THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10474, 10 November 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

CHAPTER XX—Continued

"Well, what do you think.of thn?" demanded Dalmar dubiously. "He lias deposited all his plunder where, at present, wo cannot touch it except bv the dilatory process of the law, and this might detain us here while we should be following up the chase. Evidently the thief does not intend to waste money gambling." Perrono shrugged his shoulders. He was acting strictly under instructions, and whether lie approved the course allowing Mustafa further freedom or not, was not so much a point with him as to do just what he believed his preent employers thought l>ost. As shadowed tho'agency. was certainly a suc-

cess. "I think he's also making for Constantinople," volunteered Greer; who was personally eager to push on. "But I think it rather bold that he should j openly make such a deposit hero of . stolen funds." "If the Ottoman bank, once places this monev to Rotan Pasha's credit, ill the name of his tool Mustafa, only the threat of foreign complications and possible war would ma.ke the Porte disgorge," commented Perrone. "I notice that the bills of exchange are made out in Rot-an's name. This thief is, I fear, a shrewder man than you, messieurs, have given him credit, for being. Our man should have had him arrested on the way to the bank. but hesitated owing to the nature of our instructions from Liverpool." "What do you advise M. Perrone asked Dalmar. "Now that he only lias the bills et exchange with him, I would follow him and the lady. Mustafa "has bought his ticket ,to Paris only as a blind. Depend upon it, now that ho has assigned the stolen funds to the Ottoman Bank, he will make for Constantinople by the quickest route. There only is he safe." One of the clerks here entered with a yellow strip of paper. Perrone in- 1 terrupted himself to seize it eagerly. "What did I tell you, mesvieurs!" he exclaimed. "Listen: " 'Man met at depot, as instructed 5 . Left by. first through to Belgrade.' " "I wonder if he learned anything about the other party?" queried Greer vaguely. "He undoubtedly knows of their destination,- and by his eagerness to reach Constantinople he may have ulterior designs upon frladam Rotan there, through Rotan himself." This from Perrone thoughtfully. "I sup-pose-the sooner we are off the better? "Yes, yes," said Dalmar impatiently. ' 'Between wishing to overtake my cousin and overhaul this rascally Shemo and our treasures, I have fallen between two extremes and*»m really nowhere. Let us, then, in God's name, hurry to Stamboul." "Are you safe there, prince?" asked Greer anxiously. "About as safe as you would be withyour head in a lion's mouth. But I know the Turk and his ways. If our treasure is going there, I will follow it % nor atn'l altogether without the means to'wrest it from old clutches, and my pretty cousin from his minion, ■ should extreme measures be necessary. ( The important thing now seems to be to get there, and to keep posted on the way concerning Madam Rotan's party ahid that thief Shemo." "As a matter of precaution I will arrange to have our men posted both at Vienna, and Belgrade," said Peronne, rising. , "Your firm seem to have connections everywhere, monsieur. How about ■Constantinople?" "I used to be stationed there myself, But we are well represented by others. That point, however, was attended to by our Liverpool office, as soon as we found, through M. Marsovian,' that Constantinople was the objective point toward which all these threads tend. ' "But how did you know " began Greer.

""Pardon, me," linternipted Peronne. "During my intercourse with M.-Den-ton, who is very communicative, he intimated enough to satisfy my mind on that point. I will now telegraph full descriptions to our representatives along the route." "All this wiring must cost a lot of money," said Greer. "The sum placed to our credit by M. Marsovian was five thousand dollars, American money. Do not worry. If Ave should need more, I can then call upon you." "Do, old man. lam aching to put up a stake," said the impulsive Westerner. "But old Marsovian is all right —eh prince?" "Nohle old man!" exclaimed the prii>.ef>. as the detective withdrew to •wire the necessary descriptions in the agency's own code. "But I fear that Pennine does not take into account that, in Turkey, the Government censorship extends to .telegrams as well as letters, newspapers and mails in general"

"He may be tip to their dodges," volunteered Greer, anxiously. "If Rotan Incomes aware, through .Mustafa, of the present state of things our telegrams will.be seized by the Government as fast as Peronne can send them. That is, when they reach Turkey proper." "What a rotten country. Every time I cross the big pond I thank God that lam an American. But, say! If Rotan. gets hold of any of those telegrams, won't they post him as to poor Alma's movements? Likely as not she will walk into some beastly trap. ' "I'll question Peronne," said Dalmar, more and more impressed by the possible danger.

When the little man came back these

OUR SERIAL.

BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWN

■arguments were briefly stated, but the detective smiled, and in reply handed the prince a paper, on which was scribbled a number of alphabetical characters, seemingly at random. "Can you read that, gentlemen?"

"Why, it's undecipherable rubbish," said Greer. "What is it?" "Only tho last page of tho dispatch I am having sent through to Vienna, Belgrade and possibly Stamboul." "I see. It is in cipher. Go ahead, old man. Your head is level." And the irresistible Westerner hit the little man a thump on the back that must have jarred his spinal column. "Not knowing what it means the censor may let it pass—eh?" "Especially if the would-lie recipient slips a number of gold piastres into some convenient official hand. Minor officials are poorly paid in Turkey. Gold goes farther there than in Western Europe." , "My friend," said the prince warmly, "in you we have undoubtedly hecured a jewel. . And now let us return to the hotel and secure passage for our party to the East. Only there do I feel myself supreme. I know the methods of our tyrants; I have plumbed their corruption and I have measured their swords. Verily, we will yet succeed."

CHAPTER XXI

MADAM ROTAN GOES TO TURKEY.

Alma rose from her sliabby sleeping berth in the coach and drew aside the window curtain. Early morning was clearing the night air and she saw a series of low, bare hillsides with narrow wooded valleys gliding by. Occasional huts of wood or rough stones, slovenly ricks of straw, and the humped forms of cattle and sheep huddled here and there were also visible. A general unkemptness of poverty and dirt impressed her most in the moving scenes through which the dawdling train passed. The car itself was a shabby affair, divided by soiled curtains into sections of varying sizes. The window shades were adjustable slats strung in such array that pulling a cord opened them, enabling the one inside to see out, yet be herself invisible from outside observation. At one end, in a small closet, a fat Rumelian porter wearing a soiled, fez, was gently snoring in unison with the monotonous click, click of the car wheels over the rails. The train was nearing Constantinople. It was a through express from Belgrade, and the last previous stop had been at Adrianople. But the speed was tedious. About this time in came Mr Denton, who, .being an early riser, had been in a forward car to smoke.

As neither the girl or Mrs Denton had taken the trouble to disrobe for the night, considering the dirt and the semi-public condition of the coach, the ladies were instantly ready to receive: anyone who came along. "Morning, morning, morning," began Denton heartily. "Wretched travelling arrangements, aren't they? Been all night coming from our last stopping place, and that smudgy porter says we can't reach Constantinople before ten. You, Madam Rotan, look quite ohipper, but I guess this long railwav jaunt has about worn you out, eh?"

"Oh, I am quite well, but I am glad we are near the end."

A certain vague ;_ anxiety haunted her eyes, for, .great as was her faith in the man of her choice, now that the ■hour was near at hand, she began to feel nervous, .timid, strange. Back near the frontier,, at a halfruined town, when the muezzin's sonorous call had first met her ears, the fact that she was really in the land of Ismalism shook her fortitude with baleful suddenness. The sound of the terms "Allah" and "Mahomet" were distasteful to her primal Christian conception of the eternal fitness of things. When the fat porter swore to himself, the new oaths,became in her mind's eye a sort of barrier, separating her from the free, vulgar, yet familiar "cuss words" of the far West.

But the spirits of Mr .and JVTrs Benton were not to be lowered by anything savoring of sentiment. The prospect of a late breakfast, or perhaps no breakfast at all, alone made the world for them a dreary abiding place just then. Mr Denton had returned from a. verbal assault on the car porter, and Mrs Denton was watching the forlorn landscape. The sight of a mud hovel with a cow and a woman looking from the same apperture doing duty as a door, completed her disgust. (To be Continued.)