The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-02-01

Hiven, and don't look surprised at
anything"
O'Rourke moved a few PAGES aft,
along the rail, to point whence he
could see the head and shoulders Of
the helmsman. "Well?"
"'Tis nawthin' l cud swear to, sor,
but tits meself thot's mortal leary av
these naygurs-raps picts to ye-and-'
, and"
"Come, come! Out with it, Danny"
"Sure sor, tits the serang. Have
ye CHANGED to notice him, sor?"
O'Rourke glanced down to the fore
deck, where the parsonage In question
was standing at ease. What Of him?"
he inquired, running his eye over the
fellows superb proportions.
"'Tis nawthin' Id take me oath to,
sor, but I'm thinkir' he's the man who
boarded the Panjpab at Suez, sor.
And as for the naygur I run against
on the sloon deck, yer honor, he's his
,, mortal twin"
"Ah," commented O'Rourke. '"Thank
you, Danny"
He continued to watch the serang
until the latter, as Il Influenced by the
fxity of the Irishman's regard, turned
and stared directly into O'Rourke's
! eyes. For full minute he gave him
look for look, dark eyes steadfast and
unyielding above bis fine aquiline
nose, then calmly t,} rned his back, re-
Stunning his contemIN ation of the tur'
bulent horizon.
An instant later Quick came up to
relieve O'Rourke, and, eight bells
sounding, Danny Owed below to take
Dravos' place. O'Reburke, unpleasant
ly Impressed by the incident, still for
bore to mention it Ito either of the
ships owners; he retired to think 1t
over, and spent Icing hour consum'
ing an Indifferent cigar and studying
the cracks in the bplkhead between"
his room and the cabin.
Without profit, however. Lacking
more substantial proc than Dannys
suspicious, he could arrive at no def
mite conclusion. :
The night passed without incident:
the second day dawned the counter
part Of it's predecessor, and wore"
away quietly enough.
1t fell to O'Rourke to stand the first
dog-watch, from four to six in tho.
evening. Shortly after he assembled
the BRIDGE it was his happiness to be-
joined by Mrs. Prynne, who improved
the moment to express her gratifica-
ton with the propitious tide in her af-
fairs. The Kings courier was pleased
to declare herself very we'll pleased
! indeed, though she admitted, under
| jocular pressure, that she considered
she was roughing it. Captain Quick's~
quarters were by no means palatial,.
and the bill of fare, while substantial
ly composed, lacked something of va
riety; but that was all part of the
great and fascinating game she played.
the game of secret service to His
Majesty, Edward VII
Not that alone, but she was COM
forted by the assurance that her voy-
age would soon be over, her mission.
discharged, her responsibility thing
of the past. She would be glad to see
Bombay.
Zone never knows, you know, Colo
mel O'Rourke," she said with little
gesture expressive of her allowance
for the unforeseen.
| O'Rourke OWNED she had something
on her mind which she hesitated to-
voice, though they were practically
alone; the man at the wheel was a
nonentity- bronze statue in a faded
shirt, ragged turban and soiled cum.
merbund
"Then it's yourself will be glad,
gather, to be rid of US, MADAME"
She smiled, deprecatory. what
would you?" she asked in French,
with a significant glance up into
O'Rourkes eyes.
tits not precisely pleasant to be
constantly apprehensive," the woman
continued in the same tongue, "even
when one has Colonel O'Rourke to
look to for protection"
"Ah, madame!" expostulated the
wanderer. "But what makes ye SO
positive I'd not turn tail and run away
from any real danger?"
She gave him a look that brimmed
with mirth. "a man who is cow
ard" she said slowly, doesn't stand
still and draw revolver when q
heavy knife is thrown at his head"
"Quick told We, MADAME"
mo, I saw-heard the quarrelling
on the forward deck and got Ito the
companionway in time to see what
happened. Had you not been so in
tent on your search for the knife, you
would have seen me. AS it was,
slipped below again without attracting
attention" --'
But why?"
"To get my revolver, monsieur le
colonel."
"'TWas naught but an accident"
s "You do not believe that yourself,
colonel dear; for my part. -
Y Y well ~