Evening star., 1924-04-20
She was one of u.s."

LII AuStraila! 2!
Yes"
where your business was abduct-
ing girls for your master, the Maha-
| raja of Sawnpo~s?"
Yes" very sus1enly
She was the Mary Noyes who gave
you up to the police? Why"
! Love-" said Rutton LaI with a
sneer. "She loved man."
"a good man."
"A good man.
Who knew her story, and her
sickedness-her abandoned childhood
| nd the current of events which threw
her into your hands"
| Yes"
And he persuaded her to cleanse
| her soul? He took his life in his
| hands that she might be redeemed?"
He was brave man." said Rut-
ton Lal.
"Sandys?"
| Yes"
| You have hunted them down."
For two years I have searched" :"
| You chose a strange means"
| "A warning. The story would go
| far. Many would read it. Those who
read would fear to do as this woman
/ did"
Alpin nodded. so I reasoned said
he. "And now. under the shelter
of the virtue of the Beggar of Be
mares you have entered again the bust
ness of alb btuction?"
But ne does not know. He does
not know
rs there an honest man in this
| Householder"
"AIl save four. 1t was necessary"
| 'Rutton Lal." said Alpin. you will
| disappear. Now, while l wait. you
will send your message TO the intel
ligence of the Beggar that you have
been called away, and who will take
| the trust of his affairs. He must
| not suffer"
Rutton shrugged Realistically. He
shut his eyes and remained silent
moment 1T is DONE" he said.
When he awakens he will know"
II do not wish to frighten the girl.
Tell her to awaken tomorrow in her
| own home-without memories"
|
Come" said Alpin. He bent over
and freed Rutton's feet. There is
very modern telephone, Jenkins. Will
you be SO good as to notify the
police, and call taxicab to take
Miss Graine to her home%' He turned
to Rutton LaI. Perhaps" he said,
| you need refreshment Will you
choose a glass from the tray?"
| For the first time since birth"
said Rutton, Il acknowledge intel
| ligence in an occidental. You play
well to the last move" He lifted a
glass to his lips, and then sat down,
| composing his limbs comfortably. and
buried his face in his arms as he had
| sat when first we entered the room.
We waited Half an hour passed
! in silence. Rutton Lal sat motion
less; the girl stood as if carved from
stone. The turbaned butler entered,
paused uncertainty.
Alpin arose Cover Rutton LAl."
he said. There may be trickery. 1
doubt it. but he may hope this is
not checkmate but only mate"
him, and they disappeared Almost
instantly he returned with our old
| friends Detectives Samuels and
Rousch at his heels.
Gentlemen" said he, with note
of compiaisance in his voice. Miss
Marylin Graine. Yonder is Rutton
Lal, abductor extraordinary to his
| >f
The story will wait Let US make
haste"
Ed. Rousch stepped heavily to Rut-
ton Ial's side and placed a profess
sional hand on his shoulder. The
man did not move. Roush lifted the
| oriental head: the eyes were closed;
| il was the face OF one who has gone
peacefully to sleep-but 1t was the
sleep from which there is no awak-
ening.
Late that night we raped at the
| Sands door.
"It is T." said Alpin and we were
| admitted.
There is no need to move on
he said ."Rutton Lal Is dead"
| s-You Know For the first time
Sandys exhibited strong emotion.
The story in all its details But
| you need have no fear Malicious
tongues will never touch Mrs. Sandys-
Now you may begin to live"
but how" I said. How did you
arrive at all this?''
THE index" he said. THE cobra
was a favorite means of Rutton Lal.
He used it twice in Australia, once in
Shanghai, and nobody knows how
many times in other places It,
taken with the disappearance of
number of young society women,
pointed to a recurrence OF two years
| ago. The cable told me Rutton was
at large. But admit I was shaken
when I faced the Beggar of Benares.
1t seemed impossible evil could
shelter itself under such simple vir-
| tue Then / saw Rutton's eyes"
He turned to Mrs. Sandys. Mad
am" said he, may I congratulate you
upon a husband such as few women
possess?"
ST am trying" she said with crate
full tears, ito be worthy of him"
| Copyright, 1924
| nA@- TL- Sss~n~