Show SERI AL L IS TORY 11 11 Z 7 71 the pool of flame ria e LOUIS JOSEPH josepn VANCE illustrations by yount by lout joseph buce V ance 16 SYNOPSIS the story opens at monte carlo cario wit with col terence a military tree free lance and something oi or a it gambler in his hi hotel leaning on an the balcony he see a beautiful girl who suddenly enter enters the elevator anil and p lines from eight sight at the gamin F table Ollo urke notices two men mail watch lne ng him film one in the lion hon bertle glynn while his companion Is viscount Vie count dee des drobes a the viscount tells him the french government has directed him to OIto urke aa as A man who would undertake A secret mission at hie his apart ment merit who had agreed to un dermake the mission finds a mysterious letter the viscount arrives vee hands a seated package to Ono urke who la lit rot not to open often it until on the cean A pair of dainty are een seen protrude ng from irishman under tinder a doorway curtain the tito Ir lehman finds the owner of the mysterious feet to be hia his wife beatrix from whom he had run n away a year previous loua they are re reconciled conci led and and opening the letter he 11 hide ids that lit a rangoon law firm offers him OW pounds for a jewel known aa an the pool 1001 of flame and left to him by a lying friend but now in keeping of me one named chamaret Ch ambret in algeria the no oleman in a duel duet the wife ife bide bids Ono urke farewell and he promises prom lies to eoon soon return with the reward II 11 UK covers both olynn glynn and tte ite viscount on board the ship As an he finds ambret Ch there lie an attack bv bandit bandits and hie his friend dice telling ORa urke that he has left the pool of flame with the governor iro vernor general ener nl who at night of a signet ring alven van it tho h a colonel will deliver over the jewel arriving at algeria the irishman fende the fro governor vernor general x meral away de des makes a mysterious loua appointment 7 nt and tells OR oa urke that he has rained gal nea possession of the jewel by stealing linx it in a cuel euel masters the viscount secures possession of the pool of flame and starts by ship for rangoon he lie bindi the captain to be he a smuggler who tries to steal the jewel i CHAPTER XI XIV continued he ile ran as seldom be had run be recai for r ablaing and laboring stumbling recovering r ing and plunging onward and by tho the rode gods it hott the khamsin raved and tore liko like a spirit of boll bell fire through that narrow alley turning tur hing it into a miniature inferno nut but in the course of some minutes ea tho the end odthe tunnel camo came in giov a lighted rift between house walls giving upon the illuminated street beyond the sight eight brought forth a fresh burst of speed from irke he ile dashed madly out of the alley stumbled and ran headlong into a strolling greeli who ho grappled with him at first in surprise and then in resentment white while tho the clamor of the pursuing rabble loud and near and ever nearer exhausted as bo he was the irishman struggled with little skill before ho he mastered bis his own surprise and in me end saw his cindri written along the blade of at a thin keen knife which alch the greek nad whipped from the folds of hia his garments und and jerked threateningly above his bead head it was mas falling failing when ORo urko saw say it in another breath he had been stabbed unexpectedly the greek shrieked ehrl eked dropped the knife as it had turned suddenly white hot in hie tits bands and leaped back from nursing a broken wrist while a voice as sweet as the singing of angels rang in tho fugit fugitives ivett ears though tho the spirit of its melody was simple and crude enough Rourke 0 be all tb th powers the roast bor himself gory ye beggar tie otis sorry I 1 am that I 1 split the ugly face of ye wid uld mo me this way yer honor honorl come wid la mel me blindly enough indeed the world was all awhirl about him his arm grasped by a strong and confident hand permitted himself to bo be oeung to the right and across the street in a thought blackness again was all about him but the hand gripped hia his arm hurrying him onward and he yielded blindly to its guld jace without power for that matur to question cu estion or to object what breath be he bad had bo he sorely needed and as blind ly ho he stumbled on for perhaps another hundred yards while the voice of the rabble made hideous the night behind them Il hardly ardly futi lutted ted had the two whipped into the mouth of the backway back way ere am it was choked by a AL warm swarm ot of pursuer pursuers but niver fearl said the voice at his aide side tie ourselves outwit them here now or honor do ye y 0 go o su sti tight on ridout onu ye come to an iron dur in a dead wat wall at the end av ay thia this knock iber there count tin and knock akam ill lead era lern away and bo be wid ya 70 acain again in a braco brace av ay aha shakes keal 1 numbed De by fatigue and othair alon ORo urko obeyed he lie aa aware that his preserver with a wild whoop hoop A bad darted aside into a crops crons alloy but hardly aware of more mechanically ho he blundered cd on until brought up by a wall that closed and mado made a cul de tie sac of the way witt trembling hands bo be felt before him lingers encountering the smooth cool surface ot of a sheet of metal this t then on was too the door As carefully as ho he could ho he kne knocked eked counted ten ton and k knocked n cocked again while the mob that had lusted for bis his blood trailed off down the side alley alloy in frantic pursuit of or bis him generous Rone roua preserver and bo be hoard board with ith a smile the lat tors shrill def defiant lant irish yells luring them further upon tho the falso also scent if it tie not danny gasped the ad 1 then my not the diess bless tho the ladi ladt hut jut as ho he breathed this benediction tho the iron door swung inwards and ho be stumbled across tho the threshold half fainting hardly conscious conis clous that be bad done more than pass from open night to the night of an enclosed space file foot caught on some obstruction and he lie went to his knees with a cry that has as a cross between a sob and a groan and incontinently fell lull full length upon an earthen door floor bis his head pillowed on his arm panting as if his tits heart would break in the darkness above him someone cried aloud a startled cry and then tho the door was thrust to with a clang and rattle of bolts A match rasped loudly and a flicker of light leaped from a small band hand lamp and revealed to its bearer the tagged fagged and quivering figure on the floor some ono one sat down beside him with n alow low exclamation of solicitude and gathered his head into her lap soma ono one quite simply enfolded bis his neck with soft arms and pressed his head to her bosom and as it if that were not enough kissed him full and long upon bis his 11 my dearl my dear she murmured in french what has happened 0 what has happened my poor poor boy boyl now the integral madness of all this was as effectual in restoring OHo urko ta partial consciousness as had neen a douche of cold ater in his face blankly be he told himself that he was damned and that it was all a dream and yet when hen be he looked it was to eee see dim in the feeble glimmer of the lamp the faco face of a woman as beautiful as young as young as beautiful one glance was enough shut his eyes again if it I 1 look t too 00 long ho he assured himself shell vanish or or turn into a hend sure tia a judgment upon roe me too long have I 1 been an amorous dram drinker this will undoubtedly be ho the delirium ire tre mena mens of love and with that he passed quietly into temporary unconsciousness CHAPTER XV he ile opened his eyes again alone on the cool damp earthen floor but as that tho the feminine clement element in his adventure had been no hallucination after all for ho he could see the girl standing a little to one side and look ing down upon him her face so deep in shadow that he could gather noth ing from its expression n bother it boro of displeasure or of perplexity from this and that however ho he de deuced that eho she discovering herself lavishing endearments on the wrong man was not utterly delighted with ith tho the situation the circumstances taken into consideration such a state of mind ho he thought not unreasonable and being now to some extent recovered he saw no profit in making her tier suffer more so with a show allow of faintness not assumed he rolled his head to one side opening wide ide his eyes and looked the woman in the face inquiring with his bairt thin brogue this now me dear the girls face darkened she shook her head impatiently 1 I havo have no eng lish sho she told him in excellent french who are you why do you come hero you are not Dann danny oho commented know angly and the explanation Is it he ile sat up embracing his knees knee and drawing a rueful face faith me dear he be admitted 1 I conce concede ve yo ye the best of tho the argument thus for far I 1 am not danny Us true as gospel she frowned then what hat are you jou doing here monsieur how did you learn who told you yu the signal faith from no less a person obrn danny mahone mabone himself he F rhoad bc b C wad me the way and bado me knock but niver a word said ho he of Yourn youself you relf elf me dear Mon monsieur does not recall that I 1 ad bitted him she persisted but with a lightening face nor anything that happened thereafter not the least in the world what did happen now but sho she flanked that embarrassing question adroitly evidently much re ro ildved by ea es reassurance which was just what ho be wished her frame of 0 mind to bb nothing that matters she aho replied continuing to employ the franca franch tongue and that very prettily with a fetching little ao 1 think fainted aben out but cent I you you kaoe koo my danny your dannyl sold ald ORo urko his mood quizzical none bettor me dear ive known him since 1 he was 60 high or thereabouts ts and aud bo he bold hold a palm tomo some elx six inches or so aboc the floor and behe be he brought you horo here who oleo also how else would I 1 be knowing tho the signal yo ye see there was a bit of a shindig down dow n the street and me in tho the middle thereof and getting all tho the worst of it if it yo must know when niong along comes dunny danny and lend lends mo me a li hind ind and whips mo me off hero here and bays says hell be back in a moment hell toll tell ye the details himself but I 1 ho he eyed her quizzically now aek ask yo to overlook the manner of me entrance and r n certain lack of dignity ae to me ine attire which I 1 beg yo ye to believe Is not me ordinary averting erting ev dress and and faith 1 we throat Is baked entirely if it me clothes arc are not may I 1 ask for a drink at mademoiselles fair bands hands ho lie was on his feet now and en tho the situation hugely hugel and the irish eyo for beauty danny filkil be he told himself 1 I commend his taste tho the foguel rogue for the girl was exceedingly fair to seo see alender slender and straight and girlish and sweet a greek gree k if it be lie were to didge of her and her dress and in that odd light with ith por perturbation tio n in her pose a smile half perplexed trembling on her lips because be causo of es conceit elt and the shadow of anxiety clo clouding her eyes she made a charming picture indeed she was quick to grant his request danny will explain she agreed with conviction this way ay then if you please monsieur and as they passed through a low door doorway aay if it you will have the patience to alt here I 1 will fetch wine ohp ab smiled enchantingly dropped him a bolt bewitching ching little courtesy with a deference evoked no doubt by the mans subtle et ineradicable air of distinction and let left him wholly captivated bless bpi heart and pretty facet bo he eyeing her retreating figure danny tho the lucky dog not that hes not deserving he ile reviewed his refuge summarily discovering that ho he stood in one corner of a email small courtyard tho the center of a hollow cube of masonry a dwell ing of two stories round hose whoso upper lubor gallery to which steps led up from the court and from which access was to bo be bad to the living rooms all dark and silent in tho the center of 0 the courtyard a letle lit jo fountain tinkled tin klad a tiny jet of water rising from the central upright of a abono t 0 n 0 to spray the black star ton pool geneath le te neath there was a little plot of grass li likewise kelse with flowers generous of their cordial perfume ver fume the girl came silently out from the shadows beneath the gallery bringing him a cup and a lar jar of earthenware brimming with ith wine he accepted the service with a bow mademoiselle Is as kind as she ie is beautiful tull 1 said he be and with the a appreciation P of IL connoisseur first watched her blush then drained the jug to its it last drop and felt the grateful fluid grapple with hie his fatigue tea tota per it a and nd fiand new dow strength th through ro Us b his vein and am leaping ack im suro u aa M she he to e kind he be fadd and ahl be hf sighed rex resuming aming hie his eat but agraan and ald quickly ne an a second summons clanged upon the tho iron door and sent the girl hying flying towards the rear of too the houison that will be danny now opined as eho copt past him she murmured a response ree ponso be did not clearly catch that he called after her or possibly bho she repented repeated panning pausing at the entrance to the roar chamber it may be monsieur tho the captain colel the cried Ono Ollo urko and was on bis his foet feet in a twinkling coating casting about him for a it weapon that cant bo be nothing offered itself suitable cither either for offense or defense aae and except tile jug ho he had been drinking from and the irishman waa was weighing Ing this thoughtfully with a definite intention of hurling it nt at captain holes head boad if indeed he be had bad beard heard aright when then the entrance of quite another person relieved bla his mind however temporarily it was danny plainly enough danny the same as of old with bis his half sheepish half impudent grin and bis his shock of laming flaming hair his upper lip that was as long even foran irish boys bis his roving and twinkling bauo eyes his tip tilted nose his short sturdy ph phet quo faith said the anro dot vot so after alii AM tie as welcome aa as ano shadow of a great rock rack in a weary eary land tho the eight of ye danny dannyl and dannyl he observed with some severity ill ask ye to explain what the davvie at all yere d do 1 ing here dannys assurance deserted him on the instant lie bad had done his former master a signal service that night but in bis his estimation nothing more than was due the whatever he felt he looked tn to perfection a boy caught at mischief lih nging his head and eyeing udder his brow brows shamefaced and III at ease eare aw he be deprecated sure now yer honor now v danny demanded sternly does miss cleopatra here understand english dawie a cortil the el valet protested earnestly Beyo beyond tid greek and french and arabic sure ignorant as paddys elg ir W 17 salk I 1 a exhausted ax 18 he was the irishman struggled with little skill so 80 much was plainly evident from the girls manner and expression of puzzlement reassured Rourke Oo proceeded ris good hearing bearing if it she title understood the kings english ft otis me hair she would be tearing out by tho roots in one minute danny I 1 gather that the lady Is be way of liking ye more than thau ye deserve Is it in it love with ith you she Is danny stole a sidelong glanco glance at the girl g 1 r 1 13 beggin egg in yer honors pardon 1 he stammered and I 1 behave she he Is that ummi snorted ORo ono urko and what if ye please about poor annie bragin at home Is 18 it marrying A greek ye would be and leaving poor annie to cry her |