Arizona republican., 1911-02-01
THE ADVENTURES 0F
 MIR. PETER RUFF
By E. Phillips oppenheim-The De-
 mand of the Double Four
(Copywright, 1909. by the Pearson Pub
 fishing Co.)
fcontinued from Yesterday)


 may not be so dangerous as he was 1 but if you ever come across him. you take my tip and be careful He means to do you mischief some day. if he can. l am not sure" she added, " that he doesn't believe that 1t was partly your fault about my leaving home"
 :" l should be sorry for him to think that" Peter Run answered. While we are upon the subject. can't you tell me exactly why your husband dislikes me so?"
 " For one thing" she answered, |" be- cause you have been up against him in several of his cases, and have al- ways won"
 1" And for the other?" he asked.
 We'll" she said. doubtfully, he seems to connect you in his mind. somehow. with boy who was in love with me once-Mr. Spencer Fitzgerald you know who l mean" Run nodded
 he?" he remarked.
 Oh. he's mad," she declared. However. don't let us talk about him any more"
 The lights were being put out. Peter
 
 gether.
 Come down to the fiat for an hour or so," she begged. taking his arm. "1 have dear little place with an- other girl-Carrie Pearce. I'll sing to you, if you like. Come down and have one drink, anyhow"
 Peter Run shook his head firmly.
 am sorry" he said, but you IT. | very old-fashioned," he added I never sit up late, and hate music"
 Just drive as far as the door with me. then," she begged.
 Peter Ruff shook his head.
 You must excuse me" he said. handing her into the hansom And. Maud" he added If may call you so-take my advice: give it up-go back to your husband and stick to him you'll be better off in the long run"
 She would have answered him scorn- fully. but there was something i'm pressiye in the crisp. clear words-in his expression, too. as he looked into her eyes. She threw herself back in a corner of the cab with an affected little laugh. and turned her head away from him.
 Peter Ruff walked back into the cloak-room for his coat and hat. and sighed softly to himself It was the end of the one sentimental episode of his lifei
 It had been the study of Peter Ruff's life, so far as possible. to maintain under all circumstances an equable temperament. to refuse to recognize the meaning of the word nerves" and to be guided in all his actions by that profound common sense which was one of his natural gifts. Yet there were times when, like any other ordinary person. he suffered acutely from presentiments. He left his rooms, for instance. at five o'clock on the afternoon of the day following his supper with Maud. suffering from a sense of depression for which he found it altogether impossible to account. It was true that the letter which he had in his pocket, the appointment which he was on his way to keep. were both of them probable sources of embar- rassment and annoyance. if not of danger. He was being invited. with out the option of refusal. to enter upon some risky undertaking which would yield him neither fee nor reward. Yet his common sense told him that it was part of the game. Tn Paris. he had looked upon his admittance into the order of the Double Four" as one of the stepping-stones to success in his career. Through them he had gained knowledge which he could have acquired in no other way. Through them, for instance. he had acquired the information that Madame Ia Comtesse de Pilitz was a Servian patriot and a friend of the Grown Prince; and that the Count von Hern, posing In England as sportsman and an idler. was highly paid and dan gerous Austrian spy There had been other occasions. too. upon which they had come to his aid. Now they had made an appeal to him-an appeal which must be obeyed. His time perhaps, even, his safety-must be placed entirely at their disposal. It was only an ordinary return-a thing expected of nina thing which he dared not refuse. Yet he knew very we'll that he could not explain to them that the whole success of his life depended SO absolutely upon his re- maining free from any suspicion of wrong-doing. that he had received his summons with something like dismay, and proceeded to obey 1t with unac- eustomed reluctance.
 He drove to Cirey's Cafe in Regent Street, where he dismissed the driver of his hanson and strolled in with the air of an habitue. He selected a cor ner table. ordered some refreshment, and asked for a box of domlnoes. The place was fairly well filled. A few women were sitting about: sprink- ling of Frenchmen were taking their apperetH: here and there a man of affairs, on his way from the city, had called in for glass of vermouth Peter Ruff looked them over, recog- nizing the type-recognizing, even, some of their faces. Apparently, the person whom he was to meet had not yet arrived.
 He lit a cigarette and smoked slowly. Presently the door opened and a woman entered in a long fur coat. large hat, and thick veil. She raised 1t to glance around. disclosing the unnaturally pale face and dark, swollen eyes of a certain type of Frenchwoman. She seemed to notice no one In particular. Her eyes tray- elled over Peter Run without any sign of interest. Nevertheless. she took a seat somewhere near his and ordered some yermouth from the waiter,