THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10482, 20 November 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

Bk r WILLIAM BROWN

CHAPTER XXVll—Conimicct "Death to the infidel!" ho shouted. "No quarter! Let us, if necessary, soil our lives dearly; so, that hy our J/ioody protest, wo may rouso tho Christian powers to save our dying race. Armenia! my country! if we die i'or thee, our hearts smile, for through us thou mavsL bo .saved!"

Sobs, groans, oaths, and nearly cheers answered the prince, who was fairly home from the dais as each in turn embrace him again iuid again. It was truly a scene unique, and impossible except under similar surroundings anrd history.

Amid all this excotement camo in an old man with, white hair and board. who had admitted Dalmar and the'rest He raised his hand; the tumult stop-

pod. "My friends," ho said, "spies u-o abroad and around!" Tlio assemblage melted like a mist through a number of more or less sec-

ret outlets. In one minute only Palmar, Sarkis, and the old man remained. The prince whispered to the old man,, who led them through other passages to a room filled with costumes, weapons, accoutrements, and other things that were used largely by the secret revolutionary society known in Turkey as "Hunchagists." Here the two further disguised -themselves as Egyptian' servitors, of whom many were in the train of noted Ottoman dignitaries. Other means of further disguise they concealed about their person. After that, emerging on a bacic street, they sought the harbour, engaged a fast rowing boat, and -by the time the stars were out they were skimming the Bosphorous at it rate that soon brought them to the mouth of the Achu. Here they met a caique approaching so carelessly that the oars of the two craft became entamgled amid much native vituperation from" each craft. During this Dalmar noticed the handle of something he at onco recognised, and quickly drew it forth. It was a dainty Parisian parasol which lie had given to Thelma a few days l>efore. ,

"Here," said lie to the captain of he caique, "I recognize this. Where did you come by it?" "How, now, Egyptian slave " bellowed the other, who had been drinking. ''What means tliis ?"

Tiie supposed EJgyptitin a handful of silver to the other oarsmen of the caique. In reply the captain drew up a handful: of gold pieces.

"Dost think Ave Avill look at silver?" said he. "Restore the parasol." 'Wilt have some of mine?" returned Dalmar, producing.a larger liandful of gold. "I would talk Avith thee."

Upon that came a peace parley, one result of Avhich Ava.s that some of Dalmar's gold remained Avith the caique's crew, Avhile in return lie told Dalrnai of the dervish and the fair girl in Frankis'h gar!) who had gone into the grounds of the Palace Bukdere. Her parasol uas left after she recovered from her SA\oon, having been hardly noticed by any one until Dalmar recognized it.

"Are you sure the girl recovered?" asked the disguised prince. "Aye. She Avalked aAvay Avith the holy man of her oaati. accord." Feeling sure that he was on the trail of Thelnia as Avell as Alma, and that both had somehoAV been taken to the same place, Dalmar urged his boatmen to greater speed. "That dervish puzzles me, Sarkis/'' said tlio prince. "Depend on it, master, the dervish jis no dervish; but only some other*n- | vention. by whicli tliose emissaries of I Eotan disguise their villainy." And so the matter rested until they arrived in front of the palace. Running their boat under a screen of bushes near the staris, and leaving Sarkis on guard over the boatmen, Avho Avcre promised ample reAvard, Dalmar departed on his perilous mission of discovery.

Ho know enough of Rotan's affairs to pretend being a courier of 'ho pasha's master of horse, whom he knew was at Yildiz, waiting on the sultan. His adventures inside the palace we alieady know. Still, in 'lie guiso of an old woman, ho reached one of the gardens, whence a gate led to the open grounds fronting the river. He stepped into some .shrubbery to change the woman's garb back again

OUR SERIAL.

for that of the Egyptian, when stops approached, preceded by the odour of a cigarette. Swiftly Dalmar thrust the discarded

hood Mid other woman's attire nuo the. baggy recesses of his trousers, then peered out. By the reflection of distant lamps he saw tho intruder pass slowly by, then a muto convulsion of fury swept over tho watcher. It was Mustafa Bey,'clad according to his rank, and enjoying an after-din-ner .smoke.

CHAPTER XXVIII

M. PERROXE AGAIN TAKES \ HAND.

For an instant Dalmar meditated a.n immediate assault upon tho main cause of all their troubles. He shook under the passions that consumed him ; out he had to confess that it would not do

—just yet. "Tf I kill this our, or carry him off, or in any way betray my presence, those at Bukdere will bo alarmed, ihe guards strengthened, my cousins, perhaps, put under strict restraint, or carried off, and our plans—my plans - thereby frustrated. Let the -log live! His turn will come later." Smothering his wrath, as best ho could, the supposed Egyptian quickly found bis secret way back to where Sarkis and the boat waited.

"I have suspicion, that the dervish was Mustafa himself. If he mistook one sister for the other, it accounts readily for all that has happened. Heip me to remember, oh, God! ail tiles'.* things at tho proper time; then giva me the strength to wipe them out in blood."

A singular oath, but one not mco: - sistent with Dalmar's character, or the bitter hatreds of that day, and time. Two hours later he and Sarkis were back at the Byzance Hotel, naratiag M. Perrone, just from Belgrade. English friends, among whom was now M. Perrone, just frcom Belgrade. "Well, Perrone," said Douglas to the little detective, who seemed to be rather crestfallen over way Mustafa had .slipped by him. "Even Jove rr-us at times. Look at me. I am th<i greatest ass in Constantinople." And he related how he had lost sight of Thelma.

But, while all the.talk was going on, Perrone had an idea.

"Has it occurred to any of yoit that the Princess Aydolil might aid emplans, if wo give her a chance?" But no one, not even Stevens, win also had como in, could ,seo how.

"1 don't think that the sultan's daughter knows yet of this American marriage, by proxy. She will be je>.'ous of a Frankish lady of social satuding, for she Avill know that such a woman will be content as a mere concubine. She aims to bo supreme with ltotan, for she is of imperial blood. Let mo take Sena Yapoul, who knowo Scutari as I know Paris, and try to '»ee the princess." '"What will you tell her?" quizzically asked Greei'. "That Rotan has found mettle more attractive? IJiat she must look sharp or play second fiddle, royal blood and all?" "Something that may arouse her jealously, so that she avi'll use her Influence with Abdul Hamid against Rotan's designs." "You may be right, Perrone," remarked Palmar. . "Not only will Re-

tail lose his American beauty roses, but he may get into such hot water

with his imperial master that the knave will be ruined both ways; that is if he is spared from my sword. But before this storm breaks we must have back my pretty cousins and the stolen treasure." "I feel sure that the Mist will bo heard from inside of two days," volunteered Douglas. "She passed jibraltair on time, and also Malta, where she was to touch. When your cousins and your treasure are safely on bo.irl, then for revenge!" (To be Continued.)