The Southern herald., 1912-05-03
CHAPTER III.

As he stepped out OF the liIt Colonei
O'Rourke remarked a light IN nis
room. visible through the Tansom
over the door.
."rhe femme de chambre, ne
thought. Sure and the poor thing :
still busy trying to clear up
To the contrary. he found the door
fast "Tis careless she was to leave
the light on" he observed, fitting MS
key in the lock.
II thoughtless in that one way, the
woman had fulfilled the letter OF her
word in the other. 1t was with com
urehensive relief (since he anticipated
a caller) that he found the room once
again presentable. ,
But one thing surprised him; and
more surprising still was the fact that
his ordinarily Indifferent eye snould
have detected 1t at the first glance
He had indeed hardly entered peiore
he became ware of a square OF wniVe
paper tucla, I in the corner OF the Du'
reau mirror
"The divvle, now!" he greeted It.
That's curious. Could one VI
me many admirers have bribed the
femme de chambre to bring note to
meY" He chuckled. holding to the
Nght a much soiled envelope, grimI
with the marks of many fingers pas
tered with stamps and black VIII
hostage marks and substitute ad
dresses. having evidently been Tor
warded over half the world before
reached the addressed: who was
in a bold hand. Colonel Terence
O'Rourke."
He whistled low over this, examin
ing Il intently, infinitely less concern
ed with its contents than with tn
manner by which it had reached him
The first postmark seemed to be tina
of Rangoon, the original address, tn
Cercle Militaire, his club in Paris
Thence, apparently, it had sought hir
In Galway, Ireland, Dublin, Paris agair
and flnally-after half dozen othe
addresses-"C. of Nine. O'Rourke, H'
tel Carlton, London" The Londo
uostmark was indecipherable.
He found himself trembling violen
ly. BY one hand alone could thi
have reached him, since the post ha
not brought 1t to Monte Carlo.
He recalled that woman's voice whic
had so stirred him, the woman OF II
Casino whose bearing had seemed
him so familiar.
Some one tapped on the door;
smothered a curse of annoyance, ar
went to answer, thrusting the lett
into his pocket.
A page announced Monsieur
COmte des Trebes.
Show the gentleman up" snapp'
O'ROurke. He was about to add,
Eve minutes" when Des Trebes hi
self appeared.
Anticipating that message, me
sieur," he said, moving into vic
from one side of the door, II took I
liberty of accompanying this boy.
am late, fear"
O'Rourke forced nod and smile
welcome. Not to my knowledge" SO
he.
The Frenchman consulted his watt
"Ten minutes late, monsieur; it is
past midnight"
Then" said O'Rourke, "the top
the morning to ye. Enter, monsieu
He stood aside, closing the door
him his guest. "'Tis no matter;
/ thought ye punctual, It's SO ye
to all intents and purposes
A chair, monsieur" He establish
Des Trebes by window. "And a
arctic? A drop to dri1
AS ye will. And sii
'tls to talk secret business that We
here--wOuld ye like the door locke'
That is hardly essential" Des ]
hes reviewed his surroundings, "
swift, searching glance. I'VE are
least secure from interruption;
could ask little more"
~True for ye," laughed 0'Rourke.
moved toward the alcove. Nov
of all I'm to submit proofs of me ID
tty, believe" he added, intending
dig out Of his trunk a dispatch
containing his passports and other
pers of a private nature.
But Des Trebes had changed
mind. "That. is unnecessary, n
sieur. Your very willingness is S
cient proof. | have your word
am content"
That's the way Of doing BUSH
that like" assented oRourke he
lily, warming little 10 the man al
turned back chair facing the