The Washington times., 1911-09-09

Ger from the Grand Babylon 10
Ostend. Well, l dared not forcs
IN entrance, lest 1 might precipitate
matters too suddenly, and involve both
OF US in a difficulty. l merely kept
watch.
"Ah. Miss Racksole, you were mag
nificent with Miss Spencer; as / say,
could hear every word, for the window
vas slightly open. 1 felt that You
needed no assistance from me. And
then she cheated you with a trick, and
the revolver came flying through the
window.
Il picked it up; I thought 1t would
probably be useful There was a
silence. 1 did not guess at first that
you had tainted. 1 thought you had
escaped.
When 1 found out the truth it was
too late for me to interfere. There
were two men. both desperate; besides
Miss Spencer"
who was the other MANI" asked
Nena.
Il do not know. 1t was dark. They
drove away with you to the harbor.
Again l followed. l saw them carry
you on board
Before the yacht weighed anchor ]
managed to climb unobserved into the
dingey. ! lay down full length in 1t,
and no one suspected ! was there.
think you know the rest"
Was the yacht all ready for scar
The yacht was all ready for sea
The captain fellow was on the bridge,
and steam was up
Then they expected me? How could
that be?"
''They expected some one 1 do not
think they expected you
Did the second man go on board?'
He helped to carry you along the
gangway, but he came back again to
the carriage. He was the driver"
And no one else saw the business?
THE quay was deserted. You see,
the last steamer had arrived for the
night
Nella CALCULATED, under her breath;
Truly, ii is a wonderful world
And It was a wonderful world for
them, though scarcely, perhaps, In the
sense which Nella Racksole had in
tended.
They had but just emerged from a
highly disconcertiAg experience. Among
other minor inconvenience, they had
had no breakfast.
They were out at sea in a tiny boat.
Neither Of them knew what the day
might bring forth. The man at least
had the most serious anxieties for the
safety of his royal nephew.
And yet-and yet. neither Of them
wished that that voyage of the little
boat on the summer tide should come
to an end. Each, perhaps, unconsciously,
had a vague desire that 1t might last
forever, he lazily pulling, she directing
his course at intervals by a movement
Of her distractingly pretty head.
be explained? Well, they were both
young: they both had superb health,
and all the ardor of youth, and-they
were together. The boat was very small
indeed; her face was scarcely a yard
from his.
She, in his eyes. surrounded by the
glamour of beauty and vast wealth; he,
IN her eyes, surrounded by the glamour
Of masculine intrepidity and the bril-
lance Of a throne.
Is It strange that they should linger
on that brief voyage out Of the kingdom
OF romance to the homely and unpo-
otical quays Of Ostend? Is it strange?
But all voyages come to an end, either
at the shore or at the bottom Of the
sea, and at length the dingey passed be-
tween the stone jetties of the harbor
The prince rowed to the nearest steps,
tied up the boat and they landed.
1t was o'clock in the morning, and
a day Of gorgeous sunlight had opened
Few people were about at that early
hour, and no one seemed to notice
their debarkation. When they had
mounted to the quay both, with
simultaneous movement, gazed out to
sea.
Only a faint smear Of smoke was visi-
BILE on the horizon.
And now, what next?' said the
Prince. II must take you to a hotel"
: 81 am in your hands," she acquiesced,
with q smile which sent the blood rae
ing through his veins.
He perceived now that she was tired
and overcome, suffering from a sudden
and natural reaction. He looked
around for a carriage, but there was
II viii walk" she said. Let us go
along the Digue," and she accepted his
arm.
At the Hotel Wellington the Prince
told the sleepy doorkeeper that they
had come by the early train from
Bruges, and wanted breakfast at once
It was absurdly early, but a common
English sovereign will work wonders
in any Belgian hotel, and in a very
brief time Nella and the Prince were
breakfasting On the veranda upon cho-
colate that had been specially and
hastily brewed for them.
"1 never tasted such excellent choco-
late" exclaimed the Prince.
The statement was wildly untrue, for
the Hotel Wellington Is not celebrated
for its chocolate. Nevertheless, Nella
replied enthusiastically, Nor l."
Then there was a silence, and Nella,
feeling possibly that she had been too
ecstatlc, remarked in a very matter of
fact tone: at must telegraph to papa
Instantly"
Thus It was that Theodore Racksole
received the telegram which hurried
him away from Detective Marshall.
CHAPTER XVI.