THE MEDFORD DAILY TRIBUNE, MED FORD, OREO ON, THURSDAY, OCTOBMtt 14, 1HK).
h
(Coutinued.)
.... SYNOPSIS
CHAPTER I Jack Hilliard, a
wealthy New York clubman, hears a
mysterious voice singing in the night
under his window.
CHAPTER IL
OBJECT, MATRIVOXY.
WINTER fojrs In New York are
never quite so intolerable as
their counterparts in Lon
don, and while their fre
quency is a matter of complaint, their
duration Is seldom of any length. So
by the morrow a strong wind from
the west had winnowed the skies and
cleared the sun. There were an ex
hilarating tingle of frost in the air and
a risible rime on the windows. Hil
lard, having breakfasted lightly, was
standing with his back to the grate in
the cozy breakfast room. He was in
boots and breeches and otherwise
warmly clad and freshly shaven. He
rocked on his heels and toes and ran
his palm over bis blue white chin In
search of a possible slip of the razor.
Giovanni came in to announce that
he bad telephoned and that the si
gner's brown mare would be at the
park entrance precisely at half after
8. Giovanni still marveled over this
wonderful voice which came out of
nowhere, but he was no longer afraid
of it. The curiosity which Is innate
and childlike in all Latins soon over
came his dark superstitions. He was
an ardent Catholic and believed that
a few miracles should be left in the
hands of God. The telephone bad now
become a kind of plaything, and Hil
lard often found him in front of it pa
tiently waiting for the bell to ring.
The facility with which Giovanni
had mastered English amazed tils
teacher and master. But now he need
ed no more lessons. The two when
alone together spoke Giovanni's
tongue. Hillard because he loved It
and Giovanni because the cook spoke
It badly and the English butler not at
all.
"You have made up your mind to go,
then, amico?" said Hillard. -
"Yes, signor."
SVell, 1 shall miss you. To whom
s'jali I talk the tongue I lore so well
when Giovanni is gone?" with a light
ness 'vlilch be did not feel. Hillard
had grown very fond of the old Ro
man in these seven years.
"Whenever the signor goes to Italia
he shall find me. It needs but a word
to bring me to him. The signor will
pardon me. but he is like like a son."
"Thanks, Giovanni. By the way, did
you hear a woman singing In the
street last night?"
. "Yes. At first" . Giovanni hesitated.
"Ah, but that could not be, Giovan
ni; that could not be."
"No; it could not be. But she sang
well," the old servant ventured.
"So thought I. I even ran out Into
the Btreet to find out who she was, but
she vanished like the lady in the con
jurer's trick. But It seemed to mo
that, while she sang In Italian, she her
self was not wholly of that race."
"Buonlsslma!" Giovanni struck a
" noiseless brava with his hands. "Have
I not always said that the signor's
cars are as sharp as my own? No; the
voice was very beautiful, but it was
not truly Roman. It was more like
thoy talk in Venice. And yet the sound
of the voice decided nic. The hills have
always been calling to me, and I must
answer."
"And the unforgetting carablnlerl?"
"Oh, I must take my chance," with
the air of a fatalist.
"What shall you do?" :
"I have my two hands, signor. Be
sides, the signor hag said it I am
rich.'1 Giovanni permitted a smile to
stir his thin Hps. "Yes, I must go
back. Your people have been good to
me and have legally made me one of
them, but my heart Is never here. It Is
always so cold, and every one moves
bo quickly. You ' cannot He down In
the sun.. Your police, bah! They beat
Juiire
qf the
By
HAROLD
MAC GRATH
- &
Copyright, 1908, by lh Bobbi-
: Merrill Co.
you on the feet You remember when
I fell asleep on the steps of the cathe
dral? They thought I was drunk and
would have arrested me!"
'Stvrrbody must keep moving here.
It Is the penalty of being rich."
"And I am lureome for my kind. I
have nothing in common with these
herds of Sicilians and Neapolitans who
pour into the streets from the
wharfs." Giovanni spoke scornfully.
"Yet In wartime the Neapolitans
sheltered your pope."
"Vanity! They wished to make an
Impression on the rest of the world.
It is dull here besides." There is no
joy In the shops. I am lost In these
great palaces. The festn is lacking.
Nobody bargains; nobody sees the pro
prietor. You find your wny to the
streets alone. The bntcher says that
his meat is so and so. and you pay.
The grocer marks his tins such and
such, and you do not question, and
the baker says that, and you pay, pay,
pay! What? I need a collar; It is
quindicl fifteen you say! I offer quat
tordicl I would give Interest to the
sale. But. no! The collar goes back
Into the box. I pay qulndlci or I go
without. It is the same everywhere
very dull, dead, lifeless."
Hillard was moved to laughter. He
very well understood the old man's
lament. In Italy If there Is one thing
more than another that pleases the na
tive it is to make believe to himself
that he has got the better of a bnr
gain. A shrewd purchase enlivens the
whole day. It Is talked about, laughed
over and becomes the history of the
day.
Hillard presently left the house and
hailed a Fifth avenue omnibus. He
looked with negative Interest at the
advertisements, at the people In the
streets, at his fellow travelers. One of
these was bidden behind his morning
paper. Personals! Hillard squirmed n
little. The world never holds very
much romance In the sober morning
What a stupid piece of fully! The
Idea of his sending that personal in
quiry to the paper! Tomorrow he
would see it sandwiched in between
samples of shopgirl ' romance, ques
tionable intrigues and divers search
warrants. Ye gods! "Will, the blond
who smiled at gentleman in blue serge,
elevated train. Tuesday, meet same in
park? Object., matrimony." Hiilard
fidgeted. "Young man known as Ado
nis would adore stout elderly lady in
dependently situated. Object, matri
mony." Pish! "Girlie. -Can't keep ap
pointment tonight Willie." Tush! "A
French widow of eighteen, unincum
bered." and so forth and so nil.. K"t.
bally rot, and here he was un the way
to Join them! "Will the lady who sang
from 'Mine. Angof communicate with
gentleman, who leaned out of the
window? .1. II.. Burgomaster Club."
Positively asinine!
There was scarce one chance In a
thousand of the mysterious singer's
seeing the inquiry, not one In ten thou
sand of her answering It. And. the
folly of giving ills club address; That
would look very dignified In yonder
agony column. He would cancel the
thing.
lie dropped from the omnibus nt the
park entrance, where he found his
restive mare. He gave her a lump of
sugar and climbed Into the saddle. He
directed the groom to return for the
horse at 10 o'clock, then headed for the
bridle path. It was heavy, but the air
was so keen and bracing that neither
the rnau nor the horse worried about
the going. Only one party attracted
him, a riding master nnd n trio of
brokers who were verging on embon
point nnd were desperate nnd looked
It. Hillard went on. The park was
not lovely; the trees were barren, t ha
grass yellow and sodden.
"She Is so innocent, so youthful!"
lie found himself humming the re
frain over and over! She had sung it
with abandon, tenderness, lightness.
For one glimpse of her face! He took
the rise and dip that followed. Yards
ahead a solitary woman cantered easi
ly along. - Hillard had not seen her be
fore. He spurred forward, faintly cu
rious. There was nothing familiar to
bis eye In ber charming figure. She
rode well. As he drew nearer he saw
Mask
that she wore a heavy gray veil. . And
this veil hid everything but tbs Initio
flash of a pair of eyes, the color of
which defied hi in. Then be looked at
her mount. Hit! Thorn wits only ou
rangy black with a white throat from
the Stiudford stables, bo was ioslUve.
Hut the Smidfords were at this mo
ment In Cairo, so It signified nothing.
There Is always some one ready to ex
ercise your horses, lie looked main
at the rider. Tho tlash of the eyes was
not repented, so his interest vuulshed.
and to urged the uinro Into a sharp
run. ,
So ho went buck to his tentative ro
mance. She had passed bis window
aud disappeared Into the fog, and
there wits n reasonable doubt of her
ever returning from It. The singer In
tho fog thus he would write It down
In his book of memories and sensibly
turn the page. At length he enme
back to the entrance nnd surrendered
the iih or u jMilr oi eyit.
the mare. He was alio tit to cross the
square when be was hulled.
Hillurd wheeled nnd saw Merrlhcw.
He. too. was in riding breeches.
"Why. Dan, glad to sec you. Wer
you iu the park?"
"Riverside. Beastly cold too. Come
join me lu a cup of good coffee."
The' two edtered the cafe.
"How are you behaving yourself
these days?" asked Merrlhew,
"My hnblts, are always exemplary,"
answered Hillard. "But yours?"
Merrlhew gulped his coffee.
"Kitty Kilirgrew leaves In two
weeks for Europe."
"And who the deuce Is. Kitty Kill!
grew?" demanded nillnrd.
"Wrhat!" reproachfully. "You haven't
heard of Kitty Kllllgrcw in 'The Mori
era, Maid?' Where' hare you been?
Pippin! Prettiest soubrette that's hit
the town In a dog's age."
"I say, Dan. don't you ever tire of
that sort? I can't recall when there
wasn't a Kitty Kllllgrcw. What's tho
attraction?" Hillard waved aside tho
big black cigar. "What's the attrac
tion?" "The truth Is. Jack. I'm a jackass
fcnlf the time. I can't get away from
the glamour of the lu.;::Lu. I'm no
Johnny. Yr-i k'imv tY:t. N'n bringing
n round stage entrances u:iU buying
wine and diamonds. 1 might he reck
less enough to buy a bunch of roses
when I'm not broke, l'.ut 1 like 'em--the
bright ones. They keep u fellow
amused. Most of 'cm speak good Eng
lish and come from belter families
than you would suppose. Just good
fellowship, you know. Maybe a rab
bit and a bottle of beer after the per
formance or a little quarter limit ut
the apartment, singing nnd good sto
ries. What you've In mind Is the
chorus lady. Not for mine!"
HUlard laughed, recalling bis conver
sation with the policeman.
"Go on." he said. "Get it all out of
your system now that you're started."
"And then It tickles a fellow's vani
ty to be seen with them at the restau
rants. That's the way It begins, you
know. I'll be perfectly frank with
you. If it wasn't for what the other
fellows say most of the chorus ladles
would go hungry. And the girls that
you and I know think I'm n devil of n
fellow wicked, but Interesting, nnd
all that."
milord's laughter broke forth again,
and he leaned back. Merrlhew would
always be twenty-six; he would al
ways he youthful.
"And this Kitty Kllllgrcw? I be
lieve I've seen posters of her In the
windows now that you sprat k of it."
"Well, Jack. I've got It bad this trip;
I offered to marry her last night nnd
was refused."
"It seems lo me that your Kitty is
not half bad. What would you hnvo
done had she accepted you?"
"Married her within twenty-four
hours."
"Come, Dan; be sensible. You are
not such an nss as nil that."
"Yes, I am," moodily. "I told you
that I was a Jackass hnlf the time.
This is the half."
"But she won't have you?"
"Not for love or money."
"Are you sure about the money?"
asked Hillard shrewdly.
"Seven hundred or ?even thousand,
It wouldn't iimtter to Kitty If sho miido
up her mind to marry a fellow. What's
the iimtter with mo anyhow? I'm not
so badly set up. 1 can whip any man
In tho club at my weight. I can toll a
tory well, and I'm not afraid of any
thing." "Not even of the future!" added Hil
lard. "Do you renlly think It's my mon
ey?" pnthetlcally.
"Woll, seven thousand doesn't go far,
and that's nil you bare. If It wore
seventy, now, I'm sure Kitty wouldn't
reconsider. What's she like?" asked
nillnrd, with more sympathy than
curiosity.
Merrlhew drew out his watch and
opened the case. It was a pretty face.
More than that. It was a refined prottl
ness. Tho eyes were merry; tho brow
was Intelligent; the nose and chin
were good. Altogether It was tho face
of a merry, kindly little soul, ono such
as would be most llkejy to trap tho
wandering fa,ncy of a young man llko
Murrlhew.
"And she won't have you?" Hillurd
repented, this t.'mo with more curiosity
than sympathy. 1
: "Oh, she's no fool, 1 suppose. And
now she's going to Europe! Some
manager has U ho Idea In hla head that
there Is money to be made In Italy
and Germany during the spring and
summer. American comic opera in
tbose countries can you Imagine 115
He has an angel, and 1 suppose money
la no object"
"This angel, then, ha cut out a One
time for his bank account, and he'll
never get back to heaven once be got!
tangled up In foreign rod tape. Every
large city In Italy and Germany baa
practically Its own opera troupe. Poor
'I long to get my hunt! around her
throutl"
angel'! Tell your Kitty to strike for a
return ticket to America before sho
leaves." ,
"You think It's as bad as that?"
"Look on me as a prophet of evil, if
you like, but truthful."
"I'll sec that Kitty gets her ticket"
Merrlhew snapped the case of his
watch and drew his legs from under
the table. "I lost a hundred last night
too."
"After that I suppose nothing worse
can happen," snld Hillard cheerily.
You will play, for all my advice."
"It's better to give than receive-
that," replied Merrlhew philosophical.
ly. "I've a good tiiltid to follow tho
company. I ve always had n hanker
ing to beat It up at Monte Carlo. A
last throw, eh? Win or lose and quit
I might win."
"And then again you mightn't But
the next time I go lo Italy I want you
to go with me. You're good company,
and for the pleasure of listening to
your Jokes I'll gladly foot the hills, and
you may gamble your letter of credit
to your heart's content. I must be off.
Who I riding the Knndford' black V
"Haven't ' noticed. What do yon
think of Kitty?"
"Clm rmlng."
"And the photo Isn't a marker."
"Possibly uot."
"Lord. If I could only hibernate for
three months like a bear! My capital
might then readlust Itself If left uloue
that length of time."
' "See you at the club tonight," laugh
ed Hillard.
They nodded pleasantly and took
their separate ways. Merrlhew stood
very high In Hlllard's regard. Ho. was
a lovable fellow, and there was some
thing kindred in his soul aud Hlllard's,
possibly the spirit of romance. What
drew them together perhaps more fh'tn
anything else was their mutual love
of outdoor pleasures. Take two men
and put them on good horses, send
them fortli Into the wilds to face all
Inconveniences, and If they are not
fast friends nt I ho end of tho Journey
they never Trill be.
For nil his it version to cards there
was a bit of the gamester In Hillard,
ns once In his office bp decided on tho
fall of a coin not to withdraw his per
sonal from tho paper, lie was quite
positive Hint. ho would never hear that
voice again; but, having thrown his
dice, ho would let them lie. -
Now, nt 11 o'clock that same morn
ing two distinguished Itnllnns sat
down to breakfast In one of the fash
ionable hotels. The one nor tho other
had ever beard of HUlard. They did
not even know Hint such n person ex
isted, nnd yet serenely unconscious
one was casting his life Hue. ns the
palmist would, sny, across Hlllard's
The knots and tangle wero to coinu
litter.
"The eoffeo In this country is abom
inable!" growled one.
The waiter smiled covertly behind
his hand. These Itnlliiiis and these
Germans! Why, there Is' only una
place In the world where both the nro
uui nnd the Haver of coffee ore pre
served, nnd It Is not, decidedly not, In
Italy or Ut'i'iiinny, And If his tip ex
ceeded 10 rent he would be vastly
surprised. The Italian never wastes
on necessities n penny which can be
applied in the gaming tables. And
tilt-so two were milling about Monte
Carlo nnd Ostein,
The younger of the two was a very
handsome man, lull, slender nud tiurv
ens, the Venetian typo, bis black eyes,
keen mill roving, suggesting n hasty
temper. The mouth, partly hidden un
der a graceful military tnustuchn, was
thin lipped, the mouth of n man who
was always master of his vices. From
his right cheek bone to tho corner of
his mouth ran a scar, very well heal
ed.. And tho American Imagination
might readily have pictured villas,
ma Ids In durance vile and sword
thrusts under tho moonlight. But the
waiter, who had served his time In a
foreign army, knew no foil or rnpler
could have- mndu such a scar; .uinro
probably the tnber.
Ills compaulou was equally pictur
esque. With white head and Iron gray
beard, ho wore In his buttonhole a tiny
bow of ribbon, the badge of foreign
service.
"I'm afraid, Enrico, that you have
brought me to America on a useless
adreuture," said the diplomat
"She Is hero lu New York, and I
shall find her. I must have money
must! I owe you the Incrodlblo amount
of 100,000 lire. There are millions un
der my hand, and I cannot touch a
penny."
"Do not let your dobt to mo worry
you."
"You are so very good, Giuseppe!"
"Have wo not grown up together?
Sometimes I think I am partly to
blame for your extravagance. But a
friend Is a friend or ho Is not."
"But he who borrow from his friend
loses him. Observe how I am placed.
It Is maddening I have had a dozen
When we suggest that you
Toast Your Bread
On Breakfast Table
We do not moan that you should cat off
the stove toast
With an Electric Toaster
nnd have crisp, brown, delicious toast
costs lc per nioal to operate. We '
have the best toaster on the market for
sale at .0. Clean, appetizing, sanitary
ROGUE RIVER ELECTRIC CO.
Successors to Condor Water & Power Co.
APPLES AND PEAKS AND ALL KINDS ut'
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES.
YAKIMA VALLEY NURSERY
Largest Commercial Nursery iu the Pacific Noita
west. Not in the combine. Competes with all first
class nurseries.
L. E. HOOVER, Agent
MEDFORD, . ORE tl ON
A MEDrOBD, OBEOOK .
State Depositary
Established 1888
Capital nnd Surplus $125,000
Kniourcoi f7lu,u(0
Advertise in
opportunities tit mnrry" riches. This
millstone I eternally round my neck.
I bnve genu through my part of tli
fortune Vhlch was left u Indepimd-.
eutly. She bit all. of bvr. and that Is
why shu Is so strong, 1 nm nnsoiuieiy
helpless."
"Poor friend! Theso American wo
men! They all believe that a mnn
must have no pocctidlllos once bo hns
signed the marriage' contract Body
of .Bacchus! . Tho siicrnuieiit doe not
make, it man leis human than he wuh
before. Hut this one Is clever. She
might be Italian born."
"Her mother was Italian, It I the ,
schooling In this country that hns miido
ber so clever. Tho ouly thing Italian
about her Is her hatred. She Is my
countrywoman there. Without ber
consent 1 can touch nothing, and If 1
divorce her poulTI all goes to the
state. Sometimes I long to get my two
blinds round her white throat One
mistake, one little mlstakel 1 am will
ing to swear that she loved mo In the
beginning. And 1 was a fool not to
profit by this sentiment Glvo me pa
tience, patience. If 1 ay to her, 'So
much and you may have your freedom,
there I always that cursed will. The
crown of Italy will never withdraw
It hand. No. With hi wife's family
ou his hand, especially her brother,
tho king will uever waive bis rights."
"And, remember, we have but ten
dsys."
"Wo sha.ll not find time heavy. 1
know a few rich butchers end grocers
wbo cnll themselves the aristocracy, t
And sotno of them play bridge and
carte." i
Tho diplomat smiled In anticipation,
"1 bsve followed her step by step to
the boat at Naples. She 1 here. Bbs
will not be hard to find. She bss
wealthy friends."
"You say alio Is beautiful?"
"Yes. nud n beautiful woman cannot
bide. Think of It! Chateaux nnd vt.
las nud splendid rents, nil walling to
be gormimlied by the (date! Let us
get out Into the nlr before 1 become
excited and forget where 1 nm."
The waller stepped forward with
the coats and hats.
(To lie coutinued.)
HIGHEST ATTAINMENT IN
SYSTEMATIC BANKING SERVICE
Tho Jucl.-Mon Oounly Hunk respect
fully solicits your necoiinl, subject
to your check, with llm s rongest
Kiuii'.iiilee of safety nud olTiciimey.
We offer llio highest iittiiiiitneiit in
systematic lmiikiii(r service, which
fissures the (rrontaHt euro in every
ftiimieinl transaction, with this oktig
' ing institution.
W. I. VAWTKH, President.
0. n. UNDUIY, Cashier.
m
the Tribune