aw!" cried Danny, expcstulant.
m "Our train' leaves at two. Ye have t
os an hour and a half." '
in. "Aw, but yer honor, is ut no ALst at <
et all we'll iver be havin' ?" t
ad "Ye can rest on the train," said
b.e O'Rourke. "I've just ten days left in
which to reach Rangcon, where I've an!
appointment to keep with a lady, Dan
ilt ny, to wit, Madame O'Rourke. D'ye i
be mind her, and do ye blame me, Dan- 1
av Danny became suddenly extraordin- t
ie- arily busy. "Why did ye not say as
:y much to begin with, yer honor?" he
complained. "As if I wouldn't work I
ed me hands to the stumps av
,t, thim. . . .
[s- "'Tis now Thursday noon," con
tinued O'Rourke thoughtfully. "The
id two o'clock train's scheduled to ' ..
de us in Calcutta at ten Saturday night.
it, At eight Sunday morning a steamer E
[eaves Diamond Harbor for Rangoon,
M_ scheduled for a fair-weather passage a
of three days. That'll leave us a lit.. t
tle leeway, barring accidents. But
we've no time to waste."
"But how'll we be catching thot f
steamer at Di'mind Harbor, sor? How
far's that from Calcutta, now, an' will
there be thrains at that hour av the
night?"
"That's to be dealt with as it turns
up, Danny. There's only forty miles
f
between the two places, and if there's
no train, we'll charter a motor-car or
a boat down the Hughli. . . ."
The latter expedient O'Rourke final
ly adopted, although he could have af
forded a comfortable night in a ho
tel at Calcutta, had he deemed it wise.
But in the fifty-six hours of unmitigat
ed sweltering that he and Danny en
dured in their flight across India he
had leisure to think matters over very i
carefully, with the result that, all 1
things considered, he felt justified in C
assuming the world to be in league
against him and in shaping his course
accordingly. Therefore it were un- l
II wise to permit himself to be seen and I
nt recognized in Calcutta, or even to lin
ut ger on the soil of India an instant 4
pe longer than absolutely necessary.
e. Within an hour, then, of his arrival t
or at Howrah, he had, by dint of per
n-sistence and rupees, succeeded in hir-<
tie ing a launch to take him from the ter- 4
L' Iminus by water to the steamer at Dia-1
te mond harbor--1
w. CHAPTER XXVIlI.
17 At a small hour of the morning they 1
a made Diamond Harbor in pitch dark- I
a- ness and' without misadventure were <
DII successful in causing themselves to be'<
Wn transhipped, bag and baggage, to the1
I' twinscrew stea.mship Poonah, which
if i'essel rode at anchor in midstream. 1
ke Toward eight o'clock of the white-.
ed hot forenoon that followed, O'Rourke, i
ne in the shadow of a long-boat on the i
rd Poonah's promenade deck, stood fin- 1
ma ishing a matutinal cigar and watching
n.arrowly a tender ferry out, a final
e boatload of passengers from the east
7 ern river bank.
Slowly the tender forged toward the
at steamer's 5id0; and as it drew near,
es ORourk. forgot to smoke and bent
mi over the rail to inspect with unremit
I' ting interest those upon Its decks.
to The forward deck of the tender held
v- his regard but briefly; those who
is- waited there, eyeing impassively the
ed towering flanks of the liner, were one
or and all of the east, of races, creeds
at and types too numerous to catalogue.
4 These the adventurer might not read,
Lii save individually upon personal con
tact. If trouble was to come from
uid them, collectively or individually, he
would not know until the blow had
in fallen. On the other hand, he might
be able to hazard shrewd surmises as
wto the potential animus inherent in
d i any one of the Europeans who wer
.to be his fellow passengers. r
m-* The latter were a mere handful;
id, half a dozen commercial travelers
9E from London, Paris, Berlin, their av
nd cations evident beyond dispute; a sal
ri- low English missionary with his with-:
i'1 ered wife, sombre figures in the stark
n sunlight, a red-faced deputy-sub-some
he thing-or-other of the Indian govern
ment, complacent in white drill and
new pith helmet with a gay puggaree;
a lone English girl, and a Frenchman.
Ii The two latter held the Irishman's
or! attention; the girl because, even at a
Ie distance, her slim white-clad figure
ti! and well-poised head seemed singu
ylarly fresh and attractive; the man'
i't because-well, because O'Rourke was~
asusceptible to premonitions.
1g He was a tall man and broad, the
as Frenchman-well-made, well-groomed,
iw carrying himself with an indefinable
yair of distinction. His face was rath-1
gi or pale jand therefore notable in that
i1 - concourse of dark skins), its features
Fe strongly modeled, the mouth and chin
14 masked by a neatly trimmed and~
D pointed beard and mustache.I
.'O'Rourke could not have said that!
he had ever seen the man before; yet~
there was this and that about him'
which struck a spark of reminiscencef
M from his memory. A suspicion flashed
a through his mind which he put aiside
n. with disdain, as absurd and far-fetch
) ed. On the other hand. . . . He
CE knit his brows in- puzzlement.
n The very fixity of his regard drew
dthe eyes of its object upwards. They
S m n %nvr:1eu, n.Qwri:g cJr' m
':hich there was not to he deected
he least hint of reccgnition, and
>assed onward casually, indifferently,
gnoring the impertinence.
The tender's passengers began to
mumble up the gang-plank to a lower
icck of the liner; and O'Rourke, with
sober face, went below, taking some
:are to avoid contact with the incom
rg crc--.
He found Danny was in his state
-oon, engaged with some details of
-erair to the adventurer's wardrobe.
O'Rourke remained for a brief space
tanding in the middle of the cabin,
risibly abstracted. Then abruptly
ome whimsical consideration seemed
o resolve his dubiety-as lightning
vill clear sultry, brooding air; a smile
leepened the corners of his mouth,
he flicker in his eye merged magically
nto a twinkle, the shrug of his broad
houlders conveyed an impression of
asting care to the winds.
"Danny, lad," he remarked reflect
vely, throwing himself ungracefully
ipon the cushioned transom opposite
o his berth. "Danny, ye wouldn't lie
o me, would ye now?"
"Aw-w!" reproved Danny. "Shure,
,er honor knows ut isn't in me at all."
knd to himself; "Phat the divvle
tow?"
"Then tell me, Danny, truthfully;
lid ye ever see a ghost?"
"Aw-w!"-seeing cause to take the
iuery as a jdke.
"A ghost that had grown a beard
ince it had become a ghost, Danny?"
"Aw-aw-w!"-still willing to be
mused, if "himself" chose to be face
ious.
"Because," continued O'Rourke with
slight frown, "I have, and that not
ive minutes since." I
"Aw?"
"Wance I ieft a man for dead, Dan
ty, with a clean sword-thrust through
he body of him-a misbegotten black
,uard he was; but I killed him in fair
ight, sword to sword, and no fa
,or. . . . And this bright and
eautiful morning, lo and behold ye!
vho should come tripping up the gang
dank but his ghost, as lively as ye
lease, and with a neat new beard!"
"Aw-w?"-incredulously.
O'Rourke frowned impatiently. "Des
'rebes," he explained.
"Stop it, ye parrot! Stop it, I say!
ave ye no word In' the dark lexicon
f your ignorance other than 'Aw-aw'?
let up, ye omadhaun, and take me re
pects to the purser and "ask him
>lease will he show ye the passen
er-list."
The valet left with circumspect ala
rity.
Alone, O'Rourke rose and turned
houghtfully to a revolver that made
conspicuous black spot on the white
~ounterpane of the berth, with nerv
us, strong fingers unlimbering .the
eapon and taking account of the
rass dials of the cartridges that
~estled -snug in its six-chambered
~ylinder. The machine was in perfect
~ondition; O'Rourke snapped the
>reech shut and thrust it in his pock
~t. Then he sat down to think, sub
~onsciously aware from noises with
>ut that the tender had swung df aind
he anchor was being tripped. 'I
Could the resemblance b a aceiden
al? It seemed hardly possible. The
es Trebes he had known had been a
;ype distinct, so clear and aloof from
he general Frenchman that not een
he addition of a beard to his phyuier
iomy could have proven a thorough
lisguise. And it seemed reasoable
mough to assume that, Mrs. Pyans
laing failed in her undertaking, Des1
d II
3'Rourke Could Not Have Said Thai
He Had Ever Seen the Man Before.
Irebes would resume his office as ao.
ive head of their conspiracy. If iit
were indeed he whom O'Rourke had4
ust seen, there was every chance im
iginable that the final chapter in the
istory of the Irishman's connectiomn,
ith the Pool of Flame would provej
m eventful one.
"Maybe not," admitted O'Rourk~
'maybe I deceive meself. But Frm
ersuaded I'll do well to keep both me
yes open until the day I'm rid of the
lamned thing!"
At this functure Danny's knock toot
dm to the door. "Mongsere Raoul de
Ryeres," announced the valet breah.'
essly: "'tis thot the purser says hia
iame is, yer honour."
"Yes," assented O'Rourke dubon
y. "But perhaps the purser's mists,
en-misinformed."
S(TO BE CONINUED.)
WHICH STRSB PILLS
PIs in Red and Gold cf1W
bxes, sedled with Blue Ribboa.
Et 5 - r's t.e . B.sfetA7 ReHardV