The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-06-08

waiting" she said, and deftly arranged
his cushions more comfortably around
him.
Rutherford excused himself and
walked away, out of humor with life.
He was apparently no further along
in his friendship or in his ability to
be of the slightest service than be-
fore. He had scarcely swung into a
good stride and began to see bit be-
yond his own immediate misery when
a man who had done many miles with
him in daily constitutionals around
the deck happened to cross his path.
"Things are getting a bit squally
this morning" he remarked.
"That so? l hadn't noticed" re-
joined Craig, glancing at the sunny
stretch of water.
"Yes, sir-bug { don't mean the
weather. It's rSas here on board
ship"
whats the trouble?" asked Ruth
erford, uninterestedly.
"You must have got up late today!
The air is fairly buzzingl Everybody's
ta1kingl"
what about?" asked Craig, seeing
that the man would persist until he
had communicated his news.
"Smugglers aboard"
Rutherford started into decided at
tention.
"What makes you think so-how do
you know% he demanded.
"a wireless message received last
night says that week ago a man
and woman bought diamond neck
lace worth two hundred and fifty
thousand francs in Berlin"
rutherford listened, thunderstruck,
to the almost exact repetition of Hell
derman's words. Evidently he had
been correct, and the secret message
had become noised about-but by
whom?
"The smuggiers the man and
woman-are on board this boat" the
man continued glibly; "that is why
we were warned. The woman is
youngish, and the man has a beard.
"How did you hear about it? The
ships paper publish it?"
"Not much!"
"Blest if know! Everybody seems
to know about it, though it's naturally
the business of the secret service. But
it has leaked somehow"
One course of, action presented it
self to Rutherford, and this he decided |
to try at once He would accost the
secret service man whom he had dis
covered in the library and learn what
he knew concerning the matter, ard if
possible why he was trailing the Tai /
colts.
He rounded the deck again before
finding the man he sought, but was at
lest rewarded by seeing him como out
and relieve the fellow who had ha2al
loun ging AGAINST the bulkheads, within
sight of the Talcotts' chairs. Craig
marched straight up to him, with the
intention of accosting him; but was
interrupted on the way.
"Oh, sir. may trouble your"
The voice was rich and low, and 1t
seemed, somehow, familiar Ruther-
ford, with instructive courtesy, halted
and turned. A handsomely-dressed
woman stood helplessly beside a
steamer chair and looked expectantly
up at him, frown and smile blend
| ing upon her expressive face. Her
| hands were busy with the folds of her
gown.
81 cannot get 1t loose!" she COM
planned, as Rutherford came toward
| her.
The hem of her skirt was caught and
| held securely in the joint of the chair.
Its this little bunch-this small
wad in the hem that holds it so Sc
| curely," he said.
She laughed, and he glanced up
| quickly. Her vail was raised, enabling
him to look straight into the warm
brown eyes of woman whose features
were almost perfect and whose rapidly
changing expressions reflected the
vivacity which has long made the
| Viennese women famous Her height
and graceful form were not unlike
those of another passenger who was
not long absent from Craig's thoughts,
| but her breezy. unconventional con
versation was in marked contrast to
Iuc SHy ASceiNS VI tltS otileE
"That small wad is a tiny weight, y
she said. "The wind is no respector
of ankles, you know, so tho hem must
be made-shail l say. conservative e'
There! AT last you are free.
madam" he said, as final tug re-
leased the dress
"At last? do not think you have
been long! And not madam. please,
but mademaiselle-M -Mademoiselle Irene
| Arany, to be exact Indeed. thank
you, sir. You are an artist; it is not
| hurt at all, Mr. Mr.. ?"-
"Rutherford," he prompted.
"Thank you, Mr.. Rutherford"
7 He bowed and hurried away. Made
moiselle Arany followed him with a
calculating glance which proved her
to be clever woman. as well as beau.
tiful 1t suggested, too, that her inter
est in him was not born merely of this
,;.,<~