The Minneapolis journal., 1905-06-24

| hension, and followed the duke. On his
departure the general turned to All
moolah, who had stood like a statue
since his release, and the twain ex
changed a twinkle of mutual congratu-l
| lation.
"We managed that quite in the old
style, o taker of many thieves,o said
the general in Hindustani. Twas
well that you heard and quickly obeyed
my whisper to offer resistance, for so
we have deceived the malefactors who
beheld us into the belief that you also
''The sahib's praise is sweet as the
honey of Kashmir.'' responded Azimoo-
Ilah, gravely. els it the heaven-born s
Will ; that ,]lS,; should 60 out and slay these
The commission entrusted to him,
however, held promise OF no such lux
I. ury. On the contrary, Azimoolah h re-
ceived strict injunction to avoid vio-
lence except in the last extremity-in
self defense or to prevent entry into
the house. The duty laid down for him
was to patrol the grounds, and instant
the part of the two trespassers that
pointed to renewal of aggressiveness
that night. =..-. - >- /
q! shall remain in this room till day
| break; if anything occurs, make the
!; signal outside,' were the general 8
final instructions as he loosed his hui
, man watchdog on to the terrace. after
putting out the lights to conceal the
! opening of the window. Then, having
in the dark, and presently slumboved,
secure in the knowledge that none could
approach the mansion while Azimoolah
was on guard. Also, he was pretty sure
that the siege would not be raised till
the two providers should have reported
b.
they would believe, the capture of the
strange rival who had forestalled them
The generals confidence was justi
, fed, for the night passed without fur
:, ther alarms, and the three gentlemen
:. met at the breakfast table under or
: dinary countryhouse conditions. The
, +, servants being in the room, no reference
e stances that had brought them together
tho Beaumanoir, in the course Of read
> ing letters that had come by post, helc
up a gorgeouslY monogrammed note
= and remarked that Mrs. Talmage Eglin
0 ton had accepted his invitation a16
T would be with them on the morrow.
' "she writes rather fippantly, for
9 stranger he added, eyeing the scented
) missive doubtfully,. but not offering t,
: show it.. II hope it's all right for he
e to meet my cousin Sybil, and-er-th
g other ladies. She 8 coming on your rec
must vouch for her good behavior. ,
: Sadgrove growled unintelligibly, an
3. was at pains to conceal sudden up
It heaval Of his facial muscles. For tn
y dukes reference to Mrs. Talmage Eg
l. lington in her relations to the othe
IT guests had all at once opened up to hi
} looked-a terrible contingency, whic
Y demanded instant consideration befor
q the American widow was admitted t
@ the house. He made an early excuse fo
a quitting the table, and, exacting
- promise. that Beaumanoir and Forsyth
10 would for the present remain indoors
- he went out into the park to face th
q position alone, and thresh it out to
70 conclusion.
n Walking under the trees in the hi
le tOrlc elm avenue, 1T was not till he ha
le smoked whole cigar and lit anothe
r. that he was able to approach the prol
o, he was, suffering from the humiliatio
ID Of having to admit that he had con
re mitted the grievous error of imperia
~ ing the life Of a woman-one, too, who
ass he held in affectionate regard only Sc
90 ond to his wife: If his suspicion
20 founded as instinct told him, she ougl
IS IS never to have been asked to stay und
H HsI the same roof as Sybil Hanbury, her vi
10 torious rival in the affections of ms
who had repulsed her advances by stoli
ly ignoring them.
"a "Gad! but I'd cut my hand off rath
ne than harm should cons to that girl, |
er alone. never being able to look Alec
VS. the face again, he muttered, as
ng gnawed his white mustache in pc
ry plexity.
The situation was indeed serio7
ne from the point Of view that Mrs. Ts
en- mage Eglinton was head Of gang
ed international criminals, and that 81
was, moreover, as he put it in his simp
he soldier phrase, 6 sweet NponD b
om nephew, Alec. If, for her as yet une
res planned ends, she would not stick at
ali sassinating the duke of. Beaumano
tut she would be capable of wrecking
In deadly vengeance on the girl who h;
won the heart she hungered for. On
rel installed as a guest in the mansion. s.