Evening star., 1898-06-18

rejected as quickly as conceived. But If
there should be anything wrong, he reflect
ed he was quite able to look after himself:
loaded revolver rested in a convenient
pocket. The thought shamed him, and he
hesitated longer.
Il will go with you, Mrs. Herman" he
said 1T was reckless and foolish of you
to come into the town alone, and you GER
tainly can't return by yourself. And l
should not sleep tonight If l had refused
TO DO a service to a fellow-countryman in
distress. l hope We shall find your husband
better
You will save his life, Mr. Quin! May
heaven bless you! shall never forget your
kindnessr
She continued to pour out her gratitude.
fervently and tearfully, until Qun checked
her.
Il am doing what any man would do un-
der the same circumstances" he said.
And, If you will pardon me, / have very
little time TO spare. 1 must ask you 20
lead the way promptly"
Come: l will show you,"
Drawing her cloak tightly about her head
and shoulders, so that only her eyes were
visible, the woman started off at a brisk
pace. Quin kept at her side, and for twen-
ty minutes they pushed steadily across the
town. From the more respectable quarter
they came to slums that held every form
of vice. Lights fared from drinking dens
and gaming houses from filthy novels ten
anted b. the scum of all nations; the air
was filled with quarrelsome voices, bawling
ana cursing in score of dialects and
tongues.
The woman looked neither to right or
left. treading her way with fine disdain.
QuinS right hand was close to his revolver
hut his appearance inspired a wholesome
respect, and beyond insulting jeers AMI
epithets, to which he gave no heed, the
canaille of the slums did not venture At
last the town struggled and fell behind.
and foul space of trampIed reeds and
mire brought the two sharp up against the
jungle that barred civilization from saw
agery. Quin looked back, and was relieved
to see that they had not been followed
rs the place near?" he asked
1t Is not far. though it is difficult to
reach the woman replied. But l know
every step of the Way-you can trust to
my guidance"
They plunged into the fastenesses. at
first forcing a passage with difficulty. Then
they picked up a narrow path where 1t
was necessary to walk in single file. For
five minutes in silence. they went on. The
serried masses of vegetation thickened
ana scarcely ray of the moons light
penetrated from overhead. Quin, as he fol-
lowed the twistings of the path felt a
growing sense of annoyance but before
this could ripen to suspicion he emerged
with his guide on a small clear space sur
rounded by dense jungle Here looking
weird and dreary in the pale light stood a
long, low bungalow of the Malay type
The woman slipped under the shadowy
veranda and turned about.
1T Is dark Within" she said "I think
my husband has fallen asleep. How glad
| he will be to see you! Come"
Quin made one step forward and that
quickly he was grasped from behind a
pair OF muscular arms encircling his throat
and face. He had no time to struggle or
even to cry out, for a cloth saturated with
some nauseous. stupefying drug was press
ed against his mouth and nostrils. Swiftly
| he yielded 10 the deadly odor His limbs
relaxed and his senses faded. He heard a
low, mocking laugh, and then all was a
| blank
A small sqUalid room containing a few
| cishes and broken bench; a window ad-
mitting the gray glow of early dawn: a
| door hanging on one hinge and revealing a
| green vista Of Jungle-this was what Mat
| thew Quin saw when he returned to con-
| sc.ousness and looked about him with
| blinking eyes. By an effort he half rose
| from the bed of dried grass at the far end
| OF the room and leaned back against the
wall. He was weak in every limb his
| head was heavy and a pungent smell was
! in his nostrils.
AT first he was at loss to account for
| his strange surroundings. but soon his
muddled brain cleared, and he remembered
| how he had been decoyed to this lonely
| bungalow. Stupefied by some drug he had
| lain here all night, for it was morning now.
OutWltted by a woman. The thought filed
| him with rage-with shame that he had
| be en- so easily victimized. And the motive!
W by had the woman and her confederate
| taken such pains to get him into their
| Eower? The mystery deepened when he
| discovered that a suit of coarse clothing
| had been substituted for his own attire
| He found flask of brandy In one Of the
| pockets, and stiff dose of 1t had q speedy
| and bracing effect.
| Looks like a case of simple robbery"
] he said to himself. But they didn't get