The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-06-09
CHAPTER XVI.
MARKED MEN.


Captain Durnford?" inquired of the
hall porter of the club next morning.
"Not here, sir"
"But he slept here last night" / re-
marked. 81 have an appointment with
him."
The man consulted the big book before
him, and answered:
Captain Durnford went out at 9:27
last night, sir, but has not returned"
Strange, I thought, but although I
waited in the club nearly an hour, he did
not put in an appearance. called again
at two o'clock, but he had not even then
made his appearance. Then began to
be anxious. l returned to the hotel, re-
solved to wait for few hours longer.
He might have altered his mind and
gone to Eastbourne in search of Muriel;
yet, had he done so, he would surely have
telegraphed to me.
About four o'clock, as was passing
through the big hall of the hotel, I heard
q voice behind me utter a greeting in
Italian, and turning in surprise, found
OlluJOS ulCboCu All ulS UCSU bulU VI uluChJ
standing hat in hand.
In an instant l recollected what Jack
had told me, and regarded him with some
suspicion.
"Signor Commentators" he said in a
low voice, as though fearing to be over
heard, "may l be permitted to speak in
private with your"
Certainly" said, and / took him in
the lift up to my room.
81 have come to warn you, signore,"
h said, when I had given him seat.
"YOur enemies mean harm to YOU"
Sand who are they, pray" / asked,
biting my lips. "The same, I suppose,
who prepared that ingenious trap in
LAMBETH"
81 am not here to reveal to you who
they are, signore, only to warn you to
have care of yourself" was the Ital-
ian's reply.
"Look here, Olinto" I exclaimed de.
terminedly, GIVE had enough of this
COMPOUNDED mystery. Tell me the truth
regarding the assassination of your poor
wife up in Scotland"
"Ah, signore!" he answered sadly in
changed voice, 81 do not know. 1t was
a plot. Someone represented me-but
hi was killed also. They believed they
had struck me down." he added, with a
bitter laugh. "Poor Armida's body was
found concealed behind rock on the
opposite side of the wood. I saw it
alt" he cried shuddering.
"Then you are ignorant of the identity
of your wife's assassin"
Entirely"
"Tell me one thing" I said. did Ar
mida possess any trinket in the form Of
a little enameled cross-like a miniatur,
, cross of cavaliereY"
YES; l gave it to her. found it OF
the floor of the Mansion House, where
was engaged as odd waiter for q ban
quet. I know / ought to have given il
up to the Lord Mayors servants, but il
was such pretty little thing that
; was tempted to keep it. It probably hat
, fallen from the coat of one of the diplo
mats dining there"
was silent. The faint suspicion thai
} Oberg had been at that spot was now en-
tirely removed. The only clue I haC
was satisfactorily accounted for.
} why do you ask, Signor Commando
toreH" he added.
because the cross was found at tn,
spot, and was believed to have beer
dropped by the assassin" | said.
The police had, it seemed, succeeded in
discovering the unfortunate woman afte,
all, and had found that she was his wife
"You know man named LeithcourtY
l asked few moments later. "Now
tell the truth. In this affair, Olinto
our interests are mutual, are they not p
He nodded, after a moments hesita.
tion.
"And you know also q man named