The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-21

would ever be prying into your Sc
crets. Let's not complicate a simple
situation with explanations"
But, colonel, there Is one thing
more" He paused. 1T is a question"
she continued, of cbartering a ship
at Alden, is it not?"
Il see no other way"
"Then-spare no expense, Colonel
O'Rourke. Remember that 1 foot the
hill"
''Or, If you insist, sir, pay nothing:
Great Britain pays for both of US"
En- Yes?" he stammered
But see. colonel"
He had before then noted indiffer-
emily that she wore a chain of thin,
fine gold about her neck, its termina-
tion-presumably a locket of some
sort-hidden in the folds of her cor
sage. Now she quietly pulled this
forth. and displayed her pendant, a
little trinket of gold, running grey
hound exquisitely modelled
Stunned. he stared first at the top,
| then at the woman. Eye mean to say
-" he whispered, doubling
'On the Kings service, Colonel
O'Rourke,"
"a Kings courier, madam? You
| a womanI'
And why not?" she demanded
proudly. The Kings messengers dare
many dangers, it's true. But In some
of them might not a woman serve bet
ter than a man."
True enough. Yet tits unprece-
dented-at least, yell admit. most I'm.
usual | begin to understand. That
| lascar. for instance"
Believe me, Colonel O'Rourke, I'm
| at liberty to tell you nothing"
! Tell me this, at least: would We
know him If We saw him AGAIN."
'Truthfully," she said, looking him
in the eye, 81 would not. l will say
| one other word: had anticipated his
| attack, although l had never seen him
| before
Faith, it's yourself that has your
courage with We, Mrs Prynne!
But good night, madam! Your serv
| anti"
Good night, colonel" she said softly
and as she watched him swing away
| laughed lightly and strangely. Later
still standing outside her door, she
sighed, and an odd light glowed deep
in her eyes of grayish-green. Signing
again, and with another low laugh
| that rang thought derisive, as
though she were f1outing> the man
whose service she accepted SO gladly
/ she turned and vanished within her
| stateroom.
AS she did SO, the opposite door
that of an inside stateroom on the
same gangway-was opened cautious.
| ly. A turbaned head peered out, its
eyes glancing swiftly up and down the
corridor. Long since, however, the
excited passengers had been reassur.
ed and had returned to their berths;
the coast was clear
The lascar stepped noiselessly out
shut the door without a sound, and
sped swiftly forward: long, brown
man with an impassive cast of coun.
tenance in which his eyes shone with
a curious light
AS he swung into the space at the
foot of the saloon companionway, he
collided violently with an understood
and excessively red-headed Irishman,
nearly upsetting the latter, to say
nothing of glass of brandy-and-soda
which he was conveying to a certain
| stateroom.
"Phwat the divvle, We domned nay.
CUR! Pwhy dye not look where ye're
| going?" demanded Danny with some
heat.
The East Indian backed away, bow.
ed profoundly, mumbling something in,
articulate, and sprang up the steps,
| Danny looked after him, for a moment
hesitant, then put down the tray and
pursued. He caught the flicker of the
lascar's cummerbund as the latter es-
capped to the deck and himself arrived
at the forward end of the promenade
just in time to see white shape dis.
appear into the steerage companion
| way.
I'D take me OATH" said Danny re.
fiectively, "thot he's the naygur thot
came aboard at Suez. IT'S meself
thot wishes I'd had betther peep at
the ugly mug av him. I'm thinking
I'd betther be after tellin' himself"