The Jersey City news., 1902-11-13
: IcoNTIxuED.2
CHAPTER VIII.
TnE 5. 5. cHATTAHoocHEr.

sengers and their friends to see them
of-all strangers to me, many of them
talking an uncouth, unintelligible Ian
guage. The porters were too much
overpowered with Luggage to attend to
me, and had Roy to look after.
He was very fractions. dragging at
his chain, yelping in short. angry snaps,
with fierce shows Of teeth, and keeping
every one at a distance. | cannot say
what | should have done but for the
kindness of man. gentleman who
spoke with a strong Yankee twang and
who found us seats. He persuaded the
guard to allow Roy to remain in the
carriage with us, and the dog was for
the moment good. / don't know why
l burdened myself with him, but I
clung to him feebly, desperately, for
no other reason than that he was Will
lies, the only real living link left me
with my dear missing friend.
This new acquaintance was a youth,
little more, in a straw hat and a light
check suit; he wore no gloves and had
a diamond ring on one finger and a
great diamond brooch in his slipknot
tie. He was not handsome, far from
it-freckled face. red hair and ferrety
eyes-and yet there were kindliness,
good feeling, chivalry in his face, that
many a better born gentleman might
have envied him.
"Guess you're new to this kind Of
thing" he said affably as we started.
"Never been across beforeY
Mother frowned at me from her cor
stranger, but was so sure he meant
well and so grateful to him for his
kindness that / smiled and let him
talk on.
"You see. there are a lot Of big toads
In this puddle, and outsiders are left
long way behind. Quite number of
swells on board the train-dukes and
duchesses, young millionaires. that
Crnsus British captain"
My heart bounded at the names he
mentioned, for knew that he was re
ferring to the conspirators, and I ask
ed him, rather nervously, if he knew
any Of these people by sight. ! dared
they interested me.
why, certainly; the whole hypothec.
There's the Duchess Of TERRA Sagrada.
The title is Spanish, not much. take
it, like their castles. But she's an
amazing fine woman, tall and hand
some. Reckon that's won her her
duke. She was on the boards once
some Boston variety show. The dukes
like a bit of dried root and black as
sarsaparilla."
"And this millionaire"
"Wood. You have heard of him. Is
that SO? The young English captain
who got all the Mcknight millions. I
needn't show him you; guess you know
him by sight?"
How was to answer this most en-
barrassing question? Was it put quite
innocently? Had this man any sus-
picion? l looked into his little pale
blue eyes. but they never faltered. and
l replied that, like the rest of the
world, had heard the story.
Hes no great shakes, you'll say,
not for British officer. Don't fit his
fortune quite. It's good deal to live
up to-
When the train ran into Southamp-
ton and we left it for the wharf where
lay the little tender that was to con-
vey us to the big liner, Mr. Rossiter
(my new friends name) showed us the
people he had named. We were crowd
ed now into narrow space, and sat
almost in each others pockets. 1t was
easy to make out every one, and soon
learned all wanted to know.
First, there was the arch impostor,
the villain who was masquerading as
my dear Willie Wood. saw short,
thickset, vulgar looking man, very
much overdressed. smoking long
cigar. holding his head high, as though
arrogance and hauteur were in his
part. He was not alone; his two COM
panions, the only persons to whom he
spoke. We're the Duke and Duchess of
TERRA Sagrada, as my friend whisper
ed me.
confess stared at them with all
my eyes, my heart beating tumultuous-
~. II I only knew what they did!
They had been with Willie-were the
last to see him, probably, in the Vic
toria dock
The man, small man, thin, twisted,
snakelike, and venomous, was no
doubt the ringleader, one Of the prime
movers in the plot. AS I locked at
his.dark, sallow face, heavy, brooding,
with dull, savage, bloodshot eyes,
trembled to think I might have to
measure strength with him-that /,
weak, helpless woman, might be called
upon to unmask him, and bring him to
account. What chance should / have
alone against these unscrupulous. muir
derous, coldly deliberate villains?
/ got some little comfort, however
from my examination of the woman.
Duchess or no duchess, ,faccomplice and
confederate or hapless tool, willing or
constrained, / knew that within her
poor means she had been kind to
Willie, and would have helped him If
she could. She was not wholly bad,
felt sure. a handsome woman. un-
dnuhtedly: very tall. with 4 dpe figure