The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-01-21

L
trouble. Lady Maud was less sure
Of that, however. and said 30, but It
was soon clear that BarakA did not
speak . word Of any language known
to Lady Maud. who was no great
linguist at best. Under these circum-
stances It looked as II there were
nothing to be done for the poor girl,
who made all sorts OF signs OF dis
tress. when she saw that the English
sheer despair Of being of any use.
Just then, however, the sergeant came
to the door, and informed the visitor
that the girl had an accomplice who
spoke her language and knew some
English. and that by stretching point
he would bring the man. II Mrs. Fox
well wished to talk with him.
The result was that in less than
half an hour. Lady Maud heard from
Spiro q most extraordinary tale, of
which she did not believe q single
word. To her plain English mind 1t
all seemed perfectly mad at first, and
on reflection she thought 1t an oSt-
! rageous attempt to play upon her
credulity; whereas she was thorough
" convinced that the girl had come
to grief in some way through Logo
theft and had followed him from Con-
stantinople, probably supporting her
self and her companion by stealing
on the way. Lady Maud's husband
had been a brute. but he knew the
east tolerably well, having done some
military duty in the Caucasus before
he entered the diplomatic service; his
stories had chiefly illustrated the pro-
found duplicity Of all Asiatics. and
she had not seen any reason to dis
believe them.
When Spiro had nothing more to
say, therefore, she rose from the only
seat there was and shook her head
with an air Of utter incredulity. min
gled with the sort Of plying contempt
she felt for all lying In general. She
could easily follow the case, by the
help Of the sergeant and the police
court reports. and she might be able
to help Baraka hereafter when the
girl had served the sentence she
would certainly get for such an i'm
portant and cleverly managed theft.
The poor girl implored and wept in
vain: Lady Maud could do nothing.
and would not stay to be told any
more insane stories about ruby mines
in Tartary. She called the sergeant,
freed herself from Baraka's despair
ing hold on her hand and went out
And when she thought Of what must
have gone before, and Of the part Lo-
gotheti had almost certainly played
In the girls life, her anger was
reused. and she sat down and wrote
to Margaret on the impulse OF the mo.
ment. She gave a detailed account of
her experience at the police station,
including especially a description of
the way Raraka had behaved In trying
to send a message to Logotheti.
Il tell you quite frankly" Lady
Maud wrote in conclusion, that my
friend Mr.. Van Torp has begged me
very urgently to use any friendly In
fuence may possess, to induce you
to reconsider your engagement, be-
cause he hopes that you will accept
him instead. You will not think any
less well Of him for that A man may
ask his best friend to help him to
marry the girl he is In love with. i
am sure! I told him that I would not
do anything to make trouble between
you and Logo. II ! am making trou.
BILE now, by writing all this. 1t is there
fore not to help Mr.. Van Torp, but be-
cause the impression have had
about Logo has really frightened me,
Tor you. made such a wretched fail
ure OF my own married Life that I
have some right to warn friend who
seems to be on the point Of doing Just
the same thing. You have q right to
be sure that the man you marry Is
quite free. and that you won't sud.
denly meet a lovely eastern girl of 20
who claims him after you think he il
yours; and your friend has q right to
warn you. II she feels sure that he IL
mixed up In some affair that isn't
over yet
I don't know where Logo is, but II
he were near enough I should go to
him and tell him what / think. or
course he Is not In town now-no-
body Is. and I've only stayed on to
clear everything out of my house,
now that I'm giving It up. suppose
he Is with you. though you said you
did not want him at Bayreuth! Show
him this letter II you like, for I'm
quite ready to face him II he's angry |
at my Interference. l would even
join you In Paris. II you wanted me,
for ! have nothing to do and strange
to say / have a little money. I've
sold almost all my furniture, you
know, SO I'm not such a total pauper
as usual. But In any case answer
this. please. and tell me that I have
done right. or wrong. just as you feel
about it-and then we will 60 ON be-
ing friends. or say good-by. whichever
you decide"
Lady Maud signed this long letter
and addressed It to Miss Margaret
Dome. at Bayreuth. feeling sure that