Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-09-12
act the malign influence Of those de-
tested diamond mines.

Several men appeared just outside.
and to their tender mercies the prec.
ious sacks were intrusted, while our
two friends walked just behind.
The four entered vehicle and drove
OF.
Among those at the station Mer.
rick saw the Russian bear. but Count
Leon had vanished, having q little
bag OF his own to look out for just
then.
When the treasure was snugly de-
posted in the hotel safe, and receipt
for the same slowed away in Jones
pocket-book. Merrick endeavored to
dismiss the whole matter from his
mind. and occupy himself with affairs
more in keeping with his own private
fortunes.
Like all lovers, Merrick endured oil
the doubts and fears that 60 hand in
hand with things OF this sort, and in
his case there was reason for an un.
usually large crop-still, lovers come
on in endless numbers, and will con.
tinue to do so up to the very end Of the
chapter, for no man is willing to &C.
cept some predecessors experience as
a warning to his own feet. but must
needs try his own conclusions.
How would 1t end?
The scene in the cabin Of the yacht
came vividly before him again. and he
could hardly believe that even such
an egregious failure would discourage
so persistent sutton as Count Leon
when there were millions at stake.
How could Constance be the more
surely protected against this insidous
and INSCRIPTIONS enemy?
Two ways presented themselves to
Merrick.
The first was to take the bull by the
horns and on the least provocation
give the African explorer his quietus;
while the second would cause him to
take the girl and her fortune under his
name, in fact to marry her as soon
as she would agree.
Long Merrick deliberated while he
savagely chewed the end Of his cold
cigar-one of two evils must be &C.
cepted-it was either the risking of
his life in duel with a dead shot. or
the thrusting aside Of all his scruples.
"All right" he said to himself final
ly, with grim resolution, lone OF us
must 60 under. II should marry her
now he might make her widow In
a week. Evidently he left his luck In
the Sahara, and can meet him on
equal terms. Kismet, as the Moham'
medans say. it is fate. A little smoke.
then, to propitiate the goddess Of des,
tiny. Perhaps the next time Captain
Leon the Valiant and myself come face
to face with weapons in our hands
something not exactly down on the
bills will happen. And, deuce take it,
for one will welcome the change,
and lighting his cheroot he sent rings
of blue smoke circling up toward the
decorated ceiling, where the said god.
dess with her balances seemed sitting
in judgment. .-'
At breakfast Jones made Y PROPOSE
ton. 49,. .'.
1t was to the effect that they go over
10 NlSutOuC DdS3 anu Uo6Soo6Cst
Merrick eagerly welcomed the
change.
Constance would be there, and no
man could ask a greater blessing OF
Providence than to saunter about
those terraces of Mentone. along TIE
Condamine road winding up the steep
hill to the fortress, under the guarding
shadow of Mont Agel and Mont
Bataille, past the famous palace of the
Grimaldis or the Tete du Chen, and
having in his company the girl he
loved best in all the world.
So they went down about noon, after
Jones had managed to bank the pro
ceeds of his previous nights great vic
tory, much to the relief of the hotel
proprietor, who had been rather un
easy over the fact that such fabulous
amount Of gold and notes was known
to rest in his safe.
Merrick was uneasy, because among
the vessels at anchor near by he had
discovered the steam yacht of Sit
Lionel, which he had very good cause
to remember with displeasure.
1t was very natural for this unprin
cipled English cousin of Constance tc
come to Monte Carlo, where all of his
class gravitated at some time during
the winter; but, remembering what
had occurred recently at Nice, Mer
rick had sense of impending evil
come over him.
The cleaning gradually gave place
to the darkness of night-a night long
to be remembered by this strange com
munity of Monte Carlo, since it would
mark an ERA in the history Of the
gaming world that had never yet been
equaled.
Mark Merrick, looking over the muir
muring sea, could family detect light
that twinkled from some jutting 1tal
ian headland, possibly marking some
dangerous rocks.
How calm and peacefulit all seemed
he hated to leave this place OF his
vigil and seek the artificial whirlpool
az human passions, where gain with
its sordid views dwarfed the brightest
intellects and wrecked the most prom
Using of lives.
Back to the Hotel des Anges he
made his way.
Crowds already headed toward the
theater of dramatic events, eager to
witness the second advent of this
plucky adventurer from over the sea
Merrick knew their play would not
open until late in the night.
This would give him couple OF
hours of leisure, and secretly he
longed for an opportunity to walk and
| talk with Constance.
Constance Dare looked unusually