Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-08-05
By GU Y THORNE.
CHAPTER xI- Continued.

{
1T simply means this: that the Ouch.
ess is determined to accompany US
upon our quest. | told her that 1t
was madness, that her place was in
London, that the press of two CONT
nents would be filled with rumors and
4 comment. 1t wasn't the slightest use,
4 my dear boy, she would go. What
she said was just this: III you and
Captain Marriott are going into the
thick of danger to try and find out
the truth about my boy, am coming
with you. must have a companion,
and We must all four go. l don't care
twopence what the world may say.
What does 1t matter to me in compar-
isons with the recovery OF my boy?
That is the great thing! That is the
only thing, and everything else is well
lost
1T was then, my dear Marriott, that
] suggested to her that Miss Hobson
! should be chosen as companion. l
had already explained to her who the
girl was, and how different from what
the Duchess had supposed her to be.
The Duchess, in fact, had never
thought of her in any otherlight than
that in which she was first engaged
pointed out that it would give Miss
Hobson an opportunity of retrieving
her initial mistake
Why did you do that, Grant," Ba-
sill replied.
Grant looked at him for a moment,
with smile upon his face, as he an
swered slowly, Because, my dear
boy, / felt owed the girl some rep
aration for my rudeness when she
first came and told us Of her suspi-
cions Of Miss Decies, and also because
He hesitated for moment,
and Basil preceded him into the big,
luxurious sitting-roon.
Well" the sailor said, 'I might as
well tell you, Grant, that Miss Hob
son and myself are engaged"
The athlete chuckled quietly.
am not unobservant," he said
But this is not the time, after all, to
talk of such question. We leave
London at twelve o'clock tonight At
ter you have had something to eat,
we must go straight up to 100a, Pic
cadilly. 1t is all arranged The
y Duchess and Miss Hobson will occupy
\ a reserved carriage to Dover; and
on the other side, from Ostend to
Cologne, the carriage has also been
reserved tor them by Messrs. Cook
and Son. They are travelling as the
\ Misses Richards. You and I, my dear
Marriott, will go by the same train,
and also In carriages which have been
reserved for u.s.. We must be to-
gether, but not necessarily as any
thing more than casual acquaintances.
And we shall seem to know nothing
of the ladies until we are absolutely
O In Cologne and staying in the Savoy
N Hotel. Even then we must be most
cautious. We shall be prepared. at
any moment, to do anything that is
necessary, but there will be no ap-
4 parent connection between the ladies
and u.s.
Good gracious!' Marriott an.
4 swered. That Is the need of all this
mystery Z. 5
Marriott" Grant replied. "you don't
LIN the least realize the big business
s# we are embarked upon, nor do you in
5 any way realize the cunning and the
a power Of the forces that are arrayed
4 against us. Look here!"
He took Captain Marriott by the
10 arm and led him to the window Of the
sittingroom, which looked down into
The quadrangle OF the flats
You see? z" he said, pointing, and
& standing at one corner Of the curtain.
see what 2" Basil answered.
That man down there Grant re-
piled. That man walking up and
/ down on the other side8sol the court
yard that man with the blond nous
tache, and iii q silk hat? MY boy,
they're on our tracks already, and 1t
will be only through the exercise OF
all our powers that we shall arrive at
our gdestinat ion without those who
have the threads Of this terrible con-
spiracy In their hands being aware
Il of our every movement Z
ss Basil turned to his companion. His
IS face had suddenly grown pale. He
was at last beg Ginning to realize what
all this meant. The magnitude of the
thing had come upon him In q flash.
Do YOU mean to tell me, he said,
that that man is waiting ia find out
! what you are doing r.
OF course he IL, Is Grant answered,
short dear Marriott you will
learn a great deal III the next few
ai,ssaut the kind eff people We have
UP against ,1s. 8
ESs hsn what are We going to DO
now Basil asked.
aresgoing to the Duchess's at
once 81 l,e athlete replied.
Sss But that mo
s|ss cave II to ME, 4 rant answered,
ressing thea slectricS button BY the
sf.repl ace as he spok e.
as|s8I let entered An answer to- the
9 H
SIlt N once ID the nearest motor
ca stalid 0ls gage, a cab.