Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-08
Where is that?" she cried, genuinel
SURPRISED

surprised.
lon the west coast of Morocco"
But what is he doing there?"
The under secretary pressed the tips OF
his fingers closely together.
1T is difficult to say" he replied.
Surely you will tell me. I have a
right to know" she pleaded. II under
am the daughter of West African gov
ernor. l am one of the few women in
England who can grasp the seriousness
of any plot which brings together the
men Of Oku and the trusted cOnf1dant OF
meddlesome foreign potentate. Capt.
Warden was sent to the protectorate to
carry out your instructions, and that is
the very reason 1 wish to write to him.
I have news of the utmost Importance"
Connected with the sailing of the Sans
Souc from Hamburger
The question was so unexpected that
Rosamund looked at the under secretary
with more ShreWdness than her fine eyes
had displayed hitherto. He was making
a little circle of dots with pencil on a
plotting pad Neither by voice nor man.
ner did he display any surprise at her
reference to the men of Oku.
Yes. that is one of the items" she
said.
And the others?"
pouted.
Forgive me. / hate the necessity that
imposes restraint. Now. Mrs. Laing. en-
tighten me on one point. and I shall ac-
quaint you with such few details of Capt.
Warden's recent movements as are In my
possession. What interest had he In
Rabat?''
"I-really-don't know"
The protest was honest. This fashion
able lady was speaking the truth.
who, in your opinion, might know
he persisted.
Rosamund was not prepared for that.
Her mind flew instantly to Evelyn Dane.
OF course she would not mention the
girls name; the mere thought OF Evelyn
cast a shadow over her mobile face.
II haven't the faintest notion" she
said.
The accompanying smile was forced.
and the under secretary was not In the
least deceived.
''Of course, If you cannot tell me why
Capt. Warden should go ashore at Rabat
no one can. l suppose" and Rosamund
caught the pleasing hint of her dominance
in all that affected the man she loved.
.'You keep on referring to this place
that 1 have never before heard Of" she
cried. us he still at Rabat?" 1 have
, ascertained that he is not at Lagos. or In
southern Nigeria, because l cabled for In
formation
when last heard of Capt. Warden he
was at Rabat," said the under secretary.
HE is not there now. Indeed, l cannot
tell you where he. Is. If the earth had
opened ana SWALLOWED ulIIl lie COuiu hot
have disappeared more completely
Rosamund gasped. and was somewhat
Inclined to storm, but not another syllable
would the under secretary add to his
amazing statement. though he undertook
to communicate with her Immediately
when news of Warden's whereabouts
reached him. In the meantime she had
to be content with knowledge that was
no knowledge and that only added to her
perplexity. On the way to the hotel she
stopped her carriage at map-sellers
and bought a map of Morocco. and
book which revealed many things about
Rabat. but no one thing calculated to ex-
plain why Warden had gone there.
In some sense the under secretary was
more puzzled than Rosamund. He turned
to his notes and pored over them. One
paragraph stood out boldly.
Capt. Warden. when at Cowes. met
young lady. Miss Evelyn Dane. engaged
as companion to Baumgartners daughter.
He took her in dinghy to the Sans
Souci. and this slight chance led to the
discovery that the yacht was In charge
of a shore Waterman.
The under secretary actually rumpled
his hair with those immaculate fingers OF
his.
II am lost in fog he confessed, rue
fully. Mrs. Laing is not engaged to