The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1917-08-03

view of bigger stake and one more
to his liking.
This was copy Of the will OF Pc
ter's father. Mr.. Bentley held 1t up
and his cunning eye caught the Sec
ton which read:
-. all of my property. real and person.
al, to my son, Peter, contingent upon his
marriage to the woman especially trained
by me to be his mate. She is perfect in
both mind and body, and will appear to
him of her own volition and show him on
her right arm just below the shoulder
the brand Of a double cross, fac-simile
| Of which is here given. However, should
the girl Of the double cross be won by
any other than my son Peter, to such
man will the Hale fortune go.
Here indeed was a treasure. Mr..
Bentley bent his brows. Was that the
reason Peter Hale was so attentive to
Philippa Brewster? Was she the girl
of the double cross? He determined
to find out. Nothing could be easier.
Immediately scheme occurred TO him
which would render his plan easy and
natural. He had done himself good
turn in getting rid of Peter-a better
turn than he realized.
But il Bridgey Bentley could have
seen the reality when the clock hands
reached eleven he would have seen q
far different scene than the one he
pictured.
He would have seen Peter gazing In
terror at the clock face; he would have
seen the two men left TO guard him
go out few minutes before the hour.
He would have seen the minute hand
barely touch eleven and at the same
second the door of the clock case open
and masked figure emerge silently,
cautiously. He would have seen the
masked figure raise the pistol, heard
, the shot reverberate, seen the bullet
hit the ceiling and beheld the masked
: stranger cut the cords that held Peter
+ taut.
Leading Peter to closet, the Masked
Stranger pushed open secret door
, and pointed. "Do not try to thank
5 me-" he said, quickly. "Be true to the
I girl of the double cross and some day
), you will know me-"
Peter nodded and was gone. Thu
r Masked Stranger slipped out Of thu
room. Bridgey Bentley had been out
n witted.
q Once outside, Peters thoughts turnet
q Immediately to the Brewster house ant
TO the possible danger to Philippa. III
hailed taxi and hurried away.
Thus It happened that he met MI
4 Brewster not a great while after tina
. gentleman had listened to Mr.. Bentley
wild tale of disaster. AS Mr.. Brew
ster, who had taken more drinks tina
were good for him, saw Peter more 0
" less excited and dusty, he conclude
\ that both he and Mr.. Bentley had ha
| night of it, and again he suggeSte
| bed. Peter left him and, passin
i through the library, saw Philip
4 asleep, her arm resting on the librar
i table and her lovely head on her arm
i Here, indeed, was chance in
i thousand. Why could he not gent
II raise her sleeve and thus discovt
i without her knowledge, whether 81
Il was, indeed, the girl of the dOub
Il cross?
II He tiptoed softly to her side. But =
II ter was not the only interested part
Il Behind the portieres stood Bridge
II Bentley, shaking with anger, amaz
Il ment written over his face. How h;
il Peter Hale escaped? What had sol
II wrong? The cruel eyes Of the soci
81 pirate contracted as he resolved
81 punish the men who had failed to ca
81 ry out his orders.
81 But for the present he watched /
81 ter with an intensity that showed ]
81 too, was eager to see whether Philip
II was the girl who held the key to {
81 Hale millions.
III Just as Peter was lifting the slice
81 Philippe awoke and, in so doing u
Ri consciously blew into Peters eyes sol
81 ashes from an ash tray directly best
q her. Peter was blinded for momel
q Philippa, laughing sarcastically, VI
d ished and young Mr.. Hale, gropi
bis way, passed through the porter
b close enough to Mr.. Bentley to ha
~ touched him.
& The social pirate smiled. lie "
I'll | nn,u nnrnred In q game worth the oil.