The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1916-03-17

don. She was ready dressed to go.
soon. we parted. That was the last
I saw OF her. What happened to her
afterwards only she alone can tell US. y
But she is not the baron's Nicer
l said
mo. There IL some mystery" de.
clared Muriel "She holds some Sc.
cret which he fears she may divulee.
But OF what nature. I am In ignor-
ance"
You say that your father has never
taken any active part In the rob,
berries? Where is he now" ! asked.
"Ah." she exclaimed sadly. her
face pale and haggard
II have heard that the vessel was
scuttled somewhere in the Baltic"
That is true. Oberg's purpose
having been served. he demanded half
the property on board or he would
give notice to the Russian naval au-
thoritles that the pirate yacht was
afioat. He attempted to blackmail my
father, as he had already done 80
many times but his scheme was frus-
trated. My father. because OF his In
human treatment OF poor Elma. defied
him, when 1t appears that Oberg. who
was In Helsingfors, telegraphed to the
admiral OF the Russian feet in the Raj.
tic The crew from the Iris were at
once landed at Riga, and only Mackin-
tosh and my father put to sea again.
All! my father was desperate. for he
knew the merciless character OF that
man whose victim he had been for 80
long. They watched Russian cruiser
bearing down upon them. when. Just
as 1t drew near. they got OF In a
boat and blew up the yacht, which
sank In three minutes with its ill-ob-
tanned wealth on board"
And your father"
She was silent. and saw tears
standing In her eyes
There was a tragedy" Jack e1.
planned In a low. hoarse voice He
and the captain did not. unfortunate
ly, get sufficiently far from the yacht
when they blew her up, and they went
down with her"
And looked In silence at Muriel
who stood with her head bent and her
white face covered with her hands
Almost at the same moment there
was low tap at the door. and the
servant maid announced:
Mr.. Santini. miss"
"Ah." exclaimed Jack quickly. az
Olinto entered the room Then you
kn1 20 h,y
here to reveal to us this dastardly
plot which seemed to have been
formed against Mr. Gregg and myself
AS you know, I've had a narrow Is.
cape"
~ know, signore. And the signof
commentators Is also threatened"
BY whom?"
by those who killed my poor wife
and who intended also to silence me.
was his answer.
The same who compelled you to take
me to that house where the fata]
chair was prepared. eh?"
1T was Archer. who. fearing tina,
you came to London in search of them
devised that devilish contrivance." h.
said in his broken English. Then
continuing. he went on fiercely: Now
that ] have discovered why nv moo,
Armida was killed. | will tell the
truth. and not spare them. Since
you left Scotland. signore. / have beer
up in Dumfries, and have discovered
several facts which prove that fol
some reason known only to himself
Leithcourt. while at Rannoch, wrote &c
both Armida and myself separately
making an appointment to see US a,
the same time ct that spot on the
edge OF the wood. as he had somt
secret commission to entrust to us
The letter addressed to me apparent
ly fell into someone else's hands
probably one OF the secret agents q
Baron Oberg. who were always watch
Ing Leithcourt's doings and he. anx
ious to learn what was intended. mad,
himself up to look like me and kew
the appointment in my place. Armida
having received the letter unknow
to me. went up to Scotland. and va.
also there at the appointed time
what actually transpired can only b,
surmised yet It seems that Leithcour
was in the habit Of going up to tina
spot and lettering there in the eve
ming In order to meet Chatter IN secret
as the latter was in hiding in a small
hotel in Dumfries. Therefore thos,
who formed the plot must have en-
deavored to throw suspicion upo:
! Leithcourt. 1t is plain. however al
both myself and Armida knew tn,
4 gang. It was to their interest to &c
rid OF us. because the suspicious O
the police had at last beco ne aroused
| Poor Armida was therefore DELFT
erately enticed there to her death
while the inquisitive man whom tn
assassin took to be myself was ais
| struck down"
by whom"
mot by Chatter. for he was In Lou
| don on that night"
"Then ky WoodrofFo9' nurpSor