Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-03
CHAPTER VII.

staZlTds 4 nc very iaSl man eA-
peeted to see!"
To his delight, he saw that the speaker
was an old college chum of his, a man
he often saw in London.
SBeen long in Russian asked the
friend. entering the carriage cheerfully.
@Only a short trip" returned Paul,
with some grimness.
Don't like it? Neither do 1. Can't
understand how anyone settles there. BY
tbe way, that reminds mel You know
that lovely girl, old Mendas' daughter
I fancy have seen you at their house"
"What of herr" Paul interposed in a
sharp tone.
Ruby Mendas could have married any
one. 1 believe, for she is very nice girl,
as well as lovely and rich. The Duke of
Sobia was mad after her, and there were
hts of others; yet she is going positively
10 throw herself away"
HOn whom2"
beastly country, and with such brute
OF man, too! Women do the strangesr
things We can't understand them"
81 do not understand what you arc
talking about" Paul said.
Ills IFIelQ lUOhSU 81 nLtlc SuTpIlSeu
Had poor old Hazard been hit! he won
dered
ruby Mendas is to be married tomor.
row to Count Frikenhof, who holds some
secret appointment among the Russian
police" he said. II have seen him in
England with the Mendases, but I
thought the girl loathed him. He is an
out and out cad, risen from nothing
and"
"You have been misinformed Friken-
h0ff has annoyed Miss Mendas with his
attentions, but she would not marry
him"
"She is going to be his wife, tell you
i have it on unimpeachable authority,
they are to be married tomorrow at an
early hour, at the Church of the Ram
parts in S.. l fancy, from what I
heard, that there has been some under
hand means or compulsion used. No one
knows exactly how old Mendas amassed
bis wealth, and this Frikcnhoff-c
as they style him-ferrets into every
thing. Anyhow, it is wretched match
:or such a girl, but it is finally arranged,
and Frikenhoff won't let her go, that is
certain"
II have an engagement tomorrow"
The words rang in Hazards ear; he
gripped his friends arm until he WINGED.
"Ewen, is this faet2 Don't deceive
me, as you value your life"
ut is q faet--a certainty, Hazard. In
curious way l heard all about it, The
wedding is to be very quiet, evidently
hurried on, for some reason The girl
has gone over to Russia alone, it seems;
even her father does not know it, but
she is resolute TO marry Frikenhoff. /
know someone who tried to prevent her,
or, at any rate, to persuade her to post
pone it little; but the ceremony takes
place early tomorrow without fail. Man,
ARE you madi"
Paul had risen ard swung himself out
of the train, which was going at full
speed. His friend clutched hold of him,
and by tremendous exertion, saved him
from the leap he contemplated, dragging
BIN back into the carriage, after which
he held him down, for Hazard did look
mad, and struggled wildly.
There had flashed into his mind the
most hideous thing CARRIED as a truth.
Ruby Mendas had sold herself for his
ransom. Never would Frikenhoff have
allowed his plot to be frustrated unless
he had lost all fear of his rival, and had
secured a more thorough revenge upon
his enemy. Ruby had promised to be his
wife, and, he, Paul, was to be safely out
OF Russia before the sacrifice took place.
Are you mad?" Even asked again,
painting.
Il have been; | am sane now. Let 90,
Even. What is a little risk compared
with her fate. l will prevent that at
any cost"
You can prevent nothing by suicide"
said Even. For goodness sake, Hazard.
act nationally. If Miss Mendas is any
thing to you"
My promised wife"
For an instant Even stared, incredu-
lous.
Well, if go. there are telegraph wires
and return trains. But if she has made
up her mind to have Frikenhoff. YOU
can't stop her. AS | said, we cannot
understand women, or trust them much,
fear"
I understand this one," said Paul;
and now he looked collected and rational
enough, though his words still sounded
Wlld to his companion. "She has done
ms for my sake, Even. All, thank
heaven, the train is slowing"
They ran into a station of some i'm
portance, and Paul was out of sight be-
lore his friend could scarcely realize that
hefhad gone.
Mr. Even was almost exhausted with
the effort of preventing Hazard from a
reap to certain death, and he did not en-
tertain the idea of following him further.
1t was far on in the night when Paul
Tegained the frontier, and here his first
difficulty met him; he had left Russia
easily enough, but he had no passport to
enable him to re-enter it. at the barrier
ne was unequivocally refused; he might
not cross the frontier without a passport.
rave but an hour or two ago crossed
It from Russia" he said angrily, in i'm
perfect French.
Paul looked at his watch. and calcu-
lated that half an hours delay would
make him too late. A train was now
waiting; if he lost that Ruby would be
her.
The idea wcll-nigh raaddened him, but
ne forced himself TO keep calm; he had