University of South Carolina Libraries
I % rTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIf I ? fr j The Pc-11 j of Flame j! BWBKBKBBBByPHPMWBMBBI ov> : } ( 5;t | j /i\ 1 ; > ?v F; I j ; LOUIS jos?;:'H VANcr <. j j'1 ! T:!,"'T',iOC-f,vL ; ; j fei^ZLHT"' " .' ' :*-;-: Co;,; ., -i* ; CHAPTER XXVIII. I At a small hour of the morning they made Diamond Harbor in pitch darkness and without misadventure were successful in causing themselves to be transhipped, bag and baggage, to the twlnscrew steamship Poonah, which i Vessel rode at anchor In midstream. Toward eight o'clock of the whitehot forenoon that followed, O'Rourke, In the shadow of a long-boat on the Poonah's promenade deck, stood finishing a matutinal cigar and watching narrowly a tender ferry out a final boatload of passengers from the eastern river bank. Slowly the tender forged toward the , Steamer's side; and aa it drew near, O'Rourke forgot to smoke and bent over the rail to Inspect with unremitting interest those upon Its decks. The forward deck of the tender held his regard but briefly; those who1 waited there, eyeing impassively the towering flanks of the liner, were one and all of the east, of races, creeds j and types too ffumerous to catalogue. These the adventurer might not read, save individually upon personal contact. If trouble was to come from them, collectively or individually, he would not know until the blow had fallen. On the other hand, he might be able to hazard shrewd surmises as to the potential animus Inherent in any one of the Europeans who were to be his fellow passengers. The latter were a mere handful; half a dozen commercial travelers from London, Paris, Berlin, their avocations evident beyond dispute; a sallow English miseionary with his withered wife, sombre figures In the stark unlight, a red-faced deputy-sub-something-or-other of the Indian govern- j ment, complacent in white drill and Dew pith helmet with a gay puggaree; a lone English girl, and a Frenchman. , The two latter held the Irishman's , attention; the girl because, even at a j distance, her slim white-clad figure m*\A tx-oll.nnlao^ Kao/1 Qnnmh^ alntrii- i IkUU n VtryviOVu u^uu uwuivv* w*uq u larly fresh and attractive; the man because?well, because O'Rourke was susceptible to premonitions. He was a tall man and broad, the Frenchman?well-made, well-groomed, carrying himself with an Indefinable ' air of distinction. His face was rath- ! er pale (and therefore notable In that concourse of dark skins), its features , strongly modeled, the mouth and chin ' masked by a neatly trimmed and pointed beard and mustache. O'Rourke could not have said that be had ever seen the man before; yet there was this and that about him | which struck a spark of reminiscence I from his memory. A suspicion flashed ! through his mind which he put aside j with disdain, as absurd and far-fetch- | ed. On the other hand. ... He 1 knit his brows In puzzlement The very fixity of his regard drew ( the eyes of its object upwards. They ' encountered O'Rourke's, lingered brief- j ly in an unveiled, inquiring stare In | which there was not to be detected ' I the least hint of recognition, and i passed onward casually, indifferently, | Ignoring the impertinence. The tender's passengers began to 11 tumble up the gang-plank to a lower j! deck of the liner; and O'Rourke, with i a sober face, went below, taking some 11 care to ' void contact with the lncom- I lng crowd. ' i He found Danny was in his state- i room, engaged with some details of repair to the adventurer's wardrobe, i O'Rourke remained for a brief space 11 standing in the middle of the cabin, i visibly abstracted. Then abruptly i some whimsical consideration seemed i to resolve bis dubiety?as lightning i will clear sultry, brooding air; a smile j I deepened the corners of his mouth, j 1 the flicker in his eye merged magically : i Into a twinkle, the shrug of his broad * shoulders conveyed an impression of i casting care to the winds. "Danny, lad," he remarked reflect- |1 Ively, throwing himself ungracefully ' npon the cushioned transom opposite !' to his berth. "Danny, ye wouldn't lie 1 to me, would ye now?" I "Aw-w!" reproved Danny. "Shure, j1 fer honor knows ut isn't in me at all." ,' * - j A- Vtm.Ail. *1DVt r> ^{V?la I AQU tv WiUBCil, i uab utiTiv tow?" "Then tell me, Danny, truthfully; ild ye ever see a ghost?" "Aw-w!"?seeing cause to take the 1 tuery as a joke. "A ghost that had grown a beard 1 *ince It had become a ghost, Danny?" 1 "Aw-aw-w!"?still willing to be : imused, if "himself" chose to be face- ' Uous. 1 "Because," continued O'Rourke with i slight frown, "I have, and that not 1 live minutes since." 1 "Aw?" "Wance I left a man for dead, Dan- ( ay, with a clean sword-thrust through 1 the body of him?a misbegotten black- , guard he was; but I killed him in lair fight, sword to sword, and no fa- , vor. . . . And this bright ana beautiful morning, lo and behold ye! tvho should come tripping up the gangplank but his ghoet, as lively as ye please, and with a neat new beard!" "Aw-w?"?Incredulously. O'Rourke frowned Impatiently. "Dee Trebes," he explained. "Aw " "Stop it, ye parrot! Stop it, I eay! Have ye no word in the dark lexicon of your ignorance other than 'Aw-aW? Get up. ye omadhaun, and take me respects to the purser and ask him please will he show ye the passenger-list." The valet left with circumspect alacrity. Alone, O'Rourke rose and turned thoughtfully to a revolver that made a conspicuous black spot on the white counterpane of the berth, with nerv? ous, strong fingers unlimbering the weapon and taking account of the brass dials of the cartridges that nestled snug In Its six-chambered cylinder. The machine was in i>erfect condition: O'Rourke snapped the breech shut and thrust it in his pocket. Then he sat down to think, subconsciously aware from noises without that the tender had swung off and the anchor wa6 being tripped. Could the resemblance be accidental? It seemed hardly possible. The 1)06 Trebes he had known had been & type distinct, so clear and aloof from the general Frenchman that not even the addition of a beard to his physiognomy could have proven a thorough disguise. And it seemed reasonable enough to assume that. Mrs. Prynne having failed in her undertaking, DeB _ O'Rourke Could Not Have Said That He Had Ever Seen the Man Before. Trebee would resume his office as ac * ? -a *1 1? I ? T O 14 uve neaa 01 uieir uuuspiruu/. u n were Indeed he whom O'Rourke had Just seen, there was every chance Imaginable that the final chapter In the history of the Irishman's connection with the Pool of Flame would prove an eventful one. "Maybe not," admitted O'Rourke, "maybe 1 deceive meself. But I'm persuaded 111 do well to keep both me eyes open until the day I'm rid of the damned thing!" At this Juncture Danny's knock took him to the door. "Mongsere Raoul de Hyeres," announced the valet breathlessly: "'tis thot the purser says his name Is. yer honour." "Yes." assented O'Rourke dubiously. "But perhaps the purser's mistaken?misinformed." CHAPTER XXIX. As time went on, however, If his uneasiness were not sensibly 'diminished, nothing happened, the voyage proving entirely uneventful; and O'Rourke was forced to the conclusion that. 11 Monsieur de Hyeres were really the Vlcomte des Trebes, he wa? strangely content to play a waiting Same. The Irishman, however, had known Btranger things than that one man should seem the counterpart of an Diner. >tnu uv uuiuiu5 muiu uiau this questionable accident of resemblance did De Hyeres give him reason to believe him anything but what he cliamed to be. The man's demeanor was consistently discreet and selfcontained; he moved about the ship openly and without any apparent attempt to pry upon the doings of the adventurer, whom he fell into the easy ship-board way of greeting amiably but coolly. Only in one instance. Indeed, did they exchange more than but courteous salutations, and then De Hyeres himself seemed to seek the interview, approaching O'Rourke directly. This was at night, when O'Rourke occupied a chair on the leeward side of the saloon deck, consuming a meditative after-dinner cigar. De Hyeres stepped out of the companionway, glanced swiftly this way and that, and sauntered toward the Irishman with an unlighted cigarette held conspicuously between his fingers. O'Rourke likewise surveyed his sur roundings in two brier glances: ana was contented to find that they were alone, or as much alone as two can be upon a steamship. For they were, after all. well matched; and one of them he knew to be armed. Shifting In his chair so that his revolver lay convenient to his hand, as De Hyeres approached the Irishman removed his cigar from between his teeth, flicked away an inch of ash and silently proffered It In the prescribed fashion. The Frenchman accepted the courtesy with a bow. applied the fire to his cigarette, inhaled deeply and returned the cigar with a formal phrase of thanks. He lingered for a moment, puffing and gazing off over the black, starlit ex Dan Be of the Bav of Bengal, lonely to Its dim and far horizon, tnen observed quietly: "I am not mistaken. I believe, in understanding I have the honor to address Monsieur le Colonel 1 ' O'Rourke, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour?" [ "You are not mistaken, monsieur." returned O'Rourke pleasantly, then with the directness which he some- .; times found useful, watching the man , closely as he spoke: "And I believe i ( it is my pleasure to recognize Monsier Le Vicomte des Trebes?" 1 "Des Trebes, monsieur?" The Frenchman's look of wonder was bei yor.d criticism and there was no least trace of discomfiture to be detected : in his manner. "But no. You are 1 under a mistake. I am merely a French gentleman without a title; , | Raoul de Hveres is my name" ( "Ahl" said the wanderer. " 'Twas | I the resemblance misled me. Pardon,:, ! monsieur." !, "Granted, my dear sir. . . . Dee ' Trebee? The name has a familiar sound. Do I not remember reading j somewhere that the Vicomte des ' I Trebes died last spring? In Tunis, 1 < was it? . . , Suddenly. I believe." "Is it so?" said O'Rourke drily. "Pos- 1 sibly. The vicomte lived in the manner of those who meet with sudden ' deaths." I The subject languished, and after a j few more noncommittal observances; De Hyeres wandered ofT. presumably \ in search of the English girl, to whom he had been paying assiduous attention. On closer scrutiny, she had proved to be a remarkably pretty girl; alj though, in point of fac*. O'Rourke. for all that he admired her looks im- i mensely, had purposely avoided her.! j This he did from motives of prudence; he mistrusted the combination formed by De Hyeres and the girl. The latter ' might be all that she looked and claimed to be: a sweet, wholesome and rather ingenuous young Englishwoman, an orphan, resident in Rangoon in the , household of an uncle, to whom she was returning after a visit with friends in Simla. On the passenger list her name stood as Emilia Pyn-) 6ent. But ihe adventurer felt it the course of wisdom to deny himself the pleasure of her acquaintance, so long as she permitted the attentions of the Frenchman. Altogether, considering the hot weather and suca self-imposed restrictions, O'Rourke considered the , voyage hardly a success from a social me steptj uiree at tt sinus ... v. 3 I suddenly found himself In the preBj ence of, more than that, closeted with E 1 the man to meet whom he had crossed y half the world at peril of his life: Mr. Lansdowne Sypher. i "Colonel O'Rourke?" Sypher's man- a ner was very cordial. "I'm glad to see f I you. You are within your time, yet 1 r J had begun to despair of you. Be seated." He indicated a chair beside [ his desk. "And permit me; you of ; all men will appreciate the precau- < ' tlon." < He laughed and went to the win- f 1 dows, adjusting the wooden shades In ] such a manner that the light was tempered and no portion of the room j 1 ; could be visible to anyone spying ] from a window in one of the adjacent t ' buildings. The he turned and smiled j cheerfully at the stupefied adventurer. 1 "I have It here," said O'Rourke; "safe ' be the mercy of several highly poten- i tlal saints!" He laughed uneasily, ] fumbling in his breast pocket "There 1 It Is," said he, tossing the stone In Its chamois covering upon the solicitor's < da** I point or view, ne nepu prenj mu<.u i to himself and to Danny, and to make assurance doubly sure he Instituted a new regime with regard to the Pool of Flame: that Jewel never left his stateroom. When ( 'Rourkc was on deck or at meals, Danny sat behind bolts, alert and under arms, and vice versa. By night they stood regular j , watches together, the one on guard ! while the other slept. Clearly the ad*! venturer was determined that no lack ! of safeguards on his part should again deprive him of the ruby. j But it's no easy matter to avoid . meeting any particular person on a : ship with a small saloon list, unless . one is willing to be purposely rude : and discourteous. For nil his wart-) ness the Irishman waa to carry with ; him a personal impression of Miss Pynsent. On the last day of the passage, toward evening, the Poonah raised the coast of Burmah; by dark she was I steaming steadily southwards along j the littoral, beading for the delta of < 1 the Irrawaddy. 1 j A still, bright night with little wind: . I O'Rourke v.as not one to resist its aP ; lure. Four bells saw him lounging at the rail below the bridge, staring hungrily over toward the land. It was In hi;; mind that another twelve hours , rr cn wnn'd see him relieved of his i ~ - 1 trust; ar.u ..s the time drew nigh im- | patien.e '"imk-1 : :.iy v ithin hira; he ( had be- -r -y of the Pool of ] Flame *.: a: v. ros to be tree of < traveled way of Rangoon, Mogul , street. In front of a structure of stone and j Iron so palpably an office building p that it might have been transplanted a to the Strand without exciting com- r* ment?save for the spotless cleanli- ^ ness of it?their tlkkagharry drew up. t The gharrlwallah Indicated the of- c ' flees of Messrs. Secretan and Sypher, ~ one flight up?and named his fare. ( O'Rcurke paid him and alighted, with B Danny at his heels and his heart trying to choke him. The hour of ful- ( fllment wat at hand?and all was well! He who had faced death In a e j hundred shapes of terror, unflinching, I found himself in a flutter of nerves .. that would have disgraced a school- , girl He dodged Into the building, took ' 4l- - ? ? * ? A onH 9ypher himself betrayed some evidences of nervousness as he cat forward and lifted the case by Its leathern thongs. He let It dangle before btm for an Instant, watching It with a curious, speculative smile. . . . "Well," he said, "really ... !" And after a pause; "I congratulate you, Colonel O'Rourke. And I admire you immensely. . . . You see. when this commission was offered us, I considered seriously the pioject of going in search of you In person and bringing the 6tone back to Rangoon myself. But then?although I'm not really a timorous man?I knew the circumstances so well?I feared I should never reach Rangoon alive. Yes." He thrust a hand into his waistcoat pocket and produced a penknife, with which he began to silt the Btltches that enclosed the ruby. "You've been wondering, no doubt, why so enormous a reward was offered. . . "I have that," Assented O'Rourke. "It was partly becaus^ of the danger," said Sypher, Intent upon his occupation. "You know, these Burmese are a curiously pious folk; when one Df them grows rich he employs the major part of his fortune In building i Umple?or in some such work. This particular gentleman?a very wealthy merchant?chose to give half of what be had to the restoration of the Pool of Flame to the Buddha from which it was originally stolen. But he, too, lift p?^ Mil -li" iii'l '| w?J ? The Pool of Flame Lay Naked In Hla Palm. (pas afraid. He's superstitious about :he stone?believes It bad luck to :ouch it bo long as It remains away 'ram its Buddha. So he came to us. . . I myself am Dot supersuuouB, DUt . . He ceased to speak abruptly, for the Pool el Flame lay naked, a blinding narvel, In the hollow of his palm. D'Rourke heard him gasp and was conscious of his hastened respiration. tVatchlng the man Intently, he saw i strange shade of pallor color his 'ace. " 'TIb meself," said the adventurer, 'that's no more superstitious than ye, sir. Yet I'm willing to confess I'm glad the thing's out of me hands at last." Sypher seemed to recollect himself is one coming out of a state of stu[>or. He stood up and buttoned the ruby carefully Into a pocket of his trousers. "Ccme," he said crisply. 'Let us step across the street to the Sank. The money's there for you, sir ?the reward." CHAPTER XXXI. Back In his stateroom on the Fooiah, O'Rourke threw himself Into tbs lower berth and lay there, a forearm Bung across his eyes, thinking excitedly, disturbed by formless forebodings. Beside him Danny was packing lnlustrlously, with now and again a he thing, to have Its chapter In his listory closed forever. Far over the water a white and lashing light lifted up and caught his ye, a nameless beacon bright against he darkness at the base of the Ara;an hills, guardian of the perils of hose shallow seas. And simultane>usly he became conscious of a presence at his elbow; as he turned sharpy the English girl addresseu him in i voice sweet-toned and quiet. "What is that light, if you please, Colonel O'Rourke?" "Faith, that 1 can't say, Miss Pynlent." Her eFes flashed a laugh upon him n the gloom. "Then you know my ;ame?" "Even as yourself knew mine. Twould be strange otherwise, with iur ship's company so small." "But I." she returned, animated, "am iuch an insignificant person?while ou are the Colonel O'Rourke." "Ye do me an honor I'm not deservng. Miss Pynsent, but 'tis proud I ,m entirely that a humble soldier of ortrne should be known to ye be eputation." "Oh, I've grown quite weary of your ame. Colonel O'Rourke." she counered with a trace of laughing impulence. "Hardly anything has interested Monsieur De Hyeres, these past ew days, save anecdotes of your exploits." " 'Tis kind of him, to do sure. 1 nust cultivate his acquaintance and earn from him to know meself, I lee." If she detected the Irony she overooked or failed to understand It 'He's very entertaining," she commented, pleasantly. "But then most frenchmen are, don't you think? I lope to see much of him in Rangoon." "So he's landing there, too?" D'Rourke filled In the pause. "I helieve so. And you. Colonel ; OKourke?" "I may have to wait over until the j next Bteamer," he admitted warily. "I sympathise heartily with your | disgust at the prospect," laughed the! j girl. ! "Eh? And why? 'Tls a land of fair ' ; repute for climate and beauty." "Ah, but I live In Burmah, you see, ! and so have come to know It far too I well. But that's the way with all ex- 1 patrlates. Isn't It?to hate their home? ( i so far from home?" I, All departmei in Good Wor Parents who intend enterir will please do so during tne firs Patrons and friends of the to visit the school at any Jme. Any further inform; applying to I J. W. Swittenberg, Superintendent. Kingstre I H W Hendrickson, Ohio Falls, Ind, writes, "Chamberlain's Cough Remedy is the best for coughs, colds and croup, and is my best seller." For sale by all dealers.! Nothing ever happens the way it! would have happened if it had happened the way somebody wanted it to happen. Is none too good for YOU. We do the BEST JOB PRINT ING ' GIVE US YOUR ORDER. 1 nn, t. I i ne ran 11 KINGSTREE GRADED Will B Septembe "Must ye endure it, then, Miss Pynsent?" "An orphan has little choice. It ' seems my kismet to abide in Rangoon < forever and a day. You see, my only; fiv'.ng relative Is an uncle, Mr. Lana-! oowne Sypher, and he's got no one j else to keep house for him." "Lausdowne Sypher . . . !" The ejaculation sprang to O'Rourke'e lips before he could restrain it. "Yes. Do you know him? He's the Junior, you know, of the firm of Secretan and Sypher." "Solicitors, are they not? . . .! No; 'tis me misfortune not to know . your uncle. -But the name of his firm I've heard." The genial nature of the Irishman, j which had Insensibly warmed to the girl's charm, withdrew abruptly, tortoise-like, into a shell of reserve. The ] element of coincidence had again entered into his affairs. and he had j learned a bitter lesson from experience j ?to distrust coincidence on general principles. "There's naught so com- i mon in life as coincidences," he phil osoptaised, "and bo the same token ] naught bo dangerous." For which reason he Invented an early excuse to terminate the conver- ' sallon, and ungallantly withdrew to the seclusion of his stateroom, where he ! passed a night that seemed Interminable; for he lay long in a wakeful pan- ] ic of Imagination, scheming out a hundred stratgems whereby he might con- ( i'use as many possible attempts to pre- ] :-nt the due and safe delivery of the . i'ccl of Flame into the hands of Mr. 1 Lanrdowne Sypher. TO HE CONTIM'Eb. | An article that has real merit should in time become popular.That : such is the case with Chamberlain's Cough Remedy has been attested by many dealers. Here is one of them. Our Clubbing Sates ,. j We offer cheap clubbing with a number of popular newj^^J papers and periodicals. Read career 1 fully the following list and selett|iyl the one 01 more that you fancy we shall be pleased to send in yoiSj||fl order. These rates are,' of co&Sp|l all cash in advance, which Jga that both The Record and the A? *1 ordered must be paid for, not 1, T jHj I 1, 5, 9, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, but TWEj ? J months ahead. Below is the lis: i ? our best clubbing offers. -Tj The County Record and the Sot Jjt ; 9 jrn Ruralist (twice a month) The Record and Home (twice a month,) $1.85. The Record and New York (3 times a week,) $1.75. The Record and Atlanta tution (3 times a week) $1.85,^H^Hfl The Record and Bryan'sflHjKfl moner, $1.65. The Record and Cosmcfl9HB|fl Magazine $2.00 * I he Record and Youth's panion (New Subscribers) $2.5<^H^HH The Record Semi-Weekly The Record and Magazine $1.65. The Record and The fl The Record and Lippinctv. ?. Magazine $2.75. g9j The Record and National Magazine $2.00. N. B. We do not club with daily papers. The first issu^^E^H receive of the paper or perid^S^K H is evidence that the moneaiBi|iffifl same has been forwarded bfflHKflj We are not responsible after JB king Order, j I I ig their children in the scho HH t week of the fall term. t School are cordially invit?? JHB ation may be had bi^HH ?BI _ Clerk Board of Trust! ? xne bounty itecorcMm WATTS & WAMfl THE KINSSTREE JEWELERS^ 9 We keep on hand every- H thing to be found in an 9 up-to-date jewelry house Repairing and engraving done with neatness and dealers, guaranteeing^, fl quality and prices J fiMBr 0 We Solicit Your Patrol :** E NEAR THE RAILROAD ST^TI o? J ue~?'*':+ * "" - 'fBSP- i^l L-r a 1/-<f IH -.f:'"yr /'*'' ?*? * 'MnP ' SB * llbtnl B #' ; ^ v ? ?o? t^i? c^ocx:*; xWl H ur 7,:;T:r;gT!ll Chertrfec- air.tf r rh*n?: that ha* stoayr.led bIjj^Hs nil'Sn-I A <h/t?-jf?\r thar, ?v?r. Ymo mac^B inB r ot?r.-.;v:k BtfteSl **>d ch#tn otltcft. .. t .!l br#n~*. A coap!?t? <. t C ? ;_a eU forrv?r/-<i?\T*'* . ' nc ni #- ' mchH" p- -t* . .* ?jd *'' 'ni.-T'K, *?C. TK. ] -:.i' \N>.. ? -?n - . M.?-..%i* -co.. '* * ?Hi vi**" v' *?? *..* ! .". f :C? ctitldl ^8 ;rm of the I 8 AND UIDD SCHOOLS I r 16, 1912 &J > Hj t *? nts are now