THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10473, 9 November 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

CHAPTER XlX—Continue

"This is excellent, monsieur," confirmed Dalmar, who was much pleased. "What do you advise?" "I advise nothing at present. lam ordered to attach myself to your i.,rty on arrival and would have waited on you before, but I was delayed by a sudden call elsewhere, which, with your permission, I will explain."

"Do so, monsieur." Dalmar was rubbing his hands in great spirits. "This Turkish attache, named Mustafa Bey, was described to me in one of the cablegrams. When I saw that lie was not with Madam Rotafl, I concluded he had returned to New York on the disabled Balearic, a full account'of that mishap having been in the papers. In fact, I did not then know; how or ; when Madam Roten might arrive. '"But we watched each incoming steamer, and on the Sardinia we found the lady and the others—except Mustafa. I scraped .acquaintance with M. Denton, learned how the lady .-boarded the Sardinia withfM. Talbot, but dared not ask about the attache, lest I should incur suspicion on their l-art." "Better and better, M. Perrone," said Dalmar. "Your actions are those of a most discreet man. Who pays for all this ? M. Marsovia-I,' of course. Noblo old man!" "Well, messieurs, as I left the St. George Inn I saw \ a man hanging about whom I spotted as this Turkish attache. I followed him. He went to an obscure inn. I showed the landlord my shield, and was escorted to a room adjoining the one occupied by this man, and through a transom saw him open one of ir/o valises, and it was filled with bank notes."

"My God!" eclaimed Dalmar, greatly agitated. "Listen, monsieur." And the prince, with Greer's occasional aid, made the detective fully acquainted with bhf d'jt.uU of ,r,no robbery on the yacht, and also of the matter of Alma's fortune, and the particulars of the marriage by proxy in Washington. Here Peronne had more to toll. "Had I known what I know now, messieurs, I would have arrested him at once. I suspected foul play, but the cablegrams stated that the attache and Madam Botan must be, if possible, kept track of until your arrival. This incident was what kept me from attending you at once on the yacht." j l '"' "It is unfortunate, but you are in no wise*to blame. Marsovian couldn't cable what he himself did not know. What next, monsieur?" "1 saw that the fellow was frightened. Perhaps he saw some of you on the street. Doubtless his passion for th« lady had caused lii-.i io ricar her until he dared do so mo longer. After repacking, he left the inn, went straight to the railway station, and boarded a London train, just then pulling out." "Then I suppose you lost him?"

"No, monsieur. I could not continue .'ho pursuit myself for ojivions reasons. But I wired to London, giving full descriptions, and this Mustafa will l>e followed there and his movements' duly reported." "Bravo! Let us embrace you." The prince actually folded the-little-detec-tive .in'his arms. what a man you are. You think of everything." Here the manager entered with x dispatch in his hand. ,

CHAPTER XX

LONDON;FURTHER NEWS

Tha dispatch was from the Loidon branch .if the detective agency, ami read. 1 "Man met— followed. What shall wo do? Wire instructions." The manager, as previously stated, h."i 1 relied. Pero'iiw reflected. "Suppose, we leave for London immediately," suggested Greer. "Nothing more to detain us here." "What do you suggest?" asked Dalmar. "HavefMustafa arrested?" "I think M. Greer is right," said the detective. "We must go on at co. I will wire to my confrere not to lose sight of the Turk, and arrest him, if necessary. What you want is to obtain possession of the stolen funds I think. An arrest might get the man but not Lho money —at once. • Am I right?" i "You are. An arrest means law suits and delay. Unless your man can se.;'.f> t)w Turk and tie money, t.<>o. it might be well to have him closely

OUR SERIAL.

BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWN,

shadowed until we get there, unless your man is likely to lose sight of him. Then, again, wo must not forget Madam Rotan."

"I should say not," exclaimed Greer emphatically. It was agreed that Peronno should wire in accordance with these precautions, and have Mustafa arrested only as a last resort, keeping a keen eye on the watch for the bag holding the treasure.

The three men then wont to the Adelphi in a fast cab, Peronne taking a sizeable bag as hii share of the luggage. After brief evplanations, Douglas gave final instructions to Bland about the Mist, and the whole party ■vcosooii esconced *> h ni>c-el iss compartment oil the London and Northwestern Railway, and on the way to EuslPii Square StiV..>n, wh'jie two four-wheelers took them to the Charing Cross Hotel in the metropolis. Then Dalmar and Greer accompany ied Peronne across the Strand into a side street near Trafalgar Square, to the London office of the dec -ctive agency with which the wiry little Henchman was oonnectei There vt-vrs awaited them, both of Alma and the thief Mustafa.

Madam Rotan, with the Denions -and the Rev. Mr Talbot, had gone at onoe to Paris. There Talbot had left them to go to the Riviera; the others had dined in a cafe near the depot. Mr Denton had purchased three first-class tickets through ,to Constantinople; had engaged a large bleeping compartment on a train that enabled them to' go direct to Vienna without change of cars. Mustafa had also gone to Paris; but before leaving London he had driven to the city to a well-known banking house with Eastern connections and had deposited a large sum of money, taking bills of exchange on, the Ottoman Bank at Constantinople. He, too, had bought a through ticket to Paris. According to the instructions of Peronne's dispatches from Liverpool he had been permitted to leave with out arrest, though, the shadowing of the man was rigorously continued. "Well, what do you think of this." demanded Dalmar dubiously. "He has deposited all his plunder where, at present we cannot touch it, expect by the dilatory process of the law, and this .might detain, us • here while we should be following up the chase". Evidently the thi# does not intend to waste money gambling." . Perrone shrugged his' shoulders. Hie was 1 acting" tettrVctlly under instructions, and whether he approved . the course of allowing JMustafa further freedom or not, was not so much a point with him as to do just.what he believed his present employers thought best. As shadowers the | agency Mas certainly a sticcess.

"I think he is, also .making for Constantinople," volunteered Green, who was ■personally eager to press on. "But I think it rather bold that he should openly make .such a deposit here of stolen funds."

"If the Ottoman Bank once places this money to Rotan Pasha's credit, in the name of lus tool Mustafa, only the threati of foreign complications arid possible war would make the Porte disgorge," commented Perrone. "I notice that the bills of exchange, are .made out in Rotan's name. The thief is, I fear, a shrewder man'than you, messieurs, have given him credit for. Our man should have had'him arrested on Mo way to the bank, but hesitated owing to the nature of our instructions from Liverpool." "What do you advise, M. Perrone?" asked Dalmar.

(To be Continued.)