Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-02-13
roughly toward him IN his surprise.

vi
"Starva has lurcd Prince Ferdinand
10 the chateau. Already he has gone
to meet HIM at the citation. When
he returns with him here"
Ferdinand comos to meet Sir Nor.
timer"
Sir Mortimer. man. is dead"
Dead! And you have undertaken
to I'll his place? It Is very considcratc
Of you"
His voice vIbratcd with dlstrust.
But ! tried to keep my temper.
~ Ferdinand enters that door with
Starva he Will never leave 10 alive. IN.
less help is summoned"
For a moment LOckc's suspicious
wavcrcd. ] had spoken with a solemn.
ity that touched even his ske pticism.
And who has told you this?" he
asked slowly.
Madame dc WARMER, tho Countess
S%arahor."
"Ah. your friend OF the kursaal
Where IL shc?"
! pointed upward.
I'm the tower there. The four Of us
Captain Forbes. MISS Brett, that
woman. and myself-werc trapped by
DR.. Stnrva. Don't you see. II was to
clear tho field for %action-to leave him
free to- accomplish his frigbtful work
unmClcstcd? Locke. this Is no time
for talk. One Of ua must conceal him.
self In the hall there: the other sum.
mon help. Are you armcd?"
Rather" he answered grimly. ut
Is that fact that should show o tho
uselcssncss Of struggling"
You nave called me n TOOL more
than once" ! cried bitterly. "But you
arc a hundred tunes n fool that you
arc blind to the need Of action"
"All In good time. my friend. I have
still n question or two to ask. II Cap.
tain Forbes Is imprisoned In the tower
there, why did he permit you to play
the hero alone? Why is he not with
you? Have you pulled the wool over
his eyes as yor did over the eyes Of
MISS Brett? II seems To me "A lIttlc
remarkable that he should trust a
mar who has trlckcd him more than
once"
L0ckc'S cool question staggered mo.
had no intention Of lying. but my
hcsitnncy did not lessen his growing
d~istrnst Of my motives.
There was no more time To explain
things TO him than there is to you. BE.
Sides. he would not have believed me-"
muttcrrd.
AS ] do not believe you" he an.
swcrcd with some stornness. AS I
shall not believe you until you take
pains To make things a little more
clear. Tho Countess Sarahor II 10
who tells you Of tho peril of Prince
Ferdinand. She takes you into her
confidence: hat In Itself scarcely
strengthens my trust Of you But tins
woman ls tho accnnplicc Of Dr. Starvn.
Why, then. Is she anhhnnly 80 anx.
lhus to disc0nccrt hih plnns?"
"Starva has turned traitor. Have
rot told you that he trapped Madame
IL WARMER with the rect Of u.s."
was becoming desperate. The min,
n'c8 was flying swiftly, and Locke was
even more aggressive than when he
had FIRST surprised me. 10 reason
with him waa impossible unless told
him all. There was no time for that.
Force alone could rescue me from my
dilemma. II II was hopeless 10 diBnrm
his RuspiciOn8. could | rob him Of the
revolver In his hip pocket? made
no further attempt to resist. ! stood
paSsivcly waiting my chance.
$ Starva has turned traItOr?'
Locke questioned ironically. "But "
the Countess SafahOm iR so anxious 10
Dntwli her former COnfcdcratc-if the
life Of Prince Ferdinand Is actually in
peril and she would save him, why did
she mo- send n man for that desperate
work? why did Rhc not let Capitals
FOrbcB escape instead Of you? Would
II" be 80 avcrsc To the saving Of Il
hing'H hfo? Even II you believe her
silly yarn. she has trickcd you, YHl
are clay In her hands; her kisses have
bcwiichcd you"
made M answer Ia his taunts. I'm.
consciously he had lOOsoncd his hold.
stood AZ one crushed by his yindlc.
i've. Scorn. Ny attitude cOnfcsseh
defeat. ImSe believed the acted lie
when he had contcmptnougly Rc0ffcd
IT the truth.
"Oncc more your crrand, and no
more Hos. You wish To save Fcrdi.
land: you pretend that rs the futile
GRAND Madame dc WARMER sends you
As8:JJ Wf;