Arizona republican. [volume], August 28, 1914, Page PAGE TEN, Image 10

About Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930

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PAGE TEN
THE ARIZONA REPUBLICAN, FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 28,1914
lucill:
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Copyright; 1914. All moving picture rightt reserved by the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, who
art) now exhibiting this production in leading theaters. Infringements will be vigorously prosecuted.
(Synopsis of preceding chapters.)
While students tog-ether at West Point.- and In lovs
with the same girl, Sumitcr Love proves Hugo Loubeque
a thief, and Loubtquv Ic dishonorably discliara!. Love
wine the Ctrl. The enmity thus begun Tilde outlet in
later year at Manila; wla'ii a butler thief In the employ
of Loubeque. noW all interna LloniU soy, steals valuable
paper from the Government safe of General Love.
Loubeque sails with them on the steamship Empress,
and General Love accuses Lieut Gibson, his aide and
the swwthcan pf his daughter Lucille, of the en. .
Loubeque sends a wireless message cleverly lnslnuat ng
that General Love had sold the papers to a foreltrn
power. To save the. honor of the man she loved, ar.d
to erase the stigma from her father's name. Lucille
prevails upon Harley. a government aviator, to laae
her out to the sltlp. in his aeroplane. To foil Lucille.
Loubeque destrovs the wireloJs aiparatus on the .m
press and is hurt In the resulting explosion. In her
search for the papers, Lucille becomes his nurse, and
when the ship takes fire, secures them The vessel Is
burnod to the water's edge and Lucille drifts to a
atrangw Island on tho oar of a crashed lifeboat Lucille
Is rescued by friendly savages. She is given an amulet
for curing the chiefs daoshter, and It proved po'ent
against the machinations of Hugo Loubeque. who, like
wise cast on the Island, plans to et the papers. He
burns Lucllle's hut but she escapes with the precious
papers. He sends a decoy message asliinK her to eo j
to the home of a neighboring chief, whose wife Is 111
and In need of nursing. On the way there she falls
Into a covered pit dug by Loubeque across her patn.
Her guide, an old crone, takes the papers from Lucille,
and gives them to Loubeque. who goes with them to
the Jungle. His guide and servant steals them but to
killed by a lion, and Lucille, who had trailed them
three davs, recovers them from the body. Luc"1;
meets a strange cave-dwelltng people, is attacked by
monkeys, escapes In a canoe and Is carried lnio an
underground whirlpool. She to rescued b Captain
Wethercll and taken aboard his yacht There she
meets Loubeque, who Is also picked up by the yacht
which is carrying contraband anus to Chinese reDe-a.
When warships pursue, Wetherell seizes the papers and
puts Lucille and Loubeque to sea In an open boat be
cause they know too much of his plans, their water
alves out and Lucille nearly dies before they reach
China In safety. Hugo, after nursing Lucille back .o
life, goes after Wetherell to ret the papers oack ani
captures him. Lucille follows Loubocue. aboard a liner
and shadows htm. She is discovered during the trip to
Ban Francisco, In the hold, and on being relcaeu.
searches Loubeque's room for the-, papers. lie catcU-
her ties her up. convinces the captain that she la
Insane and on the vessel's arrival at port Las her
whirled away In a taxi to a stru.ee home with movable
floors and nivsterl.ms hooded Hsures and and Lou
beque. She sleals the papers once more from him ana
iscWs. but Is eaughL Loubeque dechles to send uer
to bis ranch In Mexico for safe-kcenlng.
chatter xxxi.
Thompson Finds an Article of Interest.
6 Thompson, the butler-thief, svvift-
fj?Lf ly descended to the ground-noor
i s7sYaI and out into the court t0 Betretc
I If Aai t,ic ta'y tue 1118111
I 'SSfY l fallen from the roof top. there was
1 if i liY no trace tnon his immobile coun-
1 tenanec cf the desperate struggle
through Tvhich he naa jusi ueeu.
Every movement of the muu
ecnietl timed, perfectly attuned.
An he bent over the body, one
leg of which was twisted out at a grotesque
angle, the habit of his life still clung. Kneeling,
his hands fluttered over the man like tiny, white,
birds. Through the pockets he went, rifling them
completely and replacing those things which
oould be of no value to him. He stopped as he
unwrapped the note Lucille had written on the
aorap of paper and bound about the ruby.
For just a fractional space of time, incredu
lity, avarice,; and puzzled, delight fought for
mastery' upon, his face, in his eyes. Hound aiid
round he turned the great, glowiuir ruby, his
flaming eyes matching in brilliancy U.U shafts of
light, which the facets cast forth.
But Thompson was .perfectly trained. Secreting-
the ruby in his pocket, he carefully lifted his
burden and carried it to the basement of the
house. When he was quite through with his task,
be carefully removed the trnccs of dust which
his gruesome task had forced upon him. Then
he took one Jast,"loviiig look at his find and
started in search of his master. Already a plan
had entered his cunning brain to gain the rest
of the necklace, a plan whereby Loubeque was
to be no gainer.'
' . CHAPTER XXXII.
A Thief It Rudely Foiled. -
QCIETLY, Lucille allowed herself to be "on
ducted bnek to the room from which she had
just made her escape. Her heart was so heavy
she did" not" care what happened. - Remembrance
of her mission had faded into a blank before
the omnipresent horror of the grotesque death
of the ship's captain who, out of the chivalry of
his own nature, had volunteered to save her.
Reside the broken window she sat, plotting,
planning, scheming, doing anything to drive
way the morbid thoughts which harried her,
tbe terrible visions that hovered everywhere
rround her. She bad tried her best but still fall
ue dogged her footetcps. Her sweetheart had
.esigned from the army under such a cloud as
must have broken his spirit completely. Mis
tjeart she knew was already broken by her
aeeming disbelief in him; her father was en
tangled in the same net with his aide. And she -held
th key to the situation, a key with no
lock to fit. She alone knew where the papers
that would clear up the entire mystery were lo
cated and she was a prisoner of the man who
had not only. woven but had also cast the net
about him.
"Mr. Loubeque's compliments, Miss Lucille,
murmured the butler, as he noislcssly approached
with a tiny glass of liquor, "and he thought a
tiny sip might prove beneficial to the nerves."
- "Thank you, Thompson," she murmured
woetly. "Tell your present employer I shall
gladly do so. But," she added, her eyes flashing
maliciously,' "I forgot Mr. Loubeque has been
your employer right along."
The man showed by no sign that the arrow
had pierced his perfect armor of deference. He
merely bowed.'
"Quite so, Miss Lucille. Thank you."
- : . -Before his perfect aplomb, Lucille, stood tin
decided.' Her nerves were shattered and . the
drink, she knew, would do her good. But there
had been that look in the man's eyes. She could
not be mistaken in it. Still, how would he dare
attempt anything in the house of Loubeque? She
touched lier tOHgue to the delicious, fiery stuff
and waited. Ajiensation of comfort slowly ap
proached her weary spirit, a feeling of lassitude,'
delightful after, the harrowing thoughts that had
annoyed her. She fought the sensation away,
confident that sueh a tiny . sip, would have no
such effect unless it had been doctored.
Pouring out the liquor carefully, she lay
against the pillows in a posture of dreamless
aleep. It was half an hour before her patience was
rewarded. Then Thompson slipped stealthily into
the room', a smile of eager triumph breaking the '
mask of his face as he glanced toward her.
Lucille flexed herself, a steel spring wound to its
last notch. ,: -.-.,' .'
, Thompson approached swiftly silently, with
a' surety that she had always identified with him,
which had ' made her regard him as a perfect
ecrvunt before, but which appalled her now. . He
was beside her, leaning- over her, his hand grop
ing, at her. throat. First she thought he -was
about to close his fingers upon- her throat,, but
they moved, swiftly, delicately, so lightly -.be
could scarcely feel their weight. A littj ex
clamation of triumph as his finger pads touched
tha necklace. It was in bis bauds. And then the
steel spring uncoiled with tremendous suddenness.
Taken by surprise before the vicious fury of
the girl's attack the butler staggered back. Be
fore he couldi recover she was upon him, driving
. him toward the door. He lifted his hands to
fend his face then stopped abruptly as he stag
gered into his master, just entering the room. x
Hugo Loubeque waited, watching the furious
girl and the ruffled butler curiously. A smile
curved his lips as he turned toward her.
"You object to, the draught, I presume. I
assure you it has no ill effects and will make
the journey one of pleasure instead of weari
ness." Then he whirled,, upon the butler, his face
hard as granite, his teeth clipping off each word
like steel particles.
"What are you doing here?"
"I tamo to see if the draught had taken ef
fect," silkily murmured the butler.
"By what authority?"
"Asking your pardon, sir, but I suggested it
and was afraid it might have a bad effect. I
grew to take an interest In Miss Lucille in
Manila, sir, and did not wish "
Loubeque frowned heavily but cut him short
with an impatient wave pf his hand. Lucille felt
a sudden impulse to tell him the truth but con
quered it ; swiftly. She could fight Thompson
much easier than this man. She must keep her
own council. The spy turned to her again.
"You did not take the draught?"
"No !"
"I assure you on, my word as a gentleman
that it will cause you no inconvenience. Further,
I hoped not to be obliged to tell you that if
you do not take it willingly, you will be com
pelled to get it down."
She bent her head docilely. Resistance was
out of the question, and, after all, she must save
her strength to fight the big things. As he turned
to give an order to the butler she interposed.
"I will do as you ask," she said quietly.
"But I would prefer a woman's bringing it to
me. Also I would like your word that I shall
have the constant attendance of a woman while '
it is effective."
Hugo Loubeque bowed slowly, and, waving
his servant before him left the room. Lucille,
ten minutes later, accepted the fragile glass from
the mysterious woman who had abducted her at
the wharf. After a moment's hesitation, a shud
der at the enticing colors shed from the stuff,
fcllC drained the glass. '
Languor comfort peace . She gave her
self up to the drug with a prayer; a prayer she
felt so certain would be heeded, that, in her
slumber, a smile parted her lips, played about
her countenance. And when she awoke she was
at Loubeque's Mexican ranch.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
At the Wishing Well.
LOW, ram1linr houses of Spanish architecture
dotted the great area which the curiously fan
tastic, wholly artistic fence enclosed. The
grounds were laid out in orderly fashion, bloom
ing like the Oarden of Eden with a riotous pro
fusion of flowers that rested, their heavy pc-v-.fuines
lazily upon the ether, blending and har-'
inoiiiidiiiir yet never cloying and never oppressive.
Monstrous cacti, tiny hedgerows, minute, sword
pulm.1, bayonet trees, everything seemed to have
sought this soil. Never a suggestion of the lack
of originality which the landscape pardncr gives
an estate, but showing a decided character that
would hate told the most undlscerning something
of the owner's character. -
This new Loubeque I Always had she asso
ciated him with the manner of her knowing him.
Times he had been tender, other times he had
been cruel, always was he crafty, cunning, cour
ageous, a one-ideal man. But now he seemed all
poet, painter. She could hear the softened tones
of his voice as, with some of his companions, he
wandered, about the grounds, tenderly explain
ing to thcra the history, the beauty of the flow
ers, the irare species he had imported for the
place. Always would he show a tender regard
for the beauty of Nature "which struck Lucille
Ij almost feminine. She feared this man more
than she did the one of the, diary, feared him
because slve was learning that the warm climate
was supping her of her purpose, forcing lethargy
upon her more powerful thau bands of iron.
- . It was after one of these rambles that she
noticed signs of some impending ehange about
the weuage. It was while she watched the spy
wandering about the gardens of a morning, won
dering at the tenderness with which he would
bend to the flowers, inhaling the .fragrance, ex
amining their buds and -blossoms, that he sad
denly walked toward her, entering' the house to
shortly enter her room.
"I am leaving today," he began abruptly, all
the nature-lover gone from his cold, stern man
ner. "Again I ask you to tell me where you put
the papers. : ;
"Then they haven't been found She
stopped abruptly, realizing that her delight had
revealed quite as much as his demand.
. Loubeque shook his head, studying her face
keenly, evidently recognizing the steel of an un
breakable nature. He held out his hand and
clasped her own, his eyes steadily fastened upon
her face." '
"I am sorry, Lucille, that you cannot see the
folly of this. It is your last caunce to tell me.
It is your last chance to count me a friend. I
am waiting."
She did not answer. Their eyes met and
held, both filled with an unaltered purpose, Then
Loubeque, without a word, left the room.
.' Nor did she see him again. That he had
gone she knew from the laxness . about the
household, amonff his1 servants; It (fave her food
for hope. She must escape... She must. She must
escape before the iron grip of dreamy languor
about the -place became unbreakable. '
She had to flfeht against losing thought of
everything in this bower of content. Il'imun
emotions seemed so far away from' the 'spiritual "
. ones which reached out and grasped at her 'wi a
greedy fingers. She could close her eye. and.
lulled by the intoxicating nerfumes, wander off
into day dreams of fancy rarer even than those
which had come to her-maiden soul in the hours
when her sweetheart was by her side and per
fect hflppiness iwer, in her heart and shadows
dared not intrude.1 '' . .
But always when she wandered thus, alwaya
when her feet moved w'th her spir'v she would
encounter one of - Loubeque's . aides, ; alwaya
masked, always casually surprised at coming
upon her. always urbane and polite yet insistent
upon turning her iu an opposite direction. The
surveillance was of such a nature as never to be
obtrusive and never to be 'out of her mind. It
seemed so incongruous in this plac. nist as the
appearance, of a horde of wild beasts m'ht have
appeared incongruous. ' ' " '
.. It got upon her nervee to such an extent
that she finally took to the house and remained .
- there. - She felt the prison atmosphere here and
there was no such startling contrast between the
dream and the reality to bring her from out the
floods of her dream spirit. Every room was
grated and, though she knew they were not bare
for the purpose, they served it admirably.
Bee "Lucille Love'-
From here her resolution was always clear
before her, her purpose indomitable. Looking out
upon 'the courtyard ' from her grated' window,
there was something ominous about the striped
Spanish sword grass, the giant cacti with its '
huge fingers pointing heavenward, the stone
patio that suited the mood of resolution into
which she had forced, herself and' against which
the' heavy odors of the flowers, the blossoming
citrus and orange trees made but scant headway.
Idling here, yet always plotting the first
move to be made when she escaped, she noticed
the, slightest trifle, : grew' acutely sensitive to
eTery incident. - ' ''
Thompson seemed1 upon his master's depart
ure to have lost poise as thoughts of the ruby
necklace his fingers had touched seared itself
upon his brain. ' "'
She recalled how . he had served in her
father's house so long1 with never a suspicion
from anyone that he was other than the perfect
butler with a thought outside of his work. And
then she recalled the incident of the necklace,
the manner of his entering the room when he .
thought her under the influence of the drug, the
nimble fingers that caressed her throat without
touching it Always would she shudtrer at the
recollection, then deliberately drive it from her
mind. .
It was the fourth day since the departure
The Spy Turned to Her Again. "You
of the master of the plaee, that, standing beside
her iron barred window, she saw the ligure of a
man topping a rise ia the distance and drawing
swiftly nearer.- There was something strangely
familiar about him, oraethinnr she 6eemed to ra ,,
call. About fifteen yards away he held a short
conversation with a sentry who sprarjg out be
fore him. The man nodded, satisfied, and moved
away. In slashed olero, tight trousers and gold
braided sombrero of straw, his long black hair
waving gracefully to his shoulders, the man
made an impressive figure as he fastened steady,
tindeviating eyes upon her window until she was
positive he was looking at her for a purpose.
Suddenly, his right hand shot up and remained
there in an obviont signal.' After a moment he
spurred his horse to the court yard and stamped
inside. Low voices hummed in conversation, then
the man appeared before her, offering his arm.
"Senor Loubeque sent me that I might es
cort you aDOUt the grounds, might place myself
at your disK)sal,M he murmured.
Lucille drew away from him at mention of
Ms master, but something in the meaning eyes
behind the mask reassured her- and she moved
out into the patio. Here they passed Thompson,
whose eyes darted a message of suspicion at
them, whose body seemed intent upon following.
She felt the biceps of her escort flexing even
after they were out of sight.'
"He think9 all is not right," said the man
quietly. "Well," he added with a low sigh, "he .
is right in his suspicion. I could not hope to ..
fool that man. Only a little less wise is he than
Hugo himself."
"Not right!" Exclamation and question it
was. She drew away, clasping her hands delight
edly. Then you have come to help me "
"I have come," he answered quietly, "be
cause I could not help coming. I have come be
cause since first I looked upon you yon will for
give me there in the city home of Hugo, when .,
I looked upon your face I have seen no other. I
have come because I couljt not stay away. I have
come against the will of the man to whom I
owe everything, the man I love, because you
called me, because " " '
She touched his arm lightly with her fingers
In mute appeal.. ; Her woman!s instinct told her
that such a love as this might be. turned to ac
count, and, though she hated herself for the .
self-divination, she knew the woman in her
would urge along" anything to save her sweet
hear The blood of the leopard is that of the
purring house-cat,
Slowly- they wandered through the beautiful
gardens, speaking of what they saw, yet never
touching ipon the subject nearest both their
hearts. Sudden- the man seemed unable to
stand the strain longer and she touched his arm
sympathetically, but be drew away with a little
cry of near-pain. - - .
"Come with me to the crystal ball," he
cried, "and see the vision that jas haunted my
eyes so long a .ime. Come with me to the
crystal and see the 4ace that has made me for
get my vows, forget the one I love and fear, for
get everything save the desire for life that I
may lay down to bring a smile to it. Come with
me to the crystal aud see the face that, close
my eyes tightly as I may, will always stand in
that narrow slit between the lid and retina; see
the face that has made me cry through the
nighf, cry to the moon and to the stars, to every
thing in Nature for aid in gaining it; see the
face th t peeps at me from the heart of the rose
and makes the rose blush for its own tawdriness.
r-e with me, lady of my heart." '
Before the - tempestuousness of Mm voice,
Lucille followed his lead. Gone from her was
every, thought of immediate escape. She saw
that the man could not !e handled, easily, that
she could not escape from bird any more than
she could from the other minions of the spy
without the use of craft. And yet' she felt' a
curious sympathy for, him, pain that she must
fcana him. . ,
M motion pictures at Riverside Park tinlght ana
Before the gTeat crystal ball that was art
upon the flagging beside the patio fountain, be
side which stood the monstrous, hoary, grey
palm tree, he halted, staring through the slits of
his mask into its clear depths. She trembled as
she looked upon the flaming eyes so close to the
reflection of her own face. Suddenly he tore the
mask from him and tossed it to one side, closing
his arm fiercely about her waist and drawing her
soft cheek against his swarthy one. Together they
stared into the ball, his eyes luminous with a
wild love, hers moist with mingled sympathy and
fear. Gently she disentangled Ms fingers, sur
prised at the numbness of them, the ease with
which they responded to her will.
' "you must go back," he murmured hoarsely,
DiJ Not Take the Draught?" He Said.
"I was mad to think of such a plan."
She did not answer for a moment. Two
great tears slowly welled to her eyes, rested on
the fringe of lashes a moment then splashed
upon his hand. He stared at them stupidly, rev
crcutly. "I see a- face," she murmured softly, her
voice very low and far away. ''I see a face and a
scene that is different from the one you see. I
eec Manila home loved ones loved ones griev
ing for a girl they think is lost to them for
eter. I see n man, the handsomest, bravest,
truest man in the world the man I love. He is
disgraced, lie is heart broken. .He .is giving up
the sword he loved, the sword he swore to never
lift save in defense of his country's honor and
the honor of a woman. Hi is giving up all that
life holiU dear to him, just as he has long since
been bereft of all he cared to have from life,
because I am imprisoned here."
She stopped, her eyes large and luminous
and far away as though the scene was actually
mirrored in the. ball. Slowly she' continued.
"And I do-not care for anything except his
happiness. I do not care for freedom, I do not
care for anything except his happiness. He is all
I have to love. He is my whole world. I would
sacrifice everything for him and for his honor."
She turned -swiftly, her hands reaching toward
her neck and unfastening the ruby necklace.
"Here, my friend, take this. It is all I have to
give 'except my gratitude. Take it and help me
to the man I love." - .:
He took the necklace, turning it idly about
in his hands, then hungrily lifted his eyes to her
face, as though inanimate beauty was a thing
Of no account in comparison. He took her arm
again and thoughtfully led her, round devioua
paths, to a deep, sunken well, before which he
paused, a curious smile upon his lips. -
"It is the Wishing Well," he murmured, "the
Wishing Well before which all who have looked
into the crystal ball and seen that their heart
most desires must kneel and make request. It ia
the legend, but, ah! " He turned away to hide
the swift contortion of jealousy and pain that
suffused, his face. "But I," he continued quietly,
"I cannot wish, my lady, for all that life holds
dear, all that Ufe might promise has gone from
out my heart arid left me nothing but ashes.
Look into the Wishing Well, my lady, and make
request."
She knelt beskV liie well obediently, almost
fearful of the m igio powers ha ascribed to it,
knelt while he tood over her, etaring longingly
at her exquisite figure, the beautiful face mir
rored so plainly back at him by- the hushed wa
ters. She clasped her hands.
"Oh, Wishing Well, let me. but hold in my
hands the honor of my sweetheart that I may
give it back to him; let me but serve bis hap
piness and I shall ask for nothing more. Do
.with me as you desire but grant my Only wish."
He touched her lightly upon the arm and
she rose -obediently, her eyes glowing like jewels
at the privilege of baring all the emotion that
had been locked within her heart, with never a
chance for expression. Lightly .he tossed the
ruby necklace up and down in his palm, then
placed it gently about her neck.
"One look in your eyes," he said softly, Wa
mellow . voice breaking under : the torment of
what he knew to be a hopeless love, "is more
beautiful, more rare, more preekras to me than
any jewel And I shall treasure each look in the
hours when my sou' suffers because I have been
faithless to the man I reverence and love. Come."
Lucille stooped swiftly, plucking a rose from
the bush beside her and impulsively lifting it to
her lips and crushing them against the petals.
Blushing with confusion, she offered it to him.
He took it reverently, staring at the dew drop
..upon one of its petals. A miraculous dew drop,
for the grass was dry and ho other liquid dia
mond sparkled anywhere about."
L .". Slowly, silently, yet in perfect understand
ing, they moved back to the house.
tomorrow night. (Adv.)
CHAPTER XXXIV. (
Thompson' Plant Go Wrong.
ITvWaa.Jtl! 'oUowin? dr that, leaning against
iu P grating of iron, aha was aston
ished to And it bending before her. She looked
more closely and was astonished to find that one
bar had been cut cleanly through. She examinedi
the remainder of the bars. They appeared ab
solutely untouched bnt when she pulled harshly
.,? d.n reaUze wfc happened. Then m
thrill of thanksgiving went throbbing through
her heart. Beady-made was her means of escape.
Almost simultaneously with the though
came another and more terrifying one. Thia was
probably not a means of escape so much as a
means of entrance. Instantly her mind flashed
a picture of the silent Thompson. First she waa
tempted to call for help and expose the man
Second thought advised against this. No one
must know about the rubies, no one must know
about priceless stones. But what could she do?
She was still pondering the problem tha
night when still fully dressed she stood beside
the window looking out over the moon-splashed
patio. A furtive figure detached itself from the
shadows and. crept toward her. Strangely enough
it did not frighten her to recognize the butler,
fehe had tried her strength against the man once
and knew that she could call for assistance
should he enter the room.
She crouched in the opposite side of the
room, listening to the faint tinkle of snapping
iron bars as the man detached the ends from
their sockets. His head and shoulders appeared)
m the opening. Longer and longer grew hia
shadow in the room, then the faintest pat as ha
slipped to the floor. . -.
Breathlessly she watched his aproach. -fhera
was nothing undecided about his movements. He
waa swift; he was certain; he was sure. Not a
motion, not a step was wasted. His whole body
, was coiled like a spring, ready to leap in any di
rection, yet there was no fear or indecision about
it. He was almost over the bed, when Lucillo
sprang from her hiding place behind the door.
Instantly he turned, his head darting from
side to side like that of a giant reptile, his beady
eyes holding her own and striking terror into
the very soul of her. She realized in a flash what
it meant to stop a desperate thief in the midst
of his marauding, realized that the man she al
ways thought of as a servant was now a hunted
beast, cornered and at bay. Icy fingers clutched
at her spine, while little" ants' nests of nerves
tingled at the back of her neck. Thompson did
not speak. Slowly his hands opened and closed,
while a grin crossed his face, widened his mouth,
a hideously inhuman grin. She tried to cry out
but her lips were frozen shut. The capable
hands, the hands she recalled as always being so
competent to handle anything, were opening and
closing as he advanced upon her, with swiftness,
with certainty and with sureness, as though al
ready they felt in their strong yet delicate pads,
the feel of her throat.
He had almost reached her side when he
stopped suddenly, whirling toward the window.
Lucille unconsciously followed the direction of
his gaze. A long arm, the jacket sleeve of which
was slashed and pieced out with gold-trimmed
doe-skin was being extended into the room. Just
an arm it was, yet the hand that tipped it ex
tended still further within the room by, reason
of a long revolver it held. From the darkness
outside came a hissing sound, an angry, snake
like sound. Then, simultaneously, with the drop
ping cf Thompson to the floor, an orange spurt
of fire leaped into the room, the whine of a bul
let struck against her ears. But no report.
Lucille staggered back as her defender, the
lover who had promised his assistance, leaped
lightly into the room. His hand was upon her
arm, his lips at her ear. Reading his thoughts,
yet hearing nothing, she moved toward the win
dow and lifted her .tiny foot as though to mount
a horse. His hands cupped about it. She vaulted
to the casement and, in a second, had scrambled
through. The breath of the open, redolent with
all the perfumes of the night, assailed her nos
trils and she opened her mouth, laving her throat
with them.
By her side stood the man. For a moment
he waited, then urged her forward. She waa
free, free, free! Of course there were pickets to
be passed, but she had made one providential
escape tonight, why not another.
. Out of sight of the building she paused and
looked about her. How calm and peaceful and
friendly appeared the night. Or such a night
Leacder swam the Hellespont and Lero, beside
her, stood another Leander who would bra-ve as
much, had already braved more than ever did
fabled hero. The moon was full, rolling lazily
about atop a mountain peak as though . shaking
his jolly s'es with laughter at-this. triumph of
one he love.'" The stars winked merrily at her,
urging her on her way. Looking back at. the
made of silver and all the windows were dia
monds crusted there, the rigid leaves of tha
bayonet tree stretched upward as though guard
ing it, sentinel-like, against intrusion from tha
outside. The touch of a timid linger upon he
arm rtrought her from her reveries.
Tl.e horses wait, my lady."
Came a swift flashing of lights from tha
bouse they had left behind, a scurry of feet, the
sound of voices, loud, shrill, insistent. The.Mexi- -can
seized her arm fiercely and half dragged her
from off the court to a clump of bushes where
two horses stood, saddled and bridled. In a sec
ond she was in the saddle, the man beside her.
The clatter of hoofs rang out upon the ali
enee. Looking back she caught glimpses of dark
. figures silhouetted against the tropical vegeta
tion in the patio. A spurt of fire leaped out at
them like a living thing. The Mexican muttered
a guttural oath and urged his horse to more
speed. Lucille bent over her horse's head, bent
low, for the whine of bullets waa in the air
about them.
v Suddenly the Mexican grunted loudly. Hia
hands shot high in the air, then the horse fairly
ran from under him. . Upon the ground he
swayed a second then leaped against the shadow
of a giant fingered cactus plant. Lucille sprang
from her saddle and sought his side.
Red, warm blood gushed from the wound ia
his chest. But not more red it waa than the
rose his tightening fingers clasped unto hia
heart, a rose from which the dew drop of tha
day before had disappeared. His eyes were glaa
ing when she stooped and brushed her lips serosa
hi.-, forehead. A shadowy smile crossed his faoa"
as he opened his eyes once more, eyes that were)
soft and tender before they glazed.
"Go!" he muttered. "Go!" Then his'veicw
took on the resonant tone of a scant day or lesa
before. "It is the ripple of the Wishing Well,
ray lady. Got Bide -to the one your heart-"
desires."
Ha stiffened suddenly and a apart of tears
came from her eyes. Louder grew the shouts,
the roices. The air waa alive with long, darting;
flames. Loubeque's hive waa swarming.
She leaped into the saddle once more and)
dug her heels Into the horse's sides. Through tha
night she rode with all the Devils of Hell behind;
her and all the fear of a : thousand times aa
many demons in her heart, but with the ripply
of the Wishing Well in her ears, . .
(Continued Hart WeetJ