The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1905-08-25

steel Other letters were dotted over
the leaf, but just as he was about to
try to decipher the rest his hostess led
the way to dinner, and, offering his arm
to Vera, he followed the others into the
drawing-room.
Save for a gentle pressure on his arm
the girl gave no indication of any mes
sage or sign so Malvern merely returned
the pressure.
He will knew that Russia was the GEN.
ter of plot and counterplot, and that her
secret service was manipulated by some
of the cleverest, most astute and in
genious scoundrels in the world.
With such thoughts crowding in on
him, and with sense of insecurity and
mystery surrounding the whole busi-
ness, it is not surprising that the young
attache was silent and prepossessed
at dinner, though he did his level best
to appear cheerful and at ease.
Immediately the ladies had with
drawn Malvern at once sought his
room, locked the door, and feverishly
perused the book of poems, which he
had put into his pocket, and searched
for further revelations.
BE careful" he spelled out again and
again; and scattered about the pages
were other dotted words, which, when
deciphered, read: You are being
watched. Be ON your guard against
the two"
That was all; but it was enough to
quicken his pulses, and set him throb-
bing with excitement.
Was Vera acquainted with his forth
coming visit to England with the dis
patches? That was question he asked
himself repeatedly, but found no salts
factory solution. Well, he had received
a warning. and hoped to profit by it.
He would start on his mission without
an instant's delay. For greater security
he placed the dispatches, firmly fas-
tened, under his shirt.
Without waiting to change into
tweeds, he put on an overcoat and a
cap.
He chartered a closed cab, and, so as
not to excite any suspicion, told the
driver to p<oceed slowly to an outlying
suburb, whence he intended to entrain
for Calais. He had been driving for
about three-Quarters of an hour, when
the sound of sharp but distinct teuf!
teuf! caught his ear, and set him ali
agog.
Were these Russians-"the two" to
whom Vera's cipher had evidently re-
ferred-in pursuit? The motor rapidly
approached, and was evidently whirring
o1o 10
against possible accident the driver
stopped well to the left of the road and
watched for the motor TO pass. In an
other moment the motor was on them,
and whether by accident or design Nal
vern could never determine, but just
as the car whizzed past, the back lef,
wheel caught the right front wheel or
the carriage. There was sharp wrench
and jerk, and the front of the cab was
a complete wreck.
Needless of the drivers cries and
curses, Malvern sprang out, flung him
his fare, and started to run after the
motor at topmost speed. for he thought
he had caught glimpse of huddled
female form in the car as it flashed by;
and he also fancied he recognized both
the Russians. He ran on until almost
exhausted, following the trail of the car
on the muddy road as best he could, un-
til the wheel marks turned off into
narrow drive which terminated in a
small house.
He cautiously entered the drive,
stepped quietly on the grass, then made
for some bushes, and, pushing them
aside, stood, half concealed, looking at
the only lighted window to be seen. The
front door was left open. The car had
been left near the gate for sudden emer-
gency. AS he looked at the lighted win
dow he suddenly became aware that a
woman was peering out into the dark
ness. and that the woman was Vera
Ivanovitch.
Cautiously he stepped from his place
of concealment ard endeavored to at
tract the attention of Vera At last she
both saw and recognized him. Quietly
she opened the window and let down
rope made from a couple of rugs
which she had securely fastened inside.
Then, with desperate pluck, the brave
girl swung over the sill, caught on to the
rugs, and scrambled down to Malvern,