Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-09-02

was melted in a crucible and put
ashore to be sent to agents in Ham
burg"
But that night in Leghorn?" | said.
What happened to poor Elma?"
81 do not know" was Muriels reply.
I'VE were both on board together, and
standing at the crack of the door
watched you sitting at dinner that
evening. The instant, however, you
went ashore, Chatter, Woodroffe-
whom you called H~ornby-and Mack
intosh, the captain-who, by the way,
vas an old ticket-of-leave man-went
ashore, and, of course, broke into the
consulate. Then, as SOC as they re-
turned, Elna came to my cabin,
awoke me, and said that the baron
was taking her ashore, and that they
were to travel overland back to Lon
don. She vas ready dressed to go.
kissed her, and promising to meet her
soon, we parted. That was the last
I saw of her. What happened to her
afterwards only she alone can tell u.s."
But she is not the baron's niece?"
l said.
mo. 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" | asked.
"Ah!" she exclaimed sadly, her
face pale and haggard,
81 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
afloat. 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
All! my father was desperate, for he
knew the merciless character of that
man whose victim he had been for SO
long. They watched a Russian cruiser
bearing down upon them, when, just
as it drew near, they got off in g
boat and blew up the yacht, which
sank in three minutes with it's ill-ob
tanned wealth on board"
And your father?"
She was silent, and I saw tear
standing in her eyes. Il
There was a tragedy" Jack eX
planned in a low, hoarse voice. "Ht
and the captain did not, unfortunate
ly, get sufficiently far from the zach
when they blew her up, and they wen
down with her."
!, And | looked in silence at Muriel
who stood with her head bent and he
r white face covered with her hands.
t Almost at the same moment Their,
l was a low tap at the door, and tn
} servant maid announced:
"Mr. Santini, miss"
/ "Ah!" exclaimed Jack quickly, a
{ Olinto entered the room. "Then 20
e had my note! We have asked yo
here to reveal to us this dastardl
plot which seemed to have bee
formed against Mr.. Gregg and mysel
As you know, I've had a narrow e!
cape"
I 81 know, signore. And the signo
e commentators is also threatened"
d by whom"
e by those who killed my poor wifi
and who intended also to silence me,
was his answer.
"The same who compelled you to TAX
e me to that house where the fat;
chair was prepared, eh?"
> 1T was Archer, who, fearing tn;
. you came to London in search of then
{ devised that devilish contrivance," /
! said in his broken English. The
!, continuing, he went on fiercely: mo
: that l have discovered why my poo
Armida was killed, / will tell IL
y truth, and not spare them. Sin,
ie you left Scotland, signore, ! have bee
e. up in Dumfries, and have discovert
IL several facts which prove that [,
.e some aso known only to himse'
IS L%eithcourt, while at Rannoch, wrote
d both Armida and myself separated
N making ar appointment to see us
Iy the same time at that spot on Il
ID edge of the wood, as he had son
secret commission to entrust to i
'e The letter addressed to me apparer
y, ly fell into someone else's hands
a probably one Of the secret agents
p Baron Oberg, who we're always watc
I'd ing Leithcourt's doings, and he. an
Id ious to learn what was intended, ma