The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-03

We'll, we were fond of each other,
Chambret and /. | helped him out
of some tight corners and he helped
me along when me money ran short
AS it always did. and will, I'm
thinking After a while | got to won
dering how much ! owed the man
and figured 1t up; the sum total
frightened the life out of me, and I
made him take the ruby by way of Sc
curity-and never was able to redeem
it, for twas only little after that
that | came into me enormous patri-
mony and squandered it riotously get
ting married to the most beautiful
woman living
He warned me to hold the stone.
the O'Mahoney did, saying that the
time would come when some native
prince would offer to redeem the Luck
of the State as an act of piety and pa
triotism He prophesied a reward of
at least fifty thousand pounds And
now it's come-twice Overt"
And now what can you do?"
"Do?" cried O'Rourke Faith,
what would l be doing? Dye realize
what this means to me, dear heart?
1t means you-independence, little
fortune, the right to claim my wife,"
He drew her to him DO? Sure, and
by the first train and boat I'll go to
Algeria, find Chambret, get him to
give me the stone, take 1t to Rangoon.
claim the reward, repay Chambret
and"
And what, my paladin?''
Dare We ask me that, madame?
Say, will We wait for me?"
She laughed softly. Have l not
waited, Ulysses?"
Tell me-" he demanded, have We
talked with anyone about this letter."
only to Clara Plinlimmon!"
Good Lord" groaned the Irishman.
only to her! Could We not have
printed broadsides, the better to make
the matter public?"
did l do wrong?"
"'Twas indiscreet-and that's put
ting it mildly, me dear. Dye know
the woman's a walking newspaper?
How much did We tell her? Did We
show her the letter."
NO" She answered his last ques-
ton first and I told her very little
only about this reward for a ruby
| I didn't know you owned. We We're
wondering where to find you"
"And she told no one-or who do
you Think"
The woman looked little fright
| ened. "She told-she must have told
| that man-Monsieur des Trebes"
THAT blackguard.'
He was with us on the yacht, one
of Claras guests"
'She has a pretty taste for com
pany-my word, How dye know she
told him? He asked you about ito
The letter? Yes. He wanted to
know the name of the solicitors and
| their address. | wouldn't tell him.
! -disliked him"
Had We told Lady Plinlimmon?"
| NO
praises be for that"
"Why?"
Because :" O'Rourke paused
vague suspicious taking shape in his
| mind. why did he ask about Cham
brett" he demanded. How could he
| have learned that the jewel was with
him.
He jumped up and began to pace
the floor
| His wife rose, grave with conster
nation. What" she faltered-'what
| 1oly inl
Because the fellow lied to me about
| you this very night Ye were with
Lady Plinlimmon in the Casino, were
We not? Faith, and didn't 1 see ye?
was in chase of We when the mar
stopped me with his rigmarole abou
representing the French government
| and having secret commission fol
| me. Ye heard him just now.
And when l asked him was he of youl
party, he denied knowing Lady Pin
| limmon. He made a later ap
| pointment with me here, to tall
things over I'm thinking he only
wanted time to think up a scheme fol
getting me out of the way. Also, he
wanted to find out where Chambre
| was. Dye not see through his little
game? To get me away from Monte
| Carlo by the first morning train, thai
| we might not meet; to get me on the
| first Atlantic liner, that I might no
interfere with his plot against Cham
| bret For what other reason would he
| give me sealed orders? Sealed or
! ders." O'Rourke laughed CURLY, tax
| III 90 L-T