The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-11
(Continued.l,


 you want to come to me when you were caught; what do you expect is to be done with you"
 tI didn't come to you because the man who acted as interpreter is ana enemy of mine who would do anything on earth to be rid of me-I mean Hugo Loubeque, the one who spoke with the Chinese officer when they searched the boat. They frightened me so I crept into the hold. don't want him to know am on board-he mustn't know She looked up into his face with confidence. s'I can pay for my passage when we 1and," she added quickly.
 But I have no cabin vacant, young . lady,
 Couldn't do some work, be cabin boy or something like that21 she sug- gested vaguely, as the ships master threw back his head and gave vent to such laughter that tears rolled down his weather beaten cheeks.
 That's a good one,'' he roared. By George, believe that would straighten the whole mess out and make me the master of the first boat that has had a-cabin boy since the old sailing days. Young man, he added with mock gravity, 9TH take you to my cabin now, where your enemy will have no chance of seeing you. The steward will be the only one in our secret. He can outfit you and pass his instructions regarding your duties at night"
 Lucille clasped her hands delighted. 1y, her eyes twin stars of delight at the perfect working out of her diff faculties. Working at night there could be but scant chance for Loubeque's l1fv ko Hn <0Tr 1odA Hfc secretiye habits, and it was usually at nighttime that be paced the deck and left his cabin alone No position could more adequately have given her an opportunity to search the mans cabin for the stolen documents and papers.
 The thought of it fairly took away her breath, was still all dominant in her mind while she listened to the stewards instructions. She saw fm- mediately that her position aboard was little more than jest of the ships master, for she had little to do save bit of dust1ng about the saloons, and. in the event of storms keeping the cap tain on the bridge for protracted stretches, fetching him hot tea. She laughed with him at her position when she. showed herself before him in a natty white duck suit, which made her slender fragility more apparent and more appealing than ever
 That very evening she found the suit occupied by the international spy. Loubeque showed himself at night, nok long after the middle watch, his tall form smothered in a long ulster, the upturned collar of which concealed l most of his features from sight She noticed the bulldog grip with which he 1 held the cigar between his teeth. its 1 glowing end revealing the flame in l his deep set eyes. She knew the ten sion under which he labored was prob l ably due to the disqu1eting news he | had received at the last moment re 1 garding her escape.
 Every night at exactly the same time he came out upon the deck, and foI two nights Lucille tried to bolster up her courage sufficiently to enter the 1 stateroom, but always the sound o1 that ominous, steady step on the deck | dfssuaded her. On the fourth night she felt herself trembling with subcon- scious knowledge that tonight was to 1 be the time when she made her at | tempt. Consciously, she was positive l she could not force herself to do it, but something from within impelled he1 feet in the opposite direction from that l CdkGn Dy LAG SPJs AC AA1G NOOL OA IdS stateroom she halted. LoubeQue was moving toward her, silent, imperturb- able, grim. fearsome figure. Two bells sounded. Lucille watched the spy. His habits were remarkably regular in their very irregularity. For 1 another bell he would not return to his stateroom.
 She turned the knob and entered closing the door softly. It would be simple place to search, the furniture being scanty and Loubeque travelling without much luggage.
 Swiftly she worked, turning every thing upside down and carefully lay ing all signs of her search afterward Her fear of being caught had complete ly faded before the urge of finding the papers. From place to place, care fuI as any French detective, thorougl and keen as though she had been { she went through the last of the spy personal belongings, little sob of dis appointment and chagrin broke iron the very heart of her and halted a her lips. For hand was rattling tn knob. turning it slowly. slowly.
 'tAh?' murmured Loubeque Silkily, " thought could not be mistaken in ou little steward! But why, my dea child. did you wait so long to pay
 visit to such an old acquaintance? Wh such disregard for the ordinary amour of friendship2"