Part 20 (2/2)

The single silken band did not suffice; other cords, diverted from the ornamental to a like practical purpose, ound around and around his excellency's legs and arhtly to the chair he could scarcelycompleted this task, Mr Heatherbloom next, with vandal hands, whipped from the wall a bit of priceless embroidery, threw it over the nobleman's head and, in spite of sundry frenzied objections, effectually gagged hi the heavy curtains so that they al man stepped once more out into the salon

How still it suddenly see girl had vanished Why had he heard no sound froht so on He went swiftly to the door

”Miss Dalryain--louder--then tried the door It resisted; he shook it

”Betty!” Yes; he called her that in the alarht Open the door”

Again that hush--nothing more Mr Heatherbloom pulled rather wildly at the lock of hair over his brow; then a sudden frenzy seemed to seize him He launched himself forward and struck fairly with his shoulder--once--twice The door, at length, yielded with a crash He rushed in--fell to his knees

”Betty! Oh, Betty!” For the moment he stared helplessly at the irl in his ar liers It was oddly cold, and a shi+ver went over hiht no answering throb, for his own heart was beating so wildly The world seehtened The filmy dress, not so white now in spots, had fluttered beneath her throat He gazed rapturously

”It'll be all right,” he said again ”Darling!”

He could say it nohen she couldn't hear ”Darling! Darling!” he repeated It constituted his vocabulary of terms of endearment He felt the need of no other She lay like a lily He saw nothing anomalous in certain stains of soot, even on the wonderful face where his had unconsciously touched it when he had raised her and strained her to him one mad instant in his arms In fact, he did not see those stains; his eyes were closed to such details--and the cri; he was unaware of it He was not, outwardly, a very presentable adorer but he becari hair, half-unbound; he raised one of the htly--or did he but breathe a divine fragrance? By some inner process his spirit seeot where he was; tiht abruptly back to the living present by a sudden knock at the door without, which he had locked after entering that way from the deck Mr Heatherbloo no response, soon went away Had they discovered what had happened to the foreman of the stokers who-pin? Thehimself, Heatherbloom believed he had killed the fellow The chance blow he had delivered with the formidable weapon had been one of desperation and despair It had been more than a question of his life or the other's Her fate had been involved in that critical ure to the shadows behind a life-boat They would not be likely to stu evidence while it was dark Nor was it likely that the foreman's absence beloould cause the men to look for him The overworked stokers would be but too pleased to escape, for a spell, their tyrannousnear the threshold of the dressing-roolanced noard the little French clock without Over four hours yet to port! Holy tihts, save one shaded lamp of low candle-power in the cabin; then he did the sairl was No one must peer in on him frohts were covered with canvas Mr Heatherbloom rehts In the dressing-roootten himself That would not do; hethis coup, born on the inspiration of the moment, to a successful conclusion Desperate as his plan was, he believed noould win out By the vibrations he knew the boat was still stea full speed on her new course The conditions were all favorable They would reach port before dawn; at break of day the health officers would co Should he answer that imperious summons?

Perhaps the man who had just knocked at the door had been one of the officers, or the captain himself, come in person to speak with his excellency about the unexpected change in the boat's course, or soht have arisen in consequence thereof

He looked toward the recess; between the curtains he caught sight of the prince's eyes and in the diht he fancied they shone with sudden hope--expectancy The noble of the door to the dressing-rooht was of no moment A viperish fervor replaced that other brief expression in his excellency's gaze

Once more that metallic call--harsh, loud, as not to be denied! Mr

Heatherbloom made up his mind; perhaps all depended on his decision; he would answer Stepping across the salon, he took down the receivers The singing on the wires had been pronounced; he could imitate the prince's autocratic tones, and the person at the other end would not discover, in all likelihood, the deception

”Well?” said Mr Heatherblooiven orders not to be--”

His voice died away; he nearly dropped the receivers A wo” so einov's tones were transmitted in all their intrinsic, flute-like lucidity

”What has happened, your Excellency?” she asked anxiously

”Happened?” the young ”

”Then why has the yacht's course been changed? I can tell by the stars from my cabinthat we are not headed at all in the sa--”

He tried to speak unconcernedly: ”Just changed for a short time on account of some reefs and the currents! Go to sleep,” he coation to others”

”Sleep? _Mon Dieu_! If I only could--”

Mr Heatherblooht have been capable of such bruskness Sonia Turgeinov had not see; she had ranted the nobleman was at the other end of the wire Mr

Heatherbloom strode restlessly to and fro Seconds went by--s of the clock--suddenly wheeled sharply