The Elbert County tribune., 1902-09-11

full worth of his money. and then. by
a fiuke. dropping him in some section
OF old Antwerp. while he himself took
n fly are drove to the landing stage in
time to catch the steamer.
Perhaps this might have been car
ried out had circumstances not united
TO arrange events in tho captains
favor.
Charlie had his fun.
He dragged his persistent pursuer
over a good part OF Antwerp--now
they were on foot and anon chasing in
vehicles at a pace to set the staid old
burghers agog with surprise and con-
sternation.
Outside a desire 10 have little
sport with his friend. the captain. his
sole purpose In leading Brand this
wild-goose chase was 10 keep his at
tention upon himself, while Lady Ar
line and Artemus left the hotel; for
somehow Charlie had a vague fear lest
the resourceful ex-sailor might use
force to prevent his supposed daugh-
ter from departing. advancing some
daring plea that her mind was affected
and having hired experts. who would
perhaps decree that she should be In
carcerated in an asylum.
These things might appear ridIcu-
lous. but such happenings have come
to pass ere now. and he chanced to
have personal knowledge OF at least
one similar case.
Whether or not Charlie were foolish
in thus conjuring up phantoms that
could not exist. was a question that
should not be decided hastily.
He believed Brand to be desperate
man. against whom he could as yet
hardly appeal to the law. since Airline
would not give her consent.
He was convinced that Brand did
not desire the heiress TO get beyond
his reach. and would hardly hesitate
at any end in order to hold her until
his sinister plans could be worked out,
Hence It was. after all. in spirit OF
seIf-sacrifice that Charlie undertook
to have little fun with Capt. Brand,
and led him this fine chase up and
down the crooked streets Of Antwerp
All would have been well but for
two cronies of Brand. They chanced
to be standing at a dark corner where
the other had agreed to meet them,
and. hearing his signals, sprang upon
Charlie ere he comprehended his dan
ger.
As a result he was struck senseless
by blow from some blunt weapon.
When Capt Brand arrived on the
scene his first act was to sprinkle a
powdery white pigment in the young
mans hair. to give him the appear
ance OF age, and to smear his face with
a little street dirt in order to disguise
his features.
Then. for the benefit OF the man
whom he knew hovered near by. lit
tie one-act drama was carried out, the
two men chasing Brand hither and
yon-then. as the baron's spy came In
sight, two men running away, while
form lay on the street.
1t worked like a charm. The ennis
sary of Baron Peterhoff hastened up as
people began to open the windows of
houses to learn what the disturbance
might mean. There he found one who
appeared TO be the old fellow he had
been set to watch.
The man called vehicle, placed the
limp figure in it's interior. entered him
self, and then started to report the
astonishing result of his espionage to
Baron Peterhoff himself
While Capt Brand. reioining his
confreres down the shady street, set
on in hot haste to get aboard the
steamer. which. In another hour or SO.
would be moving down the River
Sheldt. bound for the far-oif distant
shores OF America.
Artemus stood on the hurricane deck
of the great Red ID ocean liner and
looked back in the morning sunlight
to the distant and fast-receding coast
of Belgium.
Homeward boundi
There Is always a pleasure in this
thought and Artemus experienced it
with enthusiasm.
So far as he knew, Charles plans
had progressed al right. the ogre was
left behind. lamenting in the land of
the Belgians, and clear sailing seemed
ahead.
Then his thoughts ran back to the
events of the previous night, He
chuckled to remember the adroitness
with which he had seen Lady Airline,
her conxanion and their luggage on
board the waiting steamer, while Char
lie was leading the ogre wild-goose
chase around Antwerp. partly to
amuse himself and at the same time
keep Brand occupied up to near the
sailing time.
By the way, where was Charlie? 1t
was strange that he failed to show
up in time to see the last of Belslum's
shores.
Lady Airline and her companion
were walking the deck with Jersey and
golf cape to keen of the stinging chill