The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-13

said suddenly:
 'I'm not going to deceive you any longer. prince. l have seen your gar dens."
 "Indeed.- inquired Galitch.
 .1Tl tell you all about it."
 And she related. while the prince lis tened with an air of cold imperturb- ability, the story of her visit to the Gardens of Babylon. U
 She had come upon them inadvert- ently from the rear in climbing over a hillock which separated the gardens from the mountains. She had wan dered from entertainment to enchant- ment. but without being in the least astonished.
 The prince had scarcelyl time to re- ply before Walter. Old Bob's servant, brought a dispatch to RouIetabille. The latter asked permission to open it and read aloud:
 Return as soon as possible. We are waiting for you very anxiousiy. A mag nincent assignment at St. Petersburg.
 This dispatch was signed by the edi- tor in chief of the Epoch.
 Well. what do you say to that, M. 'Rouletabilleg' demanded the prince.
 "I shall not go to St. Petersburgi" declared Rouletabille.
 "They will regret your decision at the court" said the prince. q am cer- tain of that. and allow me to say young man, that you are missing wonderful opportunity"
 Rouletabil opened his lips as though ro answer. but closed them again. Ga itch went on:
 You would have found an adventure worthy of your skill. One may hope for everything when one has been strong enough to unmask Larsanw
 The word fell into the midst of us like a bombsheil. and. as if by a com mon impulse. we took refuge behind our smoked glasses. The silence which followed was horrible. Larsan, Why should this name which we ourselves had so often pronounced within the last forty-eight hours and which rep resented a danger with which we were commencing to almost feel familiar cause indehnabie terror to creep through our bodies? The unbroken si- lence on every hand contributed to in- crease an indescribable state of hypno-
 
 ed2 And why did all the others sit SD silent and so Inotionless behind their dark giassesg All at once I turned my head and looked behind me. Then un- derstood, more by instinct than any thing else. that I was the object of a common psychical attraction Some one was looking at me Two eyes were fixed upon me-weighing upon me. could not see the eyes. and l did not know from where the glance fixed upon me came. but it was there. l knew it-and it was his glance. But there was no one behind me. nor at the right. nor the left. nor in front. ex- cept the people who were seated at the table. motionless. behind their dark klasses. And then-then 1 knew that Larsan's eyes were glaring at me from behind a pair of those glasses-ah- the dark glasses-the dark glasses ind which were hidden Larsan's eyes.
 And then. all at once. the sensation passed The eyes doubtless were turned away from me. l drew a long breath. Another sigh echoed my own. Was 1t from the breast of Rouletabille was it the Lady in Black, who per haps. had at the same time as myself endured the weight of those piercing eyes?
 Old Bob spoke:
 Prince. 1 do not believe that your last spinal bone goes any further back than the middle of the quarternary period"
 And all the black spectacIes turned In his direction.
 | Rouletabille arose and made sign to me. l hastened to the council room. where he was waiting for me.
 To be continued)