The Florence daily tribune., 1898-04-21

Shs toas evidently absorbed In her os,n
thoughts.
bitter laugh. "But 1 don't think you
will be any too pleased when you hear
it. My real name is Allie, but by the
benighted inhabitants of this part OF
the globe l am called by another and
more picturesque cognomen.
She stopped, and almost caught my
breath with excitement. A light was
breaking upon me.
And that is''- / said, trying in
vain to keep my voice down to steady
level
1.-The Beautiful White Devil" size
answered, with another of her peculiar
smiles, and then, calling her bulldog
to her. she bowed to me, turned on her
heel and went slowly aft along the deol..
So my thoughtlesS wish was gratifiod
after all. had now seen the Beautiful
White Devil face to face. and, what
was more to the point, was likely to
be compelled to see more Of her than
should consider necessary for my own
amusement. Like the sultan Of Surabayn
and Vesey of Hongkong. was now her
prisoner. And by what simple ruse
had been caught. BY all that was rea-
sonable in woman, however, what DOS
sible advantage could she hope to gain
by abducting me? AT the very most,
could not lay my hands on more than
So, 600, and what earthly use could that
be to woman who was known to deal
In millions? But perhaps, reflected, It
was not money she was after; perhaps
she had some other desperate game to
play-some other move in that wonder
full life Of hers in which my science
could be of use to her and the nature of
which l could not be expected to fathom.
Situated as l was, she could compel me
to do her bidding if she pleased or
make it extremely awkward for me If
felt it my duty to refuse.
You will doubtless have noticed thnt
had quite abandoned the idea of the
smallpox epidemic. The notion of that
island with the raging pestilence prob
ably only existed in the fertile brain of
the man who had been sent to induce
me to leave Hongkong. But in that case
and here the original argument
wheeled back upon me-what possible
advantage could accrue to her through
abducting me? There were hundreds Of
richer men in Hongkong. Why had not
one of them been chosen? But as the
more I thought it out the further I
seemed to be from getting at the truth
of it, / gave the problem up and turned
my thoughts in another direction.
As did SO l heard somebody coming
along the deck. This time it was a
mans footstep so 1 looked out to seq
who it might be. 1t was Walworth, the
individual who had visited me in Hong
kong and enticed me away. He was
dressed in European habiliments now
and carried cigarette in his hand
Seeing that was aware of his presence,
he came across to the hammock and
held out his hand.
GOOD morning, doctor he said
cheerily enough. I'm glad to see you're
better. All things considered, you've
had a nasty time of it since you said
goodby to the Victoria hotel, haven't
you?''
A pretty cheeky way of putting it,
considering he was the cause of it all, !"
thought to myself. However, I'll
give hip Roland for his Oliver He
shall not think I'm wanting in pluck
lyon have certainly contrived good
many stirring adventures for my enter
tainment, l must say" 1 answered
aloud. but will you tell me one thing
why did you not let me know in
Hongkong who my hostess would turn
out to be?"
Because in that case you would
probably have informed the police, and
give ourselves the pleasure Of your COM
pany and assistance.