Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-08-29
CHAPTER XVI.
The First Wayfarer Visits a Shrine,
Cnnfessae and Takes an Oath,

that the so-called SprouSe had made
off with the priceless treasure and
that only a miracle could bring about
it's recovery He realized to what ex-
tent he had been shaped into a tool to
be used by the master craftsman. He
saw through the whole Machiavelltan
scheme, and he was also now NOR
ally certain that Sprouse would have
sacrificed him without the slightest
hesitation.
In the event that anything went
wrong with their enterprise, the man
would have shot him dead and earned
the gratitude and commentator OF his
associates! He would have been
glorifed and not crucif1ed by his
friends.
With heavy heart he mounted the
stairs. At the top he paused to DELHI
crate. Would 1t not be better to keep
her in ignorance? What was to be
gained by revealing to her the But
Miss Thackeray was Turing him on to
destruction. She stood outside the door
and beckoned. Then she closed the door
from the outside, and Barnes was
alone with the cousin of kings and
queens and princes.
Il feared you had deserted me-"
she said, holding out her hand to him
as he strobe across the room.
81 saw no occasion to disturb your
rest" he mumbled.
ST have been peeping," she said,
looking at him searchingly. "Where
is Mr.. Loeb going, Mr.. Barnes?"
"O'Dowd says he is to be gone for a
few days on business" he equivocated.
HE will not return she said quiet
ly. HE is a coward at heart. Oh,
know him well" she went on, scorn in
her voice.
''Was I wrong in not trying 70 stop
him?" he asked.
She pondered this for moment.
NO." she said, but he caught the dubi-
Gus note in her voice. "It is just as
well, perhaps, that he should disap-
pear. His flight today spares-but we
are more interested in the man
Sprouse Has he returnedw
mo, Miss Cameron" said he rue
fully. And then, without a single res
ervation, he laid bare the story of
Sprouse's detection When he inquired
if she had heard of the man known as
Chester Naismith, she confirmed his
worst fear by describing him as the
o,,l xry11 honno%h hny vxyS,n
dow. He was known to her as thief
Of international fame.
"You were no match for Chester
Naismith. Do NOT. look so gluna. The
shrewdest police officers in Europe
have never been able to cope with
him. Why should you despair"
He sprang to his feet. "By CAD, he
hasn't got away with 1t yet" he
grated. II will run this scoundrel down
If / have to devote the remainder of
my life to the task"
She sighed. "Alas, / fear that ]
shall have to tell you a little more
about this wonderful man you know
as Sprouse. Six months ago the
friends and supporters of the legiti-
mate successor to my country's throne
consummated plan whereby the
crown Jewels and certain documents
of state were surreptitiously removed
from the palace vaults. Instead of de-
posting the treasure in Paris, it was
sent to this country in charge of a
group of men whose fealty could not
be questioned. The man you know as
Loeb is in reality my cousin. I have
known him all my life. He is the
youngest brother Of the .pretender to
the throne, and a cousin Of the prince
who is held prisoner by the Austrians.
This prince has a brother also, and 1t
was to him that was supposed to de-
liver the jewels. Travelled from New
York, but not alone as you may sus-
pect. I was carefully protected from
the time I left my hotel there until
well, until I arrived in Boston.
"Whfle there / received a secret
message from friends in Canada di-
recting me to go to Spanish Falls,
where / would be met and con-
Quoted by Prince Sebastian himself
to the place called Green Fancy,
which was near the Canadian border.
A safe escort would be provided for
us, and we would be on British soil
within a few hours after our meeting.
It is only necessary to add that when
I arrived at Green Fancy met Prince
Ugo-and understood! I had careful
ly covered my tracks after leaving
Boston, My real friends were and
still are, completely in the dark as to
my movements, so skilfully was the
trick managed.
"And now for Chester Naismith. It
was he who, acting for the misguided
loyalists and recommended by certain
young aristocrats who by virtue of
their own designations had come to
know him as a man of infinite re-
sourcefulness and daring, planned and
carried out the pfllaging of the palace
vaults. Almost under the noses of the
foreign guards he succeeded in OBJ
tanning the jewels. No doubt he could
have made off with them at that time,
but he shrewdly preferred to have
them brought to America by some one