River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-06-13
CHAPTER xx.-(continued.)

Her spirit, through her eyes, an
Swered his in flash. Then cooling,
she looked him over from crown to
tie, weighing him deliberately in the
balance of her knowledge of men.
He bore the inspection with equanim-
ity, quite sure Of himself, as was nat
Ural In the O'Rourke Provoked, put
on his mettle, he felt himself irwin
chile, and showed 1t In every line of
his pose. She could not have wavered
long; indeed, her decision was quite
two hands IN her own.
YES" she cried, 81 do believe youl
/ take you at your word-your gener-
GUS word, Colonel O'Rourke! I will
trust implicitly in you. You shall get
me to Bombay by the fifteenth"
1.-THE fifteenth" he echoed thought
fully. This is the tenth"
THE Panjnab is scheduled to ar
rive on the fifteenth. All my plans
depend upon there being no delays"
Five daysi 1t shall be
managed, Mrs. Prynne. Bombay by
the fifteenth it shall be, or the
O'Rourke will have broken his heartl"
She grew thoughtful you are very
good-Ive told you that l believe
that you will accomplish what you
promise. Yet it seems hardly fair to
saddle you with my cares, my perils,
without informing you of their ma
ture-"
Madam, it's not the O'Rourke who
would ever be pryinS into your Sc
crets. Let's not complicate a simple
situation with explanations"
But, colonel, there Is one thing
more" He paused. ct is a question"
she continued, "of chartering a ship
at Alden, is 1t not?"
Il see no other way"
''Then-spare no expense, Colonel
O'Rourke. Remember that 1 foot the
bill"
'But-er-"
"Or. If you insist, sir, pay nothing:
Great Britain pays for both of US"
"Eh? 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,
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.
ION the Kings service, Colonel
,ORourke!"
"A Kings courier. madam? You
woman!"
proudly. THE Kings messengers dare
many dangers, it's true. But in some
of them might not woman serve bet
ter than a MANI"
True enough. Yet tits unprece-
dented-at least, yen 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. Il would not. | will say
one other word: had anticipated his
attack, although had never seen him
before
Faith. tbs yourself that mas your
courage with ye. 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 fiouting the man
whose service she accepted so gladly,
she turned and vanished within her
stateroom.
Al she did SO. the opposite door