THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10456, 21 October 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWN

CHAPTER VII. BANKER MARSOVIAN'S VISITOR. After tho departure of Sidney Greer for New York, M. Marsovian passed the day in a state of strange suspense and expectation. At luncheon he rated the servants about sundry trifling oversights, and afterwards frequently consulted his watch. He did not- leave the liouso at all. But the hours of waiting were without the expected interruption, until tho streets were being lighted for the night. Then a servant ushered into tho banker's private room the 6ame man whom Greer had already met in Philadelphia as the silk merchant, M. Pavlidis. The interval between the ringing of the door bell and the appearance of the visitor was passed by the banker in a state of singular excitement. He paced the room, clasped and unclasped his lean, hands and spoke to himself in the Armenian tongue. ' ! ' ,It .was, in this language, after the servant had withdrawn, Marsovian uttered his first greeting. -"Son of my old patron!" he cried. "Welcome-art thou! Let me look at thee. Ah!—off with these disguises! Off with them! Art thon the Prinoe of Dalvorig—or who? Let .me look once more on Dalmar, .the Armenian —Dalmar, the terror of the Turks!" "Tut, tut," began the stranger, folding the banker in a strong embrace and planting a kiss on each lean cheek. ' 'Art still Marsovian,' boyish as ever, yet long-headed —shrewd, devilishly shrewd? Behold me. This is not Dalmar, of DalVorig, tilt Pavlidis, the Greek. I left Dalmar on the slopes of Ararat, overlooking Van, where we played together as lads.' Here lam a silk merchant from Stamboul, whose heart is in thy strong boxes among thy piastas; yea, verily." '.'Wrong art thou. Ha, ha, ha!" Marsovian laughed gaily. "Say rather that thou soul is with our oppressed people, whom these piastas shall help redeem, even as thy sword is steeped in tho blood of our country's oppressors. So be it. Let Dalmar remain at home. It is also more safe, for we must meet deceit with subterfuge. Were it known of men that the Prinoe of Dalvorig, instead of Constantino Palvidis, had come for the half million that you will take iback to Vap " "No more of this!" The stranger suddenly pinched the banker's shoulder, that he had again embraced, at the same time watching the door. f Wo may be overheard." This in a whisper. The sank palpitating into a chair. Palvidis sprang-noiselessly to the curtain through which he had been 1 admitted. After listening intently for a moment he returned, his keen face alive with a catlike ferocity. "I was right, Hagop Marsovian," said Prince Dalmar, of Dalvorig, or Pavlidis, as he preferred to be known. "Same ona waslistening. Thou should have been more cautious.. Who of thy servants ■ t , t "There is noije of ( my household,,'' broke in the banker. ' 'But I have suspeoted that at'-the legation? means vtere to spy upon.my laffairs.'' '

"Your wealth makes you of import tance to your enemies. Let me confront the spy if you think one is near. I will read his secret, or— —"

The face of Pavlidis took on an expression that awed Marsovian. The banker saw before him, no longer the excitable silk merchant-,. but the hereditary avenger of his people's wrongs. "Forget not thy own caution" urged Marsovian, at tH# same time pressing an eleotric buttokl ' "Those here must know you only, as Pavlidis,". " Then to a servant who appeared: "Where is Yaghid, my valet? Did he not show this gentleman in?" ."Yes, sir. But lie'has just stepped down to the grocer's down the street' for- "

"Run thou quickly. Stop for no.tiling.: Bring l him'back.- Hurry Johnson. Do you hear?"

The servant, a shrewd American lad, vanished. Pavlidis shook liis head deprecatingly;, / ' ' ' " "Why dp you retain for valet >a native of iMoosh ? I know the; name. A great Aariy fainilies'arei CalledYaglud. Half-hearted slaves of the Kurds, all of them. Ah, Hd'gop, I fear you are too well known at the legation already." "Yaghid is, I think, all right. • He came to me last year, fresh, from Armenia ; and he with difficulty speaks the English tongue now." But Pavlidis sliookhis head. Seating himself, he took out some papers and began sorting them. Marsovian joined him. Presently Johnson returned.

"Beg pardon, sir," he began, "but your valet did not go to the grocer's. I hardly know .what- to make of these furreign .chaps, if you will excuse the remark, sir." Pavlidis continued his work, w'hile the hanker motioned Johnson to go. Then the other looked up. "Bad work, Hagop. That fellow Yaghid is by this time reporting at the legation to those in whose pay he is .that I am an emissary from Dalvorig ; perhaps that! am Daimar. Also, that I am after not only your oWri donation but the fund also raised by our brothers now in Now York. /But nevei' mind old friend; they, shall not prevail. Armed with this gold-1 wili yet smite •the mighty for many moons to come. Let us confer together concerning that which hath brought me here." For ,a long time the-two bent their heads over papers, talking in low tones and interchanging sundry documents.

OUR SERIAL.

Finally Marsovian drew a draft for one hundred thousand dollars .payable to the secretary of the native Armenian fund in New York. "This ought to assure my countrymen, here end at home, how dear is the cause to me," concluded the banker. And now —business over, let us to dinner.'' While at the table, but after the servants had withdrawn, Marsovian first spoke of his niece's marriage,by proxy. The brow of Pavlidis grew clouded as ho listened. "What!" he exclaimed. "A daughter of Yigola turn Turk? Not so is it with Thelma. She would scorn to bo the bride of even old Abdul, the tyrant. She is a true child of your sister, Hagop." "Yigola was always a fervent patriot, a true Armenian. She was your aunt by marriage, and her husband, educated at the American oollege at Stamboul, was as truly a patriot as yourself. Yigola'died, praying for vengeanoe on the Turk who persecuted her husband. , Yea, persecuted him be-, cause he waa of the blood of your house." . . , "Aim! Thelma is devoted to t&e catise her parents died for, Hagop."

"True. She x*emainedi at home with you. But Alma came to America as a child. Therein lay the difference between tho sisters. Alma saw a chance to make what she deems a great marriage I fear the poor girl, has made a big mistake." Thereupon Marsovian told what he had heard concerning Rotan Pasha, while Pavlidis listened with growing anger. Almost as soon as he heard the pasha's name, he struck the table with his fist.

"Out on thee, Hagop. The girl is ruined. Alas! I should have kept by me both my cousins. Honor is better tham gold old man. This Rotan, being in high favor with the tyrant already has a royal princess to wife. Alma goes simply to her own destruction — unless she can I>e stopped in time. Old friend, brother, why dids't thou permit tbiiS thing?" Marsovian tried to explain how determined and self-willed the girl was,, how, being of age, she had openly refused obedience; insisiting upon the strange ceremony wherein Mustafa Bey was Rotan's mere instrument. "And a viler instrument never served a viler, master. Pavlidis's eyes" were blazing. ' "I know both of these scoundrels! Would ! 1 might have arrived two days sooner. But you must go on with me at once. I will take no refusal. Your American friend, M. Greer, will do what he can., But he is not. up to all the cunning'df the Turk. That Mustafa—bah ! Do I not know him. Oome, get .ready. Pack a bag. Arrange to be gone, if necessary, some time. Alma must be stopped in her mad design!" Marsovian, bewildered by the fiery insistence of the other, still shook his head, "But Pavlidis instated, - : .' with -me hOTself;' She came to seei her sister. Now do you see why it ia that . Ahrift, must be overtaken —sayed from a .life, of degrada tioii?'?' ■ -i

j■ ■ Thelpia. her© ?" ' 013' 'Hagop wag 1 staggered", for Pavlidis had hitherto said almost nothing of affairs apart from his main business, the securing of jmohey for revolutionary purposes. "Tell .me, my prince, what does this mean?" r

Pavlidis la.u'ghed. He seized the old man's hands in his strong, magnetic clasp..

■'lt means that Thelma is more safe with me than elsewhere. It may mean that Alma, too, will find safety only with the cousin of her s father. •When we are on the way we shall know more. You know me. Come', Hagop. Make ready for our departure."

Such was Pavlidis' force of character that iMareovian retired to do his bidding. While the silk merchant■waited patiently Jonson came in from ; the street, a knowing look in his eye. "Do you and the boss still want to know .where Yaghid. is ? " -., Pavlidis took out a gold coin and held, it up, eying the lad intently. Jtist then Mareovian' hurried in, suit case in hand, Pavlidis turned to the 1 banker, saying: "Tell your-nuui to speak freely.' • My English is riot glood, but if: his news is, this money is his." ; "Yaghid is at'the B. mud 0. depot, •sir," began Jonson eagerly. - "With him is the gent that stood up with Miss Burian atthe wedding- "

"How? What?" The banker was startled. "Mustafa Bey and my valet •together at the depot. How " M. Pavlidis placed the coin in Jonson's hand, comprehending that time might be precious, saying: "Run! Fetch the carriage round at once!"

Jonson hurried away. Marsoviaii turned to his friend excitedly. '• "What ought I to do?" he began.

"Come with me," Pavlidis snapped out the words. - ''We will meet* that carriage. Bring along that bag. We must try to catch the same .train that that rascal Mustafa Is going to take." He .fairly dragged Mar so via n. from the house, while the banker called to his butler that he would telephone or otherwise communicate his orders. Presently the two were stowed inside a taxi-cab that. Jonson- had managed to secure, and were hurrying towards the B. and O. depot at a great pace.

(To be Continued.)