Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-26
CHAPTER TX.
Idris Meets q Rival.

| Observing a SILVER on the part Oh Aofeiio'
| due to the chilly air. Idris rose to put into
| effect plan that had suddenly occurred 10
! HIM Charming as the situation was TO
| himself, he had no wish to prolong It at the
expense Of discomfort to his companion
| "'Ye gods. grow a talker.' 1 do wrong
| to sit here Inactive. The air is becoming
| cold. Since no boat has hove In sight 1t Is
| time we tried to attract one. Some Of tlns
timber piled upon the rocks at the entrance
| of our cave. and set alight. will 'contrive
| double debt to pay'-of giving warmth to
yourself. and Of serving as a signal fire to
| the coast guard of Ormsby."
| Collecting a supply Of logs and planks,
Idris proceeded to form them into little
| pyramid upon the boulders outside the
| mouth Of the cavern He applied hgnteo
| match to the pile. and within few min
| utes glorious bonfire was blazing upon
| the rock, challenging the pale light Of the
| moon. and fiinging ruddy glow over the
breast of the heaving waters around
| Now, Mademoiselle Riviere, II you will
J sit In this nook here, you will be both shell
| tered from the wind and warmed by the
| fire."
| Lore1ie accepted the suggestion. and, as
| her ankle was still painful. she permitted
| Idris to assist her to the assigned spot,
| where she sat. pleased with the cheerful
| warmth. -;
| This blaze ought surely to be seen and
| understood as a signal Of Distress" said
| Id1s.
| AS he stared at the distant moonlit cliff
| behind which the tom of Ormsby lay hid
| den he suddenly became aware that Lorelie
was speaking.
,"Idris! Idris"'
| He turned quickly with a curious feeling.
| Surely she was not addressing him by his
Christian name?. Let his name sound ever
| this mode of address in a friendship so re-
| Gently formed as theirs was familiarity
which Jared upon him.
"Idris! Idrs!" she repeated.
Yes, MademoiSelle Riviere," he replied,
with cold and significant emphasis upon
the second word.
| But he found her eyes fixed, not upon
| him. but upon the flames. He followed the
direction of her gaze and beheld a surpris-
| ing sight. There. burning in the fire, was
| a thick piece of planking. and on the part
| Of 1t not yet consumed were five black
| painted letters. forming in their arrange
ment the word:
| "I-d-r-i-s!'
His own name. Yes; there it was, plain
| to be seen on the plank. the black charac-
| tiers shining out clearly through the yellow
| flame.
| Lorelie had simply been murmuring the
word as it caught her eye, without any in
tention of addressing him by it.
How came his name to be inscribed on
| this piece of timber? If the materials COM
posing the fire were driftwood picked up
from the beach (and he did not doubt that
| SUCH was the OflSln the timber the
cave), then this plank was probably relic
of sunken vessel, the word Idris forming
| it's name.
Was there any connection between him.
identity of name?
His active mind. eager to give an affirma-
tive to this question, Immediately devised a
theory. Capt. Rochefort on living from
Brittany with Eric Marville, would be com
PEELED by considerations of safety either to
DISGUISE and rename the yacht in which
the flight had been effected. or. what was
| more probable. dispose of the Nemesis in
| some way and purchase another vessel
That Capt. Rochefort had so acted. naming
his new barque after the son of his escaped
irleno became Idris' firm conviction; for
!ost 10 reason in his excitement. he over
| looked the possibility that other yacht own
ers might have q Partially for the same
name.
The plank now burning before his ewes
had come from the figure-h head of the Yacht
| IN which his father and Capt Rochefort
| had crulsed about, after disposing of the
| Nemesis. - ~
| What more likely than that on d,soo,-
| eflng the meaning of the Morse runes IA
| copy OF which had been made by Rochefort
Wmie the altar-ring was in his possession.
| the two friends, in a spirit of adventure
| should steer their yachts course tn Ornoshv
| the site of the supposed treasure? And
| dered. --"o Aouii-
rms conclusion. if correct, would seem
almost to justify the idea that it was i'm
| possible to escape from the malign in
| huence of Odin's ring -A
M Desire 10, FOR its possession had led Eric
| MarVlhe into mischance that had doomed
| MN TO prison life: he had escaped from
I tIe conVicts cell, and had wrested tba &C.
| eiel rom The runic ring. only to meet with
Watery grave in sight of the very trea sure
| NH that he had come to explored
| But, stay! Had Eric Maryille and CAN'T
atsocne1ort persisted In the fierce currents
been W wassed race. or had one. or both,
removal OF the Vikings treasure due to orc
| VI .hein, or to the joint action of the two
.L 81 occupied was Idris with these thoupbts
| eHat ne had almost forgotten the nrosenoo
| of Lorelie. but now, on glannine e presence
| ioticeo that her face wore a grave no. 10
say startled. expression, obviousiv H. - -
! - anie mat mad been SO strangely nra
| sented to her view. The discoverv sao1,,a,
| himself as 1t olsquleted
| Ihen IN moment it occurred to him tho .
n uhe oead In Saint Oswaid's churchyard
| whose grave she was decking with a ,oa
PIE cross, were men who had nerisbad -
| me SINKING of this same vessel Tho Idris
| nhae enc could explain the mystery. If she
| muse .U. lie resolved to question her
! Mademofseile Riviere" he began in on
oarhest tone, L believe it Is within vow
| pS"er 10 throw some light upon a matte
fa.; 10 me- Is one almost of life and death.
| idiuoH me II presume too much on o,,r
very recent friendship To come TO ~
point, 1 Deg, nay, l entreat of YOU to taII
me an you know concerning the vessel
| whose tlmbers we see burning before us
| tHe yacht idris. that went down In Ormshv
| 1876 e i"'h VI OCTOBER,
SWIFT surprise stole over Lorelte's face
| and why should you think that I know
| ar ything OF that lost vessel?'
| An. mademoiselle. you are not erecting
Costly memorial over the grave of men
OF whom. You know nothing"
| Lorelie was silent for a few momants %
| IL IeueCIlnB now to answer an
embarrassing question
| NJ Is true she said at last ct will adj
NIT that do know something of that lost
| vessel, ard that have taken a deep inter-
est In it." p 'H'ei
| your" oe uear 70
Really. Mr. Breakspear. you are very
curious. she cried, with a fash of her
| bright eyes. Before answering I must
know the motive for this catechism.''
| L have reason to believe" answered ID
ris, that there was on board. one Eric
| Marville by name''
| And what" asked Lorelie-and at the
| chilling fall in her voice Idris started
what Is Eric Marville to you, that you
should take an interest in his fate?''
| For moment 1dris hesitated, loath to tell
| the woman whom he loved that he was the
| son Of fugitive convict. Then he resolved
| to be frank, believing that il she were a
l true woman she would not daspiso bixn 10.