Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-09-06

us WHOleSdle dirSSlS, anu Dy dCciu6ul
they caught me in the dragnet."
Then she-that wonderful woman
has been arrested?"
When he nodded in the affirmative,
strangely enough Airline gave a little
sigh of relief, as though some unex-
plainable burden were removed from
| her heart; but Charlie was too obtuse
to understand that the first little fire
of jealousy had been kindled in that
gentle breast, because she knew the
reputation Isolde Brabant had as a
sorceress among men.
The ice having now been broken,
he started in to tell his strange story.
Airline listened eagerly.
Indeed, Othello, relating his aston
ishing adventures to Desdemona,
could not have had a more deeply in
terested listener than this fair Eng
fish girl proved to be.
When he described his companion
in misery he was careful not to say
too much, lest he betray that which
he wished to keep a secret a little
longer.
The story was done.
Airline had hung on his words Gag
erly, and his assurance that Baron
Peterhoff would take care of Capt.
Brand, discovering the truth with re-
gard to his claims, and relieve her of
his presence-if, as Charlie suspected,
the other proved to be an arrant i'm
poster-was comforting to her trou-
bled heart
Still Lady Airline showed no signs
of nervousness.
Perhaps l may shock you, Mr..
Stuart-perhaps you have such strict
notions of honesty and a name upon
which there has never been a stain,
that you will hardly be as pleased to
look upon me in the light of a sister
when l confess that have a relative
in whom | am deeply concerned, and
who has broken the law of his native
land-who took what was not his own
and fed. In plain language, Mr.. Stu
art, my cousin betrayed a trust and
stole money"
She was scarlet with shame as she
turned her blue eyes appealingly to-
ward him.
Let me tell you as briefly as I can.
| knew him quite we'll. He was young
er, and a son of my fathers only
brother, now long since dead. We
were good friends up to the time he
took this false STEP and l was the last
one he saw before he fed from Eng
land Poor boy, if he had only con-
fided in me, l could have easily settled
the matter, which l did soon after
ward, at any rate.
81 have been searching since last
October; at times the trail would
grow warm, and then l lost sight of
him completely
by mere accident a friend wrote
me that she believed she had seen
him in Antwerp, though he had not
answered her smile and nod. l could
very well understand why, since he
believed the officers from London
were looking for him.
That is why | came hereto find
this boy, to reclaim and make a man
of him"
"And l shall endeavor to assist you
in your search for this Alexander
Brand said Charlie eagerly "As it
CHANGED | have some knowledge of
the young chap. In truth, have seen
him face to face"
Herein Antwerp" eagerly.
In this city"
and you can take me to him?
You will, Mr.. Stuart?" laying a hand
upon his arm.
IF you so desire; but that will ne
cessitate long journey-across the
sea, in fact"
Then he has returned to England -
mo; to Ameriea-New York"
How very strangely it all came
about" she mused
almost incrediblel Indeed,
should have been 10th to believe such,
things could be possible if had not
gone through the experience myself"
Everything had now been told, so
that there was no more secrets.
The rest of the ride was occupied
in enjoying the features of the seen
cry, in so far as these points could
be discovered from a vehicle.
And Charles mind was made up
ere they returned to the Hotel de la
Paix that, God willing, he would serve
and win this peerless girl.
The curiosity of Artemus had been
whetted to a degree that demanded
satisfaction, else his peace of mind