Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-05-28
CHAPTER xx-continued.

After a moment, in which the Mar
quise d'Esclignac gazed at the bougain-
villea and wondered how anyone could
admire its crude and vulgar color. Miss
Redmond asked:
did you ever think that the Due de
fremont was in lover"
Turning shortly about to her niece.
her aunt stared at her.
"In love. my dearl"
with Madame de Ia Maine"
The arrival of Macame de la Maine
had been a bitter blow to the Mar
quise d'Esclignac. The young woman
was, however, much loved In Paris and
quite In the y Of the world. There
was no possible reason. why the Mar
quise d'Esclignac should avoid her.
"You have been hearing gossip,
Julia"
Il 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 | love another
mani"
She laughed and kissed her aunt's
cheek.
Let us think of the soldier" she
murmured. Tlet us think Just Of him,
ma tante. win you mott"
The Marquise d'Esclignac struck
her colors.
In the hallway OF the villa, in a
snowy Eibbeh land HIS ciean-washed
appearance was much in his favor),
Hammet Abou 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 vestibule. There was a
stagnant odor OF myrrh and sandal
wood In the air. The marble vesti-
bule was cool and dark, the walls
hung with h~igh-colored stuffs. the
windows drawn to keep out the heat.
The Due de fremont and Madame
dc la Maine zane out Of the salon
together. fremont nodded to the
Arab.
Il hope you are a little Less" and
he touched his forehead smiling. ito
day. my friend"
Il am as God made me, Monsieur
What have you got today?" asked
Julia Redmond anxiously, fixing her
eager eyes upon Hammet.
1t 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?"
mo. no. you may speak freely"
The man went forward to fremont
and put a paper in his hands, unfold
ing It like a 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 a few Arabian charac
tiers and nothing else. Hammet ABBOT
traced the circle with his fingers
tipped with henna.
That was the battle. Monsieur"
But this is no chart, Hamme
Abou."
The other continued. unmoved:
And all the rest is a desert. lik,
this"
fremont, over the mans snow,
turban. glanced at the others an,
shrugged. Every one but Julia Red
mond thought he was insane. Sh,
came up to him where he stood clos
TO fremont. She said very slowly Il
French. compelling the mans dar|
eyes to meet hers:
You don't wish to tell us, Hamme
Abou. anything more. Am no
right? You don't wish us to know tn
truth"
Now II was the American pitte
against the Oriental. The Arab, wit
Difference. touched his forehead b,
fore her.
III I made a true plan." he sal
coolly. your excellency could give
tomorrow to the government"
Just what should be done. Julia
said the Marquise d'Esclignac, in En-
lish. This man should be arreste
at once"
Ma tante." pleaded Julia Redmon
She felt as though a slender thres
was between her fingers. a thres
which led her to the door of a lab
rinth and which a rude touch mig
cause her to lose forever.
III you had money would you sta