River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-09-10

A little cry Of pity and rage came
from her lips when. with an ugly oath.
Wetherell lifted his great fist and floor
ed the old seaman. Every womanIA
impulse rose up within her at the cut
rageous. uncalled for attack. Forget
full of her own precarious position, for
getful Of everything save the pain Of
the old man upon the deck. she start
ed TO his assistance. when the door of
the Chinamans stateroom slapped
open. and the occupant strobe across
rhe deck toward WethereIl and spoke
with Wetherell in low tones of sup
pressed passion
The captain eyed the man angrily for
moment, then turned and slipped
away, his very back dropping like that
Of whipped cur. Lucille turned to
enter her cabin. out something caused
the door TO stick open scant inch or
so. She felt an inclination to scream
for aid. but amazement at recognition
of the man who stepped into the cabin
behind her, softly closing the door. held
her dumb For, under the yellow col
Oring, the made up slanting eyes. the
Monaghan mask he had so cunningly
assumed, fear ioaning clarity to her
vision. she recognized Hugo Loubeque
and instinctively both bands cLasped at
the little bag about her neck which
held the precious papers The spy
smiled at the impulsivs gesture.
You have guessed the reason for this
intrusion. Miss Love-" be murmured
gravely THE papers. IF you please
The terror widened eyes of the CIR
narrowed slowly as her gaze Travelled
from the indomitable face to the out
stretched hand. Her lips parted in
smile as she moved toward the door
and held 1t open for him to leave
Miss Lucille" be continued, his
tones sharper. you must appreciate
my fOrbearance toward you so far Ii
cannot continue forever Undoubtedly
you know my power Does it not star
tie you to find me in a position of au
thority upon this yacht? 1t is always
so. Everywhere | find my assistants
Forty years of my life have been spent
in ordering events so that such obsta
cles as you have encountered would be
at my command The papers, if you
please"
She quailed before the lightning thai
darted from his somber eyes Common
sense. the instinct for self preservation
everything urged her to obey YET
when her hands sought her bosom the
feel of the precious little bag renewed
her courage, gave her strength to meet
his eyes with a courage greater evel
than his own assurance.
Her eyes held to his with an effect OF
frightened fascination It was the
change in his tone. the difference In his
wording Of the demand that told Hugo
Loubeque's patience had been finally
frayed to the breaking point, that craft
and diplomacy would be things of the
past did she not relinquish the papers
to him now. Yet duty, love twin
shadows, wraithlike, ySst Of Ran
strength her baRk from 0be4
ence.
think, Miss Love, think of our po
SitfOns. Match my strength. brute
strength. against your own: measure
the strength Of any one of the thou
sands who implicitly obey me. Those
waters tell no tales, give up no CHASTITY
secrets. Think of that, Miss Love, |
beg of you. then give me the little bag
you wear about your neck"
His voice was full of pleading, yet
his eyes held death message which
made her shudder.
'You seek to save the ones dear to
you, child. You think me wicked, cru
ell, relentless, and am all of these
things. Forty years ago might have
done as you do now, but all the I'M
pulses of that time are dead. killed by
your father; all the love | ever had,
the only love, has Been dead for forty
years, killed by your father; all the am
bition of that time Of youth. the happi-
pess Of hope, the pride OF fatherland, is
dead, has been dead for forty years.
killed by your father, General Sumpter
Love. And you-you think that would
stop at violence to prevent your thwart-
ing me; you think | would trade those
forty years of hate for the faint splash
of girls body on the waters of this
great Waste?"
The while his tones grew lower. they
carried a vibrant thrill that struck al
her very heart. His face was fifnty as
with passionate pleading, she lifted her
eyes to his. Instinctively she recOiled
as shadow fell between them. Lou
beque frowned as Captain Wetherell
Joined them, his eyes flashing q CUES
tiening glance at the pallid face of the
girl. Then the spy bowed gravely and
stepped on the deck, followed closely
by the captain of the yacht.
Whispers of the men growing louder
came to her until she could distinguish
the angry voice of Wetherell lifted
now in surly rebellion. Lucille shrank
back against the wall visualizing from
the mans tones and the expression Oh
his face. A greater horror than the
waves came leaping to her mind Hugo
LOubeque was her protection from