The Irish standard., 1909-10-23

C1cAST lE6I 11N6OtuCIA HdS Stlll MKaLu.
ated with the girl, that he had como
to London as fast as he could, and
!; that he had deliberately sworn that
the ruby was not his, but another one,
in order to get her out Of trouble. If
1t was not his it had not been stolen
from Pinney's, and the whole case fell
through at once. II she was declared
innocent the stone must be given back
to her; he would take 1t from her as
soon as they were alone and return
1t to his own pocket; and being an
oriental. he would probably beat her
for robbing him, but would not let her
out of his sight again till he was tired
of her. Lady Maud had heard from
her late husband how all Turks be-
lieved that women had no souls and
should be kept under lock and key,
and we'll fed, and soundly beaten now
and then for the good of their tenn.
j pers. This view was exaggerated, but
Lady Maud was in humor to recall
1t and accept it without criticism, and
/ she made up her mind that before
leaving town to join Margaret she
would make sure of the facts. No
friend Of hers should marry a man
capable of such outrageous deeds.
So she went to Logotheti's lodgings
and asked to see him, as regardless Of
, what any one should think of her, II
she were recognized, as she had been
/ in the old days when she used to go
to Van Torp's chambers in the Tenn
pie in the evening.
She was told that Logotheti was
out of town. Where? The servant
! did not know that. The lady could
see the secretary, who might, per-
haps, tell her. He received every one
who had business with Mons. Logo
theft.
She went up one flight and was ad-
mitted to very airy sitting room,
simply furnished.
The Swiss secretary rose ponder
ously to receive her, and as she did
not sit down he remained standing.
His vast face was fringed with a beard
of no particular color, and his eyes
were fixed and blue in his head, like
turquoises set in pale sole leather.
4, II am Countess Leven," she said,
land l have known Mons. Logotheti
some time. viii you kindly tell me
where he Isl"
II do not know, madam" was the
! answer.
"He is not in London"
"At present do not know, madam"
HAS he left no address? Do you
not forward his letters to him."
mo, madam. do not forward his
letters to him."
"Then suppose he is on his yacht"
suggested Lady Maud.
Madam, do not know whether he
is on his yacht"
"You don't seem to know any
thing!"
Pardon me, madam, think know
my business. That is all know"
Lady Maud held her beautiful head
a little higher and her lids dropped
slightly as she looked down at him,
for he was shorter than she. But the
huge leathern face was perfectly i'm.
passive, and the still, turquoise eyes
surveyed her without winking. She
had never seen such stolidity in q
human being.
There was clearly nothing to be
done, and she thought the secretary
distinctly rude; but as that was no
reason why she should be, she babe
him good-morning civilly and turned
to go. Somewhat to her surprise, he
followed her quickly across the room,
opened the door for+ her and went
on into the little hall to let her out.
There was small table there, on
which lay some of Logotheti's hats,
and several pairs of gloves were laid
out neatly before them. There was
one pair, of light gray, very much
smaller than all the rest, so small, in
deed, that they might have fitted a
boy of seven, except that they looked
too narrow for any boy. They were
mems gloves as to length and buttons.
but only child could have worn
them.
Lady Maud saw them instantly, and
remembered Baraka's disguise; and
as she passed the big umbrella jar
to go out, she saw that with two of
Logothetfs sticks there was q third,
fully four inches shorter! Just plain
crook-handled stick with silver ring.
That was enough. Baraka had GER
tainly been in the lodgings and had
probably left in them everything that
belonged to her Disguise The fact
that the gloves and the stick were in
the hall looked very much as IL she
had come in dressed as a man and
! had left them there when she had
gone away in woman's attire. That
she was with Logotheti, most prob
ably on his yacht, Lady Maud had not
the least doubt, as she went down tho
stairs.
The Swiss secretary stood at tho
open door on the landing till she was
out of sight below, and then went
in again. and returned to work over
heap of business papers and letters.
When he had worked half an hour, he
leaned back in his leathern chair to