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Show f ft The Czcir's Spy The AAystery of a Silent Love By Chevalier WILLIAM LE QUEUX Author of "The Closed Book," etc. ,' . Copyright by ihe Smart Set Publishing Co. u SYNOPSIS. 3 "The yacht T.o.a narrowly escapes wreck In Leghorn harbor. Gordon Oregg. locum tenons for the British consul. Is called open by Hornby, the Lola's owner, ami ihnos aboard with him and his friend, riyltnn Ohator. Aboard the yacht he accidentally ac-cidentally sees a room full of arms and ainniunllion and a torn photograph of a '"""S Sill. That night the consul's safe ts rohheo and the l.oia puts suddenly to sea 1 he police find that Hornby is ft traud and the Lola's name a false one. s.regs visits Cain. Jack Dumford of the marines aboard his vessel, and is surprised sur-prised to learn that nurnford knows, '"it will not reveal, the mvsierv of the i.o.a. 'it concerns a wonKm." CHAPTER III Continued. He thanked me profusely when I consented to go with him. "Ah, signer padrone!" he said gratefully, grate-fully, "she will be so delighted. It is so very good of you." W e hailed a hansom and drove across Westminster bridge to the address ad-dress he pave a gloomy back street off the York road, one of those narrow, grimy thoroughfares into which the sun never shines. A low-looking, evil-faced fellow opened the door to us and growled acquaintance ac-quaintance with Olinto, who. striking a match, ascended the worn, carpetless ! stairs before me. apologizing for pass- i Ing before me, and saying in Italian: I w e live at the top. signore. because j is cheaper and the air is better." "Quite right." i sairi -Quile rignt on.' And I thought I heard mv cab driving away. It was a gloomy, forbidding, unlight- ' cd place into which I would certainlv have hesitated to enter had not my omiiii.mif.ii K.i ..... . ' mi trusted servant hut contrary to my expectations, the. sitting-room we entered on the top floor was quite comfortably furnished, clean and respectable, even though traces of poverty were apparent: A heap lamp was burning upon the table, but the apartment was unoccupied. unoccu-pied. Olinto. in surprise, passed into the adjoining room, returning a moment later, exclaiming: "Armi'da must have gone out to get something. Or perhaps per-haps she is with the people, a compositor composi-tor and his wife, who live on the floor below. They are very good to her. 1 II go and find her. Accommodate yourself with a chair, signore." And he drew the best chair forward for me. and dusted it with his handkerchief. I allowed him to go and fetch her rather surprised that she should be well enough to get about after all he had told me concerning her illness. Yet consumption does not keep people in bed until its final stages. Olinto returned In a few moments, taying that his wife had evidently gone to do some shopping in the Lower-Marsh. Lower-Marsh. "I hope you are not pressed for time, signore?" he said apologetically. "Hut. of course, the poor girl does not know the surprise awaiting her. She will surely not bo long." "Then I'll wait," I said, and flung myself back into the chair he had brought forward for me. "I have nothing to offer you, signor padrone." he said, with a laugh. "I did not expect a visitor, you know." ' "No. no, Olinto. I've only just had : dinner. Hut tell me how you have ; fared since vou left me." "Ah!" h laughed bitterly. "I had many tips and downs before I found myself here in London. The sea d:i) iH suit me neither did the work. I managed to work my way from Gonna to London. My first place was scullion in a restaurant in Tottenham Court road. Afterwards I went to the Milnno. anJ I hope to get into one of the big in. els very soon or perhaps the grillroom grill-room at the Carlton." ' I'll see what I ran do for you," I said. "I know several hotel managers v ho might have a vacancy." "Ah, signore!" he cried, filled with gratification. "If you only would! A word from you would secure me a good position. I can work, that you know and I do work. I will work for her fake. "Yes." lie said in a hoarse voice, his Manner suddenly changing. "You have tonight show n me. signore, that you f.re my friend, and I will. In return, show j mi that I am yours." Anrl sud rlenlv grasping both my hands, ho pulled rnc from the (hair in which I was sitting, at the same time asking In a low intense whisper: "fin you nl-w;:vs nl-w;:vs carry a revolver hero In I'lng-land, I'lng-land, as mi rlo in Italy?" "Yes," I answerer) In surprise nt his action anrl his question. "Why?" "I!etnue there is danger here," ho iiro'.vereil in tli'' Same low earnest ton', "'.ct our weapon p-ady. You may v. ant it "I don't understand," I said, fooling my handy foil in my buck pocket to Illlike f;iiri. it was there. ' J'nri'oi what I have said - all - nil Dial I li.i'e nf you tonight, sir." lie said "I haw not explained Ihe whole truth You are in peril - in deadly pelll!" " I Ir.w '" I r xr liiimcd In iui t h IcsiFtly, s'i r pi ier at his extraordinary r hange of manner ntid his evident n pprclicti-Finn pprclicti-Finn Ir rl cnn'thlng should befall me. "'A nit. nlid OU shall see," he wills pored " 1 : 1 1 1 first t 1 1 ni". slgnon-, that vou will fo reive in" for the part I have played in Ibis dastardly affair. I, Ilk" yoni ir-ll loll Innocently Into Ihe hands V ' our enemies." "My enemies! Who are they?" "They are unknown, and for the present must remain so. But if you doubt your peril, watch " and taking the rusty fire-tongs from the grate he carefully placed them on end in front of the deep old armchair in which I had sat, and then allowed them to fall against the edge of the seat, springing i quickly back as he did so. In an instant a bright blue flash shot through the place, and the irons fell aside, fused and twisted out of all recognition. I stood aghast, utterly unable for the moment to sufficiently realize how narrowly I had escaped death. "Look! See here, behind!" cried the I Italian, directing my attention to the back legs of the chair, where, on bending bend-ing with the lamp, I saw, to my surprise, sur-prise, that two wires were connected, and ran along the floor and cut of the window, while concealed beneath the ragged carpet, in front of the chair, was a thin plate of steel, whereon my feet had rested. Those who had so ingeniously enticed en-ticed me to that gloomy house of death had connected up the overhead electric light main with that innocent looking chair, and from some unseen point had been able to switch on a current of sufficient voltage to kill fifty men. I stood stock-still, not daring to move lest I might come into contact with some hidden wire, the slightest touch of which must bring instant death upon me. "Your enemies prepared this ter rible trap for you," declared the man who was once my trusted servant. "When I entered into the affair I was not aware that it was to be fatal. They gave tne no inkling of their dastardly intention. Hut there is no time to admit ad-mit of explanations now, signore." he added breathlessly, in a low desperate . voice. "Say that you will not prejudge me." he pleaded earnestly. "I will not prejudge you until I've heard your explanation," I said. "I j certainly owe my life to you tonight."! "Then quick! Fly from this house j this instant. If you are stopped, then i use your revolver. Don't hesitate. In a moment they will be here upon you." "But who are they, Olinto? You ; must tell me," I cried in desperation. I "Uio! Co! Go!" ho cried, pushing j me violently towards the door. "Fly, i or we shall both die both of us! Kun J downstairs. I must make feint of dashing after you." I I turned, and seeing his desperate eagerness, precipitately fled, while he Iran down behind me, uttering tierce imprecations in Italian, as though I had escaped him. A man In the narrow dark passage attempted to trip me up as 1 ran. but I tired point blank al hitn, anil gaining the door unlocked It. and an Instant later found mvself out In the street. It was the narrowest escape from death that I had ever had in all my life surely the strangest and most remarkable re-markable adventure. What, I wondered, won-dered, rlid it mean ? Next morning I searched up and down Oxford street for the Keslaurant Milano. but could not fuel it. I asked shopkeepers, postmen and policemen; I examined the London directory nt the bar of the Oxford Music hall, and made every Inquiry possible. Hut all was to no purpose. No one knew of I such a pla c. There were restaurants In plenty in Oxford street, from the Fra,soatl down to the humble coffee-shrip. coffee-shrip. but nobody had ever heard of j the "Milano." 1 1 drove over to Lambeth and wan-; wan-; rlered through the 111.170 of mean j streets off tip' York road, yet for the life of me I could not der ide into which ' house 1 had been taken. There were a dozen which seemed to me that they might be the Identical house from which I had so narrowly escaped with my life. Gradually It became Impressed upon me that iny ex servant had somehow gained knowledge that I was In London, Lon-don, that he had watched my exit from Ihe club, and that all his pitiful story regarding Armlda was false, lie was the envoy of my unknown enemies, who had so Ingeniously and so relentlessly relent-lessly plotter! my destruction. My unknown un-known enemies had scoured the services serv-ices of Olinto In their dastardly plot to kill ini'. With what motive? That day I did my business In the city with a distrust of everyone, not knowing w hd her I was not follow od or whether those who sought my life were not plotting some other equally Ingenious move whop-by 1 might go innocent y t,, my dcalh. I endeavored to discover Olinto by every ponnlblo means during those stilling days that followed. -Jin. boat of London was. to mo. more oppressive II11111 the tier) ! siiipihine of ihe old world Tuscany, and everyone w ho mold b- out of town hud loft for 1 1 1 couiili y or the sea. Iiefenied in every Inquiry, ami my bu-lneMs at last rriiieluileii in Uiiiilon, I went up i, liumrrles on 0 duty visit which I palrl annually to my uncle, Sir George Little Kaoh time I returned from abroad I was alums a welcome guest nt Greenlaw, ami 1 1 1 1 0 oe, mlnn proved no i-M'i-pt Ion, for the country houses of mnitiles hip always gay In August In pro'-pei t of bo shooting ' Mnino new people tin vi. taken llnu-nm llnu-nm h initio. KalhiT lih e I hey seem." remarked my aunt as we were sitting together at luncheon the day after my arrival. "Their name is Lelthcourt, and they've asked me to drive you over there to tennis this afternoon." "I'm not much of a player, you know, aunt. In Italy we don't believe in athletics. ath-letics. But if it's out of politeness, of course. I'll go." "Very well," she said... "Then I'll order or-der the victoria for three." "There are several nice girls there, Gordon," remarked my uncle mischievously. mis-chievously. "You have a good time, so don't think you are going to be bored." "No fear of that," was my answer. And at three o'clock Sir George, his wife, and myself set out for that fine old historic castle that stands high on the Cognie. When we drove into the grounds we found a gay party in summer sum-mer toilettes assembled on the ancient bowling green, now transformed into a modern tennis lawn. Mrs. Leithcourt and her husband, a tall, thin, gray-headed man. both came forward to greet us. They were a merry crowd. The Lelthcourts were entertaining a large house party, and their hospitality was on a scale quite in keeping with the tine old place they I rented. Tea was served on the lawn by the footmen, and, tired of the game, I I found myself with Muriel Leithcourt, a bright, dark-eyed girl with tightly-bound tightly-bound hair, and wearing a cotton blouse and flannel tennis skirt. "I know Italy slightly," she said. "I was in Florence. and Naples with mother moth-er last season." And then we began to discuss pictures pic-tures and sculptures and the sights of Italy generally. I discerned from her remarks that she had traveled widely: wide-ly: indeed, she told me that both her father anil mother were never happier - - - . .-':-. l t -. '-. '-' , r- . J v In an Iniunt a Bright Blue Fljih Shot Through the Place. than when moving from place to place in search of variety and distraction We had enlep-d the huge paneled hall of tin- castle, and bail passed up the quaint old stone staircase t, the long banqueting hall with Us paneled oak '"iling. It was plea-.anl lounging there In the cool old room after the hot sunshine outside, and as 1 gared around the place I noted how much more luxurious and tasteful It now was to what It had been In the rhivs when I had visited Its owner several years before "We are awfully glad tn be up here." my pretty companion was saying. "Wo hail such a busy season In Loudon." And then she went on to describe the court ball, and two or throe of th" most iinlablo functions about which I had rend In mv Lngllsh paxT beside the Meditel raiieau. She attracted 111" on account of her bright vivacity, quirk wit ond keen sense (1f humor, her gossip Interested inc. and iih Ho- golden sunset flooded the handsome old room I sat listening to her. Inwardly admiring her lnnum grace and handsome countenance, I had no Id- n w ho or w hat her father was -whether a wealthy manufacturer, like so many who lake expensive shoots and give big entertainments In order to edge their way Into society by Its bark door, or whether he was a g'-nlb-iniin of nieami and of good fiim 1 lly. I rather gnei. I the latter, from his r-'iitleiiiiinly beaiing and polished manner. Ills appearance, tall and creel, was (hat of a retlied olllcer. and his ob-iincul f, ,. was 0110 of marked distinction. I was telling mv pretty companion sniiiel hlng of my on ir, how. ho cause I love,) Italy no w ell, I lived In TuFioiinv In preference to living In Lug hind, and how inch ji-nr I i nine home for a month or two to visit my rein Hons and to keep In touch wlih things Muddeiilv she mild "I wan once In Leghorn for 11 few homo We w ere ' Ming In Ihe M.'.liteiiaiie,,ii ,,vo the sea and yachting is such awfully good fun, if you only get decent weather." The mention of yachting brought back to my mind the visit of the Lola and its mysterious sequel. "Y'our father has a yacht, then?" I remarked, with as little concern as I could. "Y'es. The Iris. My uncle is cruising on her up the Norwegian Fiords. For us it Is a change to be here, because we are so often afloat." "So you must have made many long voyages, and seen many odd corners of the world. Miss Leithcourt?" I remarked, re-marked, my interest in her increasing, for she seemed so extremely intelligent intelli-gent and well informed. "Oh, yes. We've been to Mexico, and to Panama, besides Morocco. Egypt and the west coast of Africa." "And you've actually landed at Leghorn!" Leg-horn!" I remarked. "Y'es, but we didn't stay there more than an hour to send a telegram, I think it was. Father said there was nothing to see there. He and I went ashore, and I must say I was rather disappointed." "You are quite right. The town itself it-self is ugly and uninteresting. But the outskirts San Jacopo, Ardcnza and Antigniano are all delightful. It was unfortunate that you did not see them. Was it long ago when you put in there?" "Not very long. I really don't recollect recol-lect the exact date," was her reply. "We were on our way home from Alexandria." Alex-andria." "Have you ever, In any of the ports you've been, seen a yacht called the Lola?" I asked eagerly, for it occurred to me that perhaps she might be able to give me information. "The Lola!" she gasped, and Instantly Instant-ly her face changed. A flush overspread over-spread her cheeks, succeeded next moment mo-ment by a deathlike pallor. "The Lola!" she repeated in a strange, hoarse voice, at the same time endeavoring en-deavoring strenuously not to exhibit any apprehension. "No. I have never heard of any such a vessel. Is she a steam yacht? Who's her owner?" I regarded her in amazement and suspicion, for I saw that mention of the name had aroused within her some serious misgiving. That look in her dark eyes as they fixed themselves upon me was one of distinct and un- 1 spcaKahie terror. i What could she possibly know concerning con-cerning the mysterious craft? T don't know the owtur's name." I said, still affecting not tp have noticed her alarm and apprehension. "The vessel ran aground al the Meloria. a dangerous shoal outside Leghorn, and through the stupidity of her captain was very nearly lost." "Yes?" she gasped, in a half-whisper, bending to me eagerly, unable to sufficiently suf-ficiently conceal the terrible anxiety consuming her. "And you did you go aboard her?" "Yes." was the only word I uttered'. A silence fell between us. and as my eyes fixed themselves upon her. I saw-that saw-that from her handsome mobile countenance coun-tenance all the light and life had suddenly sud-denly gone out, and 1 knew- that she was In secret imssossion of the key to that remarkable enigma that so puzzled puz-zled me. Of a sudden the door opened, and a voice cried gi !' : "Why. I've been looking everywhere for vou. Muriel Why are you hidden here? Aren't ymi coming?" We both turned, and as she did so a low cry of blank dismay involuntarily csc.ii-',l her. Next instant I sprang to my feet T he reason of her cry was n parent, for tl.eie. In the full light of the golden sunset streaming through the long ooen windows stood n tirnnd shool. d'-rod. fair bearded man In tennis flan-nels flan-nels and a Panama hat the fugitive I knew as li.lllp Hornby! I faced ll 1 III . speechless. CHAPTER IV. In Which the Myttery Increases. Neither (if us siMko. Hornby start-cd start-cd quickly as soon as his eyes (ell upon me, and his face became blanched to the lips, while Muriel Leithcourt. quick to notice the sudden change In him. rose and Introduced us in as calpi 11 voice as sin- could comiuaiitL "1 don't think vou are acquainted," she said to me with a smile, "ibis Is Mr. Martin Woodi ofto M r. Gordon Gregg" We bowed, exchanging greetings as strangers, while, carefully watching. I saw how greatly the minds of both were relieved. They shot meaning glances at each other, nud then. m. be chatted with the daughter of the house, ho east a quh k. covert i.vanoo at 1110. and then darted a meaning look at her a look of renewed conJIdcnco, as though ho felt that ho had successfully averted any suspicious I might have held. We talked (if the prospects of Ihe grouse and the salmon, and from bis remaiUs he Hooiuod to bo as keen al sport as he had once niade out himself him-self to bo al vachllng. While I whs can-fully watching the rapid vv 01 king of his mind, Leithcourt himself pn ten-it and Joined us. Host and guest were evidently on the most liitlnialo tonus. LoHhoouft nildi cased hlin as "Mai tin," and while Ihey were talking Muriel suggested Hint wo should liroll down lo the ton ills couiis again, an Imitation which, much as I regretted leaving the two 1111-11, 1 was bound lo accept. Annum the party stroili-ig and lounging thole pi lor to dopatiuio won- quite a lllllu her of people 1 knew, people who hail flioolhu; boxes In th" vicinity ami weie iny uncle's friends In Scotland there is alvavs a heaitv hospllalltv among the spoiling folk, and the laws of caste are far less rigorous than they are In England. . 1 was standing chatting with two ladies who were about to take leave of their hostess, when Leithcourt returned, re-turned, but alone. Hornby had not accompanied him. Was It because he feared to again meet me? In order to ascertain something regarding re-garding the man who had so mysteriously mysteri-ously fled from Leghorn, I managed by the exercise of a little diplomacy to sit on the lawn with a young married I Regarded Her in Astonishment and Suspicion. woman named Tetmai.t. wife of a cavalry cav-alry captain, who was one of the house party. After a little tin.e I succeeded in turning the conversation to her fellow fel-low guests, and more 1 articular!- to the man I knew as Hornby. "Oh! Mr. Woodruff- is most amusing." amus-ing." declared the. bright Ltt'.e woman "He's always 1 la;, ii.g some I radical joke or other. After d::.::i-r he Is usually the life and si ul of cur arty "Yes," I said. "I I:ke what l:tGe I have seen of him. He's a very giv-d fellow, I should say. I've heard that he's engaged to .Mur:cl." 1 ta.-arJed "Is that true?" (To in-: -i-NTii-rr |