The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-09-03

guest as long as you desire"
Il am sure it is very good of you.
princess" / said gratefully. Miss
Heath is the victim of a vile and das-
tardly conspiracy. When / tell you
that she has been afflicted as she Is
by her enemies-that an operation
was performed upon her In Italy while
she was unconscious-you will readily
see in what deadly peril she is"
What" she cried. "Have her enc
mics actually done this? Horrible!"
"She will perhaps tell you of the
strange romance that surrounds her
a mystery which l have not yet been
able to fathom. She is Russian
subject, although she has been edu-
Gated in England. Baron Oberg him.
self is, / believe, her worst and most
bitter enemy"
"Ah! the Strangler!" she exclaimed
with a quick flash in her dark eyes.
But his end is near. The movement
is active in Helsingfors. At any mo-
ment now we may strike our blow for
freedom"
who is this man Martin Wood
roffe, Of whom she speaks?" asked the
princess presently, turning to me.
II have met him twice-only twice."
I replied, land under strange circum-
stances" Then, continuing, told
her something concerning the incl
dents of the yacht Lola.
He may be in love with her, and
desires to force her into marriage"
she suggested, expressing amazement
at the curious narrative had related.
II think not, for several reasons.
One is because l know she holds some
secret concerning him, and another
because he Is engaged to an English
girl named Muriel Leithcourt"
"Leithcourt? Leithcourt?" repeated
the princess. knitting her brows with
a puzzled air. do you happen to
know her fathers manner"
was telling the story of the Leith-
courts when the long, white doors OF
the handsome salon were thrown open
and there entered a man whose hair
fell over the collar of his heavy over
coat, but whom, in an instant / rec
ognized as Otto Kampf.
81 come. princess, in order to ex-
plain to you," he said. "Mademoiselle
fears rearrest, and the only house in
Petersburg that the police never sus-
pect is this. Therefore l send her
to you, knowing that with your gen.
crosby you will help her in her dis
tress."
;. oil hnr htoh
ness response. "She will remain
here, poor girl, until it is safe for her
to go out of Russia" Then, after
some further conversation, and after
my well-beloved had made signs of
heartfelt gratitude to the man known
from end to end of the Russian en-
pire as THE Red Priest" the princess
turned to me, saying:
81 would much like to know what
occurred before the Leithcourts left
Scotland"
"The Leithcourts!" exclaimed
Kampf in utter surprise. do you
know the Leithcourts-and the Eng.
lish officer Durnford?"
looked into his eyes in amazement.
What connection could Jack Durnford
of the marines have with the adven-
turer, Philip Leithcourt? I, however.
recollected Jacks word, when I de-
scribed the visit of the Lola to Leg
horn, and further / recollected that
very shortly he would be back In Lon
don from his term of Mediterranean
service.
WELL" / said after a pause, 81
happen to know Captain Durnford
well, but had no idea that he was
friendly with Leithcourt."
The Red Priest smiled, stroking his
white beard.
Explain to her highness what she
desires to know. and will tell you"
My eyes met Elma's, and l saw how
intensely eager and interested she
was, watching the movement of my
lips and trying to make out what
words | uttered.
WELL" l said, "a mysterious trag-
edy occurred on the edge Of wood
near the house rented by Leithcourt-
a tragedy which has puzzled the po-
lice to this day. An italian named
Santini and his wife were found MUIR
dered."
"Santini!" gasped Kampf. starting
up. but surely he is not deadT
NO That's the curious part Of the
affair. The man who was killed was
man disguised to represent the Ital-
ian, while the woman was actually the
walters wife herself. happen to
know the man Santini well, for both
he and his wife were for some years
In my employ"
The princess and the director OF the
Russian revolutionary movement ex-
changed glances. 1t was as though
her highness implored Kampf to re-
veal to me the truth. while he, on his
part. was averse to doing so.
And upon whom does suspicion
rest?" asked her highness.
CAS- far as can make out, the Do
lice have no clue whatever, except
one. At the spot was found a tiny