, 1922-10-29
Continued From Yesterday
P III.

About that time, a mile and n half
10 the southwark. James Da-ragh
came out on the rocky and rushing
outlet OF Star Pond.
over his shoulder was a rifla. and
ali around him ran dogs-big, power
oil dogs, buist like foxhOundz but
with the rough. wiry coats OF AIR
eaIes. even rougher Of ear n fea-
lures.
He had been ssated ths-s for ten
minutes. possibly. with his tired dog
lying around him. when just above
him he sEw a State Trooper emerge
from tn. woods on foot, carrying a
rife over one shoulder.
Jack he called IN a guarded
voice.
Trooper sto-mont turned. caught
sight OF Darragh. made a signal OF
recognition. and came toward him
parraKh said. Your mate. Troop
er Lannis, Is down stream I've two
OF my own game wardens az the cross
roads, two more on Ghost Lake read.
and two foresters and an inspector
u toward Owl Marsh"
stormont nodded. looking down at
ths dogs.
What ars they. Jim"
"Ottsrhouads." said Da-ragh. "A
breed Of my own. But that's all
they are Capable OF hunting. I guess"
he added srimly.
Etormout's gazs questioned him
Wei" said Darragh, Z left my
two guests at Harrod Place to amuse
each other, got cut three couple OF
my ottershounds an4 started them
As I hoped and supposed-on Quin-
ana's trail"
what happened7" inquired stor
mont curiously.
well don't know. I think they
were following some OF ouintana's
gang for a while. anyway After that
God -knows-deeT. hare. cottontail-I
don't know. They yelled their hally
heads Off on n run-they're slow
dogs. you know-and whatever they
were afte. either fooled them or there
were too 10y trails. ] made n
mistake. that's alt. These poor beasts
don't know anything except an otter
1 Just hoped they might lake Quin-
taaa's trail IL ] put them ou It."
They had been walking for twentv
minutes. possibly. exchanging scarce
ly a word. and they we're nov nearing
the hiliy basin where Star Pond lny,
when Darrash said abruptly;
I'm going % tell you about thinsf.
jack. You've taken my word 50 FAR
h IT'S all right
Naturally said stormont simply.
The two men. who had been broth
er officers in the Great War. glanced
at each other. slightly smiling.
Here il is then said DarraEh.
aFVV-H-. 7 go . 49,. l.sts. a.. ET-. Fnr shG
Intelligence Department. I met two
ladies in dire distress. whose mansion
had been burned and looted. suppos-
eddy by the b%olshevikI.
'IThey were actually hungry and
psnniless; the only clothing they pos
sessed they were wearing. These la
dies were the Countess. Orioff-Strel-
witz. and a young girl. Theodorica
Grand Duchess of Esthonia. I
did what I could for them. After a
while, 1 found out tina the crime
had been perpetrated by jose ouin.
tsna's gang of international crooks
masquerading as bolsheviki.'
Stormont nodded: 1T also came
across similar cases." he remarked.
well. this was a fragrant example.
Quintana had burnt the chateau and
had made off with over w million
dollars worth OF the little Grand
Duchess jewela-among them h IA
mouse erosite gem known as The
Flaming Jewel"
I've heard of IT,"
1--WE been after him ever since.
But. Jack. until this morning
ouintana did not possess these stolen
Jewels. Clinch didr'
"whatg'
"Clinch served. overseas IN a for
estry regiment. In Paris he robbed
ouintana Of these Jewels. That's why
I've been hanging around Clinch.'
Stormont's face was flushed and
i~neredulous. Then It lost color Is Inc
thought OF the jeweln that Eve had
c~oncealed-the gems for which she
had risked her life.
He said: But s'ou tell me Quin
tzna robbed you this morning"
He did. The little Grand Duchess
and the Countess Orloff-Strelwitz are
my guests at Harrod Place.
Last night I snatched the cast
containing these gent from outn'
tana's fingers. This morning, as
offered them to the Grand Duchess
Quintana cooily stepped between u,
-"
His voice became bitter and his fea
lures redeemed with rage poorly con
trolled:
..By God, Jack, I should have shoi
ouintana when the opportunity OF
fered. Twice I've had h chance
The next time I shall kill HIM any
way I can. : Legitimateiy-
.of course" said Stormont grave
Is. But his mind was full OF the Je"
els which Eve had. Via n who's
were they-it o~uintana again had th'
Esthonian gems in his possession.
A few minutes later as tiny cam
out among the willows and alders q
the northeast side Of Star Pori
Stormont touched his conrades arm
Look at that enormous so
out there in he lake7'