| Show alotti EPS AUTHOR othe LONE WOLF THE drase VACE COPYRIGHT JOWH CALLED UPON SUDDENLY TO AID HER FATHER IN HIS SECRET SERVICE WORK lydda IS ATTACKED THE DARK BY STRANGERS BUT IS RESCUED synopsis ldla craven traveling under the name of lucy carteret runs away from her borne in england to go to thaddeus craven her father tn new york whom she seen for five years three days out on board the steamer AI she runs plump into her father making love to mrs a young widow engaged to marry him there Is some embarrassment for craven was known as a bachelor in america but explanations clear the air of doubts craven tells clydla be Is n secief service agent cf england in new york the last installment told that craven bad asked clydla to meet alm outside her stateroom at midnight CHAPTER VI I 1 continued 9 she had begged to be permitted to help him and craven promised to command her services it ever need should arise but his tone in promising had been mellow with an indulgence deprecating the implication that downing streets secret ambassador could ever need the aid of comans womans hands and wits in bis occult and momentous affairs tet already that time had cornel she was halt wild with delight after some minutes the quiet of the ship was made musical with the mellow and deliberate sounding of eight bells midnight she had still half an hour to wait an almost insufferably protracted vigil with every faculty tense in apprehension of the premature return of her dowager dragon but tonight nothing happened to change this custom and the stroke of one bell of the midnight watch found clydla unhindered leaving her door a long cloak effectually disguising her light dinner gown cautiously jtb swift glances making sure that the alleyway was empty all down its darkened length she stole forward slipped quickly through the port doorway into the welcome blankness which closed round her like a magic garment of invisibility at intervals electric bulbs encased incased in hemispheres of clouded glass blotted the obscurity overhead but lent little aid to the girl s straining vision and now that most of the passengers were abed every port she passed was dark at the fifth stanchion midway between two of the overhead lights she found no one waiting and since she had ei countered no one on the way she groped on to the sixth found it deserted and returning settled down to wait suddenly craven stood before her the effect as mysterious as his business with no warning of any sort he was there 1 without speaking clydla stretched forth a band to bis he suffered her caress without apparent emotion and peering anxiously into his face she saw it set in a mold of care and vigilance even now when they were utterly alone I 1 when be spoke it was in a preoccupied tone hope I 1 kept you waiting only a moment he shook his head wearily 1 I was detained for several seconds he seemed deep in thought then his words came swiftly im suspected watched 1 did anyone see you she thrilled 1 I think not ive been here some time quite undisturbed good but they nearly got mel who ne smiled faintly the other side lydias grasp tightened on ats plump fingers you youre not in danger dont be alarmed never dare attempt anything aboard this acs eel but I 1 ve stolen a march on them and something else something more valuable straining a dramatic pause to the snapping point he eased it with a word evidence 1 at this the foghorn whooped like a demon of derision until it was quiet again craven stood chin on bosom eyes blank with abstraction yes he affirmed good look here ill have to tell you something weve been sold out I 1 mean theres a traitor in our but cant yon do something rather I 1 craven laughed shortly in fact I 1 have done something already he wont go far for his word a squealers squeal ers word wont have much weight with the other side lacking proofs and ive got the evidence to discredit him he paused again touched bla breast lightly but effectively here 1 again interrupted by the foghorn he started and frowned irritably seeming to detect something sardonic in its accent well all you understand now the point Is I 1 m known to have ah stolen this evidence but dont worry this la where you come in from hla coat pocket craven produced a small oblong box of inlaid wood polished ave managed to pack the evidence in this one of those chinese puzzle boxes it you dont know the combination it needs an ax to open it tut it away somewhere your trunk till we land but take it ashore in your handbag A tip from the other side you know and the customs in sll turn my luggage inside out but youre perfectly safe you see coming in as an alien they 11 pass ou on your declaration the girl slipped the box it was about large enough to hold a deck of cards into the lining pocket of her cloak til keep it safe she said quietly dear child I 1 ita so good to have you to count on 1 craven patted her cheek affectionately nothing like ones own flesh and blood I 1 I 1 thought I 1 could trust that man he was my only aide this trip he sighed profoundly fo and shook a doleful head well goodnight again III go aft again you forward we be seen confabulating out here at this hour he stepped back two paces and vanished like a shape of dream for a moment OP two the girl lingered listening keenly but hearing nothing not even cravens retreating footsteps she finally took heart and moved quietly forward beside the rail but she had put barely eight paces behind her when she checked smartly with an inarticulate gasp just short of one whose burly figure motionless barred her path and then as she stepped stepp cd back and turned in toward the superstructure thinking in her panic to escape by a sudden dash for the companionway some whim of chance caused the tenant of the nearest stateroom to turn on the lights and two square windows leaped refulgent out of the gloom the nearer ting the head and shoulders of another man into whose embrace as well she had been on the point of throwing herself simultaneously strong hands fell upon her shoulders from behind she was whirled about into the hollow of a powerful arm and an incipient scream was smothered on her lips by the impact of a heavy palm CHAPTER VIII later she recalled that one of the foghorns fog horns agonized squalls had seemed like a signal for the attack it mas reverberating rever berating in her ears like the shriek of a damned soul all the while she was struggling in that brutal embrace it still hammering yammering yam mering even when she was released throughout her consciousness was faithfully registering nightmare impressions pres of the second man closing in to aid her first assailant of a savage tearing of her cloak of cynical accents breathed hatefully in her ear easy bowl take it easy little one if you don t want to get hurt I 1 steady sol of someone swearing fretfully of a third voice rapping out an oath of rage of sounds like the crack of n pistol shot the thud of a heavy tall a grunt of pain a vile expression from him who held her and then she was free and the foghorn still screeching t she staggered back to the rail her brain reeling no true coherence in her consciousness only the struggle between instinctive desire to scream and the knowledge that for some reason she then a friendly voice saluted faculties just beginning to comprehend that chance had sent a rescue sou miss craven you quoin was bending over her as she clung trembling to the rail words come with difficulty from n throat parched with fright ob I 1 she cried one band to her bosom mr quoin I 1 youre quite safe now bat are you hurt miss craven im nil right I 1 think oh thank you mr quoin 1 there I 1 ive done nothing just happened along at the right time thank god I 1 but the first thing Is to get you out of this confounded fog I 1 ayo please one moment the girt was frantically for the lining pocket in her cloak and then at last she found it and it was empty she turned a vacant stare to qu ln puzzled agard A sense of suffocation oppressed her and his voice sounded from a far distance the matter you re sure you re not hurt can I 1 do anything I 1 vs been robbed I 1 to articulate piteously then he urged let me see you to your stateroom afterward find the captain no nol oh please no I 1 dont tell anybody he stared let me get this straight he said after a moment youve been subjected to a dastardly attack and robbed and dont want me to lodge a complaint with the officers yei year she nodded yes it dont tell anybody promise me that please promise 1 if your wish he said coolly I 1 ve no right to oppose it im sorry she faltered but its something I 1 can t explain if I 1 d only myself to think of she checked in consternation at that slip I 1 see quoin said gently its an others secret not all your own she was silent but he persisted youve been robbed of something valuable whether yours or an others do you mean to let it go without effort to regain it oh no something must be done 1 she worked her hands together in helpless torment then you dont mean to let the matter drop but can you accomplish anything unaided I 1 dont want to seem intrusive but im really a bit experienced in such matters you know and of the many who have trusted me none has ever regretted it oh I 1 know I 1 know mr quoin I 1 but what can I 1 tell you that I 1 dont know what it Is ive lost nis brows lifted at this Is that possible miss craven its the truth she protested it something was given me to take care of something I 1 dont know what in a little wooden chinese puzzle box and that has been stolen from me quoin nodded these men who attacked you do you know them 1 I the slightest suspicion who they were there was honesty in her accents quoin believed her 1 I think possibly I 1 can find them for you with your permission you saw them no but among our fellow passengers are two card sharps one 0 whom there I 1 ive done nothing just happened along at the right at least Is quite capable of more felonious work I 1 know both he smiled gravely in a business way but surely you have recognized either I 1 no the fog was too thick but I 1 marked one of the brutes for future identification marked the sign of my fist on his face a heavy blow so heavy it bruised my own knuckles give me permission to do what I 1 can and look up the quarters of my acquaintances the card sharps make them let me in I 1 know a way to coerce cm and see if cither brand it so have the puzzle within fifteen minutes and no questions asked 1 you are very kind the girl murmured in confusion the suspicion grow in your mind that quoin Is using his reputation aa a detective for some secret illegal purpose do you fathom his game TO BG CONTINUED CLOTHING LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE aalto i THE LONE WOLF THE BRASS BOWL etc ly L jouck CHAPTER VIII continued 10 then let me see you back to your stateroom and ill no I 1 id rather wait here I 1 must know tonight 1 cant sleep without knowing admiration kindled in quoits quoins regard lie hlad that spirit she had been quick to recover quid er than the average woman would have been lery well be assented they moved forward opposite the companions ay lydia paused will you be long not ten minutes quoin promised ills figure momentarily eclipsed the blue of light that stood tor the doorway indeed it was hardly more than ten minutes when the doorway was again darkened and quoin came to lydias side was I 1 long fm sorry I 1 bad to be rather severe before they gave in and up you succeeded lie laughed quietly here it Is mute in astonishment speechless with gratitude she took the puzzle box from his extended hand A crook known as southpaw smith he deals left handed had it together with the father and mother of all black eyes I 1 was almost sorry for him george traymore Is bis alias on the passenger list A tall slender scoundrel eri very smooth not that youre likely to see him before we land it then hell lay very low and make the quietest getaway from the dock he can manage mr quoin 1 the girl interrupted in a tremulous voice yes her embarrassment was painful what can I 1 say to you mere thanks arent adequate please say no more to know ive been of some use Is enough besides he laughed boyishly 41 ve had a good time bull ragging southpaw I 1 like that sort of thing you know 1 I shall be always grateful then do something to oblige me I 1 sha n t be easy in my mind until you re safe in your room transition from the gloom of the deck to the brilliantly lighted compan bonway was bewildering instinctively quoin and clydla paused the girl smiled wistfully as she offered her hand good night and thank you with all my heart mr quoin 1 miss araen he retained her hand for a moment will you tell me one thing it I 1 may anything ills eyes searched hers jealously do you know in that box no mr quoin I 1 upon my word of honor no her eyes were limpid pools of ingenuous candor quoin could no longer doubt he nodded releasing her hand thank you but she lingered do you 1 I do he admitted reluctantly not through any wish of mine but southpaw had only succeeded in puzzling the combination out when I 1 interrupted I 1 made him put back what hed taken from the box dont worry ive already forgotten what it was and southpaw wont bother you again I 1 promise you that her eyes questioned anxiously his smiled reassurance with et another good night clydla turned away he watched her down the alleyway to the door of then turned to seek his own berth shaking his head to rid it of tormenting doubts softly closing the door clydla as gently shot the bolt hoping to gain her bed unquestioned but as she moved toward it in darkness the dowager dragon suddenly switched on the lights and lifted from her pillow an indignant head framed in a nightcap the most coquettishly beribboned imaginable well demanded she tartly where have you been it you please showed her a countenance innocent of any trace of guile an deck she said quietly removing her cloak with its sprinkling of moisture that glittered like diamond dust the foghorn you know and I 1 sleepy anyway its wonderful out there so stall and dark and uncanny you d think almost anything could happen and no one be the wiser CHAPTER IX bood old town I 1 said peter troal removing alg hat he saluted town 1 with grave and affectionate respect graft and all its one human young city I 1 intuition enabled clydla to interpret this utterance as the invocation to the litany of your tried but true manhat the alsatia was trudging sedately up the bay from the narrows quarantine tea minutes astern new york loonile over the port bow through a tenderly Irl sated haze in whose illusion it became a city of mother of THE CUSTOMS inspectors AT NEW YORK TAKE A HAND AND THE SUSPICION GROWS THAT LYDIA KNOWS MORE THAN HER NEW FRIENDS SUSPECT synopsis clydla craven traveling under the name of lucy car runs away from her english home to go to her father craven in new york aho vho she chasn t seen in five s ears three nights out on board the steamer alsatia Al she runs plump into her father making love to mrs Merrl lees a young aldo engaged to marry him later craven explains abts mysterious conduct and supposed bachelorhood by telling clydla he Is a british secret service agent in america lie gives her a small box to keep for him she Is attacked the box Is stolen but quoin a detective recovers it for the girl pearl suspended between the blue of haze veiled sky and the blue of conflux ent waters arthur backham must have colored it ldla mused aloud walt this la only the overture wait till you see it as I 1 mean to show it to you bridle paths in central park of a sunny morning broadway at night with a full bead of steam on south street at noon with the old sailing ships asleep in the sun and their forefeet up on the sidewalk fifth avenue at evening lights ahle big pearls popping out through the purple dusk ostentatiously drawing a handkerchief from his cuff peter mopped his brows beg pardon being poetical under forced draft Is a bit exhausting your prose anything to boast of henry |
