The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-02-18
CHAPTER XXI.
On Board the Terror.

ing the course of her efforts in the
fight with Loubeque for recovery Of
the papers up to this disastrous con-
clusion.
She dressed leisurely and for some
time was seated at her window scat
tering crumbs on the ledge for stray
birds. AS she crossed the room a mo-
ment later metallic sound struck
against her ears again and again be-
fore she was even conscious Of it. She
looked about the room, then made out
the sound coming from the window
ledge. Curiously she regarded the pi-
vouring the crumbs. Upon his leg she
saw tiny brass cylinder, tap, tap. tap
ping with his every step.
Her heart gave her warning.
humping violently even as she recog-
I1Zed the pretty creature for carrier
bird. Stepping quietly to the window
OF her bedroom, she stared about her,
a smile crossing her face as by care
full count she made out the crumbs
upon the eighth window ledge from
hers. That would be Hugo Loubeque's
apartment.
Swiftly, softly. TREMENDOUSLY. for fear
the bird might have fed, Lucille rea CHI
ed the ledge. her voice low and caress-
ing as she reached and clasped him
firmly. In a second she had detached
the cylinder, taking the tiny tissue pa
per note from it:
Arrangements complete Deliver papers
to Ensign Howell Z. s ship Terror with
aff1cavit as to sale by General Sumpter
Love. now under trial. Washington. d. 9.
AT your residence: 80
Lucille gasped rs she took in the
meaning OF the message For just a
moment she sat staring duly ahead of
her, dismay and terror frozen in her
eyes. AT $50 the international spy's
work would be completed and her ia
Their ruined
She clinched her fists tightly togeth-
er, pacing up and down the floor of her
suit, her pretty teeth fastened upon
her under lip. her very being vibrant
with protest at the horrible injustice
of it all. 1t must not be- 1t could not
be. She stopped suddenly. 1t should
not be. Calmly she crossed to the
writing desk and added a line through
the hour appointed, carefully making
an eight of the five. She scanned the
result of her labors with knitted brovs.
she loosed the pigeon. pointing him
toward window which was onen.
She knew Loubeque was growing i'm
patient from that sign. Furtively she
watched the eager hands clutch the
bird and draw him from view, The
window ChrIt
His residence she knew must mean
the house OF mystery, the weird place
OF horrors, of sliding staircases and
Folding rooms. That Loubaque should
choose such d rendezvous showed how
plainly be considered the last trick in
the game of his life played, how alb
Boiutely assured he now was of abso.
lutte and final success. At $50 Ensign
Howell would be at that house. She
hau three hours wherein to work.
She rose and moved toward the door.
closing it softly behind her For a mo-
ment she hesitatcd in the hall. then
stepped boldly to the suit Of the SPY,
trapping upon the door.
Hugo Loubeque, master of men and
nations, whose power was so great
the course OF empires halted at his
spoken word Of command. moodi!v
stared out his window after the car
Tier pigeon he had Just released; For
forty years he had bent every ENERGY
OF his life for this day. And now that
it had come, somehow the sweet had
turned bitter upon his palate.
,rn1x
played about the corners OF his hard
mouth as he thought Of the girl upon
the same floor with him, tie girl who
was the image OF the Lucille Of forty
years ago.
| Lucille. He murmured the name
over tenderly, even as his fingers
plucked the precious picture of the
girls mother. from his breast pocket
lie mad treasured that picture above
all other possessions these forty wears
yet now he found himself regarding
it merely as the likeness of the daurh.
ter. Lucille, the daughter of that 9th
ter Lucille Of the long ago
He rose impatiently, ashamed of the
mellow mood that was upon him. ana
moved across the floor. The slight
sWayIng of the curtains that connected
with the bedroom caught his eye. He
did not pause, did not even hesitate
but a hard look crept into his eyes.
A tapping on the door made hin,
lfrown impatiently, then answer it.
smiling to find Lucille, dressed for
the street, confronting him.
Since the mountain won't come to
Mohamet, Mohamet must go to the
mountain she quoted with a light
laugh, laugh that beled the worn
expression about her lips.
1.-The mountain certainly knew of no
desire"-laughed the spy, frank pleas
ure on his countenance. rs it a walk
you planned-tea 81
can invitation to luncheon, She re-
turned, land l wonder if it would be
too much to ask of you to see that
they give me good machine for the
afternoon.
iii phone he responded, harden,
ing instantly at the shadow of dis |
pleasure that crossed her face. Evi-
IDENTITY she wished to be rid of him
He smiled to think of how close the
game was to being finished. Some !
,-a----~---