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Show I with malicious delight the nose of the duelist, much inflamed. Advancing from his antagonist's position three preternaturally serious gentlemen of France In black frock silk hats coats and straight-brimme- d waded ankle deep In dripping grasa to meet O'Rourke's representatives. The two parties met, saluted one another with Immense reserve, and retired to a suitable distance to confer; something which they did wordily, with enthusiasm anil many pic- SYNOPSIS. Tn .I. Mtnry opi-ti- s at Monti Turin with fro TcivmP ti'Kiiurkr. a military l.uu-ami anniiitliiiiR of a jguinbli-r- , in lili on the huli'uny lie area a t.nti'l. the lem. I If ul ptrl who amlih'iily elitt-r- a levator an.i puiKia finm MiRlit. At t tie two men KHiniiK titbit O'Huurke nntii-wati'liiiiR him. One la the Hon. limit i.lynn. while hla rompanliin ia Viscount Hr Treties, a durliat. The vlaimint tella tiini tlio French government ha ilirecteil lilm to O'Rourke aa a inan who would undertake a secret inlaaion. At hla apartment. O'Rourke, who had agreed to undertake the mission, find a niyaterloua a letter. The viscount arrive, hand sealed package to (Vllourke. who la not to open it until on the ocean. A pair of dainty alippera are seen protruding from under n doorway rurtain. The Irishman llnda tlte owner of the myaterioua feet to la hla wife, iieatrlx. from whom ha lind run uwuy a year prerloua. They are rei'oticilcd. and opening the letter he llnda that a Rangoon law Ann offers him Ino.imo pounds for a Jewel known aa the 1'nol nr Flame and left to him liv a dying friend, hut now In keeping of one e At first strangely turesque gestures. amicable, the proceedings soon struck a snag. A serious difference of opinion arose. O'Rourke divined that the conference had gone Into executive session upon the question of weapons. He treated himself to a secret grin, having anticipated this trouble. The choice of weapons being hlB, as the challenged, he had modestly seCHAPTER IV (Continued.) lected revolvers and had brought with That the man will never consent him a brace of Webleys, burly pieces to wea lions worthy the name. He of pocket ordnance with short barrels rallies hla precious hide too highly, and cylinders chambered to hold half In tnd hc'ii not going to put himself a dozen .45 cartridges. They were not the way pf being Injured when he has had seen service in pretty, for the Pool of Flame to steal. lie easy their owner'sthey hands for a number of mi that score, darling and have faith years, but they were undeniably built !n me a little. I'll not let him harm for business. And at sight of them me by so much as a scratch. the friends of the vlcomte recoiled In "Ah. but how can I tell? . . . horror. nearest, my dearest, why not give It Eventually n compromise was arup not the duel alone, but all this life rived at. Monsieur Jullliard stepped af reaming and adventure that keeps back, saluted, and with Von Elnera reas apart? Am I not worth a little turned to his principal, his face a sacrifice? Is my love not recom- mask of As for himdisappointment. pense enough for the loss of your ab- self. he told O'Rourke, he was desosolute independence? Listen, dear. I lated, hut the seconds of Monsieur des have thought of something; I will Trebes had positively refused to conmake you Independent. I will settle vent to a meeting of honor turning upon you all that 1 possess. I a massacre. into They proposed to Faith, and I know ye don't for an substitute regulation French dueling instant think Id dream of accepting pistols as sanctioned by the Code. ihat! Such as that which Monsieur le ColHut give it up. What Is the world's onel O'Rourke might observe In Monesteem when you have me to love and sieur Jullllard's hand. honor you? . . . Come to me, TerO'Rourke blinked and sniffed at It. ence. I need you I need you deeper tls a magnifySure, he contended, itely. I need the protection of your ing glass I need to make It visible to Arm as well as your name. I need my me undressed eye. What the divvle husband! does It carry a dried pea? What I will, he said gently; "sweetheart, d'they think were here fo& If not to I promise ye I will In ninety daya. slay one another with due ceremony? 'live me that respite, give' me that Ask them that. Am I to salve the '.inie in which to make or break my vlcomte's wounded honor by smiting fortunes. Give me a chance to take him with a spit ball? I grant ye. 'tls the Pool of Flame to Rangoon nay, magnificent, but 'tls not a pistol." meet me there In ninety daya. 1 will Grumbling, he allowed himself to cotne to you aa one who has the right be persuaded. As he had foreseen and to claim hla wife; but If I have lost, prophesied, so had It come to pass. still will I come to you. a broken man Yet he had to grumble, partly because liiut your faithful lover come to you he was the O'Rourke,, partly for ef10 be healed and comforted. . fect. . . Dear heart of me, give me this tast None the less, he consented, and in chance !" the highest spirits left the car and With an eldritch shriek and a plowed through the lush wet grass mighty rushing wind the storm broke to the spot selected for the encounter, over the mainland and a roaring rain in the shadow of the trees near the came down. eastern border of the meadow. Here, Impulsively the Irishman turned off the seconds having tossed for sides, the lights, and, lifting his wife In bis he took a stand at one end of a sixty arms bore her to an armrhair by the foot stretch and, still indecorously window. amused, received a loaded pistol front The storm waned In fury, passed, Von Elnem. died in dull distant mutterlngs. Still IP's Trebes confronted him, white she rested In his embrace, her flushed with rage, already regretting face, wet with tears, pillowed to his (O'Rourke made no doubt) that he had chirk. her mouth seeking his. not accepted the Webleys. The IrishVague nturmurings sounded In the mans open contempt maddened the el Miners, sighs. . . man. The seconds retired to a perfectly CHAPTER V. safe distance. Von Kinem holding the watch, one of Des Trebes' seconds a At five in the morning a heavy mo- handkerchief. The clinuffeurs threw tor ctir of the most ndvanced type away their cigarettes and sat up. for stole in sinister silence nut of .ne the first time roused nut of their pro.onrtyanl of the Hotel d'Orient. at the fessional air of blase Indifference. sedate paee and with the same "One. cried the Gerifian clearly, i in reptitious air skulked through the lies Trebes raised his arm and levtown, and finally swung eastwards eled bis pistol at O'Rourke's head. A upon the Route do la Tornlche. sudfaint flush colored his face, but his denly I'isriidlng all pretense of doell-iteye was rold and hard behind the and swooping onward with a windy sight and the hand that held l lie rear, its powerful motor purring like weapon was aa steady as if siipjiorteii some gigantic tiger-cat- . by an fnvlsthle rest. It curried (our; at the wheel a gng-gie"Two.' said Von Elnem. and ennuied operator In shape-le.-- s the distance O'Rourke measured and hideous garments; in the with his oye and raised Ills arm from tonneau its owner, & middle-agethe elbow only, holding the pistol with with pouched h loose grip. French manufacturer a liter, lank jaws Three. snld Von Elnem. ind an expression of deThe handkerchief fell. votion to duty; Captain von Kinem in The Irishman fired without moving. uniform; and Colonel ORourke. Trebes weapon was discharged I)i At the end of an hour's run, dis- almost Simultaneously, hut with a ruturbed by one or two absurdly grave ined aim; Its bullet went nowhere in conferences between the seconds. In particular. Tho Frenchman dropped appropriate monotones, the mechani- the weapon and, wincing, examined socian put on the brakes and slowed licitously a knuckle from which down the car, then deftly swung it O'Rourke's shut had struck a tiny par into a narrow lane, a leafy tunnel tide of skin. His seconds rushed to through which it crawled for a min- him with cries, preceded by the surute or two ere debouching into a geon with bandages. O'Rourke gracebroad and sunlit meadow, walled In by fully surrendered bis artillery to Juil-larwoodland, conspicuously secluded. laughed at the vlcomte again, To one aide and at a little distance and strolled back to the motor-car- . stood at rest; Its a second motor-ca- r Julllard and Von Elnem presently operator had removed the hood and joined him, the former insistently anxwas tinkering with the motor In a ious to have O'Rourke descend and manner. In the most matter-of-fac- t clasp the hand of fraternal friendship : body of the machine Moneieur le VI-- . with the vlcomte. But the Irishman comte dee Trebes, ostentatiously una-- refused. ware of the advent of the second Nlver! Faith, no! he laughed. to his I'm too timorous a man to dare It. party, aat twisting rapler-polntand concentrating hie Sure and hasn't he hugged both his .moustaches O'Rourke observed seconds and tho surgeon, too, already? on Infinity. gui numcd (.Tiatnluct In Algeria. For me own part I've no mind to he kissed. Lets hurry away before be celebrates further by imprinting a chaste salute upon the cheek of our chauffeur. . . . Resides, I've a train to catch. CHAPTER VI. Events marched to schedule: what O'Rourke planned came serenely to pass. He experienced a day as replete with emotions as the night that preceded It and more marked by activity. Nothing hindering, he left the battle-scarreVlcomte dea Trebes upon the field of honor at half-pahe settled himsix; Bt seven forty-fiv- e self In a coach of the Cote d'Axur Raplde, en route for Marseilles a happy man. for he was alone. . . . At a quarter to one In the afternoon of the same day he boarded the little steamer Tabarka of the Mediterranean ferry service; and half an hour of its later stood by the after-rai- l promenade deck, watching the distances widen between him and all that he held beloved. In ninety days, dear boy. she had said. . . . Ah, Terence, Terence. If you should fall me . . .. !" 1 shall not fall. . . . Rangoon In ninety days. Dear heart, I will be there. . . . As If to feed the hunger of his heart he strained hla vision to see the last of the land that held her. At length It disappeared, and then for the first time he consciously moved drew a hand across hla eyes, sighed and turned away. Picking hla way through the cosmopolitan throng of passengers, he went below, found his stateroom, and subsided into the berth for a sorely-neede- d nap; instead of Indulging in which, however, he lay staring wide-eye- d at hla problem. He had much to accomplish, much to guard against Des Trebes hulked large In the background of perils he must anticipate; O'Rourke was by no means disposed to flatter himself that he had scotched the schemes of the vlcomte. He made his second public appearance on the Tabarka at the hour of sunset; and In the act of making It, turned a corner and ran plump into the arms of a young person In tweeds and a steamer cap a stoutlsh young d st - with an Interrogative eye that served stricken inquiry mhltfk strove vainly to deepen lils embarrassment and con- to seem Insouciant, met the level sternation. I trust 1 didnt hurt ye, stare of the adventurer and noticed the tense lines of hla lips. Mr, Glynn. I I say," hs floundered, "whats 0h, no not at all. stammered the Not In the least. No. the matter with you, anyway? Cant Englishman. He looked right and left of you leave me a lone? I've been thinking, said O'Rourke ORourke for a way round him, found himself with no choice but to retreat, crisply, disregarding the other's reand lost his presence of mind com- mark entirely, that it might be of InI I say, he continued desterest to ye to save ye a bit of botherpletely. perately, I say, have you a match?" ation to know that I'm going up to conceded O'Rourke. Biakra by tonight ' train. It leaves In Possibly, Rut I've yet to meet him. Of this ten minutes, so l'U have to forego the ye may feel sure, however; If 1 have, pleasure of your society on the trip. 'tls neither yourself nor Des Trebes. Glynn got a grip on himself and Now run along and figure It out tor pulled together the elements of bis yourself what I'm meaning. Good- manhood. He managed to Infuse blank Insolence Into his stare, and said night." Ow? with that singularly maddening He brushed past the man, leaving him astare In sudden pallor, and went Inflection of which the Englishman his way, more than a little disgusted alone la master; as who should say: with himself for his lack of discreWhy the dooce d'you annoy me with tion. As matters turned out, however, your bally plans?" Don't believe I know you, do I?" be had little to reproach himself with; for his outbreak served to keep young he drawled. I dont believe ye do, me lad. Glynn at a respectful distance Can't say I wish to very badly, throughout the remainder of the voyage. They met but once more, and either." 'I believe that, O'Rourke chuckled on that occasion the Englishman be haved himself admirably according to grimly. the tenets of his caste met ORourkes The meaning In hla tone sent the challenging gaxe without a flicker of blood Into the young mans face, a rerognltlon, looked him up and down fiery flood of resentment calmly with the deadly ennuied air 'Oh, I'm not afraid of you. y'know," Dritish be said, bristling. Of course youre peculiar to the underdone youth of family and social position, not going to Biskra, or you wouldn't and wandered calmly away. tell me so. But If you do, I shall make ORourke watched him out of sight, It my business to find out and follow a smile of appreciation curving his by the next train bringing Des lips and tempering the perturbed and Trebes with me. Theres dangerous light in his eyes. Oh, will ye so? Ye mean to warn stuff In the lad. after all," he con- me hes In Algeria, too? ceded without a grudge. If he can His boat's due now; I'm expecting I'm him at any moment if you wish to carry a situation off like that doubting not at all that something know." O'Rourkes smiling contempt might be whipped out or him. If be was angering the young man and renweren't what he's made himself a dering him reckless. You'll be glad to know youve made a deni' asa of slave to whisky." For all of which appreciation, how- yourself if you really are going to ever, he soon wearied of Mr. Glynn. Biskra. 'Praise from Sir Hubert " During the first day ashore It was not so bad; there was something amusing Oh, dont you think I mind giving p in being so openly dogged hy a you a twelve-hou- r start; you wont young Englishman who had gain anything by It Y'see I know quite ceased to disguise his Interest. where you're going, and 1 know its Rut after that his shadowy surveillance not there. If you'll take a fool's adproved somewhat distracting to a man vice, yqull turn back , now. Youll busy with Important affairs. And to- come back empty-handeanyway. I ward evening of the second day don't mind telling you that we mean O'Rourke lost patience. to have that ruby, Des Trebes and I, All day long In the sun, without and we know where it Is. Youre only respite he had knocked about from pil- taking needless trouble by interferlar to post of Algiers, seeking news of ing. Chambret; and not until the eleventh Truth was speaking from the bottom hour had he secured the Information of the absinthe tumbler. O'Rourkes he needed. Then, hurrying back to brows went up and be whistled noisebla hotel, he made arrangements, to lessly, for he realized that at least have his luggage cared for during an Glynn believed what he was admitabsence of indeterminate duration, ting. So thats the way of ft, eh? 1 admire hastily crammed a few Indispensable! your candor, me boy; but be Into a kit box, and having dispatched careful and not go too far with It that to the railway terminal, sought 'Twill likely prove disastrous to ye, the restaurant for an early meal. Im fearing. . . . But In the act of consuming his soup he yeve made me a handsome present became aware that the Honorable according to your lights, of what ye Bertie, In a dinner coat and a state of most aptly term a fool'a advice, and fidgets, had wandered down the outer 'tls meself who'll not he outdone at corridor, passed at the restaurant door that game. For yourself, then, take and espied his quarry. The fact that warning from the experience of one O'Rourke was dining with one eye who's seen a bit more of this side of d on the clock and in a the earth than most men have, and suit of drill, was enough to don't let Des Trebes know ye've disturb seriously the poise of the Eng talked so freely, lie's a llshman. sort and . . . But Im obliged to Exasperation stirred In O'Rourke. ye and I bid ye a good evening. He eyed the young man rather morosely throughout the balance of his meal, CHAPTER VII. well-set-u- dust-proo- y clean-scrape- high-minde- , a South of Dlskra there Is always trouble to be bad for the seeking; south of Briska there is never peace. A guerilla warfare la waged perennially between the lords of the desert, the Touaregg on the one hand, and the advance agents of civilization, aa personified by the reckless French Condemned Corps and the Foreign Legion on the other. Year after year military expeditions set out from the oasis of Rlskra to penetrate the wilderness, either by caravan route to Tlmbuctoo or along the proposed route of the Trans-Sahara- n Railway to Lake Tchad; and their lines of march are traced In red upon the land. Toward this debatable land O'Rourke set his face with a will, gladly; for he loved It He had fought over it of old: in his memory its sands were sanctified with the blood of comrades, men by whose side he bed been proud lo fight, men of his own stamp whose friendship he had been proud to own Mentally serene. If physically the ra verse of comfortable. ORourke dozed twelve the Interminable through hours of the journey to arriving at wblch place after eight the following morning, he transferred him(for now he self and hla hand-bag- s was traveling light) to the connecting train on the Rlskra branch. The latter, scheduled to reach the oasis at four-thirt-y In the afternoon, loafed up the line, arriving at the terminus after dark. The Irishman, thoroughly fagged but complacent In the knowledge that he had left both vlcomte and honorable a day behind him, kept himself r for half Trom bed by main the night, while he made the rounds of cafes and dance halls. In search of a trustworthy and competent guide no easy thing to find. The French force by then was three days out from the oasis, and no doubt since It was technically a "flying column," calculated to move briskly from point to point In imitation of Touaregg tactics, hourly putting a greater distance between Itself and Its start lng point. Moreover, the pursuit con lem plated by the adventurer was one attended hy no Inconsiderable perils Ry dint of Indomitable persistence, and such In unflagging fluence as he could bring personally to bear upon the authorities, O'Rourke got what he desired a competent guide and two racing camels, or me hero, with a pack animal that would cas-uall- y d will-powe- So This Was What Had Baen Set to Spy Upon Him. huine-hrcwe- OF DISTRESS Pstn la the hark Is tha fciiliH-jr'signal of dlntrcM. If tliia timely warning ia danger of dropsy, polann-sg.nrlo Itravel, Bright's dia- s pan VThen yon hnvn reason to atiajieel your kidney, ua a apeeial kiducy medicine. Dona's Kidney Pill relievo weak, congested kidneys cure backaclis regulate Hie urine. Uuod proof in the ala lafollowing ment. CONVINCING TESTIMONY Kim St., Damarla-cott- a, Georgs L Cotter, : "Two years ago I suf tie., fered from kidney trouble. My back was often so tains that I could hardly set boms front business. Nothin helped ms until I used Doan's Kidney I'llln. They entirely removed the pains and I hays never had any further trouble. Got Doan's at Any Drug Stan, 50c a Ban DOANS FOSTER-MILBUR- N CO, Buffalo, Now Ysrk THOUGHT HE KNEW THE SIGNS Aged Darky Could 8eo Nothing to His Passenger Except a Man Instituting Lodges. Rob Hull, the champion story teller of Savannah, had occasion lately to take a business trip into interior Georgia. He took hla golf clubs with him, Intending to stop on his way fot a match on the famous links at Augusta. He dropped off the train at hla business destination a small town on a brauch road and carrying hla luggage climbed into an ancient hack and bade the driver, who was an old negro man, take him to the local hotel. The negro eyed the queer-lookinyellow leather bag that his passenger carried with the peculiar looking sticks In it. His curiosity got the best of him finally. Ross, lie began, "please, sub. souse me but mout I ax you a question? Go ahead and ask, said Mr. Hull. Whut kind of a lodge Is you institutin'? Saturday Evening Post. g WISE BOY. dust-colore- . Englishman with a vivid complexion and a bulldog pipe, nervousness temInsopering his native lence. the blank vacuity of hla eyes hopelessly betraying the caliber of bla Intellect. of anger A sudden gust swept O'Rourke off hla figurative feet He stopped short, blocking the gangway and the young man's progress. So thin was what bad been set to spy upon him! "Good evening to ye." he said cold ly, fixing the Honorable Mr. Glynn BACKACHE A SIGNAL a purpose forming In his mind and attaining (he stature of a definite plan of action without opposition from the dictates of prudence. And at length swallowing hla coffee and feeing bis servitor, he rose, crossed the room with a firm tread, and came to a full atop at the Honorable Mr. Glynn'a ta ble. Momentarily he held his tongue, staring down at the young man mbile drumming on the marble with the fin gera of one band. TtJfrii Glynn, glanc serve their tTO siv ji tttueabai pal Ic-Ifif ? ' good-natur- UK CUNTl.MTKD.; Farmer See here, boy, wbat yet doin up that tree? Boy One of your years fell off the tree an' I'm tryln to put It back. Nothing More to Live For. Without question, the Scots curler of whom Lord Lyveden tells In Frys Magazine, placed the proper value on hie sport In During a recent curling-matcSwitzerland, the skip of one of the teams, who happened to be a Scote-mawas so delighted with the accurate shot of one of his team, that he was heard ta address him In the following manner: "Lie down and dee, mon; lie down and dee. Ye'll never lay a finer etane nor that if ye live to he a hundred. h n, Many a follow fails to hit the bull's eye in the big shoot because he has wasted all his ammunition In practice. HARD TO SEE. Even When the Facte About Coffee are Plain. It Is curious how people will refuse to believe what one can dearly see. Tell the average man or woman that the alow but cumulative poisonous effect of caffeine the alkaloid In tea and coffee tends to weaken the heart, upset the nervous system and cause Indigestion, and they may laugh at you If they don't know the facte. Prove It by aclenco or by practical demonstration In the recovery of coffee drinkers from the above conditions, and a large per cent of the human family will shrug their shoulders, take some drugs and keep on drinking coffee or tea. Coffee never agreed with me nor with several members of our houseIt enervates, hold," writes a lady. depresses and creates a feeling of It was only languor and heaviness. by leaving off coffee and using Tostum that we discovered the cause and way out of these Ills. "The only reason, I am sure, why Poatum ia not used altogether to the exclusion of ordinary coffee is, many persons do not know and do not seem willing to learn the facts and how ti this nutritious beverage. prepare There's only one way according to directions-bo- ll It fully 15 mlnutps. Then It Is delicious. Name given by Fostum Co.. Rattle Crock, Mich. Read the litlie book, "The Rond to Well-vlll- e, In pkgs. There's a reason." Ever wad the ahere teller I. A new me appear from lime la lle-eThe? w pennlne, trwe, and Ml ef human tnlrreal. Adv. |
