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Show We Cim 3PYI The Mystery of a Silent: Love Khevater WILLIAM 11 QIJTUX v (J AUTHOR ""T!ir CLOETD DOOR," ETC- XA 'ILLUSTRATIONS C-D-imODE5 , cvprxcrr by rnc smart- sst FuBusnrr co tfj2$S$tf W W W tipe SYNOPSIS. 9 Cordon Givkk Is enlleit upon In T.eg-. T.eg-. horn In- Hornby, the yacht Lola's owner, nnt dining nboani with lilm ami Ills friend, Hylton ciialer, ticeiilentally see . torn photocrsph of n voune (,-iii. That lrht the consul's safe is robbed. The police ilnd that Hornby Is a fraud and he Lola's name u false one. GrejiK visits vis-its dipt. Jack iHlrnford of the marines UHuir.l his vessel. Pnrnforil knows, but will not reveal, the mystery of the Lola. "It I'linci nis k woman." In London Orepc js trapped nearly to his death bv former servant, Ollnto. Vlsltlnir lil 1'uinfries O rejig meets Muriel I.eltheourt. Hornby :ipienrs and Muriel introduces him as Martin Woodrofl'e. her father's friend. llrog tlnds that she is engaged o W'oodroile. Oregg sees ft copy of the torn photograph on the l.oln and linds hat lli. young Kirl Is Muriel's friend. WtvidrolTe disappears. Gregg discovers the body of a murdered woman In Kim-nooh Kim-nooh wooil. The body disappears Hnd In Its place Is found the body of Ollnto. 'Iregg talks to the police but conceals his own knowledge of the woman. Muriel oalls secretly on Gregg and tells him that she Is certain that a woman as well as a man has been murdered. They search Kannoeh wood together, and llnd the body of the woman. Gregg recognizes her as Arnlida. Olinlo's wife. Gregg tells i tie police, but when they go to the wood trie body has disappeared. In London lirogg meets Ollnto, alive and well. Failing Fail-ing lo Ret any clue from Ollnto. Gregg iraees the young Kirl of the torn photograph, photo-graph, and finds that she Is Klma Heath, niece of Itaron Ober. who lias taken her 'o Abo. Finland, and that she holds a . secret nfl"eoting Woodrofl'e. On his return to Itannoch Grece finds the I.cithcourts iled after drugging Hvlton Chater. who a i.l called there. CHAPTER IX Continued. "Yes, sir. He called here in a fly on "the day he came out. and at his request re-quest 1 took him over the castle. He went into the library and spent half an hour in pacing across it, taking measurements and examining the big cupboard in which he was found in-- in-- sensible. It was a strange affair, sir." added the young woman, "wasn't it?' "Very," I replied. "The gentleman might have been In there now had I not gone into the library li-brary and found a lot of illustrated papers, which I alwavs Dut in the cupboard to keep the place tidy, thrown out on to the floor. 1 went to put them back, but discovered the door locked. The key I afterwards found In the grate, where Mr. Lcithcou'rt had evidently thrown It, and on opening he door imagine the shock I had when I found the visitor lying doubled up. I. of course, thought he was dead." "And when he returned here on his recovery, did he question you?" "Oh. yes. He asked about the I.eithcourts. and especially about Miss Muriel. I believe he's rather sweet on her, by the way he spoke. And really no better or kinder lady ever breathed. I'm sure. We're all very sorry indeed for her." "He came Into this room. I eup-. eup-. pose?" "Yes. sir," she responded, with Just a slight hesitation, I thought. "This was the room where he stayed the .longest. There was a photograph In that frame over there," she added, Indicating In-dicating the frame that had held Uih picture of Klma Heath, "a portrait of a young lady, which he begged me to give him." "And you gave It to him?" I cried quickly. "Well yes, sir. He begged so hard for It, Faying that It was the portrait of a friend of his." "And he gave you something hand-. hand-. some for It eh ?" The young woman, whom I knew couifi not reiuse nan-a-sovereign. col-- col-- ored slightly and smiled. I "He didn't tell you who the young lady was. I suppose?" "No, sir. Ho only said that that was the only photograph that existed, and that aho was dead." "Dead!" I gasped, staring at her. "Yes, sir. That was why he was so anxious for the picture." Lima Heath dead! Could It be true? That sweet-pictured face haunted me as no other face had ever Impressed Itself upon, my memory. It somehow j -leemcd to Impel me to endeavor to penetrate the mystery, and yet Hylton ''baler hud declared that she wan ! dead! J recollected the remarkable i letter from Abo, ard her own declaration declara-tion Hint her end was near. That letter let-ter was, she said, the last she should write to her friend. "After he had put the photograph In bis pocket, the gentleman made a most minute search In this room," Hid do mestic, went on. "He consulted bis plan, took Heveral measurements, and then tapped on the paneling all along this wall, lis though he were searching for some bidden cupboard or hiding place. I looked at the plan, and saw a mark In red Ink upon It. He was trying try-ing to discover Hint spot, and wuh grually disappointed at not being able to do so. He w;ih In hern overall hour, dad made a most careful search all round." "And what explanation dltl ho give?" "He only said, 'If I llnd what I want, Ann. I shall make you a present of a ten pound nole." That naturally made tut; anxious." "He made no olher remark about the young lady's death?" I Inipilred anxiously. anx-iously. ".No. Only be sighed, and looked rtfcafllly for a lung lime at Ibe photograph. photo-graph. I saw his lips moving, but his aomIm iere Inaudible." I 'i fin Ii.iw ii I any Idea of Ihn reason I k'i- ii" railed upon Mr. I.ellhciiurt, I I ., , j ! "From what he said, I've formed my own conclusions," was her answer. "And what is your opinion?" "Well, I feel certain that there Is, or , was, something concealed In this house that he's very anxious to obtain. He came to demand It of Mr. Leith-court, Leith-court, but what happened in the library li-brary we don't know. He, however, believes that Mr. Leithcourt has not taken it away, and that, whatever it may he, it is still hidden here." CHAPTER X. I Show My Hand. On my return to London next day 1 made Inquiry at the admiralty and learned that the battleship Bulwark was lying at Palermo, therefore I telegraphed tele-graphed to Jack Durnford, and late the same afternoon his reply came at the Cecil: Due In London twentieth. Dine with me at club that evening. Jack. The twentieth! That meant nearly a month of inactivity. In that time I could cross to Abo, make inquiries there, and ascertain, perhaps, if Elma Heath were actually dead as Chater had declared. Two facts struck me as remarkable: anion uuerg was said to De ronsn, while the dark-bearded proprietor of the restaurant in Westbourne Grove was also of the same nationality. Then I recollected that pretty little enameled cross that Mackenzie had found in Kannoeh Wood, and it suddenly sud-denly occurred to me that it might possibly be the miniature of oue of the ' European orders of chivalry. In the club library at midnight I found a copy of Oappelletti's Storia degli Ordiui Cavallereschi, the standard work on the subject, and on searching the illustrations illus-trations I at length discovered a picture pic-ture of it. It was a Russian order the coveted uraer ot baint Anne, bestowed be-stowed by the czar only upon persons who have rendered eminent services to the state and to the sovereign. One fact was now certain, namely, that the owner of that tiny cross, the small replica re-plica of the fine decoration, must bo a person of high official standing. The autumn days were dull and rainy, and the streets were muddy and unpleasant, as they always are at the fall of the year. Compelled to remain inactive, I idled in the club with the recollection of that pictured face ever before me the face of the unfortunate girl who wished her last message to be conveyed to I'hllip Hornby. What, I wondered, was her secret? What was really her fate? This latter question troubled me until I could bear it no longer. I felt that It was my duty to go to Finland and endeavor to learn something regarding re-garding this Baron Oberg and his niece. Duty the duty of a man who had learned strange facts and knew that a defenseless woman was a victim called me. Therefore, with my passport pass-port properly vised and my papers all in order, I one night left Hull for Stockholm, whence on tho following day I took the small steamer which plies across the dulf of Bothnia to Korpo, and through tho Intricate channels and among those low-lying Islands to the gray lethargic town of , Abo. It was not the first occasion on which I had trod Hussian soil, and I knew too well tke annoyances of the bureaucracy. Finland, however, Is perhaps the most severely governed of any of the czar's dominions, and I had mv first tasle of lis slum, relentless officialdom at the moment of landing on the half deserted quay. In the wooden l'asspurt ofllro the uniformed nfllelal. on examining my passport, discovered tli.it at the Russian Rus-sian consulate general they had forgotten forgot-ten to date the vise which had been Impressed with a rubber stamp. It was signed by the consul general, but the date was missing, whereupon the tnnn shook bis head and handed back the document curtly, saying In Russian, which I understood fairly well, although I spoke badly: "This is not In order. It must be returned to London and dated bofoi" you can proceed." . "Itnl It Is not my fault," I protested "It Is the rault of the clerk at tho con-sulale con-sulale general." "You should have examined It before be-fore leaving. You must aeud It to Loo ilon, and return to Stockholm by to-nlghl's to-nlghl's boat." "Hut (his Is outrageous!'' I cried, ns he bad already laken the papers of a paiisenger behind mo and was looking at I bent with unconcern, "EtiniiKh!" lie exclaimed, glaring at me. "You will return tonight, or If you choose to stay you will bo arrested for landing without a passport." "I Khali not go back!" 1 declared defiantly. de-fiantly. "Your consul general vised my pncHport, anil I claim, under Inlerna tloual law, to be allowed to proceed without hindrance." "The sleanier leaves at six o'clock," lie remarked without biolilng up. "If Von are In Abo after Hint remember H ! viill be at your nw n rink." ' "Yes," I said hienni'lngly. "I shall leciilb'i'l " And I turned and went out of the 111 1 1 wooden nfllre. Six o'clock came. I heard the steam siren of the departing boat bound for Sweden, but I was determined to remain re-main there at whatever cost, therefore I returned to the hotel, and at seven dined comfortably in company with a German who had been my fellow-passenger across from Stockholm. At eight o'clock, however, just as we were idling over dessert, two gray-coated gray-coated police officers entered and arrested ar-rested me on the serious charge of landing without a passport. I accompanied them to the police office, of-fice, where I was ushered into the presence of the big, bristly Russian who held the town of Abo in terror, the chief of police. The officials which Russia sends into Finland are selected for their harsh discipline and hibe-bound hibe-bound bureaucracy, and this human machine in uniform was no exception. Had he been the minister of the interior in-terior himself, he could not have been more self-opinionated. "Well?" he snapped, looking up at me as I was placed before him. "Your name Is Gor-don Gregg, English, from Stockholm. No passport, and decline to leave even though warned eh?" "I have a passport," I said firmly, producing it. He looked at it, and pointing with his finger, said: "It has no date, and Is therefore worthless." "The fault is not mine, but that of a Russian official. If you wish it to be dated, you may send it to your consulate con-sulate general in London." : "I shall not," he cried, glaring at me angrily. "And for your Insult to the law, I shall commit you to prison for one month. Perhaps you will then learn Russian manners." . "Oh! so you will commit an Englishman English-man to prison for a month, without trial eh? That's very interesting! Perhaps if you attempt such a thing as that they may have something to say about it In Petersburg." "You defy me!" "Perhaps you will kindly tell me who you are?" I asked In as quiet a voice as I could command. "Willi pleasure. I am Michael Bo-ranskl, Bo-ranskl, chief of police of the province of Aho-Biornehourg." "Ah! Well, Michael Boranskl." I said, reopening my iocketbook and taking out an open letter, "perhaps you will kindly glance at that. It Is In Russian, so you can read It." He snatched It from me with ill grace, but not without curiosity. And then, as he read the lines, his face changed and he went paler. Raising 'h V fa "You Will Return Tonight, or Be Arretted Ar-retted for Landing Without Purport." Pur-port." Ills head, ho stood staring at me open-inoiithed open-inoiithed In amazement. "I apologize to your excellency!" he gasped, blanched to tho lips. "I most humbly apologize. I I did not know. You told nip nothing!" "Perhaps you will now kindly give my passport a proper vise." In an Instant he gave it tho proper vise, affixing the stamps. "1 trust, excellency," he said, bowing low as be handed It to me, "I trust that this affair will not trouble you further. I assure you I had no Intention of Insulting In-sulting you." He held tlie letter I had given him gingerly with trembling lingers. And well ho might, for It was headed: Minister of tho Imperial Household, I'nbiee of 1'eterhof. The bearer of this In one tlordon l-'ran-cIm (Ii'.'kh, Ilrlllsli nuhlecl, whom II I ilur will and command that be ahull bn Our guest during his Journey Ihrouwh our dominion. And v hereby command all I hivernnrK of Province and minor of-IIcIiiIh of-IIcIiiIh to uflord him all the facilities he requires It II 1 1 ptivlloKcH and llUtllUllltlcM in (.Mir guest. Henealh was the spraw Hug signature of the ruler of one hundred and thirty tu i 1 1 In 1 1 h of people, that signature that was all powerful from the Gulf of Until-ula Until-ula tti the Pacific "Nicholas.1 The document was the one furnished to nio a year before when, at tho Invitation Invi-tation of Ibe Russian government, I hat gone on a mission of Inquiry Into Ihe Hlate of the pi Isiins III order to see, on behalf of the lliillnh public, whether wheth-er things were an black as some writer had painted them. Sight of II had changed (he chief of police from a bully bully Into a whining whin-ing coward, fur he saw that hn had loin up Ihe passport of a guest of the czar, and the consequence was most selinus If I complained. lie begged ol Hie to pardon him, urging all manner of excuses, and humbling himself before be-fore me as well as before his two inferiors, in-feriors, who now regarded me with awe. "I will atone for the insult In any way your high excellency desires," declared de-clared the official. "I will serve your excellency In any way he may command." com-mand." His words suggested a brilliant idea. I had this man in my power; he feared me. "Well," I said after some reluctance, "there is a little matter In which you might he of some assistance. If you will, I will reconsider my decision of complaining to Petersburg." "And what is that, excellency?" be gasped eagerly. "I desire to know the whereabouts of a young English lady named Elma Heath," I said, and I wrote down the name for him upon a piece of paper. "Age about twenty, and was at school at Chichester, In England. She Is a niece of a certain Baron Oberg." "Baron Oberg!" he repeated, looking look-ing at me rather strangely, I thought. "Y'es, as she is a foreigner she will be registered in your books. She ia somewhere In your province, but where I do not know. Tell me where she Is, and I will say nothing more about my passport," I added. "Then your excellency wishes to see the young lady?" he said reflectively, with the paper In his hand. "Yes." "In that case, It being commanded by the emperor that I shall serve your excellency, I will have immediate inquiries in-quiries made," was his answer. "When I discover her whereabouts, I will do myself the pleasure of calling at your excellency's hotel." And I left the fellow, very satisfied that I had turned his olhclousness and hatred of the English to very good account ac-count On the morning of the third day aft er my arrival ai auo, wane suuug ou the hotel veranda reading an old copy of the Paris Journal, many portions of which hnd been "blacked out" by the censor, the chief of police, in his dark green uniform, entered and saluted before me. "Your excellency, may I be permitted permit-ted to speak with you In private?" "Certainly," I responded, rising and conducting him to my bedroom, where I closed the door, Invited him to a seat, and myself sat upon the edge of the bed. "I have made various Inquiries, ",he said, "and 1 think I have found the lady your excellency is seeKing. .My Information, however, must be furnished fur-nished to you In strictest confidence," he added, "because there are reasons why I should withhold her where-abou'.j where-abou'.j from you." "What do you mean?" I inquired. "What reasons?" "Well the lady Is living in Finland in secret." "Then she is alive!" I exclaimed quickly. "I thought she was dead." "To the world she is dead," responded respond-ed Michael Iloranskl. stroking his red beard. "For that reason the Information Informa-tion I give you must be treated as confidential." con-fidential." "Why should she be In hiding? She is guilty of no offense Is she?" The man shrugged his shoulders, but did not reply. "And this Haron Oberg? You tell me nothing of him." I said with dissatisfaction. dis-satisfaction. "How can I when I know nothing, excellency?" was his response. I felt certain that the fellow was not speaking the truth, for I had noticed his surprise when I had first uttered the mysterious nobleman's name. "As I have already said, excellency, I am desirous of atoning for my Insult, In-sult, and will serve you iu every manner man-ner I can. For that reason I had sought news of the young English lady tho Mademoiselle Heath." "Hut you have all foreigners rcgls- 1.. . ..... 1 V- t .. . .- 1 l.1.L e u-u iu jum iioohs. I SaiU. 1 HO search was surely not a difficult one. I know your police methods In Russia too well," I laughed. "I regret that much as I desire, I dare not appear to have any connection connec-tion wilh your quest. Hut I will direct di-rect you. Indeed, I will give you a person to take you to her. It I could find the man, you might go today. Yet It Is a long way, and you would not return before tomorrow." "The roads are safe, I suppose? I don't mind driving in the night." The olllclal glanced at the clock, and rising exclaimed: "Very well, I will send for the man. If we find him, then the carriage will he at tho east era end of the quay in two hours." "At noon. Very well. I shall keep the appointment." "And alter seeing her, you will of course keep your promise of secrecy regarding our little misunderstanding?" misunderstand-ing?" he asked anxiously. "I have already given my word." was the response; and the man bowed and left, much, I think, to tho surprise of the hotel proprietor and his staff. It was an unusual tiling for such a high olllclal as the Chief of police to visit one of their guests In person. If he desired to Interview any of them, he commanded them to attend at his ollice. or they were escorted there by Ills gray-coated agents. I think I must have waited half an hour on the quay when my attention was suddenly attracted by tho rattle of wheelH over the stones, and turning I saw an old closed carriage drawn by three horses abreast, wllh bells upon Ihe harness, approaching me rapidly. When It drew up, (he driver, a burly looking, fnlr hcndcd Finn In a huge sheepskin overcoat, motioned me to enter, urging In broken litis shin : "Quickly, excellency quick!' you must not be seen!" And Iben the Instant I was seated. and before I could close the door, the horses plunged forward and we were tearing at full gallop out of the town. After five miles or so, the driver pulled up and descended to readjust his harness, whereupon I got out and asked him in the best Russian I could command: "The chief of police has given you directions?" I asked. "His high excellency has told me exactly ex-actly what to do," was the man's answer, an-swer, as he took out his huge wooden pipe and filled it. "You wish to see the young lady?" "Yes," I answered, "to first see ber, and I do not know whether it will be ,....- for- mo to make myself iicv.i:osaij ..... - known to her. Where is she?" "Beyond Nystad," was his vague answer an-swer with a wave of his big fat hand In the direction of the dark pine forest for-est that stretched before us. "We shall be there about an hour after sundown." The short day quickly drew to a close, tha sun sank yellow and watery over the towering pines through which we went mile after mile, a dense, interminable in-terminable forest wherein the wolves lurked in winter, often rendering the road dangerous. When night drew on we changed horses again at a small, dirty posthouse in the forest, at the edge of a lake, and then pushed forward for-ward again, although it was already long past the hour at which he had said we should arrive. Time passed slowly in the darkness. I suppose I must have slept, for I was awakened by a light shining into my face and the driver shaking me by the shoulder. When I roused myself he placed his finger mysteriously upon my Hps,. saying: "Hush, your high nobility, hush! Come with me. But make no noise. If we are discovered, it means death for lls death. Come, give me your hand. Slowly. Tread softly. See, here is the boat. I will get In first We shall not be heard upon tne water, so. And the fellow led me. half-dazed, down to the bank of a broad, dark river which I could not distinguish he led me to an unknown bourne. (TO BE CONTINUED.) |
