The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-08-27
By GUY THORNE.
CHAPTER xli-continued.

very 8OOOs SAlO WllllaWSON. /
beg your pardon, sir, but a gentleman
IN board the boat, just before l came
Oh, sir. said he knew you, and as he
could not find you and was not going
by the train would I give you this
note?"
Williamson produced an envelope,
addressed Michael Grant, Esq.," in
the curiously thin, spidery handwrit-
ing in which German manuscript text
il usually written, with its careful
loops and curves.
Grant looked at the envelope and
showed 1t to Basil. Il can guess who
the writer of that was," he said, grim
ly, in an aside. And then, turning to
the valet, he asked him what sort of
gentleman 1t was that had given
him the note.
"Was it, williamson" he said, "a
gentleman with spectacles and a grey
beard and moustache, looking like a
foreigner?"
"Oh, no, sir!" Williamson replied.
"Quite a young gentleman, sir. clean
shaved"
All r.sht then. Get aboard now,
williamson" Grant replied. Captain
Marriott and myself will not be a
minute more. We will look into this
in the carriage" he whispered to
asil: I'VE don't know who on earth
ny one of those people drinking COT
Ne there may be. Let US hope the
hole affair was nothing"
He put the note into his pocket.
finished his coffee. lit a cigar, and
strolled out towards the train-big.
splendid, and apparently without a
care in the world.
They found their carriage duly re-
served, and Williamson had already
put their dressing bags and rugs into
It.
well, we shall be quite undisturbed
here, at any rate" Grant said. 1.-THE
lavatory is at the end Of the corridor.
We shall not have any sudden visitors
without being well prepared for them.
They ear only come M way. after
Ill, and that Is by the corridor"
He pulled the heavy sliding door,
which opened on to the carpeted cor
ridor, into its place, drew down the
thick blinds on both sides Of the car
rage, and then took the letter from
his pocket.
Nov. them" he said, let us e
what this Isl"
He tore open the envelope and with
with the English and Belgian flags.
It was a piece of note-paper from the
writing room OF the steamer. and
showed that the note must therefore
have been written on board.
These few words confronted him:
You will be very well advised, to-
gether with your friend, to return
home to England at once. 1t will be
much better for you. You will not
ind where you are going at all
healthy at present"
Number one," Grant said, grimly.
Aolding the letter out to Basil.
s'That's the warning! Well, we'll see
awhat comes Of 1t. But l wish"-his
lace clouded. and for the first time
. look OF real anxiety and fear came
into his eyes-"I wish to heaven l
had dissuaded the Duchess and Miss
Hobson from coming with as. As a
natter OF fact. l did try very hard,
but It was Of no use. She would have
gone by herself II I had not come
also. And yet-if only q way could
have been found to stop her! Yes!
Marriott. you are quite right! We
are treading in dangerous paths"
THAT was quite obvious from the
urst," Marriott answered. "All the
better. Far more exciting: you feel
tollier when you have circumvented
the beggars. l should say that-at
conservative estimate, my good
friend-it would take pretty consider
able cleverness on the part of N
person. or q whole gang. to get the
better Of you and myself. I speak
without pride, MOI Is my heart 'puffed
np,' like the gentleman In the Psalms.
But still" He grinned quietly to
himself and lit q cigarette. Then,
placing his hand behind him. he with
drew from q hip-pocket q small. shin
Ing Webley revolver. the silver-plat-
tng glistening in the electric light
which poured down from above.
"You never thought of that, did
you9" he said to Grant.
We'll, / cannot say l did," the 9TH
~ answered. ruefully.
"Of course, you are not 50 accus-
eomed to carry about this sort of
thing @ we are In the Service" Mar
riott replied. "You must sometimes,
y some Of the odd places one goes
ashore. / can tell you! II you will
1ust press the spring Of that dressing
lbae there, You will find the twin
brother Of this chap. which you had
better put Il your pocket. ! suppose
you know how 70 manage themf"
.t0h. 20; quite WELT"
.0oodi I would slip some cartridges
1ntO the chambers, Il ! were you. You
WIN nd Z little green box IN my bag.
xca never know exactly"