Show 40 I 1 VA ft 1 T of aa jjck X A cwb a 1907 OY aa y t 0 i SYNOPSIS 13 Bt araka a tartar girl became enamored A it a golden bearded stranger who waa anil and studying herl herbs in th tha vicinity of her homo home in central asia and revealed to him film tile tha location of a mine alna t rubilea hoping that the stranger would id ov e tier her in return for or tier her disclosure wu they worn were followed to the cave by tal the girls relatives who blocked up the entrance n said and drew off aft the water supply leaving the couple to die barahal Bara Bar haa likas cousin stud saad her betrothed attempted to climb flown down a cliff overlooking the tha mine but the traveler allot him tile the stranger was wag revived from a water wate r gourd sand band carried dug his way out of 0 the tunnel and departed deserting the tha girl and earning carrying a big bear or of rubies lia ralta gathered all tile the coma bile could carry and started marred in pursuit margaret donne margarita da cordovan Cordo cordova a famous prima dotina donna become nixed ni aed MIred in london to konstantin lo 10 ta etl a weal wealthy t hy ark her intimate ate t alend wim 1 co Coun u teni leven known as aa lady maud whose husband tad had been been killed ly by a bonita bomb in fit st BE peters petern urs ant and littly most mont intimate arlend rien was waa van torp an amerl call CAID who had become one di of the hie rich richest st inen in tho the world van torp was wag in iove love with margaret and rushed to london as soon boon as ag ho he headid of 0 tier her betrothal lie offered lady maud for her ter pet charity it she would aid him tit in winning tit the e singer ginger from Logo thed ka ap pdro preached ached at Verai tille with tit rubles rubies to sen ife ie presented d a ruby to eta margaret van torp bought a yacht and sent cent it to venice KB ile was waa v visited lulled by baruka baraka in male attire slie she gave him film a r uby ruby atter after the american had told tier her of abing seen geen tit in the united states a man an lowring the description of the one bile bhe loved the american fol allowed owed margaret to th the Day routh mar maret took a liking to van torp who pre fire aenied tier her with the ruby barthka had alven him count Kr gralinsky alinsky Krall ft a Ilu Itus aslan arrived at bayreuth van torp believed film to be the one baratta was pursuing bar barahu ka was arrested tn in london on tho the charge of stealing fro rom milney a jeweler ter the ruby title bhe had sold bold to two strangers stran gerB wire were elie thieves lady maud believed that logothetis cons lon with haraka ripen open to suspicion and so anfor Into nned ned margaret van tort torp believed bell aved that Krall Kral kisky was waa ilia a w y lie he had known in his young manhood ra heti secured barakas Bara kaa release and ago th then en with tier her ai ag tits hla gla guest at went to sea on his yacht erinna erenna explains tier liar plans plana tor f on tho anan in a n who had deserter deser tei I 1 latr ier and left tier her 0 to o die LOK Othell succeeds in moderating tier ler rago rae lady maud arrived tit in bayre ut 1 1 argaret Al Alarea iet and vital vim torp entered into anto an to build a tremendous house lit in yiew new york CHAPTER XI continued ile he turned the page round and bandec it t to her the writing was waa large and perfectly legible but very different from the commercial hand of most moat american business men any oozed ono v oril taken at random might have seemed unformed at first sight tout but the appearance of tho the whole was oddly strong and symmetrical margaret read the life clauses carefully sue herself had already signed a good many legal papery in connection with tier her engagements and her own small fortune and the langu language ago was not so unfamiliar to her as it would have been to most women shall I 1 sign first she asked when she had finished my own name mame or my stage name your own name please said van torp without hesitation the others only binding in your profession because you appear under it and its your business style she wrote margaret donne at the foot of the he page in her large and rath or r irregular hand and passed the pa per back to van torp who signed it ile he waved the sheet slowly to and fro to dry the ink its only a preliminary agreement he said bald but its binding as aa far as it goes and ill attend to the rest have to give me a power of attorney for my lawyer in new york dy by tile the by it you decide to come you can do that to in venice where theres a real live ahe consul necessary but for all mutters matters of business heroin set bet forth we are now already the mme ame da C cordova and rufus van torp company organized for the purpose of building tin an opera house in the city of I 1 new york and tor for giving public performances for mances of musical works in the same fame with a nominal capital hereafter to be agreed upon what we are now lie ile folded the sheet returned it to his inner pocket and held out his hand band in a cheerful businesslike business like manner shall we shake hands on itt it he asked dy all menns margaret answered readily and their eyes met but she bile drew back her hand again before tak ing its ills this is purely kr n matter iatter of 0 business between us its she said you understand that it means nothing else purely a matter of business an swore rufus clufus van torp slowly and gravely CHAPTER XII on the HIP morning after the tr transact ansac tion last described van corps attention was arrested by a sensational scare head about a thief and a ruby worth some disaffected co col league in london had known or cleverly guessed where the stone was that had been stolen from mr pin and had informed the police the nice looking young fellow who 8 spoke like an english gentleman had walked directly into the arms of the plainclothes plain clothes man walting waiting for him on the pier in new york the stone had been found sewn up indis in his waistcoat and hla his pleasant career of 0 liberty had bad ended abruptly in a cell I 1 mr van torp whistled softly sis as he read the he account a second time then ohp lie he neatly cut atit the column out of the paper folded it with great pred precision sion smoothed it with care and placed it in hn hit pocketbook pocket book next to a cheap little photograph of mine da cordova cordoba as juliet which he had bought in a music shop in new york the day atter after he had heard tier her for the first time and had carried in his pocket ever since lie ile took up the mutilated newspaper and looked up and down the columns and among other information which lie he gathered in a few moments was the tact fact that logothetis yacht had passed capt saint vincent going cast owner and party on board the previous telegram had bad riot not escaped him and it if he be had entertained tiny any doubts as aa to the destination of the arluna they vanished now she was certainly bound for the mediterranean ile he remembered having heard beard that vol Z an fn jed abruptly in a cell many steam yachts coming from england put into gibraltar for coal and fresh provisions coal being cheaper thero there than in french anil and italian ports and ho be thought it very probable that tho the brinna would do the same he also made some deductions which need not be explained yet the only one worth mentioning here bore was that would be likely to hear bear in gibraltar that the ruby had been found and was on its way back to england and that as aa he would know that margaret Mai garet would be ba anxious about it since lie he had already given it to her he would hardly let tho the occasion of communicating with her go by As for writing from gibraltar to any place whatsoever ij in the hope that a letter will arrive in less than a week it la is sheer folly mr van torp bad never tried it and supposed it possible as aa it looks but he was tolerably sure that Logo thed would telegraph first and had perhaps done dona so 80 at already for the news of his passing cape saint vincent was already 24 14 hours old this was waa precisely what h bad tf 1 I happened when mr air van torp opened opened his door he came upon margaret and mrs rushmore on the landing on the point of going out for a walk and bi a s servant e rvan had just brought the prima donna a telegram which she was read ing aloud so that the american could not help bell hearing tier her Cru cruising laing till wanted she read qi quickly lickly ruby found address yacht erinna naples she heard van tort torp close tits his door though she had not heard him open it and turning round she found herself race face to face with him iler her eyes were sparkling with anger very sorry lie said bald 1 I help hearing its of no consequence for I 1 should have told you margaret answered briefly Y ile he argued well for himself train from her tone and manner ran but he be chose to show that lie he would not force tits his earn company upon her just then when site she was in a visible rage and insi instead tead of a topping stopping to exchange moro more words lie he passed the two ladles ladies hat bat in hand and bowing rather low after his manner he be went quietly downstairs margaret watched him till he disappeared 1 I like that roan man she said as it if to to herself but audibly 1 I cannot help it mrs rushmore was more than delighted but had tact enough not to make any answer to a speech which had bad probably not been meant for her ears perhaps she said bald you would rather not go out lust just yet my dear margaret was grateful tor for the sug go their rooms I 1 meanwhile van torp had bad reached the door of the hotel and found lady maud standing there with her parasol up for the eon was streaming in 14 1 I was waiting batting for you she said simply as aa soon at as he reached her side bide and she stepped out into the street 1 I thought you would come down and I 1 wanted to speak to you for 1 I did not get a chance last night they were both watching me ably because they thought I 1 was waa III and I 1 had to chatter like a magpie to keep up appearances you did it very well van torp aalde ia it if I 1 had not seen your face ace at the window when I 1 got out of the automobile yesterday I 1 have guessed there was anything wrong nut but there Is something very wrong something I 1 can hardly bear to think of though I 1 roust must until I 1 know the truth they turned into the first deserted street they came to 1 I dare say I 1 can give a guess at what it la Is van torp answered gravely 1 I went to sae see him alone yesterday on purpose before lie he started dand and I 1 must say it if it for the beard id feel fetil pretty sure lie ile had a beard when I 1 married him and it was like that just like that lady mauds voice shook audibly for she felt cold even in the sunshine 1 I know van torp ansbe answered red that alters the case ir if were riot not mistaken what can I 1 do to help tell you lets see you only had that one look at him through the window la Is that so BO yes dut the window was open and its not high above the ground and my eyes are good ile he took off his hat bat when he said goodby good by to you and I 1 saw his inco face as distinctly as I 1 see yours when youve been married to a man she laughed harshly you cannot be ba easily mistaken about him when youre as near as that that Is the man I 1 married im intimately convinced of it but I 1 must be quite sure do you understand of course if hes really leven hes oven even a better actor than I 1 used to think lie was if hes riot not the re Bein semblance blance Is just about the most extraordinary tra thing its true I 1 only an saw leven or tour four times in my life but I 1 saw him to look at him then and the last time I 1 did when he made the row raw in hare flare court lie he was doing roost most of 0 the talking so BO I 1 remember ber h bis voice altres T theres on only one difficulty lady mabil said some one else may y have been killed last june it may na ay even havo have been the pickpocket who hall had stolen hla his pocketbook pocket book such have happened or do in loii boog I 1 jut this hla Is certainly the man yo you u met in new york and who sold you tho the ate atone ne you gave me la Is lie ho not oh certainly and that was at tho the end ed of 0 july and leven was killed late in juno june yes that only leaves a month for him film to have been to Asia absurd utterly totally and entirely impossible asseverated mr van torp tori one ona ot of two things anther this man Is your husband and it if lie he Is hofma hos not t the man who found the rubles in asia or else it he Is that man lies riot not leven I 1 wish that heathen girl had been here yeater yesterday dayl t she sha could have told in a minute shod shed hotter better have been here anyway than cutting around the mediterranean with that fellow Logothetti ll yes ves lady maud answered gravely dut but about myself it if loven leven la Is alive what la is my position I 1 dinean lueana I dant really V quits quite know where I 1 am do I 1 anybody but you would have hav e thought ot of marrying again already observed mr air van torp looking up sideways in n her eyes for she was vas taller than he be then really bo be in a bad fix you hut but ran aa it Is I 1 dont see that it t makes much d difference ifer the mans ans going under a false name so he do boyant tint mean to claim you as tits his wite nor to try to get a divorce again as lie he did before lies just going to be ba somebody else for fop its his own good and hell get married that way maybe his business not yours I 1 dont suppose youre going to got get up tip in church and forbid tile the banns are you 1 I would like a shot said lady aillaud so would you im surel burel think of tile the other domant woman so answered van torp toria without enthusiasm however weve got to think about you and the present find and decide what well do I 1 suppose tho the best beat thing is for tuo tits to put hin him orf off with will some excuse so BC that you can come on the yacht please do nothing ot of the sort cried lady maud hut it I 1 want you to lo come coma objected tier her friend 1 I 1 mean to come do bo you think im afraid to meet him van torp looked at tier her in some so me surprise arid and not without aamir admiration atlon there anybody like ilk you anyway he said quietly out but theres going to be a claua on that ship it 11 hes bes leven level lie he added if lie he makes a fuss ill read the riot act and lock loch him up oh no answered lady maud who wh was used to mr van corps familiar familial vocabulary why need there be any an trouble youve not told him I 1 an am coming coining you say eay very well it IE hi he sees me suddenly after lie has been au on board a little while hell certainly betray himself and then I 1 shall be sure leven Is a n man of the world was or la Js god knows which but it it Is he be and he want to be recognized hell behave as it nothing had bad happened after the first moment of surprise at least I 1 shall be tain I 1 roust must be positively sure whether leven Is alive or dead for what I 1 have got back in these last two months is my whole ufa A mere recognition at first right bight and at ton ten yards Is not enough it may bo be only a marvelous resemblance for they say very every one haa as a double oil e somewhere in the wood world they used to say tot too that it if you met your double one of you would die observed van torp those things are all stuff stud and nonsense of course I 1 was just thinking well lie ho continued dwelling on his favorite monosyllable if you decide to 0 come on the yacht and it if the man inan t blow away we shall know the truth in three or four days from now and a comfort and even if lie he turns out to be leven maybe we can manage something lady maud chose chosa riot not to ask what tier her friend thought lie could manage for she had glanced nt at his face when |