The Washington times., 1919-04-30


"I'm not teasing you" he in
sisted. What I say Is true. I'm
grateful to you for violently in
jeeting romance into my perfectly
commonplace existence. You have
taken the book Of my life and not
only extra illustrated II with vivid
and chromatic pictures, but you
have unbound II. sewed into It's
prosaic pages several chapters
ripped bodily from penny
dreadful, and you have then
rebound the whole thing and
pasted your own pretty picture
on the cover! Come, now" Ought
not a man to be grateful to any
philanthropic girl who so gratul-
tously obliges him?"
Her face burned under his rfdf-
cule; her clasped hands in her lap
were twisted tight as though to
maintain her self-control
What do you want Of me?'' she
asked between lips that scarcely
moved.
He laughed. sat up, stretched out
both arms with a sigh OF satisfac-
tion. The color came back to his
face; he dropped one leg over the
beds edge; and she stood erect and
stepped aside for him to rise.
No dizziness remained; he tried
both feet on the floor, Strengthened
himself, cast a gaily malicious
glance at her, and slowly rose to his
feet.
The Lion and the Lamb.
''Scheherazade," he said, "isn't It
funny? ask you, did you ever
hear Of a would-be murderess and
her escaped victim being on such
cordial terms? Did your"
He was going through a few cal
isthenics, gingerly but with increas-
ing abandon. while he spoke.
Il feel fine. thank you. am en-
joying the situation extremely, too.
It's a delightful paradox. this situ-
alton It's absurd. it's enchanting,
it's Incredible! There is only one
more thing that could make it per-
fectly impossible. And I'm going to
do it," And he deliberately en-
circled her waist and kissed her.
She turned white at that, and, as
he released her, laughing, took q
step or two blindly, toward the
door: stood there with .one hand
against it as though supporting
herself
After a few moments, and very
slowly, she turned and looked az
him; and that young man was
scared for the FIRST time since their
encounter in the locked house in
Brookhollow.
Yet in her face there was no an
ger, no menace, nothing he had ever
before seen in any woman's face,
nothing that he now comprehended.
Only, for the moment, il seemed to
him that something terrible was
gazing at him out of this giTPs fixed
eyes-something that he did not
recognize as part Of her-another
being hidden within her, staring out
through her eyes at him.
For heavens sake, Schehera-
zade-' he faltered.
She opened the door, still watch
ing him over her shoulder. shrank
through it, and was gone.
Face To Face With OGieer.
He stood for a full i've minutes as
though stupefied. then walked to the
door and flung it open And met d
ships officer face to face, already
lifting his hand to knock for admit
tance.
"Mr. Neeland?" he asked.
"Yes"
Captain Vests compliments. and
he would be glad to see you in. his
cabin"
THANK you. My compliments
and thanks to Captain West, and /
shall call on him Immediately
They exchanged bows; the officer
turned, hesitated, glanced at the
steward who stood by the port.
Did you bring a radio message
to Mr.. Neeland?"
''Yes, sir"
"Yes, sir"
YES. 1 received the message"
said Neeland.
"The captain requests you to bring
the message with you"
with pleasure" said Neeland.
So the officer went awayIdown the
corridor, and Neland sat down on
his bed, opened the box, went oven
carefully every item of it's contents,
relocked it with a grin Of satisfac-
ton, and, taking it with him, went
off to pay a visit to the captain OF
the Volhynia.
The bearded gentleman in the
State-room across the passage had
been listening intently to the con-
versation, with his ear flat against
his keyhOle.
And now, without hesitating, he
went to a satchel which stood on
the sofa in his stateroom, opened II,
took from it a large bundle OF pa
pers and a ten-pOund iron scale
weight.
Attaching the weight to the papers
by means of a heavy strand OF cop
per wire. he mounted the sofa and
hurled the weighted package into
the Atlantic ovean-
"Pig-dogs OF British" he mutter-
ed in his golden beard you may
go and dive for them when The
Day dawns."
Then he filled and lighted a
handsome porcelain pipe. and puff
cd il with stolid satisfaction, leaV-
ing the pepper-bOX silver cover
open.
Der Tag" he muttered in his
golden beard: and his clear eyes
swept the starlit ocean with the
pensive and terrifying scrutiny OF
a waiting eagle.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Captain OF the EOlhynia.
The captain of the VOlhynia had