River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-10-01

LAOhu OIuSl ups llstn HeF OWL. hiIU as
Loubeque looked back at the beauti-
full figure of the girl be was surprised
to see that suddenly she seemed to
have changed. that the slip Of child
who had come on board the Empress
from the hydroaerOplane had suddenly
become woman of such capacity for
love and hate as even he himself did
not have
Came back to him the girl h. had
loved and whom he still loved as fond
ly as in the old days of Filtration walk
ut the Point, from which he had been
expelled Swiftly she came to his
side, placing her hand upon his shout
DER. her voice low and tender again
like the signing of an April breeze
through the greening baby leaves
You think you are working foi hate,
and all the time you are working for
the same reason that | am-ycu are
working because of love, Can you
not see what a peverSion of love is
this thing you constantly seek 30 do?
Can you not
Lucille could feel the mans shout
mendOus effort he made at self con
troll She was almost ready to plead
with him for a return of the papers,
to give up his entire life work and
count it failure, confident that he was
well along the road to doing 50, when
a rap sounded on the door.
For some reason which she could not
1OGv, Al ,rb
the sound She seemed to recognize a
sinister presence close by She glanced
at LOubeque, and her heart sank as
she saw the wave Of emotion she had
bred within him had passed that he
was again the icy, interchangeable inter
national spy.
Come in" he called briskly.
Slowly, cautiously, yet with not the
slightest uncertainty, the door pushed
open Before the visitor appeared ON
the threshold Lucille knew who 1t
would be-
For a moment she was taken aback
by ThompSons perfect aplomb She
knew he had been the one who robbed
her of her necklace, that he had spray
ed her with ether and taken it from
about her throat while she slept. And
yet not so much as by the culver of an
eyeash did he show any sign Of sur
prise or fear.
II was delayed, sir" the butler be-
gan apOlegetically, when Loubeque
lifted his hand imperatively.
you were delayed" coldly repeated
the spy. separating every syllable and
melting it out as though it were a death
judgment ut is perhaps better that
you were delayed, Thompson. | have
Just received a letter from a man with
whom you are acquainted. In this
letter. Thompson, he informs me he
intends turning traitor to my interests.
that he intends assisting Miss Love to
make her escape"
quite SO. sir" murmured the butler.
thief.
81 am Informed by him that he spied
upon you while you cut through the
bars of Miss Loves window"
Thompson did not STIR but Lucille
saw the scar go a sickly white.
THE man lied sir"
Men do not lie at such moments"
For Just moment Thompson was ST.
lent The hush upon the room was SO
profound as to make the ticking of
Loubeque's watch strike upon the ears
like mallet strokes. Slowly the buffers
index finger moved to the scar upon
his cheek
"The man you speak of evidently did
the work in the hope Of releasing Miss
Love | gained this scar while trying
to prevent the flight. sir"
ITS lle.' Lucille burst forth pas
sionately THAT man tried to rob me
here in this very house. That was
why | insisted upon a maid to serve
me when | took the drug you put in
the drink
"Why did you not mention it at that
time" The spy's tones were dubious.
Because | did not wish you to know
| had anything Of such value about
me-"
"Value? You had no money when
you left Manila"
No, but | obtained possession of
wonderful ruby necklace in the cavern
Of the jungle just before was res
cued by the Glibuster. Three nights
ago when boarded the train for here
that man drugged me while slept
and stole the necklace from about my
throat Then he dropped out of the
window of his compartment. That is
why he was detained"
LOubeque fastened his cold eyes upon
the butler. The man had nerves as
steady as a rock. Lucille studied the
judge and culprit earnestly. She could
see that Thompson was beating down
the spy's belief in her story. Swift as
a fash, without seconds thought. she
darted toward the thief She had no.
ticed his fingers involuntarily seek the
right hand breast pocket Of his coat
wnen she made her charge. In one
swift movement she had ripped open
the coat With the other hand she
plunged toward the place she knew
the necklace TO he