OCR Text |
Show fTHE DARKEST AR ' ! By ROBERT W. CHAMBERS J ! otoi .'The Firing Lino,- "In Secret,- ..Tho Fighting chance. .. DangM .,Lorrane,,. J 1 Cardigan," etc. ' CHAPTER XIV. A jounxKv m:c,iXM. a five-hour trip, lie dined ''.rtlio' train with little tlesiro for f h0 July cvenlns heinir oppressive. ' hur.Ji'r storm brewinir owr the ' 3 it burst hi the vleiniiy of Fish-t Fish-t "!,,, a livelv display of lightning. 1 tiie L'aisk:lls with rain. Ami k -f" Hvt'ngi'd to a train on the 5?b"'' :lie coo,er air W1s 8""ee- 1 f "J'S'tVain an-ain at Oransevllle. 1 "Vea-'the nlsbt hreeze was delm-luful ' eeat of rain-soaKed nieadov.'S 5 'JhrmiKh the open ear window. I , eirlv 10 o'elock and already, :: cauiht siKht of the lltthts of i- rililis. Alva's the lloineeoin- ' '"' a keen' delight to him: and now, w Mined off the train, tho. old fa- ' r,lnr were in his nostrils the . f' rompcslte perfume of the native S which never can be duplicated olse- ire'h0 sweet and aromatic and homely '''nf earth and land and water came -'' .! Ins first deep-drawn breath. . growth of wild flowers and were part of it the flat at- - of the mill pond, always redo- l wver weed and lily pads, tlnc- 'j if '(iistant fields of buckwheat ' i i-eTVier perfume. I '".i,',r in the ciuaint brick feed mill '" -he lumber mill were there any I ' ' I', in his own home, almost :: mwr tall trees and vines, the I .. creamed from the sitting-room I ' yt',Y.e dark vard two or three doss "' at" him. then barked aftaln in a I ,, kev voicing a" excited wel-!;;a wel-!;;a he' opened the picket gate and I . tin'the path surrounded by denion-' denion-' otters and pointers, leaping and "about him and making a vast '- of noise on the vine-covered I ''."h as he opened the door, let him-''"vo'tiie him-''"vo'tiie house, and shut them out. I n.ilo dad he said, crossing swiftly ,iifri his father sat by the reading -? powerful grip lingered. Old Dick '.'nd ruddv. white-haired, straight as 'X'e 'stood 'up in his old slippers and 'lid smoking eoat, his brier pipe poised ,'if left hand. . . ,,Iendiil. Jim. I vo heen thinking I St ma this evening." He might have th?t there were few moments when ! ;',n was not In his thoughts. ire you all right, dad?" 1 ihfniutely. You are, too, I see." -Vjey seated themselves. ' Hngrv, Jim?" .w I dined aboard. 1 you didn't telegraph me." I .V:,; 1 came at short notice." ftn't you stay?" p.'d I have a drawnng-room reserved the midnight tonight, and I am sail- : on the Volhynia tomorrow at 9 in - morning!" I ;od bless me! Why, Jim?" '',-,(, 1 11 tell you all T know- about it." I '-rs ilther sat'wilh brier pipe suspend- ar.d keen blue eyes fixed on his son, i - la 'die son told everything he knew at the reason for his flying trip to I f'u se how it is, don't you, dad?" he i :d "The princess has been a. good i ioval friend to me. She has used I : influence; I have met. through her. people I ought to know, and they ' ve given me work to do. I'm in her . lm under real obligation to her. I've got to go, that's all." . Dick Xeeland's clear eyes of a -rtsman continued to study his son's ffs. ybiTve got to go," he said. He --lied for a few moments, then: "What devil does it mean, anyway? Have I i any nation, Jim ?" o, I haven't. There seems to be r.e military papers in this box that is -ti Hied. Evidentlv they are of value somebodv. Evidently other people live got wind of that fact and desire I ' ohaln them for themselves. It al- most seems as though something is brew-1"K brew-1"K over there-trouhle of some sort between be-tween Germany and some other nation. But I haven't heard of anything." while. tl,ene:r conti"uetl to smoke for a thmre',"'jfm."3 somethinS brewing over man.1"'""'1 he:ud'" repeated the young 'I haven't either, directlv. But in mv lm "I1"81'?1 ordCT3 a come , 7 . 1 abr"!lli- Both France and t eirnany have been making inquiries gr'ih'on'',''11! ,',eBU',1 l" bipments ot ''""I lecd ,an1 '"mber. I've heard ii-i . 1 very hoav' rush orders." hat on earth could cause war'" SSmSi. that 1 troupe' i,,l.';'V"d ytf,t' t,he Gayf'eld woolen mill has pocL re,'ved , an enormous order for soeks and underwear from the French government. They're running all night w ,And a"other thing struck me: h,,?-i Las 1,een a man in this section buying horses lor the British government. tot.-,,, J i'r;T, lS- d?re now and I'm. but, wh-' 'lFv.thls mcldent with the others which have come to my personal knowledge, knowl-edge, ,t would seem as though something wcie brewing over in Europe" Jim's perplexed eyes rested on his fa-allRhtlv fa-allRhtlv Sh0k h'3 youthlul head "I can't see why," he said. "But if us to be France and Germanv again. Why my sympathy is entirely for France " Naturally," nodded his father. Their Irish ancestors had fought for Bonaparte, and for the Bourbons before rum. And. cursed with cousins, like all Irish, thev were aware of plentv of Xee-lancls Xee-lancls in France who spoke no English. Jim rose, glanced at his watch: r ''i1!1, " ;iust be running over to Brookhollow to get that box. I haven't such a lot of time, if I'm to catch the mulnigbt train at Orangeville." "I should say you hadn't," said his father. He was disappointed, but he smiled as ho exchanged a handclasp with his only son. "You're coming right back from Paris?" iNext steamer. I've a lot of work on hand, thank goodness! But that only puts ino under heavier obligations to the Princess Prin-cess Mistchenka." "Yes, I suppose so. Anything but ingratitude, in-gratitude, Jim. It's the vilest vice of 'em all. They say it's in the Irish blood-ingratitude. blood-ingratitude. They must never prove it by a Neeland. Well, my boy I'm not lonesome, you understand; busy men have no time to be lonesome but run up, will you. when you get back?" "You bet I will." "I'll show you a brace of promising pups. They stand like rabbits, but they won't when the season, is over." "Blue Bird's pups?" "Yos. They take after her." "Fine! I'll be back for the shooting, anyway. Many broods this season?' "A fair number. It was not too wet." For a moment they lingered, smiling at each other, then Jim gave his father's hand a quick shake, picked up his suitcase, suit-case, turned. "I'll take the runabout, dad. Some- ' one from the Orangeville garage will bring it over in the morning." He went out. pushed his way among the leaping dogs to the garage, threw open the doors, and turned on the electric elec-tric light. A slim and trim Snapper runabout stood glistening beside a larger car and two automobile trucks. He exchanged his straw hat for a cap; placed hat and suitcase in the boot; picked up a flashlight flash-light from the work table, and put it into his pocket, cranked the Snapper, jumped in, ran to the service entrance, where his father stood ready to check the dogs and close the gates after him. "Good-by, dad!" lie called out gayly. "Good-by, my son." Tho next Instant he was speeding through the starry darkness, following the 1 dazzling path blazed out for him bv his headl.ghts. CHAPTER XV. THE LOCKED HOl'SE, From the road, just before he desponded despond-ed to cross the i.ri.luf into 1 ir.j.-.khollow, he caught a gleam of light straight ahead I-or a moment it did n..l occur to him that there was anvtliing strange in his seeing a light in the o:d Ca uv house. I hen. sjHla..-nly, he rcnJIzofl that a 1-ht oiiRht nut to be burning U'hind tho lowered low-ered shades of a houso v.iuch was supposed sup-posed to be. empty cind locked. His instant impulse was to put on his hrakes then and there. Wit the next moment mo-ment he realized that his ear must already al-ready have been heard and been bv whoever who-ever had lighted that shaded lamp. The car was already on the old ytone bridee; the - Carevv house stood directly behind the crossroads ahead; and he swuny to the right into the creek road and sued along it until he judged that . neither his lights nor the sound of his motor could be distinguished bv the unknown occupant of the Carew house. Then he ran his car out among the tall weeds close to the line of scrub willows edg-ing; the creel;; extinguished his lights, including tho tail lamp; left his engine running; stood listening a moment mo-ment to the whipering whirr of his motor; mo-tor; then, taking the. flash light from his pocket, he climbed over the roadside wall and ran back across the pasture toward the house. As he approached the old house from the rear, no crack of light was visible and he began to think he might have been mistaken that perhaps the dancing glare of his own acetylenes on the windows win-dows had made it seem as though they were illuminated from within. Cautiously he prowled along the rear under the kitchen windows, turned the corner, and went to the front porch. Ho had made no mistake; a glimmer wa3 visible between the edge of the lowered low-ered shade and the window casing. Was it some impudent tramp who had pre-empted this lonely house for a night's lodging? Was it, possibly, a neighbor who had taken charge in return for a garden gar-den to cultivate and a place to sleep in? Yet, how could it be the latter when he himself had the keys to the house? Moreover, More-over, such an arrangement could scarcely scarce-ly have been made bv Rue Carew without with-out his being told of it. .Then 'he remembered what the Princess ' Mitschenka had said in her cable mes-sage, mes-sage, that somebody might break into the j house and steal the olive-wood box unless he hastened to- Brookhollow and secured i It immediately. Was this what was being done now? Had somebody broken in for that purpose? pur-pose? And who might it be? A slight chill, not entirely agreeable, passed over Neeland. A rather warm sensation of irritation succeeded it; he mounted the steps, crossed the veranda, went to the door and tried the knob very cautiously. The door was locked; whoever who-ever might he inside either possessed a key that fitted or else must have entered en-tered by forcing a window. But Neeland had neither time nor inclination in-clination to prowl around and investigate; investi-gate; he had a duty to fulfill, a train to catch, and a steamer to connect with the next morning. Besides, he was getting get-ting madder every second. So he fitted his key to the door, careless care-less of what noise he made, unlocked and pushed it open, and started to cross the threshold. Instantly the light in tho adjoining room grew dim. At the same moment his quick ear caught a sound as though somebody had blown out the t limed -down flame; and he found himself facing total darkness. 'Who the devil's in there!" ho called, flashing his electric pocket lamp. "Come out, whoever you are. You've no business busi-ness in this house, and you know it!' And he entered the silent room. His flashlight revealed not king except dining-room furniture in disorder, the doors of a cupboard standing open one door still gently swinging on its hinges. The invisible hand that had moved it could not be far away. Neeland, throwing throw-ing his light right and left, caught a glimpse of another door closing stealthily, There wore, papers in her stock in sry, ' papers stiched to her Ntays, busted in.snlo her sit Irts. A roll of drawings t raced on linen lay on the floor, .still rota I niug tho warmt h of her body around which they had been wrapped. Tie pulled the faded embroidered cover from the old piano ami knocked at the pantry door. (To he continued tomorrow.) ran forward and jerked it open. His lamp illuminated an empty passageway; he hurried through It to the door that . closed tho farther end, tore it open, and deluged the sitting room with his blinding blind-ing light. Full in the glare, her face as white as the light itself, stood a woman. And just in time his eyes caught the glitter of a weapon in her stiffly extended hand; and he snapped off his light and ducked as the level pistol flame darted through the darkness. The next second he had her in his grasp; held her writhing and twisting; and, through the confused trample and heavy breathing, he noticed a curious crackling noise as though the clothing she wore were made of paper. The struggle in pitch darkness was violent, vio-lent, but brief; she managed to fire again as he caught her right arm and felt along it until he douched the desperately clenched pistol. Then, still clutching her closed finger's, he pulled the flashlight from his side pocket and threw its lull radiance into her face. "Let go your pistol," he breathed. She strove doggedly to retain it, but her slender fingers slowly relaxed under his merciless grip; the pistol fell; and he kicked the pearl-handled, nickel-plated weapon across tho dusty board floor. They both were panting; her right armi rigid, still remained in his powerful clutch. He released it presently, stepped back, and played the light over her from head to foot. She was deathly white. Under her smart straw hat, which had been pushed awry, the contrast between her black hair and eyes and her chalky skin was startling. "What are you doing in this house?" he demanded, still breathing heavily from exertion and excitement. She made an effort: "Is it your house?" she gasped. "It isn't yours, is it?" he retorted. She made no answer. "Why did you shoot at me?" She lifted her black eyes and stared at him. Her breast rose and fell with her rapid breathing, and she placed both her hands over it as though to quiet it. "Come," ho said, "I'm In a hurry. I want an explanation from you " Ins id o the box wore books, photo- graphs, a bronze Chinese figure, which he recognized as the Yellow Devil, a pair of revolvers, a dagger very much I ike the one he had wrested from her. But there were no military plans there. He turned to his prisoner: "Is everything here?" he asked sharpl v. "Yes." He picked up her wrist bag and opened it, but discovered only sumo money, a handkerchief, a spool of thread und a packet of needles. ! There was -a glass lamp on the table. ; He managed to light it finally; turned off his flashlight, and examined the contents i of the box again thoroughly. Then he j came back to where she was seated, i "Get up,' he said. j Sho looked at him sullenly without : moving. ! "I'm in a hurry," he repeated; "get up. ! I'm going to search you." I At that she bounded to her feet, i "What !" she exclaimed, furiously. But he caught hold of her, held hor, ; untied tho handkerchief, freeing her j wrists. "Now, pull out those papers you have ; concealed under your clot h ing." he said impatiently. And, as she made no motion mo-tion to comply: "If you don't, I'll do it for you!" "You dare lay your hand on me!" she flamed. "You treacherous little cat, do vnu think I'll hesitate?" he retorted. "Jo you imagine X retain any respect for you or your person? Give me those papers!" "I have no papers!" "You aro lying. .Listen to mo once for all; I've a train lo catch and a sleamer to catch, and I'm going to do both. And if you don't instantly hand out those. papers you've concealed I'll have no more compunction in 1 alt ing them by fnree than I'd have in stripping an ear of corn! Make up your mind and make it up quick !" "You mean you'd st rip me!" she sta mmered. scarlet to her hair. "That's what 1 mean, you lying little thief. That's just what 1 mean. Kick and squall as you like, I'll take those papers with me if 1 have to take your clothing, too!" Tha words died on his lips as she whipped a knifo out of her bosom and I flow u t him. Through the confusion of j flashlight and darknes they reeled, looked together, but he caught her nrm again, jerking it so vilentiy into the air that he liftfd hor off her feet. "That's about, all for tonight," he panted, pant-ed, twisting the knife out. of hrr helpless hand and flinging it behind Iit. Wit flout fl-out further ceremony, he pu'h'd out Irs handkerchief, caught lu-r firmly, reached for her other arm. jerked it behind her back, and tied hoth wrists. Then he dragged a ch.iir up and pushed her on it. Her hat had fallen "ff, and her hair sagged to her neck. The frail stuff of which her waist, was made hnd been badly bad-ly torn, too, and hung in rags from her right shoulder. "Who are ynu?" he demanded. An she m-ide no reply, he went over and picked up the knife and the pistol. The knil'e was a silver-innunU-d Kurdish dngjrer; the engraved nnd inlaid blade appeared ap-peared to Vie dull Jind rusty. Hi' examine' exam-ine' it for a few moment s. a need inquiringly in-quiringly at her where she sat. pale and mule on the chair, with both wrists tied behind her. "Von seem to be a eonnoisseur of antiques." an-tiques." he sa id. "Your dagger is certainly cer-tainly a collector's pem, and your revolver revol-ver is equa ly out of or-te. I recommend an automatic next time you contem plate doing murder." Walking up to her he looked curiously into her dark eyes, but he could detect no expression in them. "Why did you come here ?" he demanded. de-manded. No answer. ' : d ynu r r. m e n pet an olive-wood box bound Willi s.lv'-r'''' A slight coi -r tinted the ashy pallor under h'-r ev (.-;. He turned ,-ibrnp'ly and swept the furniture fur-niture v.!lh his f-ari-hl . and s.i-v :i a table her coat, piovs. wrir ba z ar.'l f en u ir: bre im : and ) s ,d e t h" m v.-).:t r ajpe;. red t'i be )',(' S : J ! : ' ' H f- ' , OJ.en. I' 1 . a ca r.va s and leather cover ; he s ; ' j . .-d over to the t.-tb:. turned ba'k the rovr of the sii;-is.' ar.d r-va ,ed a ',).-: d box of olive wood, he;iv;;v band-.d by tome melai res-m V. ; r.g s;iv-.-r. Hreat bless, infuriated, she looked desperately des-perately nround her, caught eight of the Kurdish dapper, leaped at. it; and for the third time found herself struggling in his arms. "Pon't!" she gasped. "Tet Die go! i I'll give you what you want " "Do vou mean it '.'" "Yes." Ho relea.-.ed tlie dishevelled girl, who shrank away from him. l;ut the devil himself plowed in her bla ". eves. "(Jo out of the room." she said, "if I'm to pet the papers for you:" "I can't trust you," be answered. "I'll turn my huf-k." And be walked over t- the olive-wood box, where tho weapons lay. Standing there he heard, presently, the rustle of erurnplinp papers, heard a half-8ino1hered half-8ino1hered :ob. waited, listening, alert for further treachery on her pari. "Wurrv!" be said. A board creaked. " ho n't." move a pa in !" he cried. The floor hoards ereaked oner- more; ;md he, turned like a flash to find h-r in her I storkinp feet. alre;idv half way to where he stood. In either band she held oat a hund.e of papers; and. as they f;,eed e;o h other, she took ariother toward him. "Stand where you are." he warti'd lier. "Throw those papers on the floor!" 'Tn you hvir?" Tjookinp him stra'gbt In the c-co opened both band"; Die i.aiers fe ;, t hej-feel, hej-feel, and Willi then) dropped the two dagper.;ko Steel pj8 whieh had iM'id I her bat. i "No-v. ri and ji'it on yonr Phoer." be j said, corterr.pf Mo-jf-iv, 7.PVii;g uj H-.e pa - pert ar-c rur.nivp over them. Wh n he had counted thern. be r;m. bael; io i wIvt" vb" v.as -ar-dii r "W b:.t of h r-'.'" " ' j j "The r":rf!!.'l'T of the PM-' r-' Ton . j--:.. devij, they're vt'iTC' d aro'ir.d v'ir bod---' r;o jr.to th-t pantrV r;-, ou!. t I ndre-M and throw rait "Vtv raw ou wer-r!" S'be dre-.v 3 dr--p, o i i 'e r : i . p breath, j t-irr-ed. entered tne panfry arid ejo; ed the I r'oor. I 'V'-'-r' V 'he door opened Jt lit'ie j artd l.r clothing dropped outanJe in ;i t hap. a |