THE MEDFORD DAILY TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. ORKdON. SATURDAY. ()( TOHKlf Hi.
Jrifie
(Continued.)
. SYNOPSIS
CHAPTER I Jack Hillinrd, n
wenlthy New York clubmnn, hears a
mysterious voice singing in the night
under his -window.
II He inserts an advertisement in
a personal ccolnmn to find the singer.
He receives a reply.
CHAPTER IV.
BLISDKOLDED.
FOR two days the club steward
only nodded when Hillard came
in. He had no letters to pre
sent. "1 am thirty-three years old," Hil
lard mused as he sought the reading
room. "Downtown 1 am looked upou
as a man of affairs, a business man.
with the care of half a dozen fortunes
on my hands. Now. what's the mat
ter with me? 1 begin to tremble when
1 look that sober old steward in the
face. If be had -.banded me a letter
tonight I should have bad to lean
against the wall for support. This
will never do at all. I have not seen
her face; I do not know her name.
For all I know she may be this Leddy
LightSnger. No; that would be impos
sible. Leddy Ligbtfinger would have
made ah appointment. What possesses
me to dwell in this realm of fancy,
which is less tangible than a cloud of
smoke?" He smoked thoughtfully.
"Or am I romantic? To create romance
out of nothing I nsed to do that when
I was a boy. But I'm a boy no longer.
Or am 1 a boy thirty-three years old?
Bhe does not answer my letter. Sensl-
ble woman. Well, well." reaching for
T ,, .... ' ... ..
the London Illustrated News, "lets see
,. . . . . ,, , . . i
lng."
He dropped the paper. There was
really nothing new in the world. If
Giovanni returned to Italy ' In the
spring be was of a mind to go with
mm. ae looKea up ana was giaa 10
see Merrihew in the doorway.
"Been looking for you. Jack. Want !
grew is giving a little bite to eat after (
the performance and has asked me to
bring yon along. Will you come?"
"With pleasure, Dan. Are you din
ing, with any one tonight?" Hillard
was lonesome.
"Yes. A little bridge till 11."
"You're hopeless. I can see you In
limbo, matching coffin plates with
Charon. I'll hunt you up at 11."
"Heard the talk?"
"About what?"
"Why. some one iu the club has been
using the agony column. The J. H.'s
are being guyed unmercifully, and
you'll come in for it presently. It's a
case of wine on the man who did it"
Hillard felt of his collar and drew
down his cuffs. "Probably some joke."
be ventured tentatively. '
If it Isn t the man who would stoop
to such tommyrot and tack the name
of his club to it must be an ass."
"No doubt about that. Odd that this
Is the first time I have heard about it."
But silently Hillard was swearing at
Dls fo!,y-
"I may depend upon you tonight.
then?" said Merrihew.
"I shall be pleased to meet Miss Kll
llgrew." which was a white one. Hil
lard would have paid c:urt to a laun
dress rather than offended Merrihew.
And promptly at 11 he went np to
the card room and dragged Merrihew fairy story come true."
away. Merrihew gave up bis chair "Who Is your prima donna?" he
reluctantly. He was winning. The asked.
amateur gambler never wants to stop, i . "Ah!" Kitty's face became eager
On the way to the Kllllgrew apart- with excitement "Now you have put
ment Merrlhew's moods varied. At your finger on the mystery that Is
one moment he was on the heights, at bothering us all. Not one of us has
the next In the depths. He simply seen her or knows her name. She has
could not live without Kitty. Per- not rehearsed with us and will not till
haps If this trip abroad turned out ve reach Naples, where we rest a
badly she might change her mind. . week. When we .speak of her the
Seven thousand could be made to mus- manager smiles and says nothing, and
ter. Twice Hillard came very near as none of us has seen the backer Mr.
makiig his friend a confidant of his Worth thinks that she herself Is the
own affair, but he realized that, while Prima douna and backer in one. We
Merrihew was to be trusted In all tWnk 0181 be ' some rlcn young wo
tbjpjs. Jt was not y?t tiroe. ' : Wu0 wishea to eiDlull hex soJce,
iUire
of the
Mask
By
ii a nrti y
MAC GRATH I
Cepyrigbl. 1908. by the Bobbs
Merrill Co.
He found a pleasing and diverting
company. There was Mere Kllllgrew.
a quaint little old lady who deplored
her daughter's occupation, but admit
ted that without her success heaven
only knew how they would have got
along. Ther was. the genial Thomas
O'Mally. a low cornedlnir of gtit)lne
ability, whom Hillard knew castmfty:
Smith, a light comedian, and Worth,
moderately successful baritone, to
whom Hillard took one of those In
stant and unaccountable dislikes.
These three and Kitty were going
abroad.
Kitty fancied Hillard from' the start,
and he on his side found her wi;U edu
cated, witty and unaffected. Bin was
even prettier than her photograph.
Merrlhew's face beamed upon them
both In a kind of benediction. He fc:ui
known all along that once Jack sat
Kitty he would become a good ally In
fighting down her objections.
"Think of singing iu Italy!" cried
Kitty. "Isn't It just wonderful?"
"And has Merriuew told you to get a
return ticket before you sail?" with
half a Jest.
"Don't you think It will be success
ful?" a shade of disappointment.
"There will be thousands or lonesome
Americans over there. Out of patriot
ism, if for nothing else, they ought to
come to see us."
"They certainly ought to. But I'm
an old kill-joy."
"No. no; go on and tell me all your
doubts. You have been over there so
many times."
"Well, supposing your tourists are
tired after having walked all day
through the churches uud galleries,
they may want to go to bed .early.
But you never can tell till you try.
You may become the rage on the con
tinent. Yet you go Into the enemy's
" ,-' V ' .
country. It isn t the same as going to
T , , , .
London, among tolerant cous ns. In
She u-tn prettier titan her pliotnijraph.
Italy an(1 , Germany there Is always
so lbuch reu tape-blunderlug. confus-
ng re(j tape custom duties, excessive
charges. But your manager must know
wnat he is doing."
..IIe uas everything in black nnd
white, 1 believe. But your advice is
sensible."
"Do you know anything about Italy
or Germany?"
"Only what I learned In my geogra
phies," laughing "Home, Florence,
Genoa, Venice. Nice, Milan, Strnssburg,
Cologne and on to Berlin. It is like a
..il:.... , it
link-, mill (ho less wild the lu-tler. As
wo can't walk back, 1 uiust It-nru to
swim. Luuch U ready, every one I"
The mummers ami the outsider
Ducked Into the aiuull dining room.
There was pleuty to oat; beer, soda,
whisky uud two iiuikuuiiis of cham
pagne, Morrihew's coutriliiillou to the
least. Hillard IWtoued with increas
ing uiiiusi-iiit-nt to the shop talk. It
was ufter 1 when they returned to the
sitting room, whero the pluuo stood.
The wlue was uow opcnnl. and toasts
were drunk. O'Mally told inimitable
stories. There was something exceed
ingly droll iu thut vxpresslro Irish
face of his.
Worth did hot drink, but Hillard did
not like his handsome face uny the
more for this virtue. Ho saug re
markably well, however, and with a
willingness Hillard bad uot believed
he possessed. He wondered vaguely
why be disliked the uiuu. Otherwise
Hillard cujoyed himself vastly.
"Mr. Merrihew bus been telling tne
all about you," suld Kitty.
"You menu, of course, my good quali
ties," replied Hillard.
"To bear him talk one would think
that you possessed nothing else. But
1 am sure that you bare glaring
faults such as a man might pass over
uud a womau go rouud."
"I believed that Merrihew had a se
rious fault till tonight." be said.
She looked at him qukl.ly and col
ored. "Has the foolish boy beeu telling
you that 1 refused to marry hliu? 1
like him very much." she milled grave
ly, "but I shall never many any man
till I huve ceased to love tin- since. I
urn uot a whit less wxtrav :i:uit than
he Is. How could the two "f us live
uu an liK-nme which he lil:nsi-lf ndmlts
that he cannot live wltbui? A month
after I am gone he wi.l forget all
about me."
"Merrihew is the most loyal man I
know." Hillard declared.
"Of course he Is loyal: And be Is
always Iu earnest for the moment."
And then they both laughed.
' It was outrageously late, nearly 4,
when the revelers took leave. Merri
hew was happy with that evanescent
happiness which goes hand in glove
with late suppers nnd magnums.
"Isn't she a little wonder, Jack?"
"Yes. she Is. Dan. It might be a good
thing for you to marry a sensible little
woman like that. But she wou't have
you."
' "No, she won't." Merrihew reached
for his watch. ."Four a. m."
"Say, what do you think of that man
Worth?"
"Very good voice, but he's too band
some." "Oh. go on! You're as fine a looking
:hap as there is In New York. But this
mau Worth has the looks of a lady
killer. He's been eying Kitty, but It
doesn't go. Hang It, I can't see why
she won't marry me now."
"You must have patience."
"Or more money. Can't O'Mally tell
a good story, though?"
"Yes. but 1 should hate to turn blin
loose in my wine cellars. 1 Imagine
he will praise unythiug good to drink
but water."
Merrihew roared.
"Well, hero's yrnr rtitlon. Dan.
Shall 1 see you tomorrow?"
"Eight-thirty In the park. Nothing
like a bprse for a headache."
Hillard arrived, home tired and
sleepy, but as he saw a letter on the
stand In the hall bis drowsiness passed
quickly. There was uu other blue en
velope like it. She now hnd his house
address; she was interested enough to
look it up. She did not follow tils lead
and write in Italian: li wrote In liu;:
llsh crisp English too. Again there
was neither beginning nor ending. But
this was a letter. There was something
here of the woman, something to read
and read again:
I hud told the maid tu burn your letter,
but sue left it on the floor where i had
thrown il, and I came across It this
morning. It looked rather pathetic. Bo
1 am writing you again.it my butter Judg
ment. Ycb, 1 know your name. I tlnd
that I am well acquainted with people
you know. 1 am a womnn who often sur
renders to the impulse of the moment. 1
may or may not answer any future letter
from you. Vou write very good Italian,
but It will surprise you to learn that 1 de
test all things that are Italian. Once 1
loved then, well. Why should you wish to
know me? Our ways are as divergent as
the two poles. Happy because 1 sing?
There are some thingn over which we
can sing or laugh, but of which we can
not speak without crying. Happy or un
happy, what can this matter to you? To
you I shall always remain the lady In
the fog. Are you rich, young, talented?
1 care not in the least, l'erhaps it amuses
me to add to your confubion. Find me?
I think not. Misguided energy!
Hillard put the letter away, extin
guished the lights and passed up to
bis room. This was a direct challenge.
He would accept it. This time be
would use no personal to tell her that
a letter awaited bcr. Bhe should make
the Inquiries herself. And from the
mall clerk be would obtain a descrip
tion of the elusive Mine. Angot. Next
morning he rode in the park with
Merrihew. - Again be saw the veiled
lady on the Sandford black. Out of
normal curiosity he telephoned the
tables and made Inquiries. The reply
was short. No one at the stables knew
the lady, but she rode the home on
proper authority. .
Ul .' , -
you. Yuil bid niu to Hnd oil. 1 accept
tho t-halleUKv. Vou lmi( miilutalulid at
unco Ihut It Is tlio mystery thut Inliirosts
niu. it Is the unknown thut utiruets ma.
1 uiu moiituhy palntliiK yuu in ull sorts
of rudtuut euluru. Vuil df-fy ins tu Hnd
yuu. Tiler Is nutltlliK u reliable, a ttis
uuvximcted, nothing su despvrniiTly un
cvrtutii as a thins ussured. 1 wurn you
that 1 shull iuy ull manner of trans, wuy
lay your mvftt-eUKOtg, brlhtt llirlu. 1 slmil
llnd out wlivio yuu llvs. Til lost will b
simple.
film replied:
1 hsv no desire to allevluto your con
fessed boi-udom. Your persistence would
b prulseworthy if well Uliecled. Waters
wear awuy stone, tils wind mumbles the
nimble, but u woman Is not muved till
she wishes tu be. 1 never Ihuuiiht that I
should dabble In nn Intrigue of (Ills sort,
and 1 am surprised at the umiiseinaut It
ufTords mo. 1 leu 11 y owe you some grati
tude. Tile fuw 1 huvo met alio know you
tell mo that yuu urn a "nlee yuung man."
Every man has some portion f self
love. So his next effort was a pas
sionate denial that lie was "nice."
When should he meet her? The post
man brought hliu a It-tier which con
tained one word Mnitiier! He sent
ber four pages, a fi'ituk and witty de
scription of himself and his friends.
On the day she received this letter
a cablegram came to her from the far
Mediterranean. Whatever It contained
hnd the effect to cause nil restraint to
disappear from the tone of her letters.
They became charming, and more and
more Hillard found himself loving a
voice. All his wulcultig, all his traps,
came to no successful end. She was
too clever for him. He sought the mall
department of tho great newspaper;
the clerk couldu't remember, there
were so many calling fur tiiall. Let
ters passed to nnd fro dully uow, but
always she declared that It was Im
possible for them tu meet. No. it was
out of the iui-stlou to dine with him In
a restaurant. It was equally out of
the quest Inn to cook a dinner where
sho lived, us she ami tier maid dined
at a small restaurant near by. Finally
he proposed to bring the dinner all
cooked from the club. Two days went
by without a slgu', then the blue letter
ca me.
I surrender. The most falul thing in
life Is curloalty. It has the power to lead
us into all tnunner of trouble. And J have
my shuro of curiosity. Kemeiober, you
never would have found me. 1 may dwell
In a Kurrvt; I may be hideous: perhaps
nothing remains' tu mc but my voice.
And now the terms. And If you do not
follow them conlldently and blindly your
dinner will grow cold In the carriage.
Dinner will be at 8. Feb. 1. At 7 a car
riage will call for you. The messenger
will blindfold you. Ho will then proceed
to the club and take the dinner and bring
you here. Be wurned: If you so much
as lift the corner of the btinduge. the ro
mance will end then and. there. I roallxa
that I am doing somuthlng very foolish
and unwise; but, as you suy. I am a wo
man who has seen much of the world.
Thus 1 have my worldly side. 1 shall use
It as a buffer.
"Blindfolded:" Hillard scrubbed his
chin. All these precautions! Who was
she? What was she? Shire there was
no escape, blindfolded he would go.
At half after 0 on the night of tho
1st of February, then, be began to
dress. It was some time since ho bad
taUeu such particular care.
"The slgnor seems In high spirits
lonlirbt." observed Giovanni iih ho laid
out the linen.
"Man. I'm happy and' greatly ex
cited. Do you recollect the lady who
sang under my window? I am going
to meet her tonight. The mystery will
be n mystery no longer."
"Ah!" Giovanni strobed his Hps
doubtfully. "It Is not like the slguot
to plunge blindly Into nuvciiiui ;s like
this."
"The very word, blindly. I go blind
folded, ninlco. What do you think of
that?"
"Blindfolded?" Giovanni was horri
fied, "it Is a trap!" lie cried. "They
will assassinate you'. So: ymi shall
not go! In liome. at the c.-inilvnlH, Il
Is uu old game. They will rub you."
"Take the number of ilie cab as 1
get iu. If any thing should happen,
give the number to the police."
Giovanni, with a sharp movement of
the hands, expressed his resignation
to the worst. He knew the futility of
arguing with his m-'isii-r. Hut he fol
lowed him down to the hall and lied on
the bandage himself, lie was lioui-st
about It, too. for Hillard could see noth
ing. Then the messenger boy took him
by the hand nnd led liltn lo (he car
riage; As the two were climbing in
Giovanni spoke rapidly In his unlive
tongue.
"There Is no number on the car
riage!" "Too late to bother now."
The carriage rolled off toward the
club, where the dinner, hot mid smok
ing, was taken on.
(Td be continued.)
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C. M. HARRIS.
495 Washington Street, Portland, Or.
Telephone Main 3000.
II
wtwm Rings
All Kinds All Sizes
'SSnMartin J.' Reddy
WANTED
Timber and Coal Lands
ENGINEERING AND SURVEYING CON
TRACTS TAKEN AND ESTIMATES
FU UN I SUED.
B. II. Harris & Co.
MEDFORD, OREGON
Office in Jackson County Bank Upstairs
When we suggest that you
Toast Your Bread
On Breakfast Table
AVe do not mean that you should cat off
the stove toast
With an Electric Toaster
and have crisp, brown, delicious toast
' costs lc. per meal to operate. We
have the best toaster on the market for
sale at $-1.00. Clean, appetizing, sanitary
ROGUE RIVER ELECTRIC CO.
iU' cssoi'H to Condor Water & Power Co.
APPLES AND PEARS AND ALL KINDS OP
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES.
YAKIMA VALLEY NURSERY
Largest Commercial Nursery in the Pacific North
west. Not in the combine. Competes with all first
class nurseries.
L. E. HOOVER, Agent
MEDFORD, ' ' OEEaON
IS
State Depositary
Established 1B88.
Capital and Burplua $125,000
Roiourroi 1700,000
41 vroroBD, ouooir M.
THE JEWELER
Near P. 0.
RESOLVED
The lieHt resolution for you
to miiko is to come to iih for
your next suit, if yo.i want
Mtiitivlliing out of lli ordinary.
We do tlio bust work and charge
the lowest prices.
W. W. EIFERT
THE FEOORlhSlVE TAILOX
HIGHEST ATTAINMENT IN
SYSTEMATIC BANKING SERVICE
Tlio Jackson County Bnnk rospoet
fully solioits your necount, subject
to your check, with tho strongest
giuirantco of safety nnd efficiency.
We offer the highest attainment in
systematic banking service, which
nsBiircs the greatest enre in every
financial transaction, with this oblig
ing institution.
W. I. VAWTER, President.
G. It. LINDLEY, Cnshior. r
si