The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, February 22, 1912, Page SIX, Image 6
I bv LOUIS JOSEPH \m
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ILLUSTRATIONS^ 3Y
ELLSWORTH-YOUNG
COPYRICHT 19C<> ?>y LCUlS^jOSEPK jy
SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER I.?The story opens at
Monte Carlo with Co). Terence O'Rourke
in his hotel. O'Rourke. a military free
lance and something of a gambler, is
riressing for appearan e in the restaurant
below when the sound of a girlish voice
Singing attracts his attention. Ia-aning
c'.t on the balcony he sees a beautiful ;
girl who suddenly disappears. He rushes
to the corridor to see a neatly gowned
firm enter the elevator and pass from
ioht
I?AV ao wucu AO uio luitc i vuij uan
ceased to chatter on the wheel.
For the better part of an hour thia
continued. And the little group of !
sycophants which had gathered be- |
hind his chair to watch his play Insensibly
dissipated. A whisper ran !
through the ranks of the habitues that j
the luck of the mad Irishman had turned;
and forthwith he ceased to be an
object of Interest. Only the little
Austrian, having risked the number
of stakes prescribed by his system for
one evening's play, put away his notebook
and pencil and, surrendering his j
place to another, lingered behind
O'Rourke's chair, unable to resist the
fascination of watching a man who
could at once lose money and retain
his composure.
At length, inexpressibly bored and 1
too Impatient to defer the inevitable
by niggardly wagers, OTtourke ransacked
his pockets and placed the proceeds?several
hundred francs?I am
as ignorant of the amount as he was
Indifferent to it?ur>on the red.
There fell a lull, the croupier holding
the vheel to permit an unbaked
cub of Chicago millions to cover the
morrow.
To a man whose trade was fighting,
the world just then was a most distressful
place, too peaceful entirely.
Over his coffee the adventurer nodded
In despair and frowned in dis
gust; then rousing, he summoned the ]
waiter and paid his reckoning with a
secret grin at himself, a fifty-franc
note and a gesture which splendidly
obliterated altogether every trace of
suspicion that he intended to take1
back any part of the change due him.
Trimming and lighting a cigar, he
reviewed the restaurant with a listless
eye which discovered no one of
his acquaintance; therefore, with
neither haste nor waste of time, he
rose and betook himself to the Casino
?that is, to the one place where one
may feel certain of encountering, sooner
or later, everybody who is anybody
within the bounds of the principality.
This night, more particularly than
on any preceding it, now that he had j
made up his mind to seek betterment
of his fortunes elsewhere, he played
heedlessly, little concerned with the
fate of what money he had about him.
He had set aside a reserve fund sufficient
to settle his hotel bill and carry
a AAnnl ^AanklA Jleten/ia fV\A I
tiirn a wuuoiuci auir uioiauvc iuivs wuu
unknown which he was resolved to
beard, and was resigned to lose
the remainder. It was a tenet of his
creed of fatalism that chance seldom
favored him when he had money in
his pockets; the tide of his affairs
must be at its lowest ebb ere it turned.
His policy then was obvious?
childishly plain: he must fling to the
winds all that which he had.
- Now never was there a man vhe
played to lose who didn't win his
point Colonel O'Rourke's case can be
cited as no exception to this rule Elbow
to elbow on one side with an artless
old lady from Terre Haute, who
risked her miniraums with the ferocious
jealousy of a miser making an
unsecured loan, on the other with an
intent little Austrian gambler absorbed
in the workings of his "system,"
the adventurer scattered gold upon
the numbered and illuminated gridiron
as unconcernedly as though h?
had been matching shillings, and saw
the coins gathered in by the greedy
wolro Oca nffan o o fV a Kttln 4 Vtoll
CHAPTER II.
After that bitter disappointment his
interest in hi6 personal appearance
dwindled to the negligible. In a black
temper with himself (whom alone he
blamed for the deception to which
he had fallen too facile a victim) he
searched blindly for a fresh tie. found
It somehow, and knotted it round his
collar in the most haphazard fashion
Imaginable. Then he shrugged a dress
coat upon his shoulders and marched
forth fo dine.
In this humor he propelled himself
with determination into the public restaurant
of the establishment, and, oblivious
to the allure of many pairs of I
bright eyes that brightened all too
readily to challenge his, insisted upon
? *-1- -11 ? nnj /lln l' r? onl
a lauie an iu uiuiccu, auu umcu m
tary grandeur, comporting himself
openly as a morose and misunderstood
person, and to his waiter with a man- i
ner so near rude that the latter began
almost to respect him.
After some time he was disgusted to
\ discover that he felt better. An impulse
toward analysis led him to probe
i the psychology of the change, with the
result that he laid the blame for it at
the door?or the neck?of a half-bottle
of excellent burgundy. So he ordered
another, and, resolutely dismissing
from his mind the woman who had
no right whatever to be able to sing
a certain song the way she had, set
his wits to work on the riddle of To,
civiii v.scii sianes too numerous for
his half-developed intelligence to keep
count of; ami the adventurer shifted
in his reviewing the assemblage.
For some moments, through the mys
i -i iuiis turning yi i:iai bi.xiu stusc
which men are pleased vaguely to denominate
Intuition, he had been subconsciously
aware of being the object
of scne person's fixed regard, that
somebody was not only watching, but
weighing hi a. He sought the source
of this sensation and. for a little time,
sought It unsuccessfully. Annoyed,
he persisted. He heard the croupier's
mechanical "Rein ne va plus," followed
by the whirring of the wheel, but
cared so ll'tle that he would not turn
to watch the outcome. Onlv an exclamation
of the Austrian's appraised
him of the fact that rod had won. He
glanced listlessly round to see the
money doubled, and let it rest, turning
back to his survey of the throng.
A moment lat'-r his attention became
fixed upon two mmi who stood in the
doorway, looking toward him. Again
the whe-d ht:;v d. the ball clattered and
was still. T'v word rouge among others
in the ati jouueement toid him that
again he had won; this time, however,
lie did not turn, but, frowning in
speculation, stared back at the two.
Stared? Indeed and he did just
that. If it was impertinent, sure and
were they not staring at him? And
who should gainsay an O'Rourke the
right to stare at anybody, be he king
or commoner? Furthermore, who
miVht those mpn hp and what their
interest in himself?
The one was ta'l and slender, saturnine;
an elegant, owing as much to
the art of his tailor and upholsterer
as to his own indisputable, native distinction;
a Frenchman?at least of a
type unquestionably Gallic. His face
was very pale, his fine, pointed mustache
very precise, jaw square, forehead
high, eyes deep and dark beneath
brows heavy, level and black,
manner marked by a repose almost
threatening in its impassibility.
His companion was shorter of stature,
a younger man by at least ten
years, rather stout and very nervous,
with a fresh red face marred by hallmarks
of dissipation; British, every
inch of him.
"That. I'm thinking," mused
O'Rourke, "will be the Honorable
Bertie Glynn. Faith, he looks the
part, at least; 'tis just that kind?inbred,
underbred, without brains or real
stamina?that would run through a
half-million sterling inside a year."
But the other?
"Monsieur," the little Austrian stammered
excitedly in his ear, "for you the
red had doubled a fourth time."
"Thank ye," replied O'Rourke without
moving. " 'Twill turn up seven,
?... ??
lliiS I uu.
The system-gambler subsided, petrified.
But the other? O'Rourke continued
to probe his memory. Something in
the man's personality was curiously
reminiscent. . . . Of a sudden he
remembered. The Frenchman had
been pointed out to him, years ago, in
Paris, as a principal in a Boulevard
scandal which had terminated in a
duel?a real duel, in which he had
been victorious. He was accustomed
to anticipate such an outcome of his
affair of honor, however; that was
why he had been named to O'Rourke;
Des Trebes (that was the name; the
Viscomte des Trebes) was a duelist of
international disrepute.
"Monsieur," the agitated voice fluttered
in his ear, "you have won yet
again?for the sixth time!"
"Let it stand for the seventh, mon
ami."
Why should Des Trebes be watching
him so openly, so pointedly? As
he watched he became aware that
these two, the Frenchman and the
Englishman, were not alone; detached
though their attitude was, they wer?
evidently of a party of ladles and gentlemen
whose gay, chattering group
formed their background.
"Monsieur, the seventh turn!"
"Yes, yes."
"Rein ne va plus," croaked the
nrrumipr
One of the ladies turned to speak to
the Honorable Mr. Glynn. Smiling,
he nodded, and offered her an arm.
She lingered, addressing Des Trebes.
The latter bowed, lifted his shoulders
and laughed lightly, plainly excusing
himself. A general movement took
place in the party; it began to disintegrate,
men and women pairing off,
all moving at leisure toward the lobby.
Des Trebes alone remained. O'Rourke
could see that the personnel of the
gathering was largely British. He
recognized Lady Plinllmmon, whose
yacht (he had heard casually) had arrived
in the harbor that morining. Evidently
this was her party. Another
woman's figure caught his attention;
her back was turned, but she had an
air, a graceful set of the shoulders, an
Individual nriiie and Knirlt in the noise
of her head, that O'Rourke could have
sworn he knew. He was conscious
that he flushed suddenly, that his
heart was pounding. He made as If to
rise and follow, biit was prevented, almost
forced back by a hand which the
Austrian In his feverish interest had
ral. He strode away hastily, searchin?
the throng in the lobby for her 1
with whom his mind was occupied to '
the ercclusic n of a'l else. '
The Fvstem-gambler followed hira '
with a stare of incredulous amaze- :
mejit. "What a man!" said ho '
to himself. If half aloud. A second !
inter hi added: "What admirable act- j'
ing!"
Pitt he was mistnk n. There was (
nothing assumed in O'Rourke's air of ,j
apathy. He was actually quite indlf- j
f?-jiiJ already preoccupied wit' 1
:. s in;?*r?\:t?th^ pursuit of thf t*
> it n ?se unexpected appearand '
.1 . .".n ' *"i:i'.J il!:ely to upee1 j?
' 'i u'.ii v. Tli- cnilp of t' '
ul ioivi.aes had all h. 1
life long been trimmed to the winds 1
of Chance; he was accustomed to see- '
lng them fall flat and flapping, empty, i
Just when a venture seemed most j
propitious. The loss of the money t
was nothing; the Initial amount had
been little enough in all conscience, r
though the major part of all that he j
possessed; but to him the woman was '
everything?the world and all. t
And now she was gone, had disappeared
with her companions! In that *
Instant in which he had turned from [
her to the table, she had made her es- c
cape. , \
He cursed roundly the weakness
that had lost her to him, and passing t
rapidly through the lobby, left the t
Casino, pausing before the entrance
to look right and left. (
There was no sign of what he
sought; the party had vanished. And i
who uhonld hhv whither? a
walk with me a little distance, while 1
we converse?"
"Gladly, monsieur."
Des Trebes produced a cigarette case,
and together, smoking, the two turned
their backa upon the casino and wandered
off along the paths of the ter?
(
Dr. Miles' Anti-Pain Pills for legnche.
yesterday. Our meeting with Madam?
Efmyth-Herriott was quite accidental."
"Oh, the dlvvle!" said O'Rourke beneath
his breath. Plainly he might
Bipect nothing more helpful from this
man; he had Jumped prematurely at a
baseless conclusion, it seemed. And
by now It was much too late to think
of further pursuit. "That is all I
wished to know, monsieur," he admitted
lamely. "There was a lady in the
group whom I thought I recognized.
[ wished to find her, and fancied ye
might perhaps direct me. Ye didn't
by any chance happen to hear Mrs.
I Smyth-Herriot say where she was going
with Mr. Glynn?"
"Unhappily, no, monsieur."
"Very well then. What can I hare
the happiness to serve ye In?"
The Frenchman hesitated briefly.
"This is a trifle public," he suggested.
"Will you not be kind enough to
"Damnation!" he grumbled.
"Monsieur," a voice intruded at his I
side.
"He turned with a start, annoyed.
"Well?" he demanded curtly, recognising
De Trebes.
The Frenchman bowed. "I have the
honor to address Monsieur le Colonel
O'Rourke?" '
Reflecting that the man might afford
him the information he sought,
O'Rourke unbent. "I am he, Monsieur
des Trebes."
Surprised, the latter lifted his eyebrows,
showing even white teeth in a
deprecatory smile. "You know me,
monsieur?"
"By sight and reputation only, monsieur."
"I am honored."
"No more than meself. If it oomee to
that."
The vicomte laughed "Then I may
presume to ask the favor of a word
with you? t
"Are ye not having It, monsieur?**
"True . . . But In private?"
"One moment. Ye can do me a
favor. If ye will. Afterwards?"
"I am charmed."
" 'Tls 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
him??"
"Madame Smyth-Herrlott, I believe;
I know her only slightly."
"Then ye are not of their party?"
"Party?" Des Trebes appeared perplexed.
"What party?"
"Why, Lady PUnlimmon's, of
I course."
"I have not the honor of that lady's
; acquaintance, monsieur."
"Oh, ye have not? But Mr. Glynn?"
"Is here with me, monsieur?& flyi
Incr trtn Wo run rlntrn trnm Porto hut
i unconsciously piacea on the msn- t
man's shoulder.' c
j "JTonr!eur, monsieur!" he gasped, I
his eyes, j rotruding, fixed upon iho t
i wheel. Beads of sweat glister.e ! on i
his forehead. Tie trembled as though t
hi -, ou a fortunes hung on the change. 1
Irvressed. O'P.ourke could not forbear
io 1 :;':rr. t.) cast a reluctant t
?. ::\ce at the table. 1
Yhe size of his pile of gold and ]
i
nc.es on tne ron was a som *wi:;h 1
! startling sight to bim. His breath
otoj?i>ed in his throat. The ivory sphere *
I was rattling over the compartments t
to its predestined place. What ir h" s
were to win? O'Rourhe began to calculate
mentally how much he had at
| stake, how much he might win if his '
icar.l ss prediction that red would turn
; up t\e seventh, time should come true
j ?Inst his bearings in a maze of intrl- 1
cate computation and was on the '
pol"' of abandoning the problem when 1
black was called.
"firoat Ocd!" panted the Austrian,
withdrawing his hand.
O'liourke rose. "The fortunes of 1
war, me friend," said he with a laugh !
so unforced that it sounded unnatu- 1
aced gardens. Ever descending, they 1
:ame at length to the secluded, little
ighted and less frequented portions of
;he grounds which border the water'ront,
and presently sat side by side
ipon a bench, looking out over the
larbor. Then and then only did Des
frebes approach his subject?somehing
which he had until nbw studiousy
avoided, distracting the not overpatient
Irishman by a falling fire of
Kunalitino I
"I dare say, Colonel O'Rourke," be
suggested abandoning his mother
:ongue for excellent English?"I dare
ay you are wondering?"
"I am that."
"I feared so. But it was essential
that we should speak In privacy."
"Yes??"
'But before I proceed, may I put you
i question or two bordering, perhaps,
upon impertinence, yet not so conceived
?"
"What a long-winded beggar!"
O'Rourke commented mentally. "As
tor that," said he aloud, " 'tis Impossible
for me to calculate the impertl
Hence until 'tis put to me. Eh?"
"Believe me, sir, I am anxious only
:o avoid Indiscretion. It is the question
of your identity alone. I desire
anly to be assured that you are the
Colonel O'Rourke I take you to be."
"My faith! And who else would I
ae, now?"
"There's the bare possibility that
wo of the same name might exist"
" 'Tis so bare that 'tis fairly Inde:ent,"
chuckled the Irishman. "But lire
iway."
"I am not mistaken in assuming
hat I address the Colonel Terence
D'Rourke who was at one time a party
o le petit Lemercie's mad Empire du
Sahara project and who later mar ied
Lemarcier's widow, Madame la
Prlncesae de Grandlieu?"
O'Rourke took a long breath and
ooked his questioner up and down.
'Ye have a very pretty taste in the
natters of impertinences," he said
jravely. "However, let that pass. I'm
;he same man."
"A thousand pardons. Caution in
natters such as this?" A shrug competed
the thought most eloquently. ;
'You can give me proofs of your iden
les to accompany me to the Orient,
iver there. I'll put your mind at ease
>efore ye can say knife."
Des Trebes nodded. "I should be
lellghted, but unfortunately" ? he
mapped the case of his watch?"I
lave an appointment with a confrere,
day we fix a time?In half an hour,
iay?when It will be convenient for
rou to have me call at the Orient?"
"In half an hour? I'll await y
hen, monsieur."
"Pardon, then, my haste. I am late,
must be off."
The man's hand touched O'Rourke's
n the most brief of clasps, singularly
Irm and cold. The Irishman pondered
he sensation for some moments after
)es Trebes' hurrying figure had vanshed
in shadows.
"I don't like it," he averred; "'tis
i bad sign?a hand that's naturally
rold. I never yet touched one like it
hat belonged to a man ye could trust.
misdoubt he's sound at the core,
Des Trebes. . . . But then, what's
he odds? Can I not take care of metelf?
And since 'tis the Government
?? France I'm treating with, and him
lelf only the medium?that puts altogether
a different complexion on the
natter."
He spent the ensuing half-hour lolerlng
In the more populous portion
>f the grounds, smoking as he strollid,
his eyes keen to scrutinize each
voman who came his way. But he dlsjovered
none resembling her whom he
>ad seen in the Casino.
to he 'continuum.
Wood! Wood! Wood! See
2-7-tf J C Kelley.
5 or 6 doses "666" will cure any
:ase of Chills and Fever. Price, 25c.!
5-4-lyr
I
i
lty, then?"
"Proofs!" O'Rourke got to his feet.
'Believe me, monsieur, ye have all the !
>roof I'm willing to give ye. and that's
ny last word. If ye find it insufficient,
vhy, then?"
"Pardon!" Des Trebes interrupted,
ising. "I am myself more than con- j
ent. But the Government of France?" I
"The Government of France?!" i
TRourke whistled.
"Is more exacting than I. It knows
i certain Colonel O'Rourke and him
done does It need."
"The divvle It does! And what will
t be wanting with me?"
"I can say at present no more than
hat I represent Government in an
Lffair demanding secrecy and dispatch,
have a certain diplomatic mission to
lischarge, and shall have need, monilenr,
of a man strong, bold, venturelome,
willing to undertake a long and
>erhaps perilous Journey." Had Des
[Tebes been Inspired he could have
ormulated no speech better calculated I
o Intrigue the Irishman; the merest i
cho of Its Import would have flred
lis hearer's fancy. He added: "And I
im authorized to retain for that pur>ose,
should I be fortunate enough to
lnd him unengaged, a certain Colonel
rerer.ce O'Rourke."
"Say no more, monsieur. 'Tla
nough. '8ecrecy?dispatch?a long
ind perilous Journey!' Faith I'm Just
our man!"
"You have no other business of the
noment?"
"None whatever."
'Then I am Indeed fortunate. And
low, I presume, you will no longer
ibject to satisfying me as to your ldenlty."
"Not In the least. Although, to be
:andld, monsieur, I'm not in the habt
of carrying me Bertillion record
ibout me. But If ye'll have the good
i ?!?.*?!?.'?.?!?!?;?;?k?
ILJ.STA
?
? The Coffins and
,?
offers his
<?)
| Day an<
? in th
j? FIRST OFFICE OVER STACK
v? Yours to
| L. J.
?
The Fall Te
KINGSTREE GRADED i
Bega
Septembei
All departmer
in Good Worl
Parents who intend entering
will please do so during tne first
Patrons and friends of the S
to visit the school at an / .ime.
Any further fnforma
I applying to
J. W. Swittenberg,
| Superintendent.
1 Kingstree
t r.? T? ?
V>V A V k
jl WHEN YOU NEEDT ANYTH
A record of more than tv
hind him. With a bunch o:
on hand, he is always read^
y Also Feed and L*
i J. L. Stuckey,
I
01?IO I?J
] WHAT IT
A Bank's
Is the fund along with the Cap
Profits that protects the dep<
1 fore the larger it is, the gr<
pjositor has. This Bank 1
Capital Stock of
Surplus Fund of
Undivided Profits of
II Additional Stockholders' ]
D Total
This means that this Bank must
Oof its depositors could lose a
for you. Do business witi
1 never lost a Dollar.
The Bank of
D. C. Scott, President. J
F W. Fairey, Cashier. }
Wm. W. Barr,
01 II. I 1
/'
CKLEY, 11
Caskets Man ? ?J,
services @ vL
i Night m
? m?
LEY'S DRY 600DS GO.'S. ? fl
lCKLEY. g
:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:'@
rm of the |
WD HIGH SCHOOL j
r 18,1911 J
I 'r f
its are now ^
cing Order. w
^ j
% their children in the school 41
week of the fall term. Jl
IBS
4 ' *9fl
Jchool are cordially invited |a
tion may be had by mi
... laaHj
E. C. Epps,
Clerk Board of Trustees.
''* ? 'fw
S. C. I
Stuckey 1
m %
IIN6 IN HORSEFLESH J
venty vears stands be- m
f nice horses and mules B
y for a sale or a swap. Mi
ivery Stables. I
Lake City, S. C. ^ jB
'means0 J]
Surplus ? ,
>ital Stock and Undivided
Dsitors from loss; there?ater
protection the de- 1 ^ >
las a
S30.000.00 T|
20,000.00 !
8,279.77 i
Liability 30,000.00 H m
$88,279.76 H M
t lose $88,279.76 before one Jj M
cent. This protection is 4*
i The Bank that has j . V
Kingstree $
. A. kelley.Vice Pres.
C. D. Lesesne, Asst. Cashier. *
Jr., Teller.
II ?1(
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