The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-01

had fired the gun had sought to kill
some enemy. Cases were not rare
where poisoned missiles had been en-
ployed. Not for a moment had Dur
and suspected that the shot might
have been meant for himself.
The professor applied a solution to
the graZed member and bound 1t with
a thin covering OF gauze. Then they
drifted into a pleasant conversation
and Durand learned that the musician
and his daughter were well posted in
Italian dialects and received quite an
income from writing and translating
letters for their neighbors. As he
thanked host and hostess for their
kind attention and arose to go, the
professor directed an uneasy and ap-
pealing look at his daughter.
There were some little purchases
you spoke Of this afternoon" he OBJ
served to Leila. She would be COM
pany Tor you on your way. Mr.. Du-
rand"
Leila flushed, but put on her hat.
She accompanied Durand as far as a
well-lighted principal thoroughfare
and then babe him good night
Il declared" soliloquized Durand
with a whimsical smile as he reached
his room, what would my newspaper
that a beautiful young lady actually
saw me home!"
, The Dubourg family held decided
| fascination for Durand and he called
at their modest home two afternoons
during the week following. The pro-
fessor gave him much information
that fitted into his newspaper stories.
Leila enthralled him with her beauty
and musical genius. One afternoon
his stay fingered into the hours after
dark. Again as he arose to leave the
hospitable roof, Leila had some pur-
chases to make" AS they neared his
home a sudden enlightment flooded
Durand's mind.
Miss Dubourg," he said, can it be
possible that you so to all this trouble
from fear that | may come to harm"
Leila hesitated, faltered. Then she
said:
1t is true. Ny father believes that
shot in the dark was meant for you"
"Oh, impossible" exclaimed Du-
rand. What could be the motive?
am entirely friendly to these people"
You have signed the name 'Zuccf
to your newspaper articles" spoke
Leila.
yes, | picked up tho name somo-
where and have used It,"
you must change it."
"And why?" Intercepted Durand in
establishment.
"My father and know a great deal
about our neighbOrs. 1t seems that q
certain revolutionary set are suspect
ing that you are a spy. Your hap
hazard selection of that nom de plume
has In their minds connected you with
a hated and hunted detective known
as Zucci. Your life is in danger"
A tender glow overspread the young
mans face as he realized the respect
and interest Lela's words conveyed.
He left her promising to find some
way of setting himself right with the
community tho next day
Durand noticed as he approached
the old building where he had leased
living quarters, that the store below
had moved from the premises that
day. He attached no particular sig
nificance to this. Once up stairs he
sat down to think, not of possible
peril, but of Leila.
Suddenly there was a vivid flash of
light, followed by a frightful detona-
ton. The building rocked, every sash
In the place was shattered.
Springing to his feet Durand rushed
to the window to see a shed structure
In the next yard blown to atoms.
"Dynamite!" he breathed and
dashed down the stairs to the street.
Leila" burst unrestrainedly from his
, lips as he saw, shrinking to the front
Of the building, the professors daugh.
ter.
She was pale as death, her hands
were clasped in pain. Then, Just as
he noticed that they were all black.
ened and burned, she tainted away in
his arms.
Those beautiful hands, all scared
and scored for his dear sake-how he
caressed them, when she lay, smiling
proudly, fondly, under the care Of her
father
She had followed two suspicious
looking trailers of Durand after he had
left her that evening. She had
reached the building just as they had
set lighted bomb in the hallway that
might have blown the house to atoms.
She had rushed at the missile OF de.
struction and flung it into the next
lot. The spluttering fuse had rained
deluge of cruel sparks across her
fair, delicate hands.
What had come of it all was love,
! pure and lasting. What came after
wards was the chime OF merry we'd
ding bells. The wild untamed revolu.
tionary element were made aware of
the real truth, and Durand and Leila
had no more ardent well-wishers in
the settlement
Copyright. 1914, by W. G. Chapman)