Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-02-07

OROurke commented mentally. AS
for that" said he aloud, "'tis impos-
sible for me to calculate the in.perti-
nence until tbs put to me. Eh?"
Believe me, sir, am anxious only
to avoid indiscretion. 1t is the ques-
ton of your identity alone. l desire
only to be assured that you are the
Colonel O'Rourke take you to be-"
"My faith! And who else would I
be, now?"
"Fhere's the bare possibility that
two of the same name might exist"
"'Tis so bare that it's fairly inde-
cent" chuckled the Irishman. But fire
away"
81 am not mistaken in assuming
that l address the Colonel Terence
O'Rourke who was at one time party
to lie petit Lemercie's mad Empire du
Sahara project and who later mar
ried Lemarcier's widow, Madame Ia
Princesse de Grandeur"
O'Rourke took a long breath and
looked his questioner up and down.
"Ye have very pretty taste in the
matters of impertinences," he said
gravely. However, let that pass. I'm
| the same man."
"a thousand pardons. Caution In
matters such as this" A shrug COM
pleted the thought most eloquently.
"Yon can give me proofs Of your iden-
tity, then?"
"Proofs," O'Rourke got to his feet.
Believe me, monsieur, ye have all the
proof I'm willing to give ye, and that's
my last word. If ye find it insufficient,
why, then"
"Pardon!" Des Trebes interrupted,
rising. 81 am myself more than con-
tent. But the Government of France"
"The Government of France"
O'Rourke whistled.
as more exacting than 1. 1t knows
certain Colonel O'Rourke and him
alone does it need"
1.-THE divvle it does! And what will
1t be wanting with me-"
81 can say at present no more than
that 1 represent Government in an
affair demanding secrecy and dispatch.
have a certain diplomatic mission to
discharge. and shall have need, mon
sieur, of man strong, bold, venture
some, willing to undertake a long and
perhaps perilous journey" Had Des
Trebes been inspired he could have
formulated no speech better calculated
to intrigue the Irishman; the merest
echo of its import would have fired
his hearers fancy. He added: "And l
am authorized to retain for that pur-
pose, should l be fortunate enough to
find him unengaged, a certain Colonel
Terence O'Rourke."
Say no more, monsieur. 'Tis
enough. 'Secrecy-dispatch-a long
and perilous Journey Faith I'm just
Your mani"
"You have no other business Of the
moment?"
"None whatever"
"Then am indeed fortunate. And
now, l presume, you will no longer
object to satisfying mo as to your iden-
tity."
"Not in the least. Although, to be
candid, monsieur, I'm not in the hab-
1t Of carrying me Bertillion record
about me. But if yell have the good
nes to accompany me to the Orient,
over there, I'll put your mind at ease
before We can say knife"
Des Trebes nodded. "I should be
delighted, but unfortunately" = he
snapped the case of his watch-T
have an appointment with confrere.
May we fix a time-in half an hour,
say-when it will be convenient for
you to have me call at the orient?"
"In half ar hour? I'll await ye
then, monsieur"
Pardon, then, my haste. am late.
must be off"
The mans hand touched o'Rourke's
in the most brief Of clasps, singularly
firm and cold. The Irishman pondered
the sensation for some moments after
Des Trebes' hurrying figure had van
ishod in shadows.
81 don't like it," he averred; its
bad sign-a hand that's naturally
cold. l never yet touched one like. it
that belonged to a man ye could trust.
1 misdoubt he's sound at the core,
Des Trebes. But then, what's
the odds? Can I not take care of me-
self? And since it's the Government
of France I'm treating with, and him
self only the medium-that puts alto
gether a different complexion on the
meter"
He spent the ensuing half-hour loi-
tering in the more populous portion
of the grounds, smoking as he stroll
ed, his eyes keen to scrutinize each
woman who came his way. But he dis
covered none resembling her whom he
had seen in the Casino.
CHAPTER Ill.
~ = 49,