The Green Forest tribune., 1915-11-05

., were to travel overland back to Lon. don. She was ready dressed to 20. I Kissed her. and promising to meet her soon, we parted. That was the last l saw of her. What happened to her afterwards only she alone can tell us. !"
 But she is not the baron's niece 9" I said.
 NO. There is some mystery" de. clared Muriel She holds some SC. cret which he fears she may divulge But of what nature, am in ignor- ance."
 You say that your father has never taken any active part in the rob- berries? Where Is he now?" l asked.
 "Ah!" she exclaimed sadly, her face pale and haggard.
 T have heard that the vessel was scuttled somewhere in the Baltic"
 That is true. Oberg's purpose having been served, he demanded half the property on board or he would give notice to the Russian naval au- thorities that the pirate yacht was afioat. He attempted to blackmail my father, as he had already done so many times, but his scheme was frus- trated. My father, because of his in- human treatment of poor Elma, defied him. when it appears that Oberg, who was in Helsingfors, telegraphed to the admiral of the Russian fleet in the Bal tic. The crew from the Iris were at once landed at Riga, and only Mackin- tosh and my father put to sea again. An! my father was desperate, for he knew the merciless character of that man whose victim he had been for so long. They watched Russian cruiser bearing down upon them, when, just as it drew near, they got off in boat and blew up the yacht, which sank in three minutes with it's ill-ob- tained wealth on board"
 And your father?"
 She was silent, and I saw tears standing in her eyes
 There was tragedy" Jack ex- plained in low, hoarse voice. He and the captain did not, unfortunate ly, get sufficiently far from the yacht when they blew her up, and they went down with her"
 And I looked in silence at Muriel, who stood with her head bent and her white face covered with her hands.
 Almost at the same moment there was a low tap at the door, and the servant maid announced
 "Mr. Santini, miss"
 "Ah!" exclaimed Jack quickly. as Olinto entered the room Then you had my note! We have asked you here to reveal to us this dastardly plot which seemed to have been formed against MT. Gregg and myself. As you know. I've had narrow es- cape"
 q know, signore. And the signor commentators is also threatened"
 By whom?"
 By those who killed my poor wife, and who intended also to silence me-" was his answer.
 "The same who compelled you to take me to that house where the fatal chair was prepared. eh?"
 Tt was Archer, who, fearing that you came to London in search of them. devised that devilish contrivance," he said in his broken English. Then continuing, he went on fiercely: Now that I have discovered why my poor Armida was killed. will tell the truth, and not spare them Since you left Scotland, signore, have been up in Dumfries, and have discovered several facts which prove that for some reason known only to himself, I.eithcourt, while at Ram Nch, wrote to both Armida and myself separately, making an appointment to see us at the same time at that spot on the edge of the wood, as he had some secret commission to entrust to us. ly fell into someone else's hands probably one of the secret agents of Baron Oberg, who were always watch ing Leithcourt's doings, and he. anx- ious to learn what was intended, made himself up to look like me. and kept the appointment ill my place. Armida, having received the letter unknown to me, went up to Scotland, and was also there at the appointed time. What actually transpired can only be surmised yet it seems that Leithcourt was fin the habit of going up to that spot and lettering there in the eve. ming in order to meet Chat r in secret, as the latter was in hidini in small hotel in Dumfries. Therefore those who formed the plot must have en- deavored to throw suspicion upon Leithcourt. It is plain, however, as both myself and Armida knew the gang, it was to their interest to get rid of us, because the suspicious of the police had at last become aroused. Poor Armida was therefore delib- erately enticed there to her death, while the inquisitive man whom the assassin took to be myself was also struck down"
 By whom?"
 Mot by Chatter. for he was in Lon don on that night"
 "Then by Woodroffe?" Durnford said.
 Without doubt. It was all most