White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-07-31
Continued from Last Week.
CHAPTER ii

1t was unnecessary to send Sedras
note; she simply crooked finger
at him, and he came to her like an
obedient collie Collie, however
didn't fit him; mastiff was better.
He was a lump of a man, and nc
mistake. Well over six feet tall he
stood and with breadth of shoulders
and soldity that made him seem gi
gantic. He was faultnessly dressed;
certainly his clothes came from the
Continent, for no tailor | had ever
known in the Orient could drape a
mans figure so well; full-bearded, the
black whiskers parted neatly in the
middle after the fashion of Sikh
who, however, curls his at the edges
Dark-complexioned and with dis
tingushed pallor A great surgeon;
prosperous banker; a diplomat or a
grand duke-Sedras might have been
taken for any of these. He had the
air; the presence. And he was
wealthy, or very clevely affected it
think Jane said that he dealt in
valuable stones, mostly pearls.
He accepted the introduction with
the grace of court fop, and
caught Jimmy regarding him with
thinly yelled admiration and interest
Sedras acknowledged my presence
and that W as all. Perhaps he consid
cred me in the light of rival, which
was foolish; but then l have already
said that the man was silly concern
ing Jane.
"Ah, yas!" he said, taking the pa
per which Jane handed to him, and
raising it to the light, while he exam
ined it through the nose-glasses which
dangled at the end of black silk rib
bon, using the lenses as though they
were microscopes Vas, the mes
sage"
He had a foppish, stilted, affected
air that always maddened me. Like
wise, his accent was annoying. 1t was
English, and yet it was not; it seem
ed blend, just as was his blood-an
intermingling of East and West. And
the way he said "the message" ihdi
Gated Enthusiastically to ME that Jane
had previously shown him the paper
He studied the faded characters
closely, while | watched his eyes. Al
last there seemed to be an odd lool
creeping into them. But he inter
cepted my glance, and raised his head
smiling.
"Quite dramatic, by Jove!" he ex
claimed. Just fawncy! Sort of er-
primitive, you know"
Yes said Jimmy patiently, "but
what does the writing say?"
"Haw!" Sedras, with insufferable
elaboration, raised his glass again
and looked at the paper. ut says, in
Russian; Thus with traitors!
"Fawncy that, now! Thus with
traitors! It's ripping mystery, Ell
what?"
l caught Jimmy's eye, but hi.
thoughts were inscrutiable No doub
he was thinking of the same thing
that was in my mind: What had Her
bert Knowlton to do with The Hawk
Who was the Hawk? What horrible
disclosure was this charming cir
seated at the table with us; pure
| beautiful woman, one in a million
about to be confronted with? l made
a silent VOW then and there that if il
so happened that Herbert Knowltor
was The Hawk, she should never
know.
1t seemed, however, that our con
ference was at an end. Sedras hat
handed back the paper to Jane, an(
she had risen; he was at her elbow
dancing attendance. For my part,
wanted to talk with Mulvane alone
and unless l failed at guessing hi
was eager to be at work.
For a moment the three of use drew
apart, leaving Sedras standing Their,
alone, triumph in his eyes, it seemed
| W me- LII Hc was WulIlHE LII ucl, uC
termined not to be sidetracked again
miss Knowlton," said Jimmy
there's lot more to this than | Cal
explain right now; but you may res
assured | am going TO find you
brother"
"How?" she demanded, eagerly.
| 81 have means" he renlied "Of get
ting to Verkov River, which is some
where in Anadr Province. I'll star
as quickly as 1 can"
"And | must go, tool" she exclaim
ed. ITS horribly bold of me to beg
for your hospitality, but | haven
enough means of my own" Jimm!
hesitated, yet temptation showed II