The Washington herald., 1906-11-14

motive might have been urging her
thereunto. He submitted all the negroes
and the Count d'Attala to a rigid inquisi-
ton. but none knew aught of the missing
ones, and with the progress Of his own
search he was compelled to abandon any
other solution Of the mystery.
Face to face at last with facts whose
stubbornness refused him any further
hope, he resolutely thrust disturbing
thoughts behind him, and set to work
with fiery energy to carry out Perigord's
instructions regarding Attala. For two
days he toiled with his companions like
a common laborer. doing more than his
share of the work. At the end Of that
time everything was completed. The
counts enormous treasure of gold, silver,
and Jewels had been transferred to the
shore and stored In the boathouse. t0geth-
eT with all papers and documents exist
ing on the island. The castle Itself had
been TansaCked from top 10 bottom. The
printing presses, fonts of type, and typo
graphical machines had been ruthlessly
destroyed. and the more valuable furni-
/ ture, pictures, books, statues, carpets,
/ rugs. chairs, tables, &c, removed to the
/ beach and stacked under canvas tents,
ready for expectation Immediately that
/ the waves should have abated. The steam
! engine, dynamos, and telegraphic instru-
ments only were allowed to remain in
statu quo awaiting the arrival of Peri
CORD, but elsewise the whole chateau was
dismantled and deserted
That evening a cable arrived from Peri
/ CORD: Keep count and Desire with suffi-
cient force Of my own men, including
/ Oeltjen. on island and await ne, dis
patch Sea Hawk with all other prisoners
TO Tunis, where have arranged everything
/ for their reception; afterward Sea Hawk
viii proceed 10 Naples, landing officers
and other volunteers. and there remain
until word from me. l set out for island
1 tomorrow night No news yet madame
or Miss Elliott; perhaps rescued by ocean
steamer"
Such contradictory command seemed
unlike Perigord, but Cressingham had nc
choice except to obey An hour after
ward the Sea, Hawk steamed out of tho
harbor with its cargo of prisoners bound
for Africa. leaving Desire, Cressipgham
and Oeltjen standing on the beach of the
bay. waving their adieus. a tent haG
been erected 10 shelter the Count d At
tala. and within it the old man lay alone
with his reflections, but securely guarded
for besides his shackles six armed sailors
formed a Gordon without the canvas.
Cressingh2m had decided to camp out
with his whole party on the sand during
their remaining sOiOuTn on the island
rather than take I'D quarters in the
castle, course which would have entail
ed great deal of useless toll.
/ The storm had broken during the day
and gave promise Of fine weather in the
near future, for the gale had calmet
down to mild and balmy breeze which
now blew from a different direction, Sc
that no difficulty or hardship was ex
perienced in that regard.
i CreSsingham gave Oeltjen the frs
watch, for he was worn out and exhaust
ed, and the German had taken no part il
the ransacking Of the island, having beer
detailed TO the duty Of guarding the See
Hawks prisoners, while Cressinghan
conducted operations ashore But tn,
young man found that ne could rot slee5
In spite Of his great weariness. Ever5
muscle Of his frame ached horribly from
the incessant labor he had lately under
gone; he was, moreover, harassed Will
painful thoughts about Francine, foi