The age-herald., 1901-11-17
(Author of "The Three Daughters oi Night" "The Mystery of the I Moat House." Ete.) T
A VOICE OF THE NIGHT.

| There are two men whom l wish 10 keep apart at all costs,". said Sir Ed ward but their daring and ingenuity are so great that although I have taken really very strong measures to prevent, any communication between them, can not feel sure that they will not outwit l me. I shall be glad, therefore, if you will supervise the movements of one of them"'
 May know why you are so anxious they should not meet?' I asked.
 Certainly. The man over here, Michael Sullivan by name. engineef by profess sion, anarchist in practice, is waiting to receive some orders of the greatest inn portance from one David Hammond, now on his way home from the Cape. These orders. l have discovered, are to be trans- mitted to the English branch of the French Society known as The Under takers'-a significant title, whose objects are: Disorder, Destruction, Death. The society is one of the most dangerous In the world, having branches everywhere, and 1t is mpefative-seeing that there is undoubtedly some mischief brewing-that Hammond should be prevented speaking until we can throttle the conspiracy. At present I am completely in the dark" What have you done in the matter? You say you have taken some strong measures
 Well" drily, 'T think it likely that there may be a case of suspected but bonic plague on the steamer by which Hammond is a passenger" 2 You don't want to kill the man?" l exclaimed in horror.
 "I said Suspected 'replied the chief with a smile, it is not necessary that | it should be a genuine case. To avoid notice, no doubt, Hammond is not trav-
 cling by one of the big liners, but by a large merchant vessel, which carries a | limited number of passengers Among | them Is doctor. friend of mine, and a
 man who will develop a mysterious ill.,
 ness a few hours before the steamer is
 due at Lisbon. At Lisbon, as you may | know, there is a perfect panic on account
 of the plague, and have no doubt that the Aorgangi will be put in quarantine for a week or two. at least, until the
 medical officer of the port is satisfied as
 to the nature of the disease"
 I looked at the chief In admiration
 He certainly was not easily daunted. I
 That will give us time to look about.Y
 he continued "and I hope to discover
 what plot the miscreants are hatching I
 am convinced that this Hammond Is
 bringing the final instructions-the last
 word-without which they will not act, so you see how important it is that he should not be allowed to speak. It seems a roundabout way of doing things, but the society is too cunning to be direct, and, no doubt, there is some good reason why Hammond has been entrusted with ' the mission" i7i
 You do not think that the captain Is ] likely to sail for England instead of remaining in quarantine in Lisbonf
 "Oh, no, his cargo is principally for ! that port, and the convenience of the pas i sengers will not be studied as 1t would be on a regular liner
 "Supposing Hammond cannot come | home, is it not most probable that some
 member of the society will go to Lis
 bon and try to communicate with | him?"
 "A man will start tonight-Michael Sul- livan-upon whose movements I wish you
 to keep the closest watch He Is travel
 ing via Calais, Paris, and Madrid, and of course you must go by the same 'f'route The doctor I mentioned is look
 ing after Hammond on board and will | prevent any letters passing between him l and Suliivan-even if the authorities would allow any communication between l the suspected ship and the shore. which | should very much doubt. Still, as said before these merf are so cunning that I do not feel at all secure. It Is evident that matters have reached an important crisis and that delays are dangerous, or Sullivan would not rush of to Lisbon in such haste. The announcement that the Aorangi had been quarantined was only in vest erday's paper"
 | 'rYbu think they will act without Ham, mand's active cooperation, then?"
 ''Yes, if they can receive his tnstruc- tions. That Is sine qua non, I am sure. And, fortunately for us, the moving spirit l.ola fp,fr xrhnC nrdo Hammond Is acting, is now crossing the | Atlantic-to be out of harms way when 1 the crash comes no doubt-so they can not go to the fountain head. Of course any particularly dangerous piece of busi- ness is kept as secret as possible and, evidently, Hammond and the chief are the only two men who are in full possess sion of the plot. It is an awkward quandary." and Sir Edward smiled, we'll pleased.
 I started for Lisbon that night, taking my seat at Charing Cross in a compart- ment next to the first-class smoking car riage, in which had seen Michael Sulli- van ensconse himself. He was a slight dark man. of rather distinguished ap- pearanoe. An Irishman, of course, but from one of the southern counties, con- jectured where many of the inhabitants show signs of their descent from the | Spanish settlers. Nothing of note occurred from Charing Cross to Dover, or from Dover to Calais Nothing of note indeed, on the whole of the journey, unless it might be the al- most frantic haste with which Sullivan traveled but for that I had been pre- 1 pared. He traveled day and night and I, | perforce, had to do the same, but, for | tunately I have accustomed myself to | sleeping anywhere, so that looked less l exhausted than my comp, oion when at | last we arrived in Lisbon. He was hag- | gard and wild-eyed; ithd-- anxiety and want of rest had evidently tried his | nerves severely. T had been careful to keep out of his sight on the journey, but followed him coolly into the hotel om- nibus at Lisbon. could see he was too dazed and exhausted to take notice of anything or anyone. The International Hotel was chiefly frequented by foreign CTS and was situated close to the quay. I had little fear of attracting attention in that motley crowd and I was con- vinced Sullivan had no supicion that he was being watched. His own affairs ab-' sorbed all his attention.
 After an excellent luncheon and good sleep, I felt thoroughly refreshed and fit for anything. My room was in the same corridor as Sullivan's, and as I went past his door on my day out paused moment to listen, and fancied caught the sound of deep breathing. l had heard him give instructions to be called in time for dinner, so I knew he did not oontem- plate making any move until the even ing. Indeed, he was physically incapable of doing so.
 I strolled down from the hotel to the