Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1915-10-15
CHAPTER XXI.
lncognito


In a dingy little hotel room in Prov
idence, Rhode Island, there sat man
at dressing table gazing into mir
ror and doing unusually queer things
with his face. Hernandez was past
master at a certain art-dsguise.
Ten minutes later stranger stood
erect within that room-a full bearded
stranger, clad in an evening coat OF
foreign cut. with well padded paunch
and shoulders, cycling himself still
critically in the looking glass He
raised his high hat and bowed pomp-
ously to Ponto.
In reality, friend Potion he re-
marked. II am NJ Romanotf a Rus
sian nobleman."
My friends and are invited to
the dance on board the Alabama" he
said. My friends and shall go.
Call in that beast. Now for the nnal
test"
ponto disappeared and moment
later the brute creDt INTO the room
He glanced fearfully toward the chair
where Hernandez had been sitting
then he glanced about the room A
puzzled expression overspread his
countenance and then with deep gut
tnral cry he sprang for the appari-
tons throat
Hernandez twitched himself to one
side Just in time and then tapped the
brute smartly on the arm
II am satisfied he said In tones
that the brute Immediately recog-
nized Even he did not Know me
he. with all the instincts Of savage
but faithful dog Let us bel off
An hour later he was standing ey.
pectantly In front of the huge punch
bowl ON the dancing deck OF the Ala
bama Clustered around this punch
bowl were a group of officers and
pretty wonen-and among them lnez
Castro and her friend Annette Hing
ton
Romanofr stared boldly at them
both then he turned to Neal Hardin
A glass Of punch, il you please,
he said in foreign accents
Neal Hardin did not answer He
was otherwise engaged Annette
liugtou was standing at the table
with young ensign at her side
They were both drinking from the
. bultuh bowl The ensign drank with
his right hand, so did Annette, but
Annettes lAt hand was firmly
clutched in the hand of Neal Hardin
or the punch bowl II was the only
chance the evening could anord them
4 glass OF pudchI reiterated the
unknown Russian nobleman
Neal jumped as though shot, Has
tily he ladled out a glass and IRE
scented 1t to the Russian The Rus
sian took one sip OF it and sat down
bis glass.
'R,rr," he exclaimed as h
walked away in disgust
! There was genteel litter from tn
picturesque little group around tn
punch bowl Inez touched Romano
upon the arm.
1t is perfect" she whispered, N
one could ever tell.
The pseudo Romanoff glanced a
her significantly, paced across tn
dancing deck and passed out upon tn
moonit deck beyond Inez firth
with an officer, excused herself, bets
oned to Joe Welcher, who cam
swiftly at her beck and call, and wit
her hand upon his arm she followe
in the wake OF Romanoff. As the
reached the bow Romanoff turned SUE
denly and confronted them He seize
Wecher by the arm
Friend Welcher,' he said, his gri
tightening, ION the canvas curtains aft
on the pQrt side, you will find on
black cross mark upon the curtain an
one black cross mark upon the decl
They are my marks, You will dane
with Annette Ilington-"
Welcher hurried of and Romano
with the beautiful Miss Irene Coul
tier upon his arm, strobe slowly t
ward the lights.
With her escort she stood glancin
out between the curtains at the moor
light upon the sea. Her escort, how