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Show MLI 1$ Louis I BKpSSB Joseph Vance M (Continued From Our Last Issue) Monk turned the keys, but all at once forgot his purposo and cocked hla cars attentively to rumors of excitement ex-citement and confusion on the deck. Tho Instinct of the seafaring man uppermost, up-permost, Monk stiffened, grew rigid from head to foot. Ono heard hurried feet, outcries, a sudden janglo of the engine-room telegraph tel-egraph 'Monsieur: monsieur!" Llane Implored. Im-plored. "Open that box!" The words were on her lips when she was thrown off her feet by a frightful shock which stopped the Sy-barlte Sy-barlte dead In full career The woman cannoned against Monk, shouldering him bodily aside. Instinctively snatching at the box. Monk succeeded only In dragging It to the edge of the desk before a second shock seemed to make the yacht leap like a live thing stricken mortally. The dispatch box went io tho floor. Llane Dclorme was propelled headlong head-long Into a corner, Monk thrown to his knees. Phlnult lifted out of his chair and flung sprawling Into the arms of Ianyard, who retained sufficient suf-ficient presence of mind to disarm Phlnult before that one guessed what he was about. Of a sudden the engines ceased, and there was no more movement of any sort. Lanyard had no means to measure how long that dumb suspt nse lusted, It Beemod Interminable. Eventually he saw Monk pick himself up and dash out. As if ho had only needed that vision vi-sion of action to animate him. .Lanyard .Lan-yard threw Phlnult off, so that he staggered under the threat of his own pistol In Ivinyard s hands. He lingered for a moment, then apparently realizing realiz-ing his danger, faded away Into the saloon. with a roughness dictated by the desperate extremity. Lanyard strode over to Llane Dclorme, fairly Jei ked her to her feet, and thrust her Stumbling Stumbl-ing Into the saloon. Closing the door behind her. he shot Us bolts He went to work swiftly tlu-n. in a fever of haste. Stripping off coat and waist i oal he took from the pocket of the latter the wallet that held hla papers, then ripped open his uhlrt and unbuckled the money belt around his waist. Its pockets were ample ana fitted wltn trutsworthy fastenings, and all but one, that held a few English sovereigns, sover-eigns, were empty. The Jewels of Madame Ma-dame do MohtalalS went into them, as rapidly as his fingers could move. Thus engaged. h heard a ptttol explode ex-plode in the salocn, and sav the polished pol-ished writing bed of the aptlan s desk scored by a bullet. A stream Of bullets bul-lets followed, ono after another, boring bor-ing stout panels as if their consistency consist-ency had been that of cheese. Lanyard Btepped out of and hugged the partition while he fto-lshed fto-lshed stuffing the jewels Into the be t and placing the thin wallet beneath it strapped "it tightly round him once milnard' edged along the partition to t." door. caiCUlateti the stand of the lunatic In the paloon from the an-t an-t S Which the bullets were coming w . . .1,1 tin, oistoi ne throne i ana euiyusu ... , had Sen from Phlnult at th panels as fast as he could pull the. trigger. There was no more firing. He tossed aside the empty weapon, made sure" of Popinofs on his hip. approached ap-proached one of the "J a chair, climbed upon it. and With Infinite In-finite pains, managed to WTlgle and squirm head and shoulders through thfter,thfl ho had to work his way round; inch by inch, until it Memed possible to drop into the sea and escape es-cape hitting the screw Ten minutes later the fingers of one hand he was swimming on his side St the bottom of his stroke, touched PCHlf lowered his feet and waded through extensive shallows to a wide and sandy beach. CHAPTER XXII FinLs The windows In his suite at .the JYal-polo JYal-polo commanded a southward vistaol Fifth avenue whose enchantment ws so potent that Lanyard, on the first day of his tenancy, though H .could never tire Yet. by noon "J the third he was viewing It with the eyes or soul-destroying ennuL . Three days before. arriving, ho had cabled Eve de Monta- laV?;.. ...n.a.ful." he had wired -burning" France by La o. In five days, having arranged safe trans portatlon for your PfJiyf! advise if you can meet me In 1 arts iJ receive same or your commands otlf-erwise." And to this, silence onl When tho telephone did ring toward to-ward noon of that third day, he falr-!J falr-!J stumbled over himself in his haste to reach the instrument. Yes Yts- ut once His callers filed into the room with Cheerfulness of mien. Llno Delorme, flrsl then Monk, then Phlnult. rather bleached of color and wearing one arm in a sling; all very smart in clothes conspicuously now and cost y as the avenue afforded striking figures of contentment In prosperity. It Is a pleasure. Indeed, Lanyard Bravely acknowledged their several salutations. vi-n Be that as It may." said Phlnult "here Is the happy family reunited and roadv to talk business." And no hard feelings. Monsieur Ph-'Wet don't want to pull any rough stuff on you, Lanyard. "Rough, stuff, monsieur' You mean physical forco?" Not exactly I've got a couple of friends of minu from headquarters waltlug downstairs this very' nilnuv-. ready and willing to cop out the honor hon-or of putting the Lono Wolf under ur-r ur-r st for stealing the Montalals Jewels. " 'But ia It possible." Lanyard protested, pro-tested, "you still believe I am a thief at heart and Interested In those Jewels only to turn them to my own profit ' He stared unbelievingly at the frost Byes of Monk beneath their fatuously 6tubhorn brows, at the hard, unyielding unyield-ing eves of Phlnult. "My Qod!" Lanyard pronounced in comic dlspalr It passes understanding! understand-ing! ' 'Now I, In my turn, have the honor to Inform you that I have had relays of detectives waiting In this hotel day and night, with Instructions to guard the doors as soon as you were shown up to my rooms " "He's lying " Monk Insisted, putting a restraining hand on Phlnult a arm. Lanyard crossed rapidly to tho hall door and flung It open and fell back a pace with a cry Of amasement. "Madame"' Lanyard gasped "Mad ame de MontalalsP Sue tntered with a gladness in her face that was carried out by the Impulsive Im-pulsive gesture with witeh she gave him her hands. "My dear friend" she cried happil) "I "am so glad' And to think we have been guents of the same hotel for three livelong days and never kr I arrived by Lx Terrains Saturday, but y Emptied the pistol at tho panel. E?" your message, telegraphed back from Bv Combe-Redonde, reached mo not five minutes ago. I telephoned the desk, B - they told me the uumber of your room Hi and here I am'." Hp. "But I cannot believe my senses!"' Bs' With unanimous consent Jules Phlnult and Monk uprose and made for the door, only to find It blocked B' by a substantial form. HJ I ' bte oly. gents'" he counseled coo!- Bt'-ly Bt'-ly "Orders are to let everybody In and nobody out." -' Por a moment they hung in doubt He;" and consternation consulting one an- flm '' other with dismayed stares. Bp.t ' Grasping the situation Eve de Mon- Bfc-. : talall turned to the quartet eyes that Wti' glimmered in a face otherwise quite EL.-' composed- But how surprising!" she declared IB1; "M n1. une la Comtesse de Lorgnes K1 Monsieur Monk Mr Phllnult how '.'Hf'. delightful to see ou all again'." Ek The civility met with Inadequate ap preclatlon. 'Hf- "Nothing could hr more opportune.' 'If'1'' Lanyard declared, "for It Is to this lady, Madame de Montalals. and tj these gentlemen that you owe the re- w-1 coverj of your jewels" HJ "But how can I thank them?" "W. ii " said Lanyard, "If you ask H me. 1 believe they would be most MA ' grateful to be permitted to leave and Hfe kei p their numerous and pressing ap sti poir.tments elsewhere." E "I am entirely of yonr mind, mon C, BHH Lanyard nodded to the man in the ,' ' doorway 'All right, Mr. Murray" E' - ond ho stood Indifferently aside. EX. ' In silence the three men moved to , the door and out. Phlnuit with a p brazen swagger, Jules without em- &- tlon risible Monk with eyebrows IK adroop and flapping, 'ml' nut Janyard interposed when Llane ?, Delorme would have followed. flfe "A moment, blane, If you will be jHJ so good " K; ' She paused, regnnllng him with a K; somber and Inscrutable face while he we' produced from his coat-pocket a fat P en lop.- without endorsement. g. This Is yours." F , The woman murmured blankly: "Mine-- IBv He cnld In a guarded voice: "Pa- fo pers I found In the safe In vour II- brary, thai night. You are unwise to c' IJceep such papers. Liane. Goodby." I Lifting tho flap, tho woman halj! F withdrew the enclosure, recognized It S at a glance, and crushed It in a con- R; VUlsive grasp. For an Instant, she a 7 seemed about o speak, then bored IK' , . her head In dumb acknowledgement, K and left the room. if;-, Lanyard nodded to Mr Murray who Linn. Li-nn. lably closed Ciio door, keeping him- BV' fielf on the outside of It. f' Rve de Montalals was eyeing him f- v.ith .in Indulgent and nmu-ced glanco L":' That woman loves you, monsieur,' Lp'- Shi tated quietly. HH He succeeded admlrahly in looking ' as If the thought was str.ingo to him. I ' Ine is sure madame must be mis taken." HJ "Ah but T am not" said Eve de i Montalals. "Who should know bet- I ter the signs that tell of woman's f love for you, my dear?" HhHh THE END. rt r 1 r. |