THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10458, 24 October 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWN

CHAPTER VIII— -Continued

"Your neice, sir. will not go with this lady, who does not exist but in Mustafa's lies. On the contrary, sihe will bo obliged to go with Mustafa, for with him is -her lot to be cast." "Master, sho will be made to believe that she will meet the lady on the steamer." "In what way, dog?" blazed forth Bavlidis, again poising the dagger, i "Palter not with us, or "he gripp- j ed Yaghid's throat. I Such treatment only assured them I of the valet's utter, abject fear of the disguised prince. It was probably too surest method of wringing from him the entire truth. "Mustafa took mo to the depot, to assist him in getting off. He had been drinking wane> as I said, and he told me ,all. Thy neiee, believing that this lady is to go Straight to the Balearic and to her state room without going to the hotel, owing to the steamer's early departure, will go there with Mustafa! For she trusts Rotan, and through him she trusts Mustafa, his servant. She also trusts Murahki, who is a friend of Rotan, and under obligations to that mighty favourite of the sultan. Lo! I have spoken only the truth as it was given to me when Mustafa was in wine—drunk. Do with me as you will." < Manxman groaned with renewod anxiety in behalf of his neice's headstrong ways. But Pavlidis, sheathing the dagger, took from the corner a thin walking stick. '"To thy knees, slave!" he commanded, and YagWd looked appealingly at the banker, who shook his head sorrowfully. "Punishment must such as you have, but we will salve t'hee afterwards. . J TV 1 Yaghid sank down again, and Dalvorig gave ham a dozen sharp blows across the back, counting as he proceeded. With each blow Marsovian placed a silver dollar on the table. Then the •disguised prince broke the cane, and threw down the pieces, roughly bad© the man rise, and pointed to the money. chapterix. the departure of the "balEARIC." "Take thy salve and go," ordered the' Armenian chief, assuming all his princely hauteur. "Darken not our eyes again with thy presence, else will it not be well with thee, Yaghid Yavirian." , Far from showing resentment the man adjusted his apparel, placed the coins in 'his pocket, and meekly left the house. Pavlidis listened to make sure the fellow had gone, then spoke to the banker. "See the difference between < these people and these Armenians. This Yaghid will murmur not, but will save the money that is his disgrace, and he ' will again seek other service, ready to deceive and betray, provided he gets his- price v One of'your Armenians, now, would eii&Ler run, whip out a weapon, ,or raise a, disturbance of some sort, whether he was guilty or not. Ah, Hagop,, they have'hot generations of cruel tyranny yoking their necks as iwe have."

"True, my prince. Nor do they know the meaning of the word 'slave' as we do. But let us snatch a few hours' sleep. You are still young; I am old, and my limbs ache like unto Job's. You will tell me, in the meantime, of our litle Thelma. Would fo God that Alma was still here to greet her twin sister and thee." "Perhaps sihe Av-ill be. I have consulted a tidal record, and I find that the Balearic will not leave until noon! We ought to reach her before she goes from the dock."

After,a few more mutually consolatory words they retired. The hour >vas late. After an early breakfast they would take the morning express. Jonson attended Pavlidis in the hitter's bedroom. Inventing sundry tasks he still lingered near the dbor. , ■; "Well?" demanded the,-Armenian, in his imperfect English. "What iss it. , ,; v , : "Here is something I found when M. Marsovian's niece left. I was cleaning the grate. It had been thrown in there. I—l took the liberty of reading it, and thought it might be of- value. But I was not sure until to-night.'?

"You are a shrewd rascal. Give it tome." ' "Here it is, sir. lam no rascal. I merely wish tc add to my small wages, sir."

Pavliclis, having read the crumpled paper, looked up. His eyes shone. "Too shrewd you are to be long a servant.' He tossed Jonson a dollar. "Take that and go." The servant, though only half understanding the French Pavlidis was continually, understood the dollar and the gesture. He bowed low and withdrew. ..! , " 'Prom Captain Sholto Douglas to M. Sidney Greer.' "read Pavlidis. "So jmuch I can make Qut-._ This may be important." I He threw on a dressing robe and fought Marsovian; who was about to Jie down in his "own room. One look the banker gave the paper. "This must be the letter Greer told me that he gave to Alma warning her against Rotan. She probably threw it in the grate on the night of the marriage by proxy. Probalbly thought it unworthy of credence." "I know Douglas," said Pavliclis, "and ho knows me. Once in .Bitlis, my men captured the governor of Cilicia and his escort. With them were

OUR SERIAL.

bwo Englishmen; one of them was this Douglas. I gave them their liberty, telling them that our aim was not brigandage, .but revenge upon the Turk for our slaughtered countrymen. We became friendly, and now he is in New York."

"Why, Sidney thought that he was in London, I think."

"He had run across in a remarkably fast yacht of his own design. He used turbines and built as an experiment. Just before I left for here, he promised to take Thelmo, down New York Bay. We will see him in Manhattan, and it appeal's that he also knows Alma, having met her when m Europe with you. When he saw Thelma he would have addressed her as her sister, but for the Eastern style of dress Thelma likes to wear indoors. Now, having read this letter, I will go back. Good-night. Sleep soundly my friend."

Before sleeping himself, Pavlidis recalled the amazement that thisDouglas had shown on beholding th« fierce DaLmar, Prince of Dalvorig, transformed "into a peaceful silk merchant. /

"H'm. I gave 'him liberty when I might tove taken his life, and thus made him my friend. It struck me, too, that he looked a good deal at my Thelma down New York Bay. Well, might, it not be wise for my pretty cousk-german to marry a rich Frank, rather thaoa remain in a country so distracted as ours. She will not leava me, she says. "But," he sighed heavily, "my life is ever most uncertain." Was Dalmar thinking of the future as Telated to himself, and of the sombre yet glorious fate that awaited him in the far East ? If so, the gloom toon gave way to. slumber. He slept very peacefully.

By sunrise Marsovian and the prince were gliding northward., but before they reached Philadelphia the train was delayed by washouts; so that it iwas nearly noon when the couple landed from a ferry boat in West Street.

; Pavlidis was inflamed with repressed eagerness lest the Balearic should leave her dock before they arrived.

They drove in a hack to the White, Star Line pier. A tug was already attaching itself to pull the big liner into tihe stream. The pier was full of people, teams and freight. Friends on deck were calling and wa?ing to friends on shore: The gang-planks' were still down as, casting a keen eye along,the-Balearic's. rail; PaViidis and Marsovian sprang from their carriage. I Alma they soon saw. She was £lone on the forward deck. Marso-

vma,, running forward, waved his handkerchief. The girl started, and smiled and then she called down : ; <'Why uncle, what is wrong?"' "Everything is -wrong," screamed the excited banker. "You -must hurry down here to us—to ime."

. "I am all right, dear uncle. Mustafa Bey brought me safely. Madam Izmirlian the lady I am to travel with, is in her stateroom. . She is something of an invalid. But what brings you here?,"

A tremendous hissing of steam here •drowned all conversation. M. Pavlidis had dashed recklessly on board, and was looking 'here and there. Just ■as he feared that he was too late to find Mustafa Bey the later appeared.

(To be Continued.) >