The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-10-23

lit room of the Junior United Service
club. Easy-going and merry as of
old. my friend was bubbling over with
good spirits. delighted to be back
again in town after three years sail
ing up and down the Mediterranean,
from Glib. to Smyrna, maneuvering al
ways, yet with never a chance OF
fight.
Glad to be back" he exclaimed, as
he helped himself to a peg" Il
should rather think SO, old chap. You
know how awfully wearying the life
becomes out there. Lots going on
down at Palermo Malta, Monte Carlo.
or over at Algiers, and yet we can
never get a chance of it.
Dinner finished, we went across to
the Empire, where we spent the eve
ming in the grand circle, meeting
many men we knew and having a
rather pleasant time among old &C
quaintances.
After the theater | induced him to
come round to the Cecil, and in the
wicker chairs In the big portico before
| the entrance we sat to smoke our
final cigars. And there, in a care
fully careless way. l told him the
story of the Leithcourts.
"You seem bit down in the mouth,
Jack" | said presently, after we had
been watching the cabs coming up,
depositing the homecoming jewellers
from the Savoy or the Carlton.
Yes" he sighed. And surely
have enough to cause me-after what
I've heard from you"
What! Did the facts convey any
bad news to you?" inquired with pre-
tended ignorance.
Yes" he said hoarsely, after brief
pause. Then he added And Martin
Woodroffe is engaged to Muriel Leith-
court Are you certain of this?"
Yes, quite certain
For some time Jack Durnford
smoked in silence, and l could just
distinguish his white, hard face in
the faint light, for it was now late,
and the big electric lamps had been
turned out and we were in semidark-
ness.
| THAT fellow shall never marry Mu-
riel," he declared in a fierce, hoarse
voice What you have just told me
reveals the truth. Did you meet
Chater?"
He appeared suddenly at Rannoch,
and the Leithcourts fed precipitately
and have not since been heard of. "
"Ah, no wonder!" he remarked with
dry laugh. mo wonder! But look
here, Gordon, I'm not going to stand
by and let that scoundrel Woodroffe
marry Muriel."
You love her, perhaps?" I haz-
arded.
Yes, / do love her." he admitted.
And, by heaven!" he cried, Il will
tell the truth and crush the whole of
their ingenious plot. Have you met
Elma Health" he asked.
"Yes," said in quick anxiety.
Then listen," he said in a low, ear.
nest voice. Listen, and I'll tell you
something"
There is a greater mystery sur
rounding that yacht, the Lola, than
you have ever imagined, my dear old
chap" declared Jack Durnford, look.
ing me straight in the face. when
you told me about it on the quarter.
deck that day outside Leghorn i was
half a mind to tell you what l knew
Only one fact prevented me-my dis
inclination to reveal my own secrets
| loved Muriel Leithcourt, yet, afloat
as l was, l could never see her
could not obtain from her own lips the
not prejudice her-no, and l won't
now!" he added with fierce resolu
ton.
Il love her." he went on, land she
reciprocates my love. Ours is a secret
engagement, made in Malta two years
ago, and yet you tell me that she has
pledged herself to that fellow Wood
roffe-the man known here in Lon
don as Dick Archer. l can't believe
i'll really can't, old fellow. She
| hCNCi WHO W IuS dS sic uds
done, urging patience and secrecy un
til my return"
"Woodroffe is at the present mo
ment in Petersburg" said. i've just
come back from there"
In st. Petersburg!" he gasped. sur
prised. Then he is with that vii
famous official, Baron Oberg, the gov
ernor general Of Finland"
mo; Oberg is living shut up in his
palace at Helsingfors, fearing to &c
out lest he shall be assassinated," was
my answer.
And Elma? What has become Of
herr"
"She is in hiding in Petersburg
awaiting such time as can get hel
safely out of Russia" and then, con
tinuing, explained how she had beer
manned and rendered deaf and dumb
What" he cried fiercely. Have
they actually done that to the pool
girl? Then they feared that she
would reveal the nature of their plot
for she had seen and heard"
81 intend to rescue and to marry
her." l said quite frankly. "Bu
from whom do you expect / can OBJ
tain the facts concerning her, and thu
/