Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-13
THE MESSAGE
BY LOUIS TRACY.
CHAPTER xII-continued.

CHAPTER xII-Continued.
For an instant Evelyn did not appre-
ciate the significance Of that marvelously
accurate guess. Then she turned and
looked at him in wonderment.
"Why do you mention her?' she cried,
almost Historically.
The sailor smiled. though his face
showed some degree Of confusion. -.
Il have done 1t now, SO I may as well
make clean breast Of it. But. mind you.
I am revealing official secrets, SO please
forget what am telling you. Mrs Lafng
went to the foreign Office and claimed to
be engaged to Warden. For some reason
perhaps some one there had seen you
she was not believed. and that IL why.
they seem to know all about you IN
Whitehall"
But only yesterday Mrss Laing pre-
tended that Arthur-that Capt. Warden
gagged on a secret mission for the govern
ment''
"You can take it from me he did moth
ing of the sort. Outside the department
no one knew where he had gone or what
he was doing. He even passed under an
alias on board the Water Witch. There
1 didn't mean to tell you that. I am but
a poor diplomatist, I fear. And that re-
minds me: 1 must bark back to my err
rand. Why has Mrs. Laing come here?''
Evelyn lifted her head defiantly. Nor
timer had blundered into the worst pos
sible lire of inquiry.
"She has told me repeatedly that she
Is in Las Palmas In order to meet Capt.
Warden when he returns from the oku
territory"
The man glanced around to be sure they
were not overheard.
That, at least. Is untrue. because he Is
not there. Owing to his absence. another
deputy commissioner is appointed. ex-
pect Mrs. Laing's talkativeness does not
extend to her relations with Miguel
Figuero?"
'.Ah. how / loathe that man! He-pes-
tered me with his attentions at Hamburg.
and Trouville, and ArcachOn, and Biar-
ritz He was either on board the yacht
or visited us at each port of call. But it
is only fair to admit" she added. that
he seemed rather. to avoid Mrs. LANG"
have reason to believe that they are
acting In COLLISION" said Mortimer. dry
ly How long do you remain on the
island, Miss Dane?"
There was some talk the other day OF
our return"
What. all Of your
the spring in the Riviera, and her hus-
band says he has important business at
Frankfort in February. so he will leave
us at Nice while he attends to II"
"Do you go in the YACHT"
II suppose so. She is therein the har-
Eyes. The Sans Souci does not travel
far without my knowledge. You changed
your crew at Hamburg, believer?
:. "Yes all our Englishmen We're sent
home. Mr.. Baumgartner said that Ger
mans were cheaper and more obedient"
what was. your opinion Of the new
" II didn't like them at first. as I had to
-,s%n i,, toll inc
wished to speak to any Of them, but they
are q very superior set of men,"
"You carry good many hands for a
small vessel?"
wei, yes. Even 1 thought that
Did you ship large quantity Of heavy
Il don't know. We swere in a hotel
there Ave or six days. and never visited
the yacht during that time"
"Of course. Miss Dane, II you should be
eh? 1 hope may claim that privilege
apart from other considerat.ons?'
"You have been most kind, Capt. Nor
timer. I cannot tell you what load OF
care you have taken from me. Now !
must go to the ballroom and see that
of with my charge"
Who is that?" he inquired
Berry, Baumgartner. l am her COM
panion. You know. Though l am only
tHIc0 years U1ucT IMAM boiyI, ot u 0u~
tied with so much more gravity that her
mother trusts her to me absolutely"
rs Mrs. Laing there?"
"She was dancing with the comman-
dante when came out"
He laughed.
81 shall probably see you again tomor-
row evening" he said. Some Of my
officers will be ashore and may be
dining here"
He took his leave with a cordially that
was in marked contrast to his earlier
frisid manner. but Evelyn had long since
forgotten her surprise at his momentary
curtness.
The extraordinary tidings of Warden
adventures in Morocco absorbed her MIND
to the exclusion of ali else. She wanted
to study a map, to follow his wanderings
in spirit, to weave fantasies about his
track across tho desert with all the aroor
Of reawakened love. How could she ever
have doubted him? She was brave enousn
70 ,,rdermine her trust-why had she
Welded to the strain during these later
DAYS of weary waiting? She was sure II
was not SO with her lover. some time.
o,,ite soon, there would be letter or a
cabiexram announcing his safe arrival at
some weirdly named British station IN
NORTHERN Nigeria. She must learn the
her friend. Capt. Mortimer. might tell her
from what town she might expect to re-
ceive the earliest news.
But Eveiyn's humble light heartedness
was destined not to survive the next ten
minutes Looking in at the ballroom. she
saw Beryl Waiting with Canario fruit.
grower, a youthful Spaniard Of immense
wealth. who owned a large part of the
island. While crossing the hall with In