The daily sentinel., 1914-05-13
CHAPTER VIII.

undoubtedly near this one who even commanded
the lightnings to do his will.
CHAPTER VIII.
An Armed Neutrality
CuRIoUSLY Hugo Loubeque watched the op-
orator as he settled back in his chair, al
most Immediately receiving the flash that a mes
sage was on the way TO him from some unseen
unknown source. The brief fraction of a second
etched every incident that followed clearly upon
his brain
Came long silver of light that seemed to
nudge the switchboard violently from its fast
enings, shaft that reached out and pierced him
through and through, binding him with its
bursting light-vapor. Then Loubeque felt him
self falling, falling into pit that seemed to
have no bottom. He was vaguely conscious of
cries, pitying hands, being lifted and carried
somewhere, of low murmuring voices purposely
hushed, then a heavy, black silence.
1t was hours before he could piece together
what had happened. how he chanced TO be in
bed, what the cause of the terrible throbbing
pains upon his arms and torso was. Then the
wonder of Lucilles being with him, ministering
to him. drove every pain away and he watched
her from under cover of his heavy lashes as she
moved about the stateroom. quiet, cool SYM
pathetic. 1t had seemed impossible that Lucille
should ever be near him, that she should come
back to him after all the years, that the days
at West Point with the eliminating horror of
that dismissal should be forgotten
He Strengthened in bed abruptly as to
bring moan of anguish from his lips In the
lasstude induced by his burns and the shock of
the wireless room explosion he had concentrated
the forty years that past into the living
presence of the daughter of the woman he had
loved at that time. And this was more girl,
but a woman, with all the capacity for love and
hate that ever woman had. And she his
enemy.
The impulse to speak with her, TO order her
away was strong upon him, but he conquered it,
the habit of carefully planning before doing
anything coming to the fore again despite his
pain. He must not show resentment of her kind
fpct mt he
had papers for which she looking. He must
be very certain of his ground with this girl for
a definite purpose was behind her strange board
ing OF the liner; the coincidence of her tending
him was too strange to be unpremeditatsd.
You are very kind" he smiled as, seeing hs
had returned to consciousness, she softly crossed
the floor, balancing herself against the motion
of the liner as though she a part of the
boat There was an explosion in the wireless
room, was there not?
You must not talk till the surgeon comes"
she smiled. 81 must obey orders, you know, b.
cause / am only a volunteer"
"A volunteer You volunteered to help q
strangeri'
"But You not a stranger" She unilsd
curiously, wrinlling her nose in q delightful
way he remembered her mother to have had.
You knew my name and that made feel
really acquainted when you were hurt There
was something penetrating In the eyes fastened
upon his own something guilefu about the sug
gestive expression Of hsr tones that put him in
stantly on guard. BE closed his eyes again and
simulated slumber, now and then stealing o
glance at her she sat opposite him, her pretty
brows bent in thought.
Day followed day with ever his faculties
fastened on the necessity for caution. A curious
sort OF friendship sprang up bstween them.
friendship partAldng more Of an armed neutral
ity without thu formality Of nag Of truce than
anything else he could imagine. Without men-
tioning their mutual attitude both recognized
the enmity that must sxist be%ween them. both
knew the other was conscious Of tho others
thoughts
Times there wore when Lucille would find
herself wandering In memory hslds, back to the
days At Manila And times there were when she
would have to conquer the impulse to take this
powerful. sardonio. silent man abe nursed and
shake the secret Of the paperu from him. Then
again she would be all compassion. her very
heart crying out in Its Innocence against tho
bitterness that poisoned her patients heart and
soul. Something within her told her of the times
when his eyes would softeo and tho natural sf-
fection within him would sttemps to steal
through tho shell with which his hate had en-
crusted him. And then she would fght down
With eRord the impulse to throw herself upon
the bettss nature she know he was making such
an effcrt to hide, to Plead With him for tho
of the she loved.
Nature wssksns the body that It may nour
ish the soul. But with the alienation Of Hugt
Loubsque's suHeringS the old animosity and pur
pose hourished with redoubled vigor. This girl
had undoubtedly sought the opportunity OF nurs
ing him that abe might defeat his purpose Sht
was tbs daughter of the man he had spent hiI
life in working out complete degradation for
He must hght down the weakness which assailed
him whsm hs< resemblance to the Lucille oi
forty years ago surged strong within him; h
must fight against her az he would fight against
anyone else, he had fought against the vcrJ
world
And Lucille fslt the chsnEe, felt It and 70
doubled her effort to est the secret Of the stolen
papers. The spirit Of the game was in her and
she yielded a grudRing admiration for the cum
ming of the man who, even in his most acute
suffering, managed to conceal everything from
her. Even in delirium his powerful brain resisted
her suggestions her hints
Detective stories she had read and she trie'
now to bring the methods of those sleuths
fiction to her aid. Strangely enough though SD
recalled their exploits we'll these heroes SCENE
nmsed One story alone had impressed itsel
upon her and she knew tf1ere wHs no chance te
use the ingenious method of that one who had