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

general of Finland, whose habit 1t
was to spend part of the winter in
the Mediterranean. From Elma
Heath's conversation at dinner that
evening at Nice I gathered that she
and her uncle had been guests on the
IRIS on several occasions, although
must say that Muriel was extremely
reticent regarding all that concerned
the yacht"
OF course" she said quickly Nov
that l have told you the truth, Jack,
don't you think it was only natural?"
Most certainly, dear" he answered,
still holding her hand. Yours was
not secret that you could very we'll
tell to me until you could thoroughly
trust me, especially as your father
had been implicated in the theft of
those documents from Malta. The
truth Is" he said, turning to me,
Philip Leithcourt has all along been
the catspaw of Baron Oberg. A few
years ago he was well-known money
lender in the city, and in that capacity
met the baron, who, being in disgrace,
required loan. He was also in the
habit OF having certain shady trans.
actions with that daring gang OF con-
tinental thieves of whom Dick Archer
and Hylton Chatter were leaders. For
this reason he purchased a yacht for
their use, so that they might not only
use it for the purpose of storing the
stolen goods, but for the purpose of
sailing from place to place under the
guise of wealthy Englishmen travel
ing for pleasure. Upon that vessel,
indeed. was stored thousands and
thousands of pounds worth of Jewels
and objects of value, the proceeds of
many great robberies in England,
France and Belgium. Sometimes they
Travelled for the purpose of disposing
OF the Jewels in various inland towns
where the gems, having been recut,
were not recognized, while at other
times, Chatter and Archer, assisted
by Macintosh, the captain, and Olinto
Santini, the steward, sailed for port,
landed, committed a robbery, and then
sailed away again, quite unsupported,
as rich Englishmen."
"And the crew?' / asked, after a
pause.
They were, of course, well paid.
and were kept in ignorance of what
the supposed owner and his friends
did ashore"
But Oberg's connection with it?"
! asked, surprised at those revela-
tons.
ALI" exclaimed Muriel "The in
genuity Of that crafty villain is fiend.
tsh. Before he got into the cars
favor he owed my father large sum.
and then sought how to evade repay
ment. BY means of his spies he dis.
covered the real purpose of the
cruises of the Iris-for l was often
taken on board with a maid in order
to allay any suspicion that might
arise IL only men were cruising. Then
he not only compelled my father to
cancel the debt, but he. impressed the
vessel and those who owned and navi-
gated it into the secret service of
Russia. A dozen times did we make
attempts to obtain secret papers from
Italian, French and English dock
yards, but only once in the case of
Malta and once at Toulon did we sue
coed. All! Mr.. Gregg" she added.
you do not know all the anxiety
suffered, how at every hour we were
in danger of betrayal or capture, and
of the hundred narrow escapes we
have had of customhouse officers
rummaging the yacht for contraband.
You will no doubt recollect the SEN
sation caused by the theft of the
jewels of the Princess Wilhelmine of
Schaumbourg-Lippe from the lady's
maid in the rapide between Cannes
and Les Arcs, the robbery from the
Marseilles branch Of the Credit Lyon
nais. and the great haul Of plate from
the chateau of Bardon. the Paris mil
1ionaire, close to Arcachon."
''Yes," said, for they were all rob.
berries of which I had read in the
newspapers a couple of years before.
"Well." she said, they were all
committed by Archer or Woodroffe
and his gang - with accomplices
ashore, of course-and never once did
IL seem that any suspicion fell upon
us. While the police were frantically
searching hither and thither. we used
to weigh anchor and calmly steam
away with our booty on board. We
had with US an old Dutch lapidary,
and one Of the cabins was fitted as a
workshop, where he altered the ap
pearance of the stones, and prepared
them ready for sale while the gold
was melted In crucible and put
ashore to be sent to agents in Ham,
burg"
But that night in Leghorn?" said.
what happened to poor Elma?"
II do not know was Muriels reply.
"We 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 Hornby-and Mack
intosh, the captain-who, by the way,
was an old ticket-or-leave man-went
ashore. and, OF course, broke into the
consulate. Then, as soon as they re-