THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10476, 13 November 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWN,

CHAPTER XXll—Continued. "How could Rot an known that the girl was on tho train?" asked Greer. "That is easy to understand, brother," explained Pavlidis. "Alma may herself have telegraphed to her husband. If she still had faith to go on, and distrusted Shemo, what more likelv than that she whould post the pasha as to her movement?" "Rotan has a palace on the Achu, a small river emptying into the Bosphorus," said Stevens, who though originally a Scotland Yard detective, had for ■years served in Stamboul as local manager for the celebrated private agency employed by our party. "A drive of seven miles from Serea would place Madam Rotan fully under control. She will be helpless as a babe in Rotan's hands , whatever his designs may be." Sena Yapoul, who had gone to the telegraph office, now returned with a message in cipher from Perron©, at Belgrade. Only the effective use of gold secured, the delivery of these secret telegrams, unconfiscated by the government censor. Unable to read them themselves, their meagre pay rendered them susceptible to bribes covertly given.

Once deciphered, Pavlidis now knew that Mustafa 'had deluded Perrone long enough to board a through train, and was then in or near Constantinople, disguised as an officer of the Turkish army. "Shrewd move that," commented Stevens. "As an officer he will be little bothered by the customs officers or the police. He should be met at the train and followed, that is if he is not already here." -""■ The four now engaged in closer consultation, during which a plan of operations was outlined. The Mist would hardly arrive for several days. In ease of extremity, Pavlidis considered that her presence might be necessary-/ to secure the safety of the party after the plot agreed on should be consummated. Whether successful or not, some secure method was essential for them to feel sure of a reasonably safe escape.

This was especially desirable should Alma and the American treasure be recovered.

"But the Mist- need not delay our work," said Pavlidis confidently. "We must act, and at once." "I am with you there, my boy," exclaimed Greer, striking his large hand into that of the prince. "When I,think of the treatment Alma Burian may be undergoing—now—as we sit here, inaction becomes a.sin." ■ •-■ •

. "Patience, brother," sdid Pavlidis soothingly. "In proportion act promptly, we must be wiser than serpents. -Then only can we be bold, and —have a chance at success."

"I feel that you are right " "We are right, brother. Tliis is not America,. Craft and guide and gold are worth their price here. Stevens and Sena know these people even better than I do. My word for it, wjhen the time oomes to strike, St. Gorgian will prosper." Pavlidis and Greer returned on foot to Byzane's Hotel. They were followl>y lYjapoul. Stevens departed elsewhere on.other purposes bent. Sena, as a native of Scutari, a Moslem and a Turk, a sort of "guarantee in public that Franks were all right. In that day of old Abdul Hamid's power and j cruel rapacity, supicion was every-1 where rampant. To be a Christian, | and especially an Armenian, was tant- j amount to being looked upon (suspiciously in the streets of Stamboul.

At the (hotel they found, with Madam lagilos, the Dentons, who had at once hastened from Missiri's to be with the friends of Madam Rotan. Sena, understanding English, listened to Denton's detailed description of the kidnappers, then announced? "It is the work of Rotan Paslia — may his soul be steeped in Tophet! What sayest the Koran: 'The lieart of a deceiver of a friend shall lay at the )x)ttom of the lowest pit.' '" "AVhei-e is Thelma?" suddenly demanded Pavlidis.

''Captain Douglas took her for a. walk," said Madam lagilos. *Tsaid itW4is imprudent, but they would go." "It is highly imprudent," grumbled the prince. "We should be seen as little as-possible. Douglasforgets Stamboul. is not London or Paris. Something of our pursuit and presence 'must be known, and was doubtless Rotau's reason for abducting Alma, thus preventing the deluded girl from meeting her friends."

"Such espionage must cost him some little money," commented Greer. "Not much, for the empire is full of

OUR SERIAL.

professional spies, which system the Porte fosters carefully. They will work for a. dozen different masters, leeching blood money from each. Remain carefully here, M. Denton, you and your lady, for we must try to find Douglas and my cousin Thelma, whom I trust has not yet come to any harm." Taking Greer, the prince went to another room, took out from his trunk a couple of semi-Oriental costumes and bade the Westerner don the larger ,* while he himself put on the other. On the street, a few moments late, they presented the appearance of ,jswo Greek merchants, following their usual business routine. An hour or so later they ran on Douglas who was hurrying through a narrow street of bazaars, and seemingly distraught and unhappy. "Douglas," broke from Sidney anxiously, "what is the matter? Where is Thelma?"

Sholto Douglas stared, gasped, then exclaimed:

"I didn't know you Greer. Is this Dal "

"It is Pavlidis," broke from the prince sharply.

"Never mind our looks. Where is

my cousin?" "I —I don't know where she is. We went into that bazaar for some perfumes. T stepped into a rear room to look at something the man wanted to show me. When I came back Thelma had vanished! The man looked astonished. I rushed out on the street —you see how crowded it is—but not a sign of her was visible. Nor have I seen her since. I learned that a chair that was borne by four Gakta porters, had stopped at the door of the curio shop and a lady had got in, followed by a dervish." "Did you learn which way the chair went?" said Sena Yapoul, who had shadowed the prince as a sort of secret guard. "Toward G-alata, I think. The fact of <a dervish attending a woman in a public place was unusual enough to attract attention, or I could not have learned that much." "There are a hundred chairs bearing veiled women attending these bazaars, and many of them cross to GaJata," said the Turk, not much impressed by the Englishman's sharpness. "Can monsieur show me the bazaar just where disappeared?" he asked: ' * ' Douglas could and did- The poor fellow was sadly worried himself. The Turkish detective begged his companions to wait there for him, and entered the place. In five minutes he returned and was followed by the attendant at a distance. "Was the man dressed as a dervish I gray-bearded, and with a crooked nose [ and a. cast in on© eye,.and with a gold [ and green tassel to his dirty fez?" | Douglas stared as Yapoul continued. "By jovel I believe he was some such fellow. What about it?" "This chap," indicating the shopkeeper, "is o-lso a, Government spy. The pretended dervish as only a sham. I have found out that much already. But it doesn't help us much." *'ln the' name of Satan, what are you driving iat," said Pavlidis so fiercely that the well-trained Turk stepped back involuntarily. "I mean, effendi," said he suavely,

"that half of these shop attendants are Government spies, in the pay of the chief eunuch at Yildiz." ■ "What—the sultan's man?" , "Yes. But unfortunately for the safety of the young woman, it is almost certain that she was lured into the chair under some pretense. It is nob likely- that she is on the way to Yildiz hut it is reasonably certain that she is being taken, to some suburban harem!" "Oh, this is fearful!" said Greer. "Ami this is at the close of the nineteenth century. Now wo have two to rescue. Surely there is the devil to pay, and no pitch liot!" "Despair not, brothers," said the pseudo silk merchant solemnly. "They shall be found and freed. I swear it, nor do J ever take an oath in vain." (To be Continued.)