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CLOSE QUARTERS ; OR, THE HOUSE IN THE RUE BARBETTE CHAPTKK XXI Dubois hod evidently offered his cocchierc a lavish bribe for a quick transit through the city, and the Italian was doU-rniined to earn it. By the time they reached the Cor- o C'ataftiii, which carries the chief Artery of Palermo out into the coun- try crossing the railway and pass- ing the magnificent convent of San Francisco de Sale the horse was laboring heavily, notwithstanding the efforts of the cat nan. It was at this point, when mount- ing the bridge, that Dubois knew for certain he was followed. Three hundreds yards behind, he saw Talbot whipping an equally unwil- ling, but better-conditioned steed than that which carried his own fortunes. At the distance he oould not recognize the Englishman, but instinct told him that this impas- ioned driver was an enemy. Brett, of course, was not visible, being far in the rear. "My friend." said Dubois, stand- ing up in the small carriage and leaning against the driver's seat, "I offered you twenty francs if you crossed the city quickly. I will make it forty for another mile at the same pace." "It will kill my horse, signorina." 1 "Possibly. I will buy you an- other." The cocchiere thought that this was a ladv of strange manner. There was an odd timbre in her voice, a note of domination not often associated with the fair sex. But she had given earnest of her words by a couple of gold pieces, ao he murmured a prayer to his favorite saint that the horse might not die until the right moment. Now it became evident that the leading horse could barely stagger another fifty yards notwithstanding the inhuman efforts of the cocchi- ere to makr the most of the poor brute's failing energies. At last the animal fell, nearly pulling the driver off his perch. "My horse is done for signor- ina," cried the cabman. "It is marvelous that he Corpo di Bac- eho ! It is a man "' Dubois felt that his feminine trap- pings were uo longer a disguise only a hindrance. He had torn of] jacket, skirt, hat and wig. Some portion of the discarded clothing lay on the seat of the car- riage, but Dubois had thrown the skirt over his arm. "Here! Come back!" yelled the Italian. "What about payment for my dead horse?" But Dubois paid little heed to him. He was fumbling with the pocket of the skirt as he ran. Not until he had withdrawn a revolver from its fields whereupon he at once threw away the garment did the maddening remembrance come to him that he unloaded the wea- pon prior to the Customs examina- tion, and had forgotten to reinsert tlir cartridge*. They were in the pocket of his serge coat, the coat which Made- moiselle wore. She, like, a prudent young woman, had been careful to reload the revolver she carried, and which she transferred to her new attire when, at the last mo- ment, Dubois suggested the ex- change of clothing as a final safe- guard in the most unexpected event of police interference with their landing. For an instant he was tempted to fling the weapon away, but he controlled the impulse. "As it is," he thought, "this fel- low who is pursuing me may not be armed, and I can terrorize him if he comes to close quarters." Moreover, this superlative scoundrel could feel tightly fasten- ed round his waist a belt contain- ing diamonds worth over a million sterling. Such a ceinture was worth fighting for, whilst his poc- ketbook contained ample funds for all immediate necessaries. On the edge of the wood Dubois halted and turned to face his pur- suer. Instantly he recognized Tal- bot, and for the first time in hisj career a spasm of fear struck upon | the Frenchman's heart. In the young Englishman he recognized the only man who had cause to hate him with an implacable animosity. But the unscrupulous adventur- er quickly recovered his nerve. Herds- roam over nine mil- lion acres of the finest pasture land in Aus- tralia and over four hundred thousand acres in the Argen- tine. II-i-12 DO TOD DREAD THIS KIND OF WEATHER? If you are subject to Bronchitis, or if you want to relieve a Cold or Cough, there is nothing that will do it so effectively as Over 49 Vrnrs' Re oonl of Suet-ess. lt/| ANT people look forward to wet i "JT1 or cold or cliT<H'ble weather with r.n.' i. dread became they have weak throat or lung*, and ur ubjert to Cough*. Golan. Aillimn, Kronrhitin, or l.unir wcaknem. There If only one cure, certain way to r.beck tli..- danger, or to ward It off wben imminent, and that i to rely on the certain, curative powers of Shiloh Care the dependable family friend. Mm in its ..I familici ihould ncrer allow 1 1,* MIM-IV.-,. to be without a bottle of HhMoh'i Cure, the tried and proven remedy for all Ooldi. (<>m(hx, and w.-akm > of the breathing tract. It In a all re and nu( crful relief for A'llnn.i You need not take our word for the wonderful vftlne of sin loh'ii I'un look at it., wonderfully nur- rrnftful carper, with ever inoreaning airs, from a way back In the nxtlen. Try it, and rely on it. For f'ouRbH. Colds, lloiirst-nrsx. Croup, \Vhoopiiif; Cough, Ui a. Inn-. AKtluna mil Lung \\'.il.n- - Pin Your Faith to S H I LO H ' S CURE-^ Druggist has it, 25 C Keller get a 5(rc. or $1 Holllo and guard against i ii iniii'- (Mil i I a Klionly. r\C\\ Canada's finest sugar at its best Your love of cleanliness and purity will be gratified by this 5- 'ound Sealed Package of ^^1^^^ Extra Granulated Sugar It's Canada's finest sugar, iresh from the Refinery, untouched by human hands. Each Package contains 5 full pounds of sugar Your Grocer can supply you. Canada Sugar Refining Company, Limited, Montreal. I "So it is you who follow me so losely," he cried. "Go back my 'riend. This time I will not tie you on a bed. You are becoming dau- $eroiis. Go back, I tell you !' And with these words he leveled he revolver at Talbot's breast, for ,he latter was now within fifty /ards of him. But Jack was ani- mated with the mad -elation of a mccessful chase, and governed by he fierce resolve that nis betrayer should not escape him. Dubois reached a small glade among the trees before he compre,- lended that his ruthless adversary was still close at his heels. He stopped for the last time, resolved now to have done with this irrita- ,ing business, once and for all. Tal- x>t too halted, about ten yards rom him. He felt that he had the "ranchman at his mercy, and there were a few things he wished to say Lo him before they closed in mortal combat. "This time, Henri Dubois," he panted, "I am not drugged and itrapped helplessly to a bed. You enow why I am here. I have fol- owed you to avenge the stigma you nflicted on my reputation and at he same time to recover the dia- monds which you obtained by sub- crfuge and murder." The Frenchman was quite col- cctcd in manner. I murdered no one," he answer- ed. "I could not help the blunder- ng of other people. If I am re- gretfully compelled to kill you to- day, it is your own fault. I am only acting in self-defence. How shall we fight?" he calmly demand- ed. "Any way you like, you villain. As man to man if you are able. If not, as dog to dog, for I am going to try and kill you!" "But you arc probably armed, whereas I am defenceless t My re- volver as you saw, was not load- ed." "We are, equal in that respect, if in no other," retorted Talbot. An evil smile lit up the French- man's pallid face. He pulled out his knifo with a flourish and hissed "Then die yourself, you fool!" He advanced upon Jack with a murderous look in his face. Talbot awaited him, and he, too, smiled. "You arc a liar and a coward to the end !" he cried. At that instant a cold, clear voice rang out among the trees, close be- hind the two men. "Halt!" it cried. Botli men involuntarily paused and turned their eyes to learn whcni-c came this strange interrup- tion. Itrctt quietly came a few paces nearer. He held a revolver significantly at Duboist' breast. "Drop that knife," he said with an icy determination in tone and manner that sent a cold shiver through his hearer's spine. "Drop it, or I will shoot you this instant!' Dubiiis felt that the game was up. He flung clown the knife and tried even then to laugh. ~ "Of course," ho sneered, "as I am rorncml on all sides I give in." Brett still advanced until ho reached the spot where the knife lay. He picked it up, and at tho same inslnnt lowered the revolver. Then he observed, with the easy indifference of nn<i who remarks upon the weather "Now, you can fight, monsieur. My young friend here is determined to thrash you, and you richly de- serve it. So I will not interfere. But just one word before you be- gin. Two can play at the game of bluff. This is your own pistol. It is, an you know, unUvuled." Dubois' cry of rage, at the trick which had been played on him was smothered by his efforts to close, with Tnlbot, who immediately (lung himself upon him with an impetu- osity not to be ilc>iiod. The fifjht, while it lasted, wjis fast and furious. The two men rolled over and over each other on the ground- one striving to choke the life out of his opponent, the other seeking to rend \villi teeth and nails. From the writhing, convulsive bodies, locked together in a dead- !' struggle, suddenly there 'nine a .slrirp s-i.'ip. The Frenchman's rittht arm was broken near the wrist, Then T'lllxit proceeded to wve.ik his vengeance, on hi'ii. l'iH|ites tion.'tlil'. he would h-ive slvjnitlrd the inri hiul not TSrHl, interfered. tVir with 1'i'i left li-i'ul In- lut"!ie:l Dubois' throat, whilst with the right he endeavored to demolish his features. But th barrister, as sisted by the Italian pilot whose after-life was cheered by his ability to relate the details of this Hom- eric fight pullet! the young man from off his insensible foe. Talbot regained his feet. Pant- ing with exertion, he glared down at the prostrate form, but Brett, 'hcing practical-minded, knelt by the Frenchman's side, tore open his shirt, and unfastened the preci- ous belt. "At last!" he murmured. Peering into one of the pockets, which by the way of its bulging he thought would contain the "Im- perial diamond," he looked up at Talbot with the words "Now, Jack, we are even with him." It was the first time he had ad- dressed Talbot by his familiar and Christian name. The very sound brought back the other man to a conscious state of his surroundiugs. and in the same instant a great weakness came over him, for the terrible exertions of the past few minutes had utterly exhausted him. "I can not even thank you, for I am done up. But I owe 'it all to you, old man. If it had not been for you we should never have found him." Brett's grave face wrinkled in a kindly smile. "I think," he said, "we are even on that score. If you had not fol- lowed this rascal he might have es- caped at the finish, and my pride would never have reco\ered from the shock. However, go and sit down for a minute or two and you will soon pull yourself together. Tfce Frenchman regained consci- ousness. "Be good enough to remain quite still, M. Dubois," said Brett sooth- ingly. "You have reached the end of your rope, and we do not even need to tie you." With the aid of some handker- chief's and a couple of saplings cut by the Italian he managed roughly to bind the fractured limb. Then he assisted Dubois to his feet. "Come," he said, "we are re- gretfully - compelled to bring you back to town, but we will endeavor to make the journey as comfortable as possible for you. In any event, the horses will not travel so fast." In the roadway they found the carriages where they had left them, whilst three wondering cocvhieri were exchanging opinions as to the mad behaviour of the foreigners. Brett and the Frenchman enter- ed one vehicle, Talbot and the pi- lot the other. "But, gentlemen," moaned the disconsolate cabman who had headed the procession from Paler- mo, "and who will pay me for my dead horse?" "I know not," replied Brett. "In any event you had better occupy the vacant seat and drive those two gentleman to the city, where you can secure the means of bringing back your carriage." 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LAWRENCE SUGAR REFINING CO. LIMITED. MONTREAL. 65 n the streets, for Macpherson and lis myrmidon* had used no gentle means to pacify Gros Jean and the Turks, whilst the crew of the Belles Soeurs would not be in a fit state to go to sea for many days. An excited mob of people sur- rounded the hotel when Brett and Talbot arrived with their wounded prisoner. Fortunately the Chief of Police came in person to ascertain the cause of all this turmoil. The first alarmist report that reached his ears made out that a species of international warfare had broken out in the harbor. He told his subordinates to clear away the crowd, and explanations by Brett and Winter soon <lem >n- strated the wisdom c f an ollioal communique to the Press that, the row on the pier was merely the out- come of a quarrel between som intoxicated sailors. The Chief of Police politely of- fered to place detectives at the dis- posal of the Englishman for the proper custody of their captive. Brett thanked him, but declined the proffered assistance. "The only prisoner of interest." he explained, "received such se- vere injuries during the struggle^ which he brought on himself that he will be quite unable to be moved for several days. His right arm is fewer than six outraged policemen broken, and his face has been re- followed them to the Hotel de duced to a pulp. There is a stout no France to obtain their names and addrc'-ses. CHAPTER XXII. Palermo was in a perfect ferment. Not since the last revolution had people seen such a pitched battle Frenchman named Beaucaire and three Turks who accompanied him, whom I recommend to your safe custody. We bring no charge against them, but it would be as well to keep them under lock and key until we have left Palermo." (To be continued.) ROOF AGAINST LIGHTNIUG Easily and cheaply make roofs proof against wet, wind, fire and lightning. 'Preston Tost less than flimsy substitutes; Foutlast the building itself; need no painting. 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