Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-05-30

the stateroom she halted. Loubeque was NOV
ing toward her, silent, imperturbable grim, a
fearsome figure Two bells sounded Lucille
watched the spy. His habits were remarkably reg
ular In their very irregularity. For another bell
he would not return to his stateroom. She glanced
up at the sky, more to force her eyes away from
that dark, solitary figure than for any other rea-
The stars were under cloud of moisture,
and her heart lay heavy within her. Then slowly
one great star marched forth, tarried a moment.
Came rush across the heavens, a rush of light
abrupt and dazzling as to make it seem as
though a host of altar boys had rushed across
the dark aisles touching their tapers to the
candles there and leaving every nook and Granny
of the cathedral light as day. To the girl it gave
thrill of confidence. Again she looked at the
lonesome, solitary man. He was alone and She
she-the very stars themselves were with her.
Without thought, without the slightest SEN
sation of fear she turned the knob and entered,
closing the door softly and pausing to look
about her, trembling now she had taken the dar-
ing step, but fired with determination. 1t would
be simple place to search, the furniture being
scanty and Loubeque travelling without much
luggage.
Swiftly she worked, turning everything up
side down and carefully laying all signs of her
search afterwards. Her fear of being caught
had completely faded before the urge of finding
the papers. From place to place, careful as any
French detective, thorough and keen as though
she had been thief all her life, Lucille worked.
AS she went through the last of the spy's per-
sonal belongings, little sob of disappointment
and chagrin broke from the very heart of her
and halted at her lips. For hand was rattling
the knob turning it slowly, slowly. 1t was as
though the man toyed with her, played with her
as cruel cat plays with the mouse it has
caught The door opened and Hugo Loubeque
was framed in the doorway, the cigar cenched
between his teeth glowing and subsiding, show
ing grim smile upon his features, smile the
shadows made but more saturnine.
"Ahp' he murmured silkily, ST thought l
could not be mistaken in little steward But
a1,.1 H.
visit to such old acquaintance? Why such
disregard for the ordinary amount of friend
ship?"
Lucille crouched away from him, more
frightened at his playful tone than she would
have been of angered rage Musically sweet,
from without the toll of time. Three bells
CHAPTER XXvI
Lucille Finds Friend.
SLOWLY, without removing the cigar from his
- mouth, he moved toward her, the hateful
smile still upon his lips. He seated himself and
studied her carefully, speculatively.
LUCILLE" he said slowly, 81 you on the
deck, you go into the hold, you when
the captain to you, have watched you all
the time. Do you know why I did not give you
away? It was because wanted to know exactly
where you We're all the time, because I wanted
the feel of my finger upon you. / have waited
for this moment. You recall what told you in
the open boat 1t is quarter from
You have no chance to regain the papers but
until l have used them to the limit they will
not be destroyed, nor will you have opportunity
to place your hands upon them. l want to show
you the futility of combating me. I have wanted
to do that for long time. Now, see it is use
less If you escape-and cannot imagine it i'm
posi- ble-I shall have no mercy hereafter. will
know that you only safe when you dead"
He rose and motioned to the chair ominous-
ness in word and gesture which compelled obed-
ience. Fascinated panic-stricken, she obeyed,
while from his pocket he drew a long loop of
Epa oorIx inh ha houpda ahoIIt har xyrictc and
ankles, then strapped her securely in the chair.
He stood off moment, regarding his handiwork,
then moved toward the door. You see L have
been prepared for the visit" he murmured. Il
will Just be little while, so don't be worried
this time"
The door closed behind him and Lucille
stared blankly at the place where she had last
seen him.
scant quarter of an hour that to her was
intermnable and the spy returned, the smile
still playing about the corners of his mouth, a
smile that matched poorly the agate expression
of his cold eyes, He united the cords that had
bound her, watching her 'curiously as she chafed
the blood back to her hands.
"Yes," he answered her unsppken question,
"you may go | do not any more
whether you heed my warning not. You have
chosen to continue the / merely wish you
to know what it means to you. have made
rangements that will look to your being cared
for in San Francisco, the end of this trip
means nothing to you. AS l said before the
ing me. cannot lose it any longer. Good night,
Miss Lucille Love-"
1t was though his mockery, his gibing
tones giant hands against her chest, push
ing her through the door and upon the deck.
She was scarcely conscious of how she had
there, when the stinging spume from the ocean
dashed against her cheeks, bringing her out of
the spell and firing her numbed consciousness
with. the precarousness of her situation. His
threat of looking after her at the end of the
voyage-hs mockery-she must appeal to strong
hands now she must use strength to combat
strength since he had put the combat physical
grounds.
She could not imagine how, in free coun-
try he could do anything. Still, she knew Hugo
Loubeque and the knowledge terrified her. She
decided to rely upon her womans fragity to gain
the masters sympathy She had reached this con-
cusion the astonished captain looked at her
wan, miserable face when he answered her
knocking.
Swiftly the words tumblng over one an
other in the -racking strain of trying to
convince the man of the unbelievable things she
had gone through at the spy's hands, she poured
out her whole story. First, she read disgusted
incredulity upon his face, then amazement at her
inventveness, and, slowly, under the spell of an
obvious sincerity she saw he was convinced to
large extent.
He summoned steward and dispatched him
for Loubeque, demanding immediate answer.
Evidently the spy had been waiting just some
such thing for he appeared quite promptly, his
fac worn and harried He started violentlv at