THE HOOD RIVER NEWS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1909
7
The Lure of
the Mask
By HAROLD MAC GRATH
Cepyrijht. 1)08. by lb tojibs
Merrill Co.
(CONTINUED rKQM LAST WEKIU
CHAPTER IX.
A TAXOLEO tKCIN.
ANFORD knew how to order a
dinner, and so by tbt time that
A Merrlhew bad emptied bit sec
ond glass of Burgundy and hi
first of champagne be wit in the bate
of golden confidence. He would find
Kitty, and when be found her be would
find her heart as well.
"Say, Jack." anld Sandford. "what
did you mean by that fool cable any
bow?"
Hlllard hud been patiently waiting
for au opening of this sort. "And
what did you mean by boaxlng me?"
"Hoaxing you?"
"That's the word. I was in your
bouse that night. I was there as sure
ly as I am here tonight."
"Nell, am I crazy or Is It Jack?"
"Sometimes," said Mrs. San ford,
"when you put the chauffeur In the
tonneau I'm Inclined to think that It Is
you."
Hlllard looked straight Into the plac
Id gray eyes of bis hostess. Very slow
ly one of the white lids drooped. His
heart bounded.
"Hut really," continued Sandford se
riously, "unless you bribed the- care
taker you could not possibly have en
tered the house. You have leen dream
ing." "Very, well, then. It begins to look
as If I had." It was apparent to Hll
lard that Sandford was not in his
wife's confidence in all things. He
also saw the wisdom of dropping the
subject while at t lie tiilile.
They took coffee and lliucur in the
glass inclosed balcony. Hlllard found
quiet nook not far from the lift. He
saw that Mrs. Sandford's chair was
placed so that she could get a good
view of the superb night. He sat
down himself, sipped his liqueur med
itatively, drank his coffee and as she
nodded llirhtrd a cigarette.
"Well?" she said, smiling into bis
brown eyes, she was rather fond of
Hlllurd. n gentleman always and one
of excellent taste. There was never
any wearisome Innuendo In his wit nor
suggestion in bis stories.
"You delllierately winked at nie," be
began. .
"I deliberately did."
"Sandford Is In the dark. I inspect
ed as much."
"Regarding the wink?"
"Regarding the mysterious woman
who occupied your house by your ex
press authority and who rode the
hunter In the park."
"Was there ever n more beautiful
picture?" sweeping tier hands toward
the city.
"The beauty of It will lust several
hours yet. Who and what was
she?"
'1 wish I could llnd you a wife. You
would make a good husband."
"Thank you. I am even willing,
with your assistance, to prove it. Who
was she. and how came she In your
house?"
'She wished that favor aud that her
presence In New York should not be
known. Now descrlhe to me exactly
what linpiiened. I i tn worrying about
the plate and the sliver."
He laughed. "And you will meet
me halfway?"
"I promise to tell you all I dare."
"There Is a mystery?"
"Yes. So begin with your side of it."
Ue wus a capital story teller. He re
counted the adventure In all Its color
the voice under his window, the per
sonals In the paper, the interchange of
letters, the extraordinary dinner, the
musk In the envelope. She followed
hltn with breathless Interest.
('harming, charming:" She clapped
her bands. "And how well you tell It!
You have told It Just as It happened."
"Just as It happened;" confounded
for n moment.
"Kindly. 1 have hnd a letter-two,
In fad. You did not see her face?"
A FULL STOCKING
At Christmas Time Is a
Good Thing.
But full hod during the root of the
year Is better. You can fill your hsad
with useful knowledge of the world's
urront history by subscribing for this
newspaper and reading it regularly.
"Qnly the chin and mouth. But If I
ever meet her again I shall know her
by her teeth."
"Heavens! And how?"
"Two lower ones are gone. Other
wise they would be beautiful."
"l'oor man! You have budded your
house upon the Hands. Her teeth are
perfect. She has fooled you."
"Rut I suw with these two eyes!"
"There Is a preparation which the
atrical people use a kiud of gutn. She
mentioned the trick. Isn't she clever?"
"Yet I Hint 1 1 know her hair." dogged
ly. She put her hands swiftly to ber
head. "Now, you have known me for
lie nrtiuiital tin diifiifure In oil IU color.
years. What Is the color of my
hair?''
"Why, it Is blond."
"Nothing of the kind. It is auburn.
If you cannot tell mine, how will you
tell hers?"
"I shall probably run after every
red headed woman In Europe till I find
her." humorously.
"Our ears never deceive half so often
as our eyes."
"Her face is not scarred, la it?"
"Scarred."' Indignantly. "She is as
ltcuutiful as a Raphael, us lovely as a
Rouguereau. If I were a man I should
gladly journey round the world for the
sight of her."
"I am willing, even anxious."
"I should fall in love with her."
"I believe I have."
"Come, Mr. Hlllard. I am Just fool
ing. You are too sensible a man to
fall in love with a shadowa mask.
One doer ci fall in love that way."
"She Is .. arricd?"
'Certainly 1 have not said so."
He flicked the ash from his ciga
rette.
"Have you those letters?"
"One of them I'll show you."
"Why not the other?"
"It would be wasting time. It mere
ly relates to your adventure. She
sailed the day after you dined with
her."
"That accounts for the shutters. The
police and the caretaker were bribed."
"I gasped they were."
'If I wero a vain man, and you
know I am not. I might ask you If she
Fisike well of me In this letter. Un
derstand I am not Inquiring."
Rut you put the question as adroit
ly as a woman. We are sure of vanity
always. Yes, she spoke of you. She
found you to be an agreeable gentle
man. Rut," with gentle malice, "she
did not sav that she wished she bad
met you years ago under more favor
able circumstances."
Come, give me the death stroke and
have done with it. Tell me what you
dare, and I'll be content with It."
She opened ber handkerchief purse
and delved among the various articles
therein.
"I expected that you would le asking
questions, so I am prepared. I did not
tell my husband for that very reason.
He would have Insisted upon knowing
everything. Here, read this. It Is only
a glimpse."
He searched eagerly for the signa
ture.
'Don't bother," she said. "The name
Is only a nickname we gave ber at
school."
"School? Do you mean to tell me
hat you went to school with her?
Where?"
In Pennsylvania first, then In Milan.
Read."
O Cnra Mia If only you knew how
orry I am to mini you! Why must you
rail at once? Why not come to my beau-
Iful Venice? 1 have so much to say that
cannot be written. You ask about tho d-
enture. four goes my little dream of
greatness. It a blank failure. The
ofhclats put unheard of obstacle In our
path. The contracts were utterly disre
garded. In the flmt place, we had not
purchased our costumes and scenery In
Italy.
"Costumes and scenery?" nillnrd
sought the signature again.
The base of oil the trouble was a clerk
In the consulate at Naples. He wrote us
hat there would be no duties on costumes
and scenery Alas, the manager and his
backer are on the way to. America, sad
der and wiser oien! We surrendered our
return tickets to the chorus and sent
hem home. The rest of us are stranded
Is not tnat the word? here In Venice,
waiting for money from home. If I were
alone. It would be highly amusing, but
hese poor people with me! There Is only
one way I can help tnem, out mat never:
You rocoMert that my personal Income la
quarterly, and It will he two months be
fore I slinll have funds. There are per
sons moving heaven and earth to find me.
Mv companions haven't the least Idea
who I am. So here we all are. wandering
about the I'lnua San Marco, calling at
ook a every day In hopes of money. I
am staying with my maid In the Campo
Santa Mnrln Formosa, near our beloved
Santa llarhara. I have guaranteed the
credit of my companions, and they believe
that Venetians are generous people. Gen
erous! Perhaps you will wonder how I
dared appear on the stage In Italy. A
black wlk' nnd a theatrical makeup mesa
were snlllclent. A duke sent me an Invl-
atlon to take supper with him, as If I
were a ballerina! I sent one of the Amer
ican chorus girls, a little minx for mis
chief She ate his supper and then ran
awav. I understand that he was furious.
(inly a few months more. Nell, and then
ninv come and go as I please Come to
Venice. CATKICCIOSA.
Hlllard did not stir. Another laby
rinth to this mystery! Ca price losa
Kitty Kllllgrew's unknown prima don
na, aud all he hud to do was to take
the morning train for Venice, and
twenty-four hours later he would be
prowling through the Campo Santa
Murla Formosa.
Mrs. Sandford observed birn curi
ously, even sadly. Why couldn't hU
fancy have been charmed by an every
day, sensible girl and not by this
whimsical, extraordinary woman who
fooled diplomats, flaunted dukes and
kept a king ut arm's length as pas
time? And yet
"Caprlcclosa," be mused aloud.
"That Is not her name."
"And I shall not tell It you."
"But her given name? Just a straw,
something to bold on. I'm a drowning
man."
"It la Hilda."
"That It German."
"She prefer It to Sonla."
"Sonla Hilda. It begins well. May I
keep this letter?"
"Certainly not. With that cara mla?
Give It to me."
He did so. "Shall I seek her?"
"This Is my advice don't think of
ber after tonight. If you ever see or
recognize ber, avoid her. It may sound
theatrical, but she Is the innocent
cause of two deaths. These men
sought her openly too."
"What has she done?"
"She made a great though common
mistake."
"Political?"
"Don't be foolish. I am sorry I let
you see the letter. I forgot that she
told me ber hiding place."
"Her hiding place?"
"Mr. Hlllard, she Is as far remoTed
from your orbit as Mars' la from Jupi
ter's. Forget ber."
"My orbit Is not limited. I shall
seek her. When I find ber I shall
marry her."
"I like you too much. Mr. Hlllard, to
stand by and see you break your heart
against a stone wall."
"Don't you see, the deeper the mys
tery Is the more powerful the attrac
tion becomes?"
The door to the lift opened and
closed noisily, and Hlllard turned neg
ligently. A man sauntered through the
room. The moment he came Into the
light Hlllard's Interest became lively
enough. It was the handsome Italian
with the scar.
"Who Is that man?" he whispered.
"Only a few weeks ago I bumped into
him on coming out of the club."
Do not attract his attention," she
answered.
"Who la he?" he repeated.
"A Venetian officer and a profligate.
I entertained him once, but I learned
from him that I had leen ill advised."
Hlllard saw that this subject would
admit of no further questions. The
man with the scar had committed
some Inexcusable offense, and Mrs
Sandford had crossed him off the
list.
It was after 10 when Hlllard and his
friend took their leave.
"We shall leave In the morning for
Venice," said Hlllard.
"Venice? How about Rome and
Florence?"
"Which would you prefer, Rome and
the antiquities or Venice and Kitty
Kllllgrew?"
"Kitty in Venice? Are you sure?"
"She Is there with La Slgnorlna Ca
prlcclosa. Oh, this Is a fine world, aft
er all, and I was wrong to speak ill of
It this morning."
"If Kitty's In Venice I'm an ungrate
ful beggar too. Rut I do not see why
Kitty's being in Venice excites you."
";? Well, fate writes that Kitty's
Two dignified coroMnlcrl roue TtitcJiIy.
mysterious prima donna and my lady
of the mask are one and the same per
son." "No!"
The two without further words
marched along the middle of the Cor
so to tho hotel. The concierge started
toward them, but suddenly reconsid
ered and retreated to his bandbox of
an office. The strangeness of his move
ments passed unnoticed by the two
men, who continued on through the
lobby Into the first corridor. Hlllard
Inserted his key In the door of his
room and swung It Inward. He paused
on the threshold with good cause.
Two dignified rarablnleil rose quick
ly and approached Hlllard. There was
something In the flashing eyes and set
Jaws that made him realize that the
safest thing for hint to do at that mo
ment was to stand perftly still.
CHAPTER X.
CAJtABIMEHI.
' IGXORI." began Hlllard
ly, "before you act wl
not do me the honor
,;lii tills Visit?"
calm-
Ill you
to ex-
"It U not he!" suld one of the cara
bluleri. "It U the muster, aud not the
scrvuut. This la Slgnor Hillar, la It
not?" he continued, addressing himself
to Hlllard. "The slgnor has a servant
by the name of Giuvauul?"
"Ye.;. And what has be done to war
rant this visit?"
"It Is a mutter of seven years," an
swered the spokesman. "Your serr
ant attempted to kill an officer la
Rome. I.uigl here, who was tben In
terested In the case In Rome, thought
he recognized Giovanni In the street
today. Inquiries led us here."
"At any rate, It looks as though Gio
vanni had been forewarned of your
visit," answered Hlllard. "And may I
ask what Is the name of the officer
Giovanni attempted to kill?"
"It la not necessary that you should
know."
Hlllard accepted the rebuke with be
coming grace.
"And now, slguDr," with the utmost
courtesy, "permit us to apologize for
this Intrusion. We shall wait In the
hull, and If we find Giovanni we shall
gladly notify you of the event"
"Hello! What's this?" exclaimed Hll
lard, going to the table wben the of
ficers had gone. It was a note ad
dressed to him:
My Kind Master The carablnlert are
after me. But rest easy. I was not bora
to rot In a dungeon. I am going north.
As for my clothes, send them to Olacamo,
the baker, who lives on the road to El
Deserta. He wUI understand. May the
Holy Mother guard you should wo never
meet again!
Hlllard passed the note to Merrlhew.
"That's too bad. I've taken a great
fancy to him. It seems that the peas
ant has no chance on this side of the
water. His child a painted dancer In
Paris and a price on bis own bead!
It's hard luck. And the fellow who
caused all this trouble goes free."
"He always goes free, Dan, here or
elsewhere."
"Why, we'd have lynched him la
America."
"That's possible. We are such an
Impulsive race." ironically. "Yes, no
doubt we'd have lynched him, and
these foreigners would have added an
other ounce of fact to their belief that
we are still barbarians."
"I hadn't thought of that," Merrlhew
admitted.
Merrlhew became Impatient.
"Now out with It. Where and how
did you learn that Kitty is In Venice?"
Hillard told him briefly.
"And so they are all In Venice,
broke? Ry George, here's our chance
everlasting gratitude and all that!
We'll ball 'em out and ship 'em home!
How Is that for a bright Idea?"
"Let me see," said Hlllard practical
ly. "There are five of them five hun
dred for tickets and doubtless five hun
dred more for unpaid hotel bills. It
would never do. Dan, unless we wish
to go home with them."
"Rut I haven't touched my letter of
credit yet. I could get along on two
thousand."
"Not with the brand of cigars you
are smoking, 30 cents each."
"No; we can't ball them out, but we
can ease up their bills till money
comes from borne. Not one of them by
this time will have a watch. O'Mally
will remain sober from dire necessity.
Poor Kitty Kllllgrew! All the won
derful shops and not a stiver In ber
pockets!"
Merrlhew paced the floor for some
time, his head full of Impossible
schemes. He stopped In the middle of
the room with an abruptness which
portended something.
"I have It. Instead of going directly
to Venice, we'll change the route and
go to Monte Carlo. I'll risk my four
hundred, and If I win"
"Tben the announcement cards, a
house wedding and pictures in the
New York pni?rs. Dan, you are im
possible. You have gambled enough
to know that wben you are careless
of results you wiu, but never when
you need the cash. Rut it Is Monte
Carlo if you say so. Two or three
days there will cure you of your beau
tiful dream. After all," with a second
thought, "It's a good cause, and it
might be Just your luck to win. The
masquerading lady! Monte Carlo it
Is."
Merrlhew danced a Jig. Hlllard
stepped to the mirror and bowed pro
foundly. The Jig ceased.
"Madame, permit me, a comparative
stranger, to offer you passage money
home. We won It at Monte Carlo.
It Is yours. Polite enough," mused
Hlllard, "but banged If It sounds
proper."
"To the deuce with propriety!" cried
Merrlhew buoyantly. "We'll start to
morrow?" From her window Kitty looked down
on the Campo, which lay patched with
black shadows and moonshine. How
still at night was this fairy city In the
sea! There were no horses clattering
over the stone pavements, no trains, no
omnibuses. The stillness which was of
peace lay over all things. And some
of this hnd entered Kitty's heart.
Rut for one thing the hour would
have been perfect. Kitty, ordinarily
brave and cheerful, was very lonesome
and homesick. The dismal failure of It
all! She had danced, sung, spoken her
hues the very best she knew how, and
none bad noticed or encouraged her.
It was a bitter cup after all the suc
cess at home. If only she could take It
philosophically like La Slgnorlna!
And there were so many things she
could not understand. Why should La
Slgnorlna always go veiled? Where
did she disappear so mysteriously In
the daytime? And those sapphires and
rilumcrd and emeralds? Why live
here with such a fortune hanging
round her neck?
"Kitty?" The voice came from the
doorwnv. Klttr was startled for a
moment, but It was only La Slgnorlna.
Kitty furtively wiped her eyes.
"I am over here by the window.
The moon was su bright I did not light
the lamp."
La Slgnorlna moved with light step
to the window, bent and caught Kit
ty's face between ber bunds and turn
ed it firmly toward the moon.
"You have been crying, cara!"
"I am very lonely," said Kitty.
"You poor little homeless bird!" La
Slgnorlna seized Kitty Impulsively In
ber arms. "If I were not" She hesi
tated. "If you were not?"
"If I were not poor, but rich Instead,
I'd take you to one of the fashionable
hotels. You are out of place here In
thla rambling old ruin."
"Not half so much aa you art," Kit
ty replied.
"I am never out of place. I can llv
comfortably In the fields with the
peasants, In cities in extravagant ho
tels. My mind la alwaya at one height.
Where the body Is does not matter
much."
There was a subtle hauteur in the
voice. It subdued Kitty's Inquisitive
aesa. "Sometimes," said Kitty, drying the
final tear "sometimes I am afraid of
you."
"And wisely. I am often afraid of
myself. I alwaya do the first thing
Aat enters my bead, and generally It
A good ttrokt tent the gondola up the canal.
is the wrong thing. Never mind. The
old woman here will trust us for some
weeks yet." She leaned from the win
dow and called, "Pomp-e-1"
From the canal the gondolier an
swered.
'Now then!" said the woman to the
girl.
Kitty threw a heavy shawl over her
head and shoulders, while the other
wound about ber face the now famil
iar dark gray veil, and the two went
down into the Campo to the landing.
Pompeo threw away bis cigarette
and doffed his hat. He offered bis el
bow to steady the women as they
boarded, aud once they were seated a
good stroke' sent the gondola up the
canal. Under bridges they passed.
They glided by little restaurants
where Venetians In olden days talked
liberty for themselves and death to the
Austriaas, and at length they came
out upon the Grand canal where the
RIalto curves Its ancient blocks of
marble.
"There! This is better."
"It Is always better wben yo are
with me," said Kitty.
For years Kitty had fought ber bat
tles alone, Independent and resource
ful, and yet here she was leaning upon
the strong will of this remarkable wo
man, and gratefully too.
Now, my dear Kitty, we'll Just en
joy ourselves tonight, and on our re
turn I shall lay a plan before you, and
tomorrow you may submit it to the
men."
I accept it at once without knowing
what it Is."
"What a beautiful palace!" Kitty
cried presently, pointing to a house
not far from the house of Petrarch.
The moon injured broadly upon It. The
gondola posts stood like sleeping senti
nels, aud the tide murmured over the
steps.
Pompeo, seeing Kitty's gesture.
swung the gondola diagonally across
the canal.
No, no, Pompeo!" La Slgnorlna
spoke In Italian. "I have told you
never to go near that bouse without
express orders. Straight ahead."
"Who lives there?" asked Kitty.
"Nobody," auswered La Slgnorlna,
though once It was the palace of a
great warrior. How picturesque the
gondolas look, with their dancing dou
ble lights!"
"The old palace interests me more
than the gondolas," declared Kitty. But
La Slgnorlna was not to be trapped.
From the Grand canal they came out
Into the great canal of San Marco, the
beginning of the lagoon.
"La Slgnorlna" begun Kitty.
"There! I have warned you twlra
The third time 1 shall be angry."
"Hilda, then. Rut 1 am afraid when
ever I call you that. You do not belong
to my world."
"And what makes you think that?"
There was a smile behind the veil.
"I do not know uuless It Is that you
are at home everywhere, In the Campo,
In the hotels, lu the theater or tie pal
ace. Now, I am at home only In the
theater, lu places which are unreal
and artificial. You are a great actrese,
a great singer, and yet. as O'Mally
would say, you don't belong." Kitty
had forgotten what she had started out
to say.
La Slfttiorlna laughed. "Pouf! You
have been reading too many uovels.
To the molo, Pompeo."
At the molo, the great quay of Ven
ice, they disembarked. The whilom
prima donua dropped 50 centeslml Into
tompeo'a palm, aud he bowed t the
very gunwale of the boat.
"Oracle, nobiilta."
"What doea he say?" asked Kitty.
"He aaya Thanks, nobility.' If I
had given him a peuuy It would bat
beeu thanks only. For a lira be wou J
have added prliiclessa princess. Tie
gondolier will give you any title y U
desire if you are willing enough to pay
for it."
The Piazza Han Marco, or St Mark.
Is the mecca of those In search of beau
ty. Here they may lay the aacred car
pet, kneel and worship. There la noi.e
other to compare with this mighty
square, with Its enchanting splendor,
lu naunting romance. Its brilliant If
pathetic history.
There were several thousand people
In the square tonight mostly traveler.
The band waa playing selections fro j
Audran's whimsical "La Maacotte '
The tables of the many cafea wet
filled, and hundreds walked to and ft t
under the bright arcades or stopped t
gaze Into the shop windows.
The two women saw no vacant ta
bles at Florian's, but presently they
espied the other derellcU O'Mally,
Smith and Worth who managed to
find two extra chairs.
Through her veil their former prima
donna studied them carefully, with a
purpose In mind. The only one aba
doubted was Worth. Somehow be an
noyed her. She could not explain, yet
still the sense of annoyance waa alwaya
there.
"Gentlemen," she said during a lull,
"I have a plan to propose to you all."
"If It will get us back to old Broad
way let us have It at once," said
O'Mally.
"Well, then, I propose to wait no
longer for letters from home. My plan
A glorious green emerald Uiy in the palm
of her hand.
is simple. They say that a gambler al
ways wins the first time be plays. I
propose that each of you will spare
me what money you can. and Kitty
and I will go to Monte Carlo and take
one plunge at the tables."
"Monte Carlo!" O'Mally brought
down his fist resoundingly. "That's a
good Idea. If you should break the
bank tblnk of the advertisement wben
you go back to New York."
"Be still." said Worth.
"Dash it, business Is business, and
without publicity there isn't any busi
ness." O'Mally was hurt
"Mr. O'Mally Is right" said La Slgno
rlna. "It would be a good advertise
ment. But your combined opinion la
what I want."
The three men looked at one another
thoughtfully, then drew out their wal
lets, tbln and worn. They made up a
purse of exactly $150, not at all a pro
pitious sum. Rut, such as It waa,
O'Mally passed It across the table.
This utter confidence In ber touched
La Slgnorina's heart. She turned
aside for a moment aud fumbled with
the hidden chain about her neck. She
placed her hand on the table and
opened It. O'Mally gasped. An emer
alda glorious green emerald lay In
the palm of ber band.
"1 shall give this to you, Mr. O'Mal
ly." said the owner, "till I return. It
is very dear to roe, bnt that mnst not
stand In the way."
"Ye gods!" cried O'Mally la dismay.
"Put it away. I shouldn't sleep o'
nights with that on my person. Keep
it. We'll trust you anywhere this aide
of Jail. Rut you're a brick, all the
same." And that was as near familiar
ity as O'Mally ever came.
She turned to Smith, but he put out
a band In violent protest; tben to
Worth, bnt be smiled and shook his
bend.
She put the ring away. It was her
mother's. She never would smile
scornfully In secret at these men
again.
"Thank you." she said quietly, "if I
lose your money we will all go to
Florence. I have another plan, but
that will keep till this one under hand
proves a failure."
O'Mally tieckoned to a waiter.
"Tom!" warned Smith.
"You let me alone," replied O'Mally.
A quart of Astl won't hurt anybody."
Early the next morning she and Kit
ty departed for Monte Carlo In quest
of fortune. Fortune was there, wait
ing, out In a guise wholly unexpected.
TO BE CONTINUED
New Secretary
A new secretary of the Washington
State Railway Commission hiia leeii
appointed In the person of Francis
N. l.imieil of Scuttle. He Is well
known In newspaper circle, hiivlnx
been coniKvtccI with the Post Intelll
gvneer for tl ve years. Ilia latest ser
vice was aa Sunday editor. Mr.
I. anted Is regarded as particularly
well quail lied for hU new post.
Jim