OCR Text |
Show STORYW : Mr. Barnes, American ! Archibald Clavering Gunler ' 1 A Sequel to Mr. Barnes of New York if i Author of "Mr. Barn.i of New York," "Mr. Poller of Tex.." "That Frenthman," Etc. E I Copyright. IW7- Uodcl Mead & Co, N. V. SYNOPSIS. 1 Itiirlun II. Humes, a wi-altliy Aincrlonti torn Ink fundi-n. iwum the youtiK Kiik- i Hull lleiilemuit. Kdtwiril (leranl AiiHlrutli- , or, nml 1 1 In forslcmi hrltle, Marina, I daughter of the 1'iiiiIIh, frmn tho iniir- i dermis emtella, mult-reluMO'liii; Unit lili i mwuicl Is lo ho tin- baud of tho idrl In- I lovt-H, Knld AtiMrilllier. ulster of tbo Unit- I UIi lieutenant. The four Hy frfmi Ajuo- i clo to Marseilles on hoard the i'lomh sttmnit-r CoiiHtiinllito. The vomlettu pursued pur-sued ami mh lli-iimrlet arc about to board tlu train for l-nndon lit Muniollles. Minimi Is handed it inyHtrrloiiK nolo which cuukcs hrr to collapse unit neresHl-tuli-it postponement of tho Joimioy. 1 Ilunii'B Kets part of the mysterious note ; anil receives lettots which inform blui , that he I marked hy tho vendetta, lie , employ uu American deleellve and plutm to litut the eiideltu nt tlielr own Kiiine. i For the purpose of Hecmlnt; the safely of the women llurncH iiiriiniioH to have Lady Churlrls lease u Beeliiiled villa nt Nloe to which the party Is to bo tulieii In u yacht. Suspicion Is created that Marina Is In leatmo wltb tbo CoihIciuim. A until, believed lo ho forrt'Klo Da lie I la. I seen pasRlnK tho lioimo and Marina Is : thoiiKht to huve K'ven htm u sIkii. CHAPTER III. Continued. "Yes, I've got the schooner Seagull, Mr. William Jameson, Glasgow, chartered char-tered for three weeks. Jameson Is returning re-turning to Scotlnud ami Is very willing to lenso tho boat. We havo cleared her for Naples. Crew of six men nnd mate, all Scotch. The captain, ns I told you before, lias gone to Knglnud, so your naval lieutenant must act as 1 your navigator. She Is found as to stores for crow, but as you havo sag-1 gostcd, I have put Ico and cabin supplies sup-plies on board, according to the memorandum mem-orandum you gavo me." 1 "Then I think we'll bo able to live very comfortably for a couple of weeks," observes Barnes, medltnthely, lighting n cigar, "The Seagull has already dropped out of the Vleux port, where sho was laying and she will bo off tho Cornlche road us you directed. I'll have a boat on shoro at the Houcas lthiuc." "Then the next thing Is to get tho ladles on board, and that, of course, we cannot do until after dark," remarks re-marks Burton. "You had best not be seen ubout hero any more, Kinory. but you had hetter bo on board the Seagull Sea-gull when wo arrive there, so ns to turn tho vessel over to me. Soo who nrrlves on tho next steamer from either llustla or Ajaccln, and If this Ilernardo Sallcetl turns up, notify me If there is any meeting between him and Danella." "Yes, I'll shadow everything, even you," chuckles the sleuth, grimly. "Hy tho by, hero's I'errler's address In Nice. Ho Is qulte ofton there. You j will find him, for a French mouchard, perfectly reliable." ! "lCngngo two trustworthy men," snhl 1 Hames, "to follow our carriage on 1 horseback this evening. I must take no chances with the ladles In our com-, pany." Then Hames goes off to Lady Chartrls' parlor to niaku some neces-1 sary financial arrangements with that 1 lady. Mr. llnrnes has scarcely finished theso and Lady Chartrls has carried , away his check delighted, when Maud bounces In upon him, her eyes big with excitement nnd mystery. "Geo, Marina Is u enso!" sho whispers. "Why?" asks Hurton, glancing sharp-, ly nt her. "Why, getting a note from n man tho second day she was married and crazy with fear her 18 hours' bridegroom bride-groom will drop onto hor llttlo game." Hai nes gazes upon I ho Infant prod- lgy and emits n low whistle. "You aro certainly a hummer, Mutidle," ho , remarks, solemnly. i "You bet!" assents Miss Cnartrls, ! who hns Just stepped in from an exciting ex-citing Interviow with Marina that lias ! run about In this way: t Tho boautlfulCorslcan bride, apparently appar-ently having recovored from tho llrst shock of tho letter in tho Marseilles depot, being dressed, at Knld's request, , for her can luge excursion, seems now , full of an excited yet morbid anxiety, i C dalnlng , opportunity when Miss ( iiartrlB bus entered her bedroom to give her a kiss, tender her condolences ' nnd got Into the affair "with both ' feet," as the adolescent Intrigante expresses ex-presses It to herself, Marina whlspors, a strange pathos In hor eyos: ".Maud, ' doar, you have como to glvo mo that letter you picked up tho one I dropped ' on the Hour of tho railroad depot when when I was overcome with tho heat this morning." "Jinks, that's a ulco way of putting It ovorconio with tho heat'.' It was the letter knocked you." returns the Chaitrls Infant, with a knowing wink. "No mutter what it wus affected mo." whispers the young Corslcan lady intense!- The letter I must have It at once! Ho-.1'0 n,,l,lt not seo It!" "I-l didn't pick It up." '""Hers Maud, doggedly. I saw Mitt! Kven when mj' .p5'cs were cluflng. I saw yun! Give mc tu I'Mter, child, or I shall have to iiafc .lour nun her to get It from you for me!" The horrible possibilities of such n demand Imprest themselves on Maud with distressing effect: sho snivels: "Don't tell ma. she'd skin me." Then, the letter!" ejaculates Marina, Ma-rina, wildly. "Well, if mi must know, 1 sold It to Haines for two boxes of marrotis glaces." "Sold that letter? Ay dc ml, If he shows It to my husband!" And Marlnn paces the floor in tigltated dread. "Don't tortuie me. miserable! I havo brought too much misfortune) on him already." Tears dim tho orbs of the Corslcun girl. "Tell dear Mr. Haines that I must see him; thnt It is very Important." "Why. sure I'll do It, though I don't think he'll help you put up any Job on your " "Put up uny Job? Another baso Insinuation In-sinuation from your childish Hps iind I'll tell your mother yon had that letter let-ter concealed! Away!" Looking like a frenzied goddess, Marina opens her door and Maud speeds from It. "Gee," remarks the young lady to herself, as she Hits along the hotel passageway pas-sageway and notes Anstrutlier keeping watcli outside ills wife's door. Her eyes are still big with suspected suspect-ed Intrigue as she continues her conversation con-versation with Mr. Hnrnes by suddenly Interjecting: "She wants to see you!" "Who?" "Marina, tho bride, of course. She wants to give you a hint not to let the cut out or the hng to Kdwln about the mini whose letter made her faint." Here, Miss Chartrls, who has suddenly sud-denly looked out or tho window, trying to hide n telltale race from the piercing pierc-ing glance or her companion, ejaculates ejacu-lates nlmost tremblingly: "Holy poker!" "What's tho matter?" "Why, t hero's tho man walking up the street who gavo me tho note that knocked Marina out of time thu one "See If You Can Find Out What Is Really the Matter with My Dar-ling." Dar-ling." with tho scar over his eyo. He's looking look-ing up at our windows hi tho hotol!" Maud dodgos back In a frightened way. Hut Harnes is already cautiously taking tak-ing cognlzanco from another window of tho man whoso scar Identities him In the throng ot pnssersby on the Rue Noallles. Tho gentleman ho gazes upon is, though actively built, lounging past with a pair of llnshlng oycB nlortly yet Intently fixed upon some window of tho hotol near where Burton Is standing. stand-ing. Dressed In tho deep mourning of southern Franco, n high Corslcan hat lends plcturcsqiiencss to his costume. A certain family likeness suggests to Harnes thnt this man, though nearly in years younger, Is tho half brother of tho dead Count Musso Danella. Suddenly Sud-denly tho man responds to something ho has seen In ono or tho windows of the hotel hy a nasty, sneering grin. "What did ho seo In tho window?" thinks Harnes, and to Maud's astonishment aston-ishment holts from tho room, runs down the stairs of tho hotel, and passes through tho olllco Into the streot. In the throng of tho rather crowded Ituo Noallles he fulls to find this man In) now feels quite curtain must bo Coireglo Danella. Then the American glances up at the windows of tho hotel nnd at tho third from that lu which ho had been standing, tho one ho knows is Marina's chamber, ho sees the bride of Kdwln Anstrutlier staggering away. "Can it bo possible that lvdwln's wife has given this man some signal from her window that caused his triumph?" tri-umph?" A moment's consideration effaces this thought "No woman can ho more devoted to her husband than tho brldo of Kdwln Anstruthor. Whatever the agitated girl has done Is intonded Tor her husband's safety. What can that be?" A second later, he thinks, it must have merely heon some sign or woo or fear that had producod tho triumph ot Corregio Danella. This reminds Harnes of Marina's request re-quest to soo hlni. "I will Hud out from Mrs. Anstrutlier the contents of that devilish letter this nstuto instructor of matrimonial bliss sent her." ho Miluks, and stops rapidly trick Into the hotel. I'pon the second floor, finding Kd-vln Kd-vln still stalking about the passage way and keoplm; his watch upon wife's chamber, Hurton quite slim . stntes he has n suggestion or two as regnids their Mirhtlng tilp to make lo Marina. The cotisequencp Is that her hits I hand soon nttci hi lugs her mm the I foi'lor the paity has iccuied for Iheir n'i,i.,l use. A he does no. Unities noiVe; t-ometliinti In the bride's man nor i'm her Jiiisband that Incieases his alarm fViv hoi. In the morning, though Marina's eyes showed traces of tbo sufferings tfipiriwner had undergone, they were fill? of Jiope as they rested on hor bridegroom. Now despair appears ap-pears to have taken Jts place ns her beautiful oi bs linger Icvlngly yet sadly sad-ly on the man she adores, nnd then seem lo turn from him Agitated by soino hidden determination. A moment after Anstrutlier says, In a loud tone Intended for his bride's ears: "Tnke care or hor while I do my packing," adding In a cautions whisper whis-per to Hnrnes: "See If you can Unci out what Is really the matter with my darling. Some devilish thing must hnvo happened to her at the railroad depot. She won't tell me. You discover." dis-cover." Under these circumstances, Harnes Is very eager to learn the balance of thu noto which had shuttered the brldo's nerves. "Glad you're looking so fit, Marlnu." ho remarks, lightly, for thoy have grown Into the habit of addressing each other with the famlllnrlty ot coming com-ing relatives. "Maud told mo you wished to speak to me." "Why, certainly, Hurton, I you you have rend the letter that struck me down In the railroad station. I must beg you not to be cruel enough to even hint to my husband its contents. con-tents. "Why, of course. "Pis best for Kdwln, Kd-wln, nt present, at all events, to be lu the dark," returns Harnes, groping darkly himself; adding nssiirlugly: "You must pick up courage, my dear girl. You raced a greater trial only two days ago." Her answer confuses nml astounds her Interrogator, "Faced n greater trial?" she says plteously. "Perhaps In ono way." After this sho gasps for a moment and suddenly cries: "Then you haven't read tho letter." "Read It most of It. A portion or It hasn't como Into my hands yet. Maud said you tore It up." "Ah, thank God, you missed the Inst port. Then you might have told my husband and I could never have dune It." "Never have done what?" "What you will not know till It Is done!" "You'd better tell it to mo so that I may advise you," he suggests. Hut tho beautiful brldo pacing tho chamber, her hands pressed to her brow, suddenly pauses in front ot lilm and says: "No, I'll bo my own counsellor coun-sellor In this matter. I'll light the dread light out with myself. I'll try nnd" Her distracted manner adds to Hnrnes' fear, not of her lovo and devotion devo-tion to Kdwln, but of her Judgment In somo project sho keeps concealed. Ho says, Imperatively: "You must tell me." "No, tls between my conscience, my God nnd my husband. Only tell Kdwln, Kd-wln, toll him, In case " "In case wliUt?" "Oh, you know tho cruel things that may happen In such a blood feud which Is agnin revived, now worbo than ever. In case I pass from my husband's sight, tell him that I always al-ways loved him: that that I didn't hollove. Should I do something ho regrets, re-grets, ho condemns, ask him to forgive me; it was because I loved him better than than my own soul!" (TO hi: continukd.) |