Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-03
CHAPTER xyI-troD,,no.,,


YVES. it's quite true. ] interfered with
Il his little games, and he gave me the
usual reward OF tho DEVILS apothecary,
Leave Iris alone. AZ present she Is strung
~ 70 an intense pitch OF gratitude, having
BARELY escaped a terrible fate Let her come
back 10 the normal. Anstruthers shady rec
ORD must gradually leak out That viii dis
gust her. In week she will appeal 20 you 90
buy him on lie IL hard up-cut on by his
people and that sort OF thing. There you
probably have the measure Of his scheming
lie Knows quite well that he can never
marry your daughter. II Is all a matter OF
price"
Sir Arthur willingly allowed himself 90
be persuaded At the back of his head there
was an uneasy consciousness that Il was
not all matter OF price" IL u were he
would never trust a mans face again. But
Ventnor's well-balanced arguments swayed
him. The course indicated was the only
decent one IL was humanity impossible for
man TO chido his daughter and nout her
rescuer within an hour OF finding them.
Lord Ncntnor played his cards with n
deeper design. He bowed to the inevitable.
Iris said she loved his rival. Very well.
To attempt TO dissuado her was 20 throw
her more closely into that rivals arms. The
right course was 60 appear resigned sad
dened, compelled against his will TO reveal
the distressing truth Further, he counted
on Anstruther's quick temper as an active
agent Such man would be the first to
rebel against an assumption OF plying
tolerance. He would bring bitter charges of
conspiracy, OF unbelievable compact TO
secure his ruin. All this must recoil on his
own head when the facts were laid bare.
Not even the hero OF the island could pre-
vail against the terrible Indictment of the
court.martial Finally. at Singapore, three
days distant, Colonel Costobell and his wife
were staying. Lord Ventnor. alone OF those
on board, knew this. Indeed he accom-
panied Sir Arthur Deane largely IN order
to break of n somewhat trying entangle-
mont He smiled complacently as he
thought OF the effect on Iris OF Mrs. Costo-
bells indignant remonstrances when the
baronet asked that injured lady TO tell the
girl all that had happened at Hongkong.
In word, Lord Ventnor was most pro-
foundly annoyed, and he cursed Anstruther
from the depths OF his heart. But he could
see way out The more desperate the
emergency the more need TO display flnesse
Above ALL he must avoid an immediate
rupture.
lie came ashore with Iris and her father
the captain OF the Orient also Joined the
party. The three men watched Robert and
the girl walking toward them from thu
group of officers
'Anstruther is n smart-looking fellow
commented Captain Fitzroy. who Is her
Truth TO tell. the gallant commander oi
the Orient was secretly amazed by the
metamorphosis effected In Roberts appear
ance since he scrutin,zed him through hi:
glasses. Iris too. unaccustomed to the con
straint of high-heeled shoes, clung TO the
nondescripts arm in n manner that shool
the sailors faith in Lord Ventnors pre-.
tensions as her favored suitor.
Poor Sir Arthur said not a word, but his
lordship was quite at ease
From his name. and from what Dean,
tells me. believe he IL an ex-officer OF the
Indian Army"
"Ah. He left the service?"
"Yes. / met him last in Hongkong"
"Then you know him?'
quite we'll IL he is the man I imagine
That Is really very nice of Ventnor.
thought the shipowner THE last thing
should credit him with would be n forgivlnI
disposition"
Meanwhile Anstruther was reading Irii