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Show f ' r'. j - .- , ,-r TP f n iron? eagerly. "Hyou mind telling now your pus'i got on to him?" "N-no, I sucpose there's no harm wr:iipe(3 !u saileluth to prevent Uilmi clinliin0 a-ainst the stones of (he sswW Then we stopped on the sli'-.y rock of the jetty, Xikka in the lead. It v g a perilous dim u to tin-slioiv, tin-slioiv, nnd we negotiated it sluwiy. helping une nnolher and lakinc: ev-r. precaution to ovoid matins any noisu. At last we found ourselves in the junihle of biwiuers consiiluiing i!n-breakwater i!n-breakwater tt the foot of the wall, whiel) reared its i:n.s-gtou:i battleinents lilgb overhead. We tonii' : to the left here, and crawled over und through the rocks cm the beach to a point under the overhauling wall id the House ot the Married. From Ike beach it looked unclimbable, but Nik-Ua, Nik-Ua, after surveying its mounting courses, removed his shoes and started the ascent, an end of (he grapnel rope looped around his waist. We who watched him stood with knocking hearts for what seemed an eternity. Spread-eagled against the wall, he appeared as infinitesimal as a fly in the darkness. Our first knowledge knowl-edge that he had succeeded came when he jerked up the grapnel lying on the beach at our feet. He hoisted U slowly, lest it clash against the wall, adjusted its prongs and tossed dowD the knotted knot-ted length of rope. Hugh followed him with ease, bracing brac-ing his feet against the wall vhen he was tired. Then I went op. Then my uncle. Watkins came last. It was now well toward midnight, and a haze was settling over the city. The Curlew was invisible even to us who knew precisely her location. The silence was absolute. The water lapped on the beach below. That was all. Naturally and by .right, Hugh tools command. It was his expedition. "Do we go down through the trap door Jack and Nikka used or do we use the rope to drop directly Into the garden?" he asked. "Best use the trap door," advised Nikka. Tes," 1 agreed. "Then the rope will always be handy in case you want to escape." "EiPh. Ol' endorsed Hugh cheerfully. cheerful-ly. "Jack, you and Nikka will come with me. Professor King and Watty will be rear guard and seeoud-lii.e for emergency use. Stay where you are, professor, until you hear from for granted that we were under observation obser-vation a dilatory stroll, and arrived back at the I'era palace in time fur dinner, which, as usual, we had served in the Kings' sitting room. It was a leisurely meal, for we had time to kill. There was nn early moon and e wanted it to set before the Curlew left the Man-o'-war landing, where it was moored. If spies were still watching the hotel, ho-tel, as I have no doubt they we e, we gavt- them the slip. We went downstairs down-stairs tog-jllier, and shot InN) the closed car which was waiting, Wat-kins Wat-kins sitting beside the chauffeur. Ten minutes later we drew up on the Curlew's Cur-lew's docks, secure from observation because of the British marine sentries who stood guard at the dock-gates. The Curlew was a handy craft, decked over forward, with a roomy cockpit and a good, heavy-duty Mercedes Mer-cedes engine. She was nothing to look at, but reliable and efficient. Betty, who was an experienced yachtswoman, automatically assumed command, and Hugh and Watkins as automatically accepted ac-cepted the role of crew. Vernon King, Nikka and I tried to be as Inconspicuous Inconspic-uous as possible. We chugged slowly through the glut of shipping In the Golden Horn, edging edg-ing away from the Galnta shore toward the picturesque bulk of Stam-boul. Stam-boul. Seraglio point loomed ahead ol us, high, rugged, tree-covered, dotted with Infrequent lights. We rounded It, the lighthouse twinkling on our starboard star-board beam, and turned southwest Into In-to the Bosphorus, with the wide sweep of the Marmora just ahead. The steamer steam-er from Rodosto and other Marmoran ports steamed past us with a swash and gurgle. A belated fishing-boat flapped by. Then we had the waters to ourselves. "Have you the night-glasses, Hugh?" questioned Betty. "See If you can make out the St. Sophia minarets." And to us: "That's our first landfall in making Tokalji's house." Hugh leaned forward across the cabin cab-in roof, resting on his elbows, eyes glued to the glasses. "night O," he called back. "I'm on them and I can see that, big old tower of the sea walls that lies this side of the jetty." Pellv cut. off thp pnetno I 117 1 H' '" i'tf CHAPTER X Continued. And to a lonS stor sllort wo . ,hed it over all afte.noon until tea-Hme tea-Hme without arriving at any clearer ;L' of the outlook before us. By Lt time we were sick of the discus-dn discus-dn and voted to suspend. Vernon King and Betty went to a reception It the British high commissioner's, jid the rest of us planned to take a waI; on tho chance of running Into tfasco Mikali, who had promised to come over to Pera in the afternoon If his spies picked up any additional Information. : The first person we saw In the hotel lobby was liontey Hilyer. 1 say, Chesby," he drawled In. tones that reached all the bystanders, "I don't know what sort of a lark yoo fellows were up to last night, but really, you know, you can't take liberties lib-erties with natives in the East and especially, with their women. Really, old chii"1, you ought to be careful, fu your place, I think I'd clear out of Constantinople. No knowing what kind of trouble you may get into." Hugh was fruious. He looked Hilyer np and down with cold scorn. "Are you taking a Dyer in -blackmail, by any chance?" he asked de--liberately. "Not yet," answered Hilyer cheer-hilly. cheer-hilly. "A'o knowing, though. Matter Of .'act, at present, I'm protecting some poor natives who iear they are goin to be victimized by a gang of foreigners." "Well, whatever you are doing, 1 should prefer that you keep away from me in the future," said Hugh. "I can't afford to have the Jockey club Stewards bear that I've been talking to you." . As it happened, the one episode in Bilyer's piebald past that irked his pride and aroused sore memories was Ilia suspension from the privileges of the turf. The man was a sincere horseman, bis racing ventures had been the breath of life to him, his Disgrace and compulsion to enter his Uioruugliureds under other men's colors col-ors had been a bitter blow. And he Showed this feeling now. His face iveut dead-white; his nostrils pinched In. "If That Gypsy Tokalji Catches You Phew!" ns." We crossed the roof toward Soka'.ci Mayserl, the large courtyard on our right, the Garden of the Cedars on our left. The trap door was shut, but unfastened, un-fastened, and Hugh lowered himself gently, and creaked down to the floor. We followed him. The room was in pitch-darkness, but we made certain by touh that it was empty. The door to the hall was off Its hinges, but propped in place. "I've picked up a chair leg," Nikka whispered by the broken door. "You fellows us-i your crowbars If " He paused significantly. "Right," Hugh whispered back. "Can we lift this door aside?" The hinges rattled slightly as we shifted It. The next moment we peered through a yawning cavity, ears alert. Not a sound reached us and we stole "Fetch the sweeps, Watkins," she whispered. "We'll pull in. Quiet, everybody." ev-erybody." Hugh and Watkins unlashed two heavy oars from the cabin roof and thrust them outboard through oarlocks riveted to the cockpit railing. Side by side, in unison, they pulled with a long, deliberate stroke, while Betty steered. It was no easy task to move that launch across the swift-flowing tide of the Bosphorus, and it seemed an endless time before the blurred mass of the shoreline, becoming visible vis-ible to our unaided sight, furnished nn index to the progress we were making. mak-ing. Nikka and I, with the help of the glasses, plotted for the others the arrangement ar-rangement of Tokalji's establishment. "The old -all between the two now," she answered slowly. "Poor old fellow ! I was darned sorry ho was croaked. We none of us well, what's the use talking? That Toulou r a devil. Mr. Nash knows it. I only lope he and the rest of yo don't get to know him any better. But about your uncle, Lord Chesby. He was a cinch. He ran around here like a kid in a game of 'Cops-and-thieves.' Every-bor1'- knew he was up to something. The authorities thought he was just a nut. But wdien he took to snooping around Tokalji's house, our folks got wise to it he might be on to something some-thing good. Tokalji's tribe have always al-ways had this tradition of a treasure but you know about that. Tokalji had been working with us since before the war, and he realized this r.vas more than he could tackle by himself, so he caHef" on Toutou. Say, Mr. Za- rnnko, on the level now, did that girl of Tokalji's sell out to you last night?" Nikka stared at her blankly, his face a perfect mask. "We had a good deal of trouble with her," he returned. "Had to tie her up. She was right on our heels, with her knife." Helene shook her head. "Ye-es, that's true, but 1 saw her this morning. Humph I Maybe I'm a fool. I told Toutou to mind his own business, and not mix into the tribe's affairs. Tokalji said she wr.s all right, and that ought to be enough." "God help Toutou if he went after her," I said facetiously. Helene gave me a quick glance. "Maybe you're right," she said. "I've often wondered what Toutou would do against a woman who would use a knife. He he gets 'em in a different way. Well, I'm babbling, which is a sign of old age. Be good, boys, and give up before you get into serious trouble. As ever, your well-wisher, Helene." forward with the utmost care. Midway Mid-way of the hall were the corkscrew stairs up which Kara had guided Nikka and me. I judged we were close to them when a door jarred beside us. There was a shout, and we were surrounded sur-rounded by a mob of half-seen figures. They were all around us, bvt in the darkness they got in each other's way, and I thought we could beat them off. A man seized me by the shoulder, and I drove my fist into his face. Two others leaped on me. I cracked the skull of one with my crowbar, and broke the arm of the second. Hugh in front of me was driving his opponents oppo-nents down the stairs. I heard Nikka exclaim once, then a gasp and a light flashed. Hugh had cleared a space, but went down as I. looked, throttled from behind. Nikka was just rising from beside a man whoso head was crushed in. Then the rush began again. I reached for my pistol, but did not have time to draw it The attackers surged in from all sides. I had a fleeting glimpse of Hilmi Bey. . Serge Vassilievich ran up the stair. 1 heard somewhere the snarling voice of Toutou Tou-tou LaFitte. "Jack, hold them for nie!" cried Nikka. Nik-ka. "Must warn King!" I swung my crowbar in a circle, and backed toward Nikka's voice. He had ters and warehouse and the House of the Married ought to be easy to climb," I concluded. "The wall of the House of the Married Mar-ried is very irregular, too," added Betty. Bet-ty. "We have passed it close in a number of times by daylight, and we all agreed an active man could climb it.": "That's a good idea," approved Nikka. Nik-ka. "If you could enter by the House of the Married you could seize the valuable part of the position first. Sound military strategy." "Yes," assented Hugh, "you could consolidate your position how the old lingo comer back, though! and occupy the rest of the place as convenient. con-venient. By jove, if you didn't want to occupy it, you could " "Oh, you'd have to occupy it," I interrupted. in-terrupted. "I say, do you know that place looks desert?" "There's somebody there, never fear," rejoined Betty. "According to Nikka's uncle, a good part of tho garrison were withdrawn today," returned Hugh. "There is no use in hurrying," cautioned cau-tioned my uncle. "We shall have plenty plen-ty of opportunities." "There's nj time like th present," 1 said softly. 1 "All right, Chesby," he said curtly, '1 won't forget that." ! And lie disappeared into the bar. , "l'ou were hard on him," said Nik-io Nik-io seriously. "After all, why should ou mind anything that he can say?" ' "ue was hoping that Miss King ;. as Hthin bearing distance," retorted 3gh. "A dog lite that doesn't de-lerve de-lerve consideration." "Some people believe a dog does de-icrves de-icrves consideration, Lord Chesby," laid a feminine voice behind us. We turned to face Helene de Ces-KHlcs. Ces-KHlcs. The Countess Sandra Vassili-,vna Vassili-,vna was with her. Maude Hilyer, I" fare as ghastly as her husband's, fas hurrying UWay from them. p ou may be enemies, but why 'houkl you rnnko a woman cry?" add- the Russian girl. "She will be un-"Mipy un-"Mipy the rest of the day." ti'm''' J Cry sorry-" answered Hugh 111 O'. 'bat do you sincerely believe her husband Is entitled to in-uit in-uit me In public?' "It was a rotten thin, he said," ad-J ad-J led Helene frankly. "And of 0 be IS a rotter. But as 1 told M hys once, they are a queer pair, il","'VU'0"' she really thinks " I ihoy ever get into a state of " u' . tho, can both turn around ve strain. lrs dd glll b , ""elievemauries, Those who l" vnerally envy those who do." , !, T'1 Mk've fairies," I an-mid an-mid we don't believe In let- t,, " mi,n s a thief get away 1 " " gratuitous insut. And she tripped off. "What a delightful criminal," I remarked. re-marked. "Somehow I don't mind so much the idea of being plucked by her." , "You're losing your perspective," growled Hugh, who was iu a righteous frame of mind, partly because he was in love and partly because t his clash with Hilyer. "A crook Is a crook. They're all against us. I don't know but thr.t the women are the most dangerous dan-gerous where you are concerned, "Yes, they won't be looking for us so soon again," agreed Nikka. "They will be figuring that we had enough of a fright last night. What could be more unexpectc. than a raid from us tonight? They probably think that we will go slow after last night, and they shaken himself clear. "In that door opposite reach window win-dow !" he gasped. We charged and split a path toward the door of one of the rooms. As we reached It, a pair of gorilla-like arms wound around my neck. I tried to hit over my sliuuliier with the crowbar, but somebody caught my wrist. As I fell I heard Nikka's cry: "lUm, I'rofessor! Save Betty I We're That was all. Toutou had me on the floor and was choking the life out of me. I lost consciousness. When 1 came to I was lying on a very damp, hard floor. Several lights dazzled my aching eyes, and n number num-ber of people were talking in French. "Ua, Nash Is with us again," said llilyer's voice. "I was afraid you iiii-hi have done him In, Tuutou." ' if yon take my advice," I recognized recog-nized lilmi Bey's falsetto tones "yon will have Toutou operate on nil three of them. Ie has ways to make silent men speak. Do you remember Lattner. the Swiss broker, Touiou?" Tou ton's answer w- j nn almost in-d's; in-d's; Inguishable "gnhrrrrr-rrrr-rr" of rr.g. (To Be Continued) don't even know we are out here." "I wouldn't be too sure of that," rejoined re-joined Hetty. "besides," i said, "their force is so depleted that we couldn't have a better bet-ter opportunity." "Th-'y may b reinforced." "Nonsense," said Hugh. "Waity, bring out those tools. We shall want the rope for climblu- and a couple of crowbars. If we need anything else we can send back for IL Betty, you must stay in the boat; you can't climb that wall and somebody has got to be ready to start the engine and get us nway In a hurry." "1 suppose you are rlsrht," she sighed. "Well, don't blame me if anything any-thing goes wrong. Of all the harebrained hare-brained " "Bats!" 1 scoffed. "If they Jump ns, and there are too many of them, we'll retreat. But maybe we can clean up this Job tonight for good and alL If we can, it's worth trying." Watkins emerged from the cabin with the tools. Nikka insisted that he was the best climber of the party, and took charge of the rope Hugh and I carried the crowbars, which we Jack. Why are you so d d susceptible?" suscepti-ble?" At whkh I laughed. Nikka. walking beside us, had no ears for our conversation, con-versation, nis thought were on that slim, brown Tzigane maid about whom Helene 05 Ccspedes had Inquired. But he woke up a b'.ock farther on, when a big, turbaned figure shambled past us, with a guttural exclamation from the corner of his mouth. At tho next corner there was a tratlic bloifc, and we grouped casually around Was-so Was-so MiUnli. "Tokalji's women and children are in camp beyond Boghazkcul on the edge of the forest of Belgrade," he murmured. "There are five men with them. Five other men have left So-kaki So-kaki Masyerl since morning. If Franks were there they have gone." "It Is good, my uncle," returned Nikka, affecting to speak to Hugh. Continue the watch. If there Is more to report bid one of your young men lounge before the khan where w-e are staying tomorrow in the forenoon." "It shall be done." said the old man, and he elbowed his way through our ranks as though in haste to cross over. We led our escorts for we took It Jlovn, "8m" 81,1(1 Saudril , """"""Hy. "from your own I c" , ,f a S',e 11 onl? rui" her com-m com-m olv , WeeM for bat n of- lli oft :",Sl,Cd as the T n'mo?t fls fn? . o t th ;,,she siUd S1U Tn nm 0,10 or th' v 'rby; 011,1 imd it in 'Vtu er since. And after las. S Tol-'iu n''e wlId- If "Hit '.v to h -T Nikk- "They aren't reed ''n, . preat ttM" she v i. En-iH?", S"y' 1 Un't be- hnst e ' C0'"d be ns " Mir anoie. b - yU' Lord Chcsb- She sliniWd "-mr oa- ;""m my Mcle?"asi,PdUugb |
