The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-09
DOMESTIC HELPS AND
 AIDS TO HOUSEWIVES

neck, detaching one from the strand and knOtting the stout hair wire so none should escape because of the Ioosening. She looked at the pigeon blood a moment, recalling her fathers contemptuous sentence regarding the compatibility of the Chinese noble, then advanced toward the man just as he reached out to enter his vehicle.
 His face was impassive as he stared blankIy at her. Finally in des- peration she held out the ruby to him. He turned 1t over and over in his fingers. His eyes were fairly glowing when he lifted them once more and met hers, nodding as she moved to- ward the palanquin and stepped in side, secreting herself under the silk robes and burrowing to one corner while the owner entered.
 Her thoughts ran riot during that trip. Where had the diary of the spy come from? Surely not LoUbeque. yet no one but Loubeque was familiar with her name Possibly its possessOr had been prisoner. A prisoner
 WethereII or some one of his crew. They had possession of the diary and precious papers. But why conhned2 What could it all mean? She racked her brain for an answer, was so ab- sorbed in the puzzle that she didsnoG notice the palanquin had halted, did not notice, until she heard a familiar voice chatting with the owner in Ohi- nese But she would have recognized that voice in any quarter of the globe, would have known it anywhere, for 1t was the voice of Hugo Loubeque, inter- national spy and her enemy. His tones were light, happys heap peared satisfied with himself ana with life She looked out, to find hSEgesf upon q quay, a great boat dock1ng there, its hold being filled by cOoEie stevedores. And, stepping up the gang plank, a broad smile upon his hRces moved Hugo Loubeque.
 Lucille thrilled. If Hugo LoubeqHe smiled, he was happy. If the spy was happy it was because he had secured the papers once more. If he stepped upon this giant boat it was because the papers were in bis possession If they were in his possession then she would follow.
 But the diary?
 Her fingers told her that this was mo phantasy, no f1gment of an over wrought brain. She held the diary and Hugo Loubeque was boarding the boat. If he boarded the boat it was because he was not yet aware of his loss. Whichever it was, she must follow him. She must be aboard the boat when it sailed.
 Through the days when Loubeque watched Lucille lowering about the black borderland of death in the house to which he had been recommended by his subordinate, the governor of the province to which the fishing smack 4B- had fed upon one thought. The papers In the possession of Captain Wetheren must be found. But how ? T The day before he saw Lucille was out of danger the problem was an swered for him by call from the gov ernor of the province, in whom he recognized a man he had been 1nstru- mental in aiding, and one who feared him greatly
 l., Instantly it was all clear to him. Here was one he need fear making no confession to. He had found out, aboard the boat, exactly where the l shipment of arms was to be made l He knew Wetherel1 might go hum 1 dreds of miles out of his course be- l fore the vengeful man of war, but he also knew that the goods must be I landed at the designated place before
 
 Leaving a sum of money with the nurse Loubeque decided that when L4u- 1 ellie recovered she would be sufficient l ly well provided for to get word to her people and escape from this, the last l of her adventures He led a company of picked soldiers aboard the fighting craft provided for their transport and 1 sailed toward the spot where the de livery was to be made
 There in tiny 1sIet he arrived barely day before the yacht put in with its illicit cargo. The skirmish with the landing crew lasted scant hour, but 1 already the spy had discovered that l WetherelI, the man he wanted, was not 1 with the outfit and he began laying l plans for taking the yacht
 l Captain Wetherel, 1mpatiently wait ing for his men to return for second load, had finally tired and was bring ing it ashore himself. From the shore suddenly shot out the boat his mate | had taken in, but instead of the crew 1 he knew so well the oars were now being manned by Chinese soldiers. In
 a minute he found the side of his boat battering against that of the
 other, with soldiers piling recklessly upon his small crew.
 | He caught a flash of Loubeque lay
 ing about him, saw that resistance was 1 utterly useless Swiftly his hand
 sought the precious bag in which were
 the papers he had stolen from Lucille.
 He drew it open hurriedly, the sealaA
 packet of papers-which formed tn
 major bulk of it's contents-and the
 diary falling at his feet. He felt Lou
 beque's eye upon him, caught a flash
 of the spy as he sprang at him, and
 with a derisive laugh hurled the bag
 with the heavy packet overheard.
 Without a seconds hesitation the spy
 was in the water after it. Wetherell
 fairly choked with rage as he saw the
 man he hated close his hand over the
 bag Then he was conscious of the
 diary still in the bottom of the boat