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Show i SLv THE MAIDS OF :4gM PARADISE ; iSbSbJbtw Robert W.Chambers kflWJJBwiV 1ft Author of "Cardigan"' ConspirAtors B3BWWCWW3& WrWr .O.Irv.iM Myers Cmy (H "-? byPf.Cdlief &5on (Continued from Last Wcok.) ''Walt here," I said, dlsgasted, and walked toward the stone station. Tho sldo door was partly open; I Atepped in noiselessly and found my. self In a small, dusky closet, parti tloned from the telegraph office. Immediately Im-mediately tVo rapid clicking of the Morso Instrument came to my ears, and mechanically I read the message by the sound as It rattled on under the lingers of an expert: "Must have already found out that the signals were not authorised by the government. Before the Fer-de-Lance returns to her staUon the German cruder ought to Intercept her 08 Grolx: Did you arrange for thlsT There was a moment's alienee, then back came rattling the reply In the Morse code, but In German: "Yes, all Ib arranged. The August took n French merchant vessel oft Pont A.n yesterday. The Augusta ought to pass Grolx this evening. Yom aro to burn threo white lights from Point Paradlso if a landing-party la needed. It rests with you entirely." Anothor sllcnco, then the operator In tho next room began: "The insurgent! here, under an Individual Indi-vidual in our pay, ono John Buckhurat, nro preparing to wreck the train at the Lammerln trestle. "If the Augusta can roach Point Paradlso tonight, a landing-party could easily scatter these Insurgents, seise tho treasures, and re-embark la safety. "There Is, you declare, nothing to fear from Lorlont; the only thing, then, to bo dreaded Is the appearance of tho Fer-de-Lance off Qroix. She It not now In sight; I will notify you If she appears. If she does not come I will burn three white lights In triangle on Parndlse headland. This Is all. Be careful. Good-by." "Goodby," clicked the Instrument In tho next room. Thore was & rustle'of fiklrte, a tap of small shoes on the stono floor. I leaned forward and looked through tho llttlo partition window; win-dow; Sylvia Elven stood by the table, quietly drawing ob. her gloves. Her face was flushed nnd thoughtful. When sho had gone, closing the outer out-er door behind her, I sprang to the Itoy, switched on, and at n venture set tho switch on the arsenal line, got a quick reply, nnd succeeded In alarming alarm-ing thorn sufficiently, I think, for in a fow moments I wob telegraphing directly di-rectly to tho governor of Lorlcnt, and tho wlroa grew hot with an interchange inter-change of observations, which resulted In my running to tho locker, tumbling out all tho signal bunting, cones, and balls, sorting five flags, two red cones, and 0 ball, and hastening out to the semaphore. I had sot the signal for the Fer-de-Lanco'to land In force and wipe Buck-hurst Buck-hurst and his grotesque crew from tho faco of the enrth. "RoHand." I snld. "here la another hundred francs. Watch that halyard and guard It. Tonight you, will string teven of thoso llttlo lamp; on this other halyard, light them,$olst them, tnd then go up that tower and light tho three rod lamps on the loft. That lady will nover como hero again, I think. If she docs, she must not touch Ihose halyards. Do you hear? If she offors you monoy, remember I will ilouhlo It. nut, Holland. If you llo to mo I will hnvo you kllled-na tho Bretons Bre-tons kill pigs; you understand how hot Ib done?" Walking fast over tjje springy heath, I told 8peed briefly what I had done-hat done-hat tho treasure-train would not now eavo Lorlont, that as soon as the Fer-lo-Lnnco como In plght of tho soma, imoro Buckhurst's garao must como to ui end. Far ahead of us. wo saw the flutter nf a light dress on the moor; 8ylvla Elven was going homo. "A spy!" muttered Speed. "I think." snld I, "that she had bet- er leavo Paradse at once. Mornac knowB her record. Buckhurst would betrny her In n moment If ho thought It might bovo hlB own skin She ought lo loavo before tho Fer-de-Unco sights tho semaphore nnd reads tho signal to Innd In. force." "Then you'll havo to tell her," ho rnld gloomily. "I supposo bo,' I replied, not nt nil pleased. ' When wo entered the court, Jacqueline, Jacque-line, hor big, furry cot In her arms, cn'" to tho door nnd greeted Speed w 1 1 n ""You have been sway a very long tlmo, and Hie thorns are all out of my crms and my legs, and I havo been de- "inn to eeo you Come Into the house ud readshall wo J" Speed turned to mo with an explan-otpry explan-otpry smllo. "I'vo beet reading the dyl's' aloud to hor in English," he r.ald, rather shyly. "Sho seems to like them; It's the noble music that attracts at-tracts hor." Sho turnod away Into the house, saying that she would get the book. I went Into tho house, leaving them eeated on the porch, heads togother, while In a low "monotone Speed read the deathless "Morto d'Athur." Daylight was waning. Sylvia sat reading In the Lutheran Bible by the falling light "May I speak to you alone a moment, mo-ment, after dinner?" I asked. "If you wish," sho replied. I bowed and started on, but she called mo back. "Did you know that Monsieur Eyre is here?" I was astonished, and asked where Eyre had gone. "He Is In your room," she said, "loading "load-ing your revolver. I hopo you will not permit him to go nlon& to Paradise." "I'll sea about that," I muttered, and hurried up the stairs and down the hallway to my bedchamber. Ho sprang to tho door as I entered, giving me both hands In boyish greeting. greet-ing. I looked at him keenly but pleasantly. pleas-antly. "You are going to load my revolver, and go over to Paradlee and tako that balloon from these bandits?" I asked, smiling. , He shrugged his shoulders with a reckless laugh. "Give me my revolver," I said, coldly. cold-ly. His face fell. "Let me take It, Mr. Scarlett," ho pleaded; but I refused, and made him hand me the weapon. "Now," I said, sternly, "I want to know what the. devil you mean by attempting at-tempting suicide? KeUy, what's the majter with you? Is life as unattrao-tlve unattrao-tlve as all that?" His flushed and sullen face darkened. dark-ened. "You appear here," I said, "after tho others have sailed from Lorlent. Why? To do yourself tho pleasure of ending n embittered life under the ejv ' the woman who ruined you. Kelly, 1 must tell you the well, something of the truth as much as you need know . . . now. My friend, she Is not worth It" "Do you think thnt makes any difference?" dif-ference?" he said, harshly. "Let me alone, Scarlett I know! ... I know, I tell you I" "Do you mean to tell me that you know she deliberately betray ed'you?" demanded. "Yes, I know It I tell you I- know It!" "And . . . you lovo hor?" "Yes." He dropped his haggard face on his arms a momopt, then sat bolt upright. "Truth Is bettor than life," ho said, slowly. "I wanted to end It ... I am tired." ICelly," I said, "there remains another an-other way to risk your nock, and, I hlnk, a nobler way. There Is In this house a woman who is running a terrible ter-rible risk a German spy whose operations) opera-tions) have been discovered. This woman believes that Bho has In her ay (ne communist lender of the re-olt re-olt a man called Buckhurst. She is 1 irror. Within tho next twenty-four tours. I expect to son Buckhurst a prisoner. And whon that happens It will go hard with Mademoiselle Elven, for he will-turn on her to save himself. , . And you know what that neane; . . . a blank wall, Kelly, nd a firing-squad, fficro is but ono x for spies. She must leave tonight, elly. She must try to cross Into 5pain. Will you help her?" He nodded, strlvl g to say "yes." "You know your own risk?" "Yes." "Her company Is death for you both f you aro taken." Ho stood up very straight I& what "range forms conies happiness to nl CHAPTER XXI. tike Her Ancestors, I leaned In tho ombrasure of tho nuthern window, gnzlng ntmy light-I light-I lar'e.ns, which dangled 'from tho alyards at 8alnt-YFeol. Tho soldier Holland had so far kopt his word hreo red lamps glimmered through a driving m'lat; tho whito Innterns hung above, faintly shining. Full in the firelight of tho room sat tho young countess, lost In reverie, 'ands clasping tho gllt,nrme of her chnlr. At her feet doted Ango Pltou. "I am afraid o story I have to tell Is not-going to ho very cheerful," I said, and I am also afraid t! at I must ask vmi to listen to It " (t'ontlueo 1 X week 1 1 |