THE HOOD RIVER NEWS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1910 . ,
S
The Lure of
the Mask
By HAROLD MACCRATH
Cepyrihl, DOS. lk Beeae
Merrill Ce.
(CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK)
CHAPTER XIV.
o'mai.lt iuooxsti.
IN a bedroom In one of the cheap
little pensioner which ahoulder
one another alone the RWa degll
Scblabonl sat three men. Ail
three were smoking execrable tobacco.
The castaways of the American Comic
Opera troupe were on the anxious seat.
"O'Mally, what's your opinion of La
BlgnorlnaT" said Worth.
"What about her?"
"What do you think of hert She's
not one of us; she belongs to another
class, and the stage is only an Inci
dent" "Well, I don't know what to think.
I'ts pumped Kllligrew, but she seems
to be in the dark with the rest of us.
Tbattrlng and the careless way she
offered It as security convince me tnat
she doesn't belong. But what a YolceP
"She Is without exception one of
the most beautiful women I ever saw
or care to see," rejoined Worth.
Smith and O'Mally exchanged a
swift, comprehensive look.
Worth roue to go to Cook's office for
possible letters, but abruptly returned
to announce that the two ladles had
returned from Monte Carlo. The actors
proceeded to the parlor and greeted
the prima donna and Kitty.
"We lost," explained the latter.
"I waa very foolish," said the erst
while prima donna. "I might have
known that when one is unlucky one
may become still more unlucky. But
X did so wish to win. I wanted to
bring back enough gold to send you
all to America."
"But what was to become of you 7"
asked Worth.
The question was not expected.
"Oh. Italy la my home. I tball And a
way somehow. I'ut me out of your
thoughts entirely. But I am sorry to
bring you this bitter disappointment,
for It must be bitter."
"There Is one thing I wish to under
stand thoroughly." put In Worth slow
ly. "You have guaranteed our credit at
this hotel. By what nieausT Worth
held her eye with courage.
"With my word," she answered.
"I know something of these foreign
hotel managers. Words must be back
ed by values." Worth's eye was still
steady and unwavering. "If, aa I be
lieve, you guaranteed our credit with
Jewels we must know."
"Is it from a sen a misguided
sense of chivalry?" she asked, her
lps suggesting a smile.
'You are evading us," went on
Worth,
"You innlst, then?" coldly.
"Positively insist. If you do not tell
ns we shall be forced to take our
chances elsewhere," Worth pressed a
button. A servant appesred. "The
manager at once."
La Slgnorlna dropped her veil and
sat stiffly in her chair. Kitty moved
uneasily. The manager appeared. He
bowed.
"Madame here," began Worth, indi
cating La Slgnorlna, "has guaranteed
our credit at your hotel."
"Yes. Is not everything satisfac
tory?" asked the manager eagerly.
"What security did madame ad
vance ?"
"Security?" The manager looked at
La Slgnorlna, but she rendered him
pot the least assistance. "I have given
my word to madame not to tell."
"Then three gentlemen shall leave.
Make out our bill at puce!''
The manager appealed to the lady.
'You are foolish men," spoke La
Slgnorlna. "If the manager wishes to
tell you be may do so,"
The roannger brought forth a fat
wallet and opened It. Out of this he
took flat object wrapped In tissue
paper. Very tenderly he unfolded It.
The treasure was a diamond pendant,
worth at least $1,000.
"I was to keep tula simply till
madame chose to reclaim It. Nothing
has been advanced against It." A new
thought came Into the manager's
mind, and he turned slightly pale. "If
It Is not madame's"
"It is mine," said La Slgnorlna. She
was very angry, but ber sense of Jus
tice admitted that Worth waa perfect
ly right. "Once more I ask you not to
make me miserable by 'forcing this
trinket back upon me. Will you do
me the honor to wait till tomorrow
morning?"
The three men exchanged looks.
"Till tomorrow morning, then," said
Worth. The maunger was glad t
cape.
L Slgnorlna raised her veil. From
her girdle bag she took a letter. "This
letter is from a friend I have always
known.. Has any one of you ever
heard of the Prlnrlpessa dl Monte
Blanca?"
Iter audience leaned forward atten
tively as she read the letter:
My tear-I wae very Rlad Indeed to
hear from you, ami I aliall be only too
hnppy to offer you the temporary anelat
anca you dealre. You will recollect that
I poaaeea a villa Just outalda of Florence.
mil or o north of Kleaole. Tha villa
la furnlalied and kept In repair by an
ancient gardener and hla wife. You and
your friends are welcome to occupy the
Villa Ariadne as Inns you please. Of
Course you will find all tha cheats, bu
reaus, atdeboard and rloaeta under seal,
for I have not been there lnc the death
pt rrty father. None of the aeals may be
removed tin I occupy the villa legally.
iowevr, the aardenar ami Ms wife have
tuver and linen and china, and with these
you will be able ta get along nicely.
LA rBlNCIPBBB A VI MONTH U1ANQA.
The question Is, Shall we accept
this offer?" She refolded the letter.
"This was the plan I hud in mind
when we went to Monte Carlo, and a
much better plan too."
"Of course we shall accept It," said
Worth.
"But what's the matter with your
playing the princess to the neighbors?"
suggested O'Mally, bis eyes laughing.
"I'll be the concierge, Smith the stew
ard and Kitty your maid."
"And I?" asked Worth.
"Oh, you can be her highness' pri
vate secretary and attend to the cor
respondence." The laughter which followed this
was light hearted and careless. Only
La Slgnorlna did not Join the merri
ment. She rose with a determined air.
"Mr. O'Mally makes a very good sug
gestion. ?t will be an adventure worth
The manager brought forth a uulUt.
recounting. I shall go as the princess.
Her highness commands! Will It not
be delightful?"
Worth looked at O'Mally, who looked
at Smith, who looked at Kitty; then all
four looked at La Slgnorlna.
"Are you not lightening our trials by
Joking?" asked Worth dubiously.
"Call It madness. If you like. I shall
go as the princess."
"But the authorities! It will be
prison."
"I am suiBciently armed for any
event. It all depends upon your cour
age." "Ob. If you take that tone," said
O'Mally, coloring, "why, the thing la
done. No one can call me a coward."
"I shan't desert you in a strait like
this," remarked Worth quietly. "Only
I think La Slgnorlna rather cruel to
force such a situation upon us when
It was entirely unnecessary."
"It is agreed, then," continued La
Slgnorlna, "that tomorrow we depart
for Florence as the Prlnclpessa dl
Monte Blanca and suit?"
e e e
It is in early morning that one should
discover the Piazza San Marco. Few
travelers, always excepting the Teu
tonic pilgrims, are up aud about. The
doves are hungry then, aud they alight
ou your hands, your arms, your shoul
ders and even your bat. In a moment
they are fluttering about you like an
autumn storm of leaves, subsiding
quickly.
It was such a picture Merrihew and
Ulllard, his guide, came upon the
morning following ther arrival. They
bad not visited It during the night.
They bud, with the usual impatience
of men, gone directly to the Campo
Santa Maria Formosa for the great re
ward. Thoy had watched aud waited
till near midnight, but In vain.
Suddenly IUllurd stopped. He gave
a sharp exclamatlou aud darted to one
side to grssp the arm of a neat little
woman who was buying corn. It was
Bettina. But the maid refused abso
lutely to reveal the hiding place of her
mistress, La Slgnorlna, aud Kitty.
Illllaid offered her a hundred lira
note ($20).
Bettlua, strongly tempted, Dually re
fused the bribe. She threatened to call
the carablnlerl, moreover. If lltllard
followed her.
Hillnrd rejoined Merrihew, discour
aged.
As tbey pussed out of the quadrangle
a man accosted them. It was Giovan
ni, with a week's growth of beard on
his face, bis shoes out at the toes.
"Follow me," he said softly.
Ite led them through tortuous streets,
over canal after canal, toward the
Campo Snn Auge.lo. He came ta
stop before a dilapidated tenement
The three mounted the dusty, worn
stairs of stone to the third landing
Giovanni opened a door and bade
them enter.
Seated by the window which over
looked the little canal was a young
woniau. Her hands lay passively In
her lap, and her head was lowered.
"You have found her!" whispered,
Hlllard, a great pity swelling hla
heart.
At thu pound she turned her head.
Her face, thin and waxen, was still
beautiful, ethereally beautiful, but
without color. She was perhaps three
and twenty.
'I have brought nq oKl friend to see
you," said Giovanni.
She stood up.
"We are going bark to the ffabtne
hills, Enrlchetta and I." The old man
nibbed his hands Joyously, "Eh,
carlMslme?"
"Yes, father," with a faint smile.
Giovanni pushed his friends into an
other room, closing the door.
"I found her," he said in English,
the chords In his throut standlug out,
"And, luothfr of Christ, how I have
suffered! She was duueiug. She bad
to sit at tables and drink with the
men that or the Seine. When she
saw me she gave a great cry and fell.
She bus not been like herself, but that
will puss away lu time. Now she sits
In silence and broods. I went to the
Italian ambassador. He heard my
story lu full. lie wrote personally to
the king. Today I am free. I have
bud to walk from Milan almost. I had
little money. That letter of credit
so you call It la with my cousin In
Sorrento."
"And the man?" Hlllard could not
refrain from putting this question.
Giovanni looked down. "The slgnor
told me never to speak of that again
"So I did." replied Hlllard. "But all
Is changed now.
"Go back to your hills with your
daughter and leave vengeance In the
hands of God. Forget this man who
has wronged you. Forget."
"If he does not cross my path and
If she lives. I have suffered too great
ly to forgive and forget. I promise
not to seek him."
The old man went down to the street
with them. They were so kind, ne
hated the thought of losing them.
They waved their bands cheerily and
vanished from sight. They never saw
Olovannl again, yet his hand was to
work out the great epoch in nillard's
destiny.
TO BE CONTINUED
"Advertising tiring success" If
what you advertise bears out your
advertisement.
A. W. ONTHANK
NOTARY PUBLIC
Dealer in CITY PROPERTY
Legal Papers carefuiy drawn.
Money loaned on First Mortgages
Fire Insurance in best Companies.
Surety Bonds of all kinds.
Stenography and Typewriting.
Business promptly attended to.
806 Oak Stmt
Hood River
W. J. BAKER
Real Estate
Loans
Insurance
APPLE AND STRAWBERRY
LAND A SPECIALTY
Correspondence Solicited
A
nnouncement
The Real Estate Department of HARTMAN & THOMPSON,
Bankers, Chamber of Commerce Building, Portland, Oregon,
through their Farm Department, are handling HOOD RIVER
ORCHARD LANDS, and have made arrangements with the under
signed to manage the HOOD RIVER BRANCH.
Owners wishing to sell all or part of their HOOD RIVER
holdings, improved or unimproved, will do well to list
their properties at an early date. All properties listed
with us will not only be placed before the large number of
prospective buyers who pass through the thoroughly
organized Portland office with its large force of trained
salesmen, but will also reach buyers through our Eastern
representatives .
J. F. BATCHELDER
Phone 70
Temporary Office, 215 Cascade Avenue
HOOD RIVER, OREGON
JOHN COW LEY
SHOE SHOP
Will sell at cost my entire
stock of shoes till all is sold.
Rubber Heels a specialty.
Oppoaite Poetomce
Hood River. Oregon
Duffy & Zimmerman
frcsb Bread, pics
and Cahcs daily
3Foncy and Wedding Carte
tlTade to Order
Model Bakery
Successors to T. H. William
L. B. STEVENS & CO. t
JOHN 0. ZOLLS & SONS
Contractors in Stone, Brick and
' Concrete Work
Hood River, Oregon
RANDALL & DUKES
House Moving and Raising
W alio handle all kind, of
Heavy Machinery and Smokestacks
Phone 137-K Hood River, Oregon
STRANAHAN & SLAVENS
Contractors and Builders
ESTIMATES FURNISHED
I'hone 286M Hood River. Oregon
A FINE LINE OF
I Cigars, Jo6accos,
Smcfters' Supplies
PnnfoMinnoru Clolinnipu
Notions, Etc.
Stop in at "The Paaatime"
On the Heichta
W. O. ALDRED
Contractor for Grading, Exca
vating and Teaming
Both rhonea
GET YOUR MILK
FROM
The Payson Dairy Supply Co.
MOUNTAIN GLEN FARM
Pure, Wholesome, Healthful, from Cows and Stables
that are SANITARY.
H. N. PAYSON, City Salesman THOS. CALKINS, Dairyman
Phone 281-X
DEALS & SHAW
(ectricoC tyfrurnisfters
H. R. Banking & Trust BIdg.
. w
(Um II 111 L liMl !
li a ll 111 f
HOME PHONE 3
HOOD RIVER, ORE.
Taft Transfer Go.
Draying. . .
Wood Yard
HAY, FLOUR and FEED
Por Sale
Office Thone (9 Reaidenoe 2S2-M
CP. SUMNEIM
Lavatoric9 5j
XToilcto 3
Sinho
PLUMBING
Sewer HI Drill
TILE
X. Jo JCjC JSwS. Z.Z
OPFfiON
B&Sl ij r n-r I taiie
and union Pacific
TIHE TABLE
Effective Sunday, Jan. 16, trains
will arrive and depart at Hood River,
Oreg-on, on the following schedule:
WEST BOUND
No. . Fast Mail (no paxeenirer) tM A. M.
No. 8. Soo-Spokane-Portland e:46 "
No. 11. Portland Local 7:4S "
No. 6. Oreiron A Washington Expreae 7:SS "
No. 1. Portland LeeeJ 8:40 P. M.
No. 7. Portland Limited 6;4S "
EAST BOUND
Ne. t Pendleton Local 10:28 A. M.
"No. g. Chicago Limited 11:55 "
No. 12. The Dallea Local 8:45 P. M.
No, 4. Soo-Spokane-Portland 9.-00 "
No. 10. Fart Mail :10 "
No. t. Oreiron A Washington ExprenalOiS "
No. S. No, 8 and No 7 make no atopa between
Hood River and Portland.
No. 1 and No. 11 "top at all atatkma.
No. 4. No. 8 and No. 1 atop at The Pal lea. Arl
ington, Umatilla.
No. atupa at Moaier. The Dalle. Celilo. Dee
ehutea. Biirea, Rufua, Arlington. Coyote. Irrigon,
Umatilla, Hermi.ton. Stanfield. Echo.
No. i atopa at all atationa between Portland and
Pendleton.
No. IS atopa at all ataliona between Portland
and The Pallea.
For further information inquire at the ticket
office.
J. II. I REDRICY, Agent.
Copy for advertisements should he
In the office by Monday morning.
To Those Who believe In Patronizing Home Industry
When you lay in your witter
supply of Flour and Feed.ak for
CUPID FLOUR
: A isi l
HOMEMILLED FEED
If your denier does not want i
... to supply it, come to Us . . .
CL'PID IS STILL MADE FROM OLD WHEAT
Kood Ri)er ITliWing Company
CT. i 5 s I , e
H. H. Bailiy
W. E. Colbt
BAILEY & COLBY
Electric Wiring and Fixtures ;
All Iciml nf F.lnotn'ral r'
Supplies at Moderate Prices ff
n 111
! 3 . -
& . ' - t !: . ( r- a -ir:t.. n nl c... c.
. ' Vmcc inu isopiay nwm 11 11 ijiam a7irc
Shop Phot :::-K RdrK PKn 3b-L