The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-04-26
CHAPTER *.

Shortly before midnight the tri-
weekly train from Constantine TO Al
Eiers pulled up oyer an hour late at
the town Of ELGuorrah. II took I'D a
single passenger, discharged none and
presently Numbered on westwards,
rocking and Earring over a road.bed
certainly no better than IT should have
been. Such, at least. was the passep-
gers criticism, as, grooming In an
ticipatIon Of the long night of discom.
fort ahead Of him, he disposed himself
and his belongings about the cushions
OF Inc tirst'class compartment which
he occupied In solitary grandeur.
ORourke had no intention of leav.
Ing anything undone that might tend
to mitigate the terrors OF the Journey.
Five days had elapsed since that
morning In the oasis. In the interval
he had again dared the danger of the
desert. returning to Biskra alone BY a
route more direct than that which had
brought him up with the flying col
umn Dtscharging the guide with a
gratuity larger than his ebbing means
warranted, he had proceeded 10 Ell.
Guerrah by the first daily train, and
30 now found himself on the direct
line of communication with Algiers
and the Governor-General
His chiefest concern now Law with
the future and the Pool Of Flame;
both bulked large upon the horizon
and were at once the architects and
the nuclei OF u thousand different
plans Of action.
So far, the affair had worked
smoothly: he anticipated little trou-
Bile.
SO thinking he drowsed. and in the
course Of time lulled by the hammer.
Ing OF 4 fiat wheel at the forward end
Of the coach, fell asleep. He waken.
ed suddenly after a nap Of some two
hours or so, to a confusion OF impress
sions: that the train had stopped:
that some n had invaded his COM
partment; that a cold blast was blow.
ing across his wrists, Bewildered and
not half master OF his senses, he start
ed up and fell back with a thud, as.
sisted to resume a recumbent position
by a heavy blow upon his chest, deliy-
cred by some person for the moment
unknown. simultaneously he was
aware of a clicking sound, followed by
the sensation Of being unable to move
his feet; and then, the clouds clearing
from his understanding, he realized
that the cold upon his wrists was that
Of steel. With handouts also on his
ankles, he lay helpless, unable ever
to protest because OF a cloth wadded
tightly into his mouth and a firm hand
that prevented election.
Other hands were rifing his peck.
cts, swiftly but after a bungling fash
ion. The train. having paused briefly
ut Setif The afterwards located the
station by c%oniecture), began to
move again. was presently in
full laundering fight. Abruptly the
examination OF his person-which
was 80 thorough that It Included
the opening OF his shirt to as
sure the thieves that he carried moth.
ing In the shape OF a money.belt--
was concluded and the adventurer
was roughly jerked into q sitting po.
sition. At the same time his gag was
removed.
He gasped, blinked, coughed, and
rolled a resentful eye around the com.
partment. BE the powers!" he said
huskily; and no more. At first glance
it became apparent that he had mis-.
calculated the audacity and esource
of the ylcomte and Mr.. Glynn. They
had literally caught him mapping.
The Honorable BERTHE, 0'Rourke dis.
covered kneeling in the act Of turning
the adyenturer's travelling gear inside
out; at least, he seemed to be try,
ing to do SC. Monsieur 10 vicomte
des Trebes on the contrary was seat
ed at ease, facing oRourke. a revolver
on the cushion beside him, his in.
terest concentrated not upon his cap
tive, upon his collaboration. O'Rourke
remarked an expression on the French.
mans face. a curious compound Of
eagerness, triumph and apprehension.
Without noting the lrishman's ejec-
u~lation. he addressed Glynn: Find
it?" :
"No-worse luckl" grumbled the
Englishman. rising and kicking the
handbag ~sayagely. There isn't so
much az a scrap Of paper anywhere
about hir