The Carlisle independent., 1915-09-23
CHAPTER xx-Contirued.


 After a moment, in which the Mar ouise dEsclignac gazed at the bougain- villea and wondered how anyone could admire it's crude and vulgar color. Miss Redmond asked:
 Did you ever think that the Due de Fremont was in loye?"
 Turning shortly about to her niece, her aunt stared at her.
 Tn love, my dear!"
 With Madame de Ia Maine"
 The arrival of MaGame de la Maine had been a bitter blow to the Mar quise d'Eselignae. The young woman was, however. much loved in Paris and quite in the eye of the world There was no possible reason why the Mar luise d'Esclignac should avoid her
 You have been hearing gossip, Julia"
 q have been watching a lovely woman" said the girl simply, "and a man. That's all You wouldn't want me to marry a man who loves another woman. ma tante, when the woman loves him and when I love another man,
 She laughed and kissed her aunt's cheek
 Let us think of the soldier" she purmured. let us think just of him. ma tante. will you not?"
 The Marquise d'Esclignac struck ier colors.
 In the hallway of the villa, in a snowy gibbeh (and his clean-washed appearance was much in his favor), Hammet Ahou waited to talk with the grandmother" and the excellency
 He pressed both his hands to his forehead and his breast as the ladies entered the yestibule There was stagnant odor of myrrh and sandal wood in the air. The marble yesti- bule was cool and dark, the walls hung with high-colored stufs. the windows drawn to keep out the heat.
 The Due de Fremont and Madame de la Maine came out of the salon together. Fremont nodded to the Arab.
 T hope you are little less" and he touched his forehead smiling, "to- day, my friend"
 q am as God made ne, Monsieur"
 What have you got today?" asked Julia Redmond anxiously, fixing her eager eyes upon Hammet.
 It seemed terrible to her that this man should stand there with a vital secret and that they should not all be at his feet. He glanced boldly around at them.
 There are no soldiers here?"
 "No. no, you may speak freely"
 The man went forward to Fremont and put a paper in his hands. unfold ing 1t like chart.
 This is what monsieur asked me fora plan of the battlefield. This is the battlefield. and this is the desert Fremont took the chart. On the page was simply a round circle, drawn in red ink, with few Arabian charac- ters and nothing else. Hammet Abou traced the circle with his fingers tipped with henna
 Hat was the DdlliSs bIOUSibUI.
 ''But this is no chart. Hammet Abou'
 The other continued, unmored:
 And all the rest IS a desert, like this"
 Fremont, over the mans snowy turban. glanced at the others and shrugged Every one but Julia Red mond thought he was insane. She came up to him where he stood close to Fremont She said very slowly in French, compelling the mans dark eyes to meet hers:
 You don't wish to tell us, Hammet Abou, anything more. Am not right? You don't wish us to know the truth"
 Now it was the American pitted against the Oriental The Arab, with deference. touched his forehead be- fore her.
 ''If I made a true plan." he said coolly. your exeellency could give it tomorrow to the government"
 Just what should be done. Julia" said the Marquise d.Esclignac. in Eng fish. This man should be arrested at once"
 Ma tante." pleaded Julia Redmond
 She felt as though a slender thread was between her fingers. a thread which led her to the door of a laby- rinth and which rude touch might cause her to lose forever.
 If you had money would you start