The Washington herald., 1914-05-24

held the diary and Hugo Loubeque was boarding
the boat. II he boarded the boat it was because
he not vet aware of his loss. Whichever II
was she must follow him, for Hugo Loubeoue
could not be fooled for long. He was the man
for her to watch, for, watching him, she knew
she would see the papers either in, or coming
She watched the stevedores shouldering their
bundles into the black, yawning hold. Then she
edged closer She must be aboard the boat when
it sailed Her pretty teeth closed upon her un-
moved, cautious, furtive.
CHAPTER XIV.
Wherein a Doomed Nan Smiles.
THROUGH the torturesome days in the open
boat, through the agonizing nights, Hugo
Loubegue had tenderly ministered to the girl
Through the days when he watched her 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 that rescued them bore
them, his brain had fed upon one thought.
nourishing his body to constantly renewed life.
The papers in the possession of Captain Weth-
erell must be found.
The method of their finding troubled him.
He could not, powerful though he was, concen-
trate sufficiently under the terrific strain upon
his body to study out the best method of proce-
dure. The day before he saw Lucille was out of
danger, the problem was answered for him by
call from the Governor of the province in whom
he recognized a man he had been instrumental
in aiding. and one who feared him greatly
Instantly it was all clear to him. Here was
one he need fear making confession to. He
had found out, aboard the boat, exactly where
the shipment of arms was to be made. He knew
Wetherell might go hundreds of miles out of his
before the vengeful man-of-war, but he
also knew that the goods must be landed at the
designated place before he received his pay.
Likewise, Hugo Loubeque was sufficiently famil-
lar with Chinese officials to know this one would
welcome the chance to show his devotion to the
government interests by making such confsca-
ton, as the international spy broached to him,
Leaving a sum of money with the nurse
1oubeque decided that when Lucille recovered
she would be sufficiently well provided for to get
word to her people and escape from this, the
last of her adventures. With feeling of intense
relief at knowing she could not incur his hatred
further, that she had reached the end of her re-
sources, he led a company of picked soldiers
aboard the fighting craft provided for their
transport and sailed toward the spot where ths
delivery was to be made.
There in tiny islet he arrived barely a day
before the yacht put in with it's illicit cargo.
Loubeque trembled at the narrow margin by
which he had reached the spot. 1t made him
doubly fierce when, from their ambuscade, he fell
upon the boats crew with his Mongolian soldiers
The skirmsh lasted scant hour. but already
the spy had discovered that Wetherell, the
he wanted, was not with the outfit and he began
laying plans for taking the yacht.
Captain Wetherell, impetiently waiting for
his men to return for a second load, had finally
tired and was bringing it ashore himself, raging
at the delay he had been compelled to undergo
from the chase they had led the warship and
fairly wild at the diatoriness of his first
mate. His temper had soured completely after
his rebuff by Lucille and the mutiny. He knew
exactly the terms he was on with his men, knew
that this would probably be his last trip for all
the crew had heard the name of Hugo Loubeque,
whose power extended over thousands of men in
every quarter of the globe. He had determined
to lose himself completely that he might escape
the vengeance Of the spy's friends, when, from
the shore, suddenly shot out the boat his mate
had taken in, but instead Of the crew he knew
well, the oars were now being manned by
Chinese soldiers
Wakened from the gloomy day dreams in
which he had been indulging he tried to put
back, but his orders became confused and before
he well aware of what had happened, he
found the side of his boat battering against that
of the other with soldiers pling recklessly upon
his small crew, laying about them with sword
and revolver butt.
He caught q fash Of Loubeque laying about
him, that resistance was utterly useless.
which were the papers he had stolen from
Lucille. He drew 1t open hurriedly, the sealed
packet Of paper+which formed the major bulk
Of its contents-and the diary falling at his feet.
of the spy he sprang at him, with a derisive
laugh hurled tho bag with the heavy packet
overheard.
Without a seconds hesitation, the spy was
with rage as he saw the man he hated close hin
hand over the bag. Then he was conscious of the
diary still in the bottom of the boat and, picking
it up, thrust it in his shirt. Loubeque was lifted
back into the boat by his anxious men who, hav-
ing rescued their leader, turned upon the cap
tain to wreak vengeance for the plunge.
wetheren scowled heavily as Hugo Loubeque
brushed against him, his face smiling grimly al
he looked down into the. eyes of the yacht
master.
every foolish, Wetherell, trying to rid your
self of me. Now, think the sight of you max
ing . little jaunt up q hill with a swordsman
behind you studying the cleanest place to take
that head from your shoulders would be about
as pleasant as anything I'd care to look at"
Wetherell did not answer. Only, even after
being bound, the feel of the diary that had
dropped from the bag gave him some comfort.
And 30, despite the fact that Loubeque described
exactly q scene such the captain had person.
ally witnessed many times in his cruising about
these waters; despite the fact that he had failed
in his vengeance, in his enterprise-despite all
these things Captain Wetherell's lips were curl
ing at the corners in something strangely like .
smile.