Evening star., 1933-12-16
CHAPTER xxx.
THE RENDEZVOUS.

THE RENDEZVOUS.
w YHAT did Sonya want with
n LIE Noir? He was the Cos
NV sacks contact man. Was
Y that fact the reason she
wanted to see him?
why's she meeting LIE Noir?"
"She's giving him letter"
"A letter? To whom?
Paul hesitated, shuddered, but there
was no help for it, and he took the
step. Its letter to Karakhan."
Curt stiffened, like the granite he
stood against. He shook Paul roughly
by the arm.
Does she know Karakhan?"
"She knows him very well. Forgive
me. partner. but you had to know
Curt turned slowly and stared down
toward the tents as though trying to
, der in the darkness. After time he
turned to Paul again. His voice shook.
Don't make a mistake about her
sending a letter to Karakhan. Are you
positive of it? Dead positiye?"
ITO the extent" Paul said quietly,
"that have copy of the letter IL
self. Last night saw her writing in
the tent. She was so secret about II
that I knew she was writing something
important. I watched through one OF
the arrow holes and saw where she hid
the note when she finished, and after
she'd gone to sleep, went in and got
it. I sat here behind these rocks and
made copy by your electric torch, and
then returned the letter.
What does it say? What did she
tell him?"
Paul reached into his jacket and
In Ur1nnpd
In canvas. "You had best read it your
self Then you'll know"
He gave Curt the pages, and saw his
partner stare at them with fascinated
dread. Why didn't he snap on the flash
and read them? Was he afraid?
In the Southwestern sky Antares had
sunk down till it lowered on the peak
line, looking not like star, but some
distant light on the mountain top.
Time for her meeting with LIE Noir, he
thought.
what are we going to do about this
rendeztous?" he asked. Its our chance
to find out where Karakhan is. They're
sure to drop word about his hiding
place." : :.
Il suppose we ought to do something. .
Curt agreed duly. 1t seemed that To-
eating Karakhan had become OF no
Importance
Across the channel Paul heard the
huttering call of an owl. 1t did not
fool him.
There's LIE Noir signaling to her.
That's the signal he was to use. Aren't
we going to shadow them? Well fino
| out more in 10 minutes than we could
in a month otherwise"
Curt thrust the letter into his pocket
unread. I'VE ought to follow her. III
do it. want to hear what they say
Paul. there's something to this that you
didn't get the truth Of. There's got
to be-"
The "owl" signaled again. Paul
glanced down toward the tents. heard
nothing of Sonya. saw nothing OF her
"We1l have to give her q clear road.
channel Suppose go down to the
tents and make her believe Im turning
In? If she's there by the canoe, III
dfop the remark that you're tired and
almost asleep. You can stay here, ano
when she starts you can follow. III
bring you a canoe to cross with"
Curt shook his head. lie Noir would
see a canoe. No, I'll get cross. Just
leave me your blankets and the flash"
Paul vanished down the island, and
Curt waited alone. A queer unnatural
frame of mind had come over him
Sonya, meeting 'Teeste LIE Noir, conniv-
ing with him against the two who had
defended her.
It seemed only a little less prepos-
ferrous than her knowing, intimately
knowing, Igor Karakhan. He could nc
longer deny that she was acquainted
with the Cossack and that her trip was
somehow connected with the man. But
her motive in this affair might be inno-
cent even commendable.
Footsteps came up the landwasE
presently. Through eyes narrowed tc
Sits he saw Sonya's faint moon-shadov
| fall across his feet. She stood there 9
| few seconds, looking at him; then, ts
make doubly sure, she bent down, sc
near that he shut his eyes to keep hel
| from seeing that he was awake. HI
had the strength of will to sit motion.
less, feigning that he was oblivious o.
her when every nerve In him was trem.
bling at her nearness.
She Strengthened up at last and wen
back down the landwash. When sh
had gone Curt took of his jacket AMI
moccasins, laid his rife, automatic ant
flash on top Of them and crept to TIN
waters edge. Taking care to make M
moon ripples for the sharp eyes G
lie Noir to catch, he struck out for tn,
other island, and landed at its uppel
TIP.
As he turned to look back, . lonl