THE DOCTOR'S PROTÉGÉE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 511, 23 October 1912, Page 2

THE DOCTOR'S PROTÉGÉE.

(All Rights Reserved.)

By ALBERT LEE, Author of " The Baronet in Corduroy," " The Key of the Holy House," King Stork of the Netherlands," " The Black Disc," &c.

Published By Special Arrangement. ,

CHAPTER XX.—(Continued). "Ah, it is monsieur. How. is Jules?" he asked, anxiously. "Better. In an hour from now I shall know whether he will pull through." ' 'And are you staying till the hour expires, monsieur?" "Yes. But I came downstairs to get a breath of air, BernLer. Those windows in the sick man's room do not open. They ought to do so, for a man so sick as your brother should not be kept in such a stifling atmosphere." "I will see to it to-morrow, should he live," came the tired man's answer. "But monsieur will be careful in ascending the stairs when he returns to my brother's room. It is on the fourth landing, reckoning this as one, and you take the room on your left."

off at right angles from this outer portion were men in conclave. A screen was drawn part way across the angle, and consequently I could ee no one. I could only hear the voices.

My first impulse was to quit the room hastily, seeing that I had made a mistake; but while I turned to go away, I heard what caused me to change my purpose.

"Andrieno Telamone is now at Cannes, on board his yacht the Vallauris," said one. I was astounded. What could this mean? It was a dangerous thing to loiter in the room, for who could tell what men would do who discovered that someone was listening to their deliberations? My curiosity, however, was keen. If anyone came from behind the screen and saw me, there would probably be a dash for me, but I was near the door, and could escape to the dark staircase, and speedily •be in Marie's room, sitting at her father's side.

"I shall not forget," said I, lighting a cigarette.

Bernier left me when he had declined the cigarette I offered him, and stumbled up the stairs; leaving me on the doorstep. Now and again sounds came on the night air which showed that some of those who dwelt in the Rue de - Philippe were settling their disputes indoors, in'•r.ad of in the open air, where the gendarme might interfere. In the house to the right a man and woman wrangled, and presently there came a scream and sobs, showing plainly how the man had ended the .'irgument. Sometimes a solitary voice rang out in drunken song, and three or four others followed with the chorus. A child wailed, a woman cursed, a man's rough voice came later by way of remonstrajice, and a shriek followed.

I resolved to take the risk and stay, so long as Telamone's name was in question, for I might possibly hear whether anything threatened Teresina's safety. The man who spoke was recounting his recent doings, and since he spoke in French with some difficulty he made slow progress. . The story went on, and then I heard that it was he who had rowed out to the Vallauris, while she was anchored off the shore, and had left that startling message pinned down on the cabin table.

As his report proceeded I grew more venturesome. I went across the carpeted floor stealthily, and to cover my escape in case I was caught in the act of eavesdropping, I halted at the table, blew out the candle, and went close up to the screen. Through a hole which was broken in it I was able to peep and see what was passing behind it. Then I saw the other half of the room, and at a table covered with red baize sat a couple of men, one of whom was apparently acting as president, while the other had some papers before him, and took notes of what was said. Six or seven men were seated " around by the walls, listening. He who was speaking stood a little apart, but facing the others in such a way that I had a full view of him. There was one peculiarity about the man —his shoulders were not level, the left being very much lower than the right. This alone was sufficient to mark him as differing from . a hundred others, but his sandy hair and a squarely-cut beard of the same colour made him singularly conspicuous. Once seen, he was not easily mistaken. He ended his story as to his venture on board the Vallauris, and waited to hear what might be said in approbation or disapproval. For a while there was silence, the president thoughtfully tapping on the table with the end of his pencil. "Is that all, Regnauld?" he asked presently. "Yes, monsieur." "Was there a ladv on board?"

It was a terrible neighbourhood, and I wondered at one like Bernier living there, just as I wondered also at the contradictory nature of his niece—the virago one hour, the next hour a gentle-souled woman with a touch that was tender, and a fweart that was overflowing with love for her sick father. I remembered the waiter's explanation, that in Paris the poor must lodge where they could find a place, and not where they desired. In the house directly opposite to where I stood, I saw through an uncurtained window four men seated at a table, with a solitary candle to light the dingy room. They were gambling, the ill-luck or good fortune being accompanied with bloodcurdling oaths and shaking of clenched fists. Presently one man stood up, and, dashing the empty dice-box on the table, sprang at him who was scraping in his winnings, caught him by the throat with one hand, and hurled his fist into the man's face again and again. Soon the whole party engaged in the murderous melee, and I not only heard oaths, but saw the flash of steel. The sight was sickening, and I turned away so that I might see no more.

I little thought of what my next experience was to be, and of its startling effect upon my after life.

CHAPTER XXI. THE COMMITTEE OF PARIS, The stairs were in total darkness,, just as when I had descended. In coming down I had stepped carefully, holding to the handrail, feeling cautiously with my feet at every bend, and on each landing. The ascent, however, was much more trying. Once I stumbled at a turning, and fell sprawling ■' over the body of a woman who merely grunted druakenly, and went on with her sleep. Othters had tumbled over her, doubtless* but she slept in spite of the kicks the:y gave her by way of payment for the inconvenience she had caused.

"Yes, monsieur. I saw, her taken on board just before I pulled out to the yacht to leave the message of die Fraternity in the cabin. She seemed to be listless, as one who had been drugged—helpless, ?n fact."

"And you saw her face?" "Yes." "Tell us more, Regnauld. Had she the ruby-cross pendant on, which once belonged to the Fraternity—a pendant set with diamonds, and the cress formed with rubies in the centre?"

"Yes, monsieur," the man answered with deliberation, and it was impossible not to feel that he was speaking the truth. I had listened in curiosity rather than with any other feeling, so far; but now I was filled with consternation. Who was this lady whom Regnauld had seen carried on board the Vallauris? Was it possible that it was Teresina, whose hiding-place had been discovered, and who had been carried away' to the yacht, Heaven only knew how, so that the secret of the Scarlet-Cross package might be wrested from her? I recalled what I had seen about her neck that night when I saved he.from Telamone's mad onslaught with the dagger in the house next doo.r to my. own in Bristol—the pendant set with diamonds, with the ruby cross in the centre. It tallied with the description given by the man who was being questioned as to the outcome of his mission.

This interruptioa hsid put me out of my reckoning, and I forgot whether, when I reached the sleeping woman, I vfas on the second landing or the 'riiird. I counted it as the third when I stopped to consider, and coi.'iJ.inuec? my ascent. When I came, to the next landing I felt about for the door on my left. One thing I noticed whii'e my fingers sought the latch, that there' was a key in the lock; but th.'s did not surprise me. I opened the door softly, lest I should aw aken the sleeper, and, not looking bt -fore me, but intent rather on entering quietly, I turned and closed th e door without a sound.

On turning round again I" saw !h?t I had,made a mistake. I'.t was not the. room in which Ber Tiler's brother lay, being different in every way, alike in shape and generr i! appearance. The room where I\ Tarie •.at by her father's bedside was square, and bore every token . of ■-cnury; but here was an apart.' oent ■!<vo;n':':v furnished- Close at h and

If I had a doubt or a thought that there might be two such pendants I was convinced the next moment that it was Teresina, and none other, who was taken on board the Vallauris, for the president exclaimed :

vr.s n tabic, on -which a ligf if.ed •cnrdle stood ; there were a few ■lrurs in the place, and a mu ,ch-

"It must be the Signora Telamone, the daughter of Sarpi, against whom the Telamones had sworn a vendetta."

voni r-:i: ; "h i':v.-]cr th<: wlthVav. 1 "he ••:■;:■ pi i'.ivj'f was :;h'u T x;d ]il:c the \ .etcr L, and since % her:."d voices, . I

daughter, monsieur," interrupted Regnauld. "Ah! then she is not only in his power, but may be undergoing the torment he resolved to inflict upon her father before he actually killed him. It was part of the oath. Strangely enough, he did not knowthat the woman he married was a Sarpi; but I was told he made the discovery later." I thought I should lose my reason when I heard these words. What mad influence, I asked myself, had been exercised which induced me to escape when, at the moment of my leaving, Teresina was actually a prisoner on board the yacht? My first impulse was to turn away and quit the room in order to consider my position, but after a pause the president began afresh. What he now said filled me yet with greater alarm, and caused me to stand by the screen with my fists tightly clenched, and my breath to come in wild bursts, which bade betray my presence. "Now, about this lady, Regnauld. You have no doubt that she is Telamone's wife?"

"Not the slightest, monsieur." "And vou believe she is dear to him "

"I have knowledge which assures me that she is as dear to him as his own life."

"Then I propose, in pursuance of our policy of torment, which Regnauld has made Telamone acquainted with, that we strike at him through the wife." The president 1 spoke with a cold-bloodedness which was astounding, considering that Teresina had done the Fraternity no harm. He went on in the same tone: "Regnauld, you must make another journey to the Vallauris, and leave a message in the same manner that you delivered the last. We must tell Telamone that it is known to us either that he has the Scarlet-Cross package or knows its whereabouts, and that in his obstinacy he is defying the Fraternitv."

"I should kill him off-hand, monsieur," exclaimed one of the men. "That would never do. To kill him would be to lose all chance of obtaining the package, and the Fraternity is undone if it should fail in its endeavour to obtain it. Besides, .apart from any papers that may be therein, it tells of treasure we stand in absolute need of, if our ambitious plans are to be carried out successfully. Threats seem to have little effect on that man, and we must now strike at him through his wife, of whom, I hear, he is Aery fond. She must die if after due notice, he does not deliver the package."

I seemed to reel like one whose senses were about to leave him, but by an effort I controlled myself. One of the men spoke on Teresina's behalf.

"It would be a hundred pities to kill a lady who has never done the Fraternity any harm. Can we not devise other means of punishment?"

"None so effective." The president paused ; then spoke sarcastically : "Have you succumbed to that beautiful woman's charms, Montev?"

"Cease that!" exclaimed the other, sharply, almost menacingly. "I -speak for the signora because the proposal seems so cold-blooded, Ti.d I detest these murders done by this so-called Committee of Paris."

"But if I say it, who should object?" cried the president, haughtily. ! "The Fraternity gave me carte blanche, and when I suggest this course I expect you to acquiesce, unless you can propose anything better." Each man present made an alternative proposal, designed without exception to spare Teresina, but otherwise to torment Telamone. The president, pointing out a flaw in each, peremptorily demanded acquiescence in the plan proposed by him, and it was reluctantly decided that Teresina should die at the first possible moment, but after a warning given on board the Vallauris by Regnauld. J My soul was rent with grief and j rage, for now I knew that Tere- I sina s safety was everything to me. i and that I loved her so much that • no greater blow could fall than to ! have her die. I cursed my helpless- ; ness among such men as these, and | had I possessed a revolver I could have gone into the circle and fired ; point blank at the callous-heartec ; president. But I was powerless. 1 ! had no weapon, and it would have '■ been madness either to remonstrate or to hope to do any mischief tc I the members of this Committee of I Paris. ]

(To be Continued!) O.P. —IT. I