The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-09-17


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 barons niece?"
/ 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?" I asked.
"Ah!" she exclaimed sadly. her
face pale and haggard.
Il 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 Russian cruiser
bearing down upon them, when. just
as 1t drew near, they got off in a
boat and blew up the yacht, which
sank in three minutes with it's ill-ob-
tanned wealth on board"
"And your father?"
standing in her eyes.
There was a tragedy" Jack ex-
planned in a 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 l 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 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 motel We have asked you
here 10 reveal to us this dastardly
plot which seemed to have been
formed against Mr.. Gregg and myself.
AS you know, I've had narrow es-
cape"
81 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?"
1T 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 l have discovered why my moor
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.
Leithcourt, while at Rannoch, 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.
The letter addressed to me apparent
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 in my place. Armida,
having received the letter uni uown
to me, went up to Scotland. and was
also there at the appointed time.
What actually TRANSFERRED can only be
surmised. yet IL seems that Leithcourt
was In the habit Of going up to that
spot and lettering there in the eve.
ming in order to meet Chatter In secret,
as the latter was in hiding in a small
hotel in Dumfries. Therefore those
who formed the plot must have en-
deavored to throw suspicion upon
Leithcourt. 1t is plain. however. as
both myself and Armida knew the
gang, 1t was to their interest to get
rid of us, because the suspicious Of
the police had at last become aroused.
Poor Armida was therefore DELHI
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 a doubt. II was all most
cleverly thought out. 1t was to his
advantage alone to close our lips,
because In that same fatal chair in