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Themar, his servant, whom he had dispatched to seek employment with the Baron when the fortunes of the road had made further attendance upon himself inconvenient, had learned of the hay-camp and of Poynter's pledge to make his victim's advances ridiculous in the eyes of Diane.

Themar moistened his dry lips and shuddered. "No," he whispered, "he did not know." "Why?" Themar fell to trembling. This at least he must keep locked from the grim, ironic man by the window. "You're playing double with Tregar and with me," said Carl hotly. "I thought so. Very well!" Smiling infernally, he drew from his pocket the finger-stretchers. "Excellency!" panted Themar.

The man's hand was laboriously reproducing upon the linen an intricate message in cipher. "Difficult, too, isn't it?" sympathized Philip smoothly at his elbow. With a sharp cry, Themar wheeled, his small, shifting eyes black with hate. They wavered and fell beneath the level, icy stare of the American.

A mule bell tinkled in the quiet. Upstream on the path between canal and river two mules appeared with a man slouching heavily behind them. The towline led to a grimy scow which loomed out of the misty stillness like a heavier drift of the dawn itself. "Hello!" Philip hailed the mule driver. "What's wantin'?" asked the man and halted. Philip indicated Themar with his foot.

The knife would quiet this unbearable agony in his head. Themar met his eyes, smiled evilly and raised his knife. But the weapon fell suddenly from his hand. With an ominous hum an arrow whizzed fiercely through the trees and anchored in the flesh above his heart. Themar stumbled and fell forward on his face.

A branch swept his cap back from his forehead and Philip saw now that his face was white and staring. And in that instant as he glanced at the horrified face of the Houdanian, Philip knew. The stained skin, the smooth-shaven chin and lip of the minstrel if Themar had found them puzzling, the revealment had come to him, as it had come to Philip, in a flash of bewilderment.

'It is incredible it can not be! said I, as I blistered about, searching here, searching there, losing my way and thunder-cracking about in dead of night all to pick up the trail of a green and white van and a music-machine! 'It is unbelievable it is a monstrous mistake on the part of Themar! But, Poynter, this love making, in the circumstances, passes all belief!"

She held forth a cup of woven leaves, and the glance of her great black eyes was very soft and gentle. Carl flushed and taking the cup with shaking hand, drank. There was a flash of gratitude in his eyes. "Themar?" he whispered. "Where is he?" He looked toward the trees beyond. "In the swamp!" said Keela, her face stern and beautiful. "It is better so." "You you dragged him there?"

Rather than work blindly as he needs must if he knew no more, he had sought to add to his information by spying on her camp. It was unconvincing. "So," said Carl keenly, "Baron Tregar does not trust you!" Themar's lip curled. "The Baron knew of your ten days in my cousin's house?" Again the marked hesitancy the flush. "Yes," said Themar. "You're lying," said Carl curtly. "If you wish to go back "

Watching the Baron's narrowed eyes, one might have wondered greatly. For Baron Tregar looked very tired and grim. At length, having smoked his cigar quite to the end, he went up to his room and summoned Themar. "Ah, Themar!" said he softly, and laughed with peculiar relish. Themar shifted restlessly. "Excellency," he began, uncomfortably aware of unpleasant mockery in his chief's keen eyes.