♦
The Chauffeur
and the Jewels
C*rwitM. t*w. bF J. B. L ippincott C ompany
▲U n<ht*
♦ ♦♦
¥
•
CHAPTER II.— < C*wtlnued.)
At ’
however. think tig that the si
!en<'* was growing a little too significant.
•’What is that gray thing around us?"
she queried frivolously, straining her eyes
into the gloom; "perhaps it’s a marsh by
I
daylight.’*
The chauffeur drew a long breath. "Is
It a marsh?" he asked. "To me all this
seems a corner of paradise, an oasis in :
a pretty long dry deaert!”
He pulled himself up anxiously, sauc
ing al his companion and wondering if
he had gone too far: but Gussie only star
ed absently ahead into the gloom.
"I don’t take much stock in oases." she ;
objected. dreamiy\ "My experience is
that they genert ly turn out to be private
property, forbidden to trespasser*. or else
ate so fenced in by restrictions a* to take
away all the pleasure, or. what is worst
of all”—she gave a title sigh—"they van
ish into a mirage, leav ing one in the desert
as tired and thirsty as before."
"Then some oue e’.se knows what it is j
to be tired and thirsty." commented the
chauffeur, with significance.
Mrs. Waring inclined her head.
"And yet." she said, with a hard little
laugh, "my good friends will tell you that
I have done nothing all my life but eat
and drink and be merry !”
There was another silence, while the
fire fliea wove a mystic dance in the long,
lush grass, and by the roadside the chauf
feur stood motionless, his usually alert
brain in a whirl, his keen senses for the
moment drugged, paralysed by the over
powering magnetism of the woman beside
him.
After a few moments Mrs. Waring
turned her head, to find a pair of strange
eyes fixed upon her own in a glowing.
Inexplicable gate.
"Well, what is it now?" «he asked, half
Involuntarily, little realising the conse
quences of her remark.
"What it has been from the start." de
clared an impassioned voice beside her.
•peeking in a husky, chaotic mixture of
broken English and French. "Ah ! it is
unjust, it is cruel to be so adorable, so
irresistible !”
The man was down on his knees by
this time, feeling excitedly for her gloved
hands.
"Ah! mia bella !" he sighed brokenly:
but here an interruption occurred—the
acene changed abruptly.
With a quirk recoil Quasi« was on her
feet, gathering her skirts about her in
stinctively: then drawing herself to her
full heght she looked down, favoring the
prostrate chauffeur with an icy. disdain
ful stare from head to foot. After which,
turning negligently away. "Sarto," she
ordered, in the impersonal tone with
which one addresses a servant, "just put
my wrap« and that cushion in the ton
neau. please; I think I bear Mr. Buist
returning."
She was not
From the dis
tance came a ion I title of approaching
wheels, accompa ..ed by the cracking of
a whip; and. as the chauffeur pulled him
self dizzily together, a spidery object
pame into view around the bend in the
mad. resolving itself speedily into a high
dog cart and galloping horse, while, lit
up by the swinging lamps, Gerald’s coun
tenance. tense with annoyance and sus
picion. peered down at the two figures
by the roadside.
"Here’s that tire.” he said shortly, toss
ing a miscellaneous parcel in the direction
of rhe chauffeur. Then, to Guraie:
“Miss Bancroft preferred to stay at the
hotel," he vouchsafed briefly; "so I go?
a trap and came right back. I hope you’re
satisfied."
Mrs. Waring rewarded him with an un
usually grateful smi’e. "Thank you#very
much." she said. There was a nervous
tremble in her voice as she stood beside
the trap looking up at its driver. "Give
me a hand. Gerald.”
And over her shoulder, to the man be
hind, "You will hear from me about the
car later.’’ she said casually "Just come
up to the hotel for directions.”
Five seconds later the dog cart with
Jts two occupants was off in a whirl of
dust, leaving a wounded motor prone by
the ditch side, and a yet more deeply
wounded chauffeur standing in the middle
of the road, uttering strange, uncouth
maledictions, as he vowed an eternal ven
4
CHAPTER III.
At the end of the Hue Royal in the
city of Havre, the Hotel Maritime ob
trudes its huge frontal development,
pressing the great porte-cochere hospita
bly into the street.
The lights were all burning in the
windows when the chauffeur shot by at
a late hour that night, intent only on get
ting his motor into the garage at the back
without attracting noti e.
In the big ahed two other panting,
■teaming monsters were t>eing rubbed
down by their attendant slaves, and. lay
ing off his leather coat. Sarto set to work
on the motor, the sharp exercise of pol
ishing heating his chilled pulses and fur
Dishing some outlet for the fierce rest
lesspess that was consuming him.
He was on his knees beside the rar.
manipulating the oil can with artistic
nicety, when step« sounded on the pave
ment outside, and a colossal shadow fell
acrons the chauffeur’s line of vision.
"My ward, Sarto, that you?” came in a
hated English drawl; then, as there was
no response from the garage, after a mo
ment Buist’s massive head and shoulders
shot up above the gateway.
"I say.” he observed sardonically,
“thought you were by way of bein’ n
chauffeur! How many hours does it take
you to put on a new tire?”
Sarto did not reply, and for an Instant
the Englishman silently eyed the shirt
■leered figure before him with cold aver
■ion. It was this common workman, re
dolent of petrol, that Mrs. Waring had
■een fl’ to constitute her cavalier for six
insane hour« ! The sooner he was shown
hie proper place the better.
Gerald’« teeth closed vindictively on his i
cigar ,
“bse that you give that machine a jolly
The C^athfeur
and the Jewels
♦
th
Ldltll Horgan Willett
gxswl poliahin’ while you’re about It." he
ordered at last, with a harsh authority
that was almost arrogance. "She’s got
to be in decent shape for shlppln’ by to
morrow mornin’ at latest." lie turned on
h.s heel, aud then, with added aharpueaa.
"Hear what I say? Have her ready to
go on to Southampton by the next boat.”
What happened next was a complete
surprise to Gerald Buist.
Up to this point, by a superhuman ef
fort the chauffeur had kept himself in
hand, but now his face had beew»iue livid
with suppressed fury, and between his
curie«! black lipa his teeth gleamed sug-
festively.
It was a somewhat terrifying figure
that shot up suddenly not a foot away,
with brawn. sinuous finger* writhing un
pleasantly near the Englishman’s throat.
"I take my orders from Mrs. Waring,
and no oue else," came iu a sibilant whis
per.
From his overpowering vantage of
height and bulk the Anglo-Saxon looked
down on the fiery Latin with blank aston
ishment. which gradually gave place to a
dawning amusement.
"You little foreigner, here." raising his
voice, "get out of my way ’."
Forth went-his huge arm with unex
pected directness. brushing the slight
Southerner contemptuously aside, much
as a self-respecting house »log might dis
pose of a vagrant cur. Then turning on
!iis heel, the Englishman sauntered netr
chalantly towards the hotel, trolling one
of t’havalier’s Coster songs in his sten
torian baritone.
Staggering back against the garage
door, a dusty, oily figure straightened it
self with a muttered curse and looke»!
after the retreating one.
"An apoplexy on thee!" it sobbed in
Venetian patois. "Dog of an English
man ! I will remember this forever !”
Gone was Annette’s gentlemanly com
panion of the tonneau. Gon« Mrs. War
ing’s ramantic lover. «Alas! It was a
very plebeian chauffeur that some time
later crawled abjectly into the garage
The next morning dawned overcast,
with a soggy wind blowing off the Chan
nel. and a chill «altiness in the air that
suggested to the shiverv Sarto an ova
sional glass of absinthe at the cafe
around the corner. However, h« kept
himself for the most part in the garage,
from which the back windows of the
Maritime were visible, varying the monot
ony of his work at intervals by a saunter
into the lobby of the hotel, haunting es
pecially that region around the telephone,
in restless expectation of a message which
did not come.
It was about noon that th* machine
stood ready for «Kipping, packed by the
chauffeur’s experienced hands into a
shapeless, hide-bound mass, and not un
til then did Sarto let himself out of the
motor shed and make off with stiff alac
rity for a much-needed bath and shave.
Some time later, obedient to th* long
expected telephone message, the chauffeur
presented himself at Mrs. Waring’s sit
ting room—to find, with an odd mixture
of regret and relief, that Annette Ban
croft was the only one to be seen.
"Come right in.” the girl said at once
her genial «mile making him realize re
morsefully how utterly he had forgotten
of late his little comrade of the tonneau.
“As you see. I’m in the depths of pack
ing:” she waved her hands towards a
collection of trunks and their contents
scattered promiscuously around the room.
"Won’t you sit down?”
But Sarto remained standing.
"I came to r*;>ort about the car. sig
norina." he said, with a certain somber
dignity. "It’s all ready for shipping.”
"Oh. dear!" The girl’s face fell uncon
sciously. and as unconsciously Sarto
found himself watching her, his bruised
senses reviving under h*r friendliness
with a startled sudden consciousness of
something about her which he had felt
before.
Just a waft, subtle, elusive, intangible,
of that divine essence which has been
labelled <’harm!
"Oh, yes,” she «aid, with a quiver in
her voice. “The poor car! Mr. Buist
s going to find a purchaser In England.
\Ve shall never s*e it again. Well,” with
a fatalistic shrug of her shoulders,
"there’s no use lamenting the inevitable!
I must tell Mrs. Waring you’re here.
Just wait a moment,” and she turned
away, the complete unconsciousness of
her manner assuring the chauffeur more
strongly than words that Gussie had kept
her own counsel thus far.
There was a sense of relief in this dis
covery, and. as the door closed behind
her, he was able to glance around, tak
ing sto^k of his surroundings with a faint,
detached interest and curiosity.
Th* room was a comfortable one, boast
ing of a writing table, lounge and vari
ous ea«y chairs, the last heaped with fem
inine effects from the trunks, which, rang
ed around the four walls, had overflowed
in every direction. A driving rug which
the chauffeur recognized as flung casually
on the floor, and a well-known khaki
motor cloak lay Ix’side it in a huddled,
human-looking mass. In fact, the whole
place was overwhelmingly suggestive of
Gussie, and, stung by a hornet host of
recollections, Sarto began to pace up and
down, "realizing again with intolerable
distinctness the full bitterness of last
night’s humiliation—his own mad reck
lessness and folly! Self-disgust added
fuel to his fury, fanning it by degrees
into a burning, unreasoning malevolence
towards Gussie which craved some outlet.
In the man’s supersensitive stat« every
feature of his present position—even
such minor annoys n«-*s as the jangling
clock on the mantle-piec«, the uncomfort
ably roaring fire beneath—contributed to
th* sum of his misery, exasperating his
nerves beyond bearing. It was with a
sens* of positiv« injury that he glared at
th* small prim grate opposite, and then,
rapidly crossing the room, dashed open
th« window next to it.
11« leaned out heavily. Ah—h! but
th« stinging salty gust was good! Step
ping nearer to get more of it, bls b*w»t
heel sank Into something soft and muwfiy
An* of GuMsie’s feather boaa and bend»
Ing »b»wn Sarto picked the thing up and
glanc«4 donn uncertainly Into the «teaiu
er trunk twside hitu
Some minutes passed: the Swiss clock
on the mantel ticked on loudly ami the
fire crackled as obtrusively aa before;
but they were alike unheeded by (he man
on his knees by the steamer trunk, »tar i
CeeyritM. 'S'*, bv J. It LlFeiNCorv C ompany
fjy
a
ing down into It with an odd mixture of
AU right» hmm *««.
Inllt II Uorgtin Wilf eft ♦
Interest and hvredullty.
"No. 1 don’t go as far aa that." Gun»
aie’s light voice was again In his ears,
blurred by the rush of the motor car.
"But I «Io take the precaution of hiding
('IIAPTER IV
sent«d briefly; and then, with aom« con
my diamotuls awav in an ancient chamois
Three day» after Mrs. Waring and
"Not the prince?"
glove case down at the bottom of a hat her party loft Havre, an artist K>anl«’«l evrn
The other acquleat'rd "The devil, »a*
trunk."
th« I.neriHMtl express just hi it was lo«\ rather!" he ejaculated feelingly, ”Ru« h
How the speech came back to him i ing Birmingliam, barely In time to bo temper, such abuse, for the past week;
Was It (Miasible that (hat Itiuoeent look locked up iu bis carriage by the ruahing ami now thia high fever M I* dortour 1»
ing shapeless object at which he was guar»!
In there now.” II* glanced at the op|M»
gating really »Mntaiue») Mre. Waring’s
The two other people In ptwiseaatan of site door. “One cannot tell yet |»o»ltlv««ly
jewels? Mechanically the chauffeur put the first clans compartment young »porta what tuny l»e the outcome. As for our
his hand down and touche«l It. Then, with their bulging caddy bags, their suit journey this afternoon, where are we to
his curiosity getting the better of every .'asee, ami their Gaietto* took up the en- g«» what we are to «Io?”
other consideration, he lifted the pare«! j tire «vat. The artist settled himself mod
Hr shrugged hi» shoulder«, spread out
out an»l looked it over Interestedly.
eecly in a corner opiH»»ito, nud pulling his hands. r«»llrd his ejra. an«! glam «*<1
Certainly the chamois glove case did ; his cap well over hi» face ami long, curly Upward, ail in one brief, pantomimic mo
not contain gloves!
! braw n hair. opene«l hi» Dally Telegraph. meat.
As the thought »pun through his brain,
Having read (he editorials from en»l to
"Hut how ab«»ut you, num chou?”
a d«x»r on (he opposite side of the hall end. he glanced leisurely over the polit
The «Imu Triir push*«! bark hb long ar
opened an»l two vou-es iMs-ame suddenly ical news, and finally, doubling the pa tistic locks, which tiAw allowed umnistnk
audible. With a swift realisation of his per. took in the varloua paragraphs of able signa of belonging to a wig
por tion. Sarto turned and. leaning over, current interest with attention ami. one
"As you auggrsi.” he said, "It 1« wiser
was on the point of lowering the parcel *u particular, with some amusement.
soiuetimrs to a«k no questions slxmt th«*
back into its rightful corner of th* trunk,
Thi» wns dubbed, "Special from The ¡m«t. For the present" Thia with a
when Gusaie’a clear tones, carrying dis Pari» Herald.” and contained these head whimsical lift of his rvebraws "Scotland
tinctly through the crack in the hall door, . lin« «
Yard i» after mr I have l»rrn followed
ma le him pause
m H the way from Soulhatnptoti
That is
"Remarkable Burglary at Havre.’’
“See him again?" she enunciated, evi American Woman Rubbed by Her the rraaon I am here,”
dently In answer to a question. "Good
lie pattaed. htw rjra inscrutably on (hr
Chauffeur.”
heavens! Say farewell to my own chauf
An I then l>elow
valet ; but Alwste avoided the ga«e.
feur. a sort of servant? You must be
"Mrs. Richard Waring, of New York
"You come at a bad lime, then." hr
daft. Give the man his pay” (the Inst and Washington, who ha* been traveling objected, with sudden fretfulne«». "I'hr
w»»r«!s came out with hard, half sneering on the Continent with a party of friend», prince ill myself with a hundred dr
emphasis l "and let him go!"
was the unfortunate loser on Wednesday ma nds upon me <«ne must are, under
There was a whispered response an«) of some unusually fine dlamon»!». valued these clrcnmstancea
”
the voices sank, but too much had been st 23O,(kM) francs.
"Ah!” brake in the chauffeur. I«o»'k
already heard. The mixhief was done.
"The gems must have been stolen from Ing «(own, hr Studir«! the |M»int« of his
Before Annette closed the intervening her trunk while at the Hotel Maritime boot« and apprar«sl to meditate a moment,
door, the listener in the sitting room, The su«i>ectrd thief is her chauffeur, one then, shaking off his abstraction, ”('umr.
yielding to a sudden, inexplicable impulse Ludovic Sarto, lately id the employ of then," he sahl lightly, "no more of mv
to avenge himself, had taken the fatal His Highness the Prim'* del Pino. Sarto affair«
We will (llamas thine for the
step.
ha* tw-en running Mrs Wariug’s motor nonce. Sit down; let us talk.”
And yet. In spite of his knavery, h* (or the ;»ast two months.
Blaring himself leisurely in a chair, hr
was not all knave—only (like many of
"'The burglary was not discovere»! until eyed the valet with a faint »mile (hat
us poor mortals) no more a demon than this morning, when the party was leaving hardened and broadened.
an angel, merely a sensitive human in t’alais, but the authorities of the place
‘‘Ah. Alceate! Hut the sight of thee
strument. capable of fine harmonica and were Immediately informed of the affair recall« many thing«! D»»«t thou remetn
hideous discords, responding all Invol and are on the lookout for the thief A her those two weeks at T«»ul«»U»e?’‘ !|.«
untarily. at time«, to the player’s whim— . reward of *1.01)0 franca is offered fur his gaur rested reminiscently on the celling
the touch of the moment.
"Ami thnt accident to the grna d’arme?
apprehension.”
When Annette came into the sitting
Having read this ¡mraginph twice over It was an unhappy uii«takr of thine.** hr
room a moment later, the chauffeur was very carefully, the artist folded the paper, laughed jarringly.
standing by the opposite window, his ; crammed it into his pocket, and leaned
But Ahrstr did not laugh.
hands behind his back, a faint, inscruta* back In his seat, giving hlmw-lf up to a th
"Un peu plus has.” he expoatulteted, hl«
ble smile on his dark face.
j of hard thinking which lasted till the eye« on the rl«»«rd *!‘M>r opi»«Miite.
“Mre Waring wanted me to give you train rumbled into the Liverpool station
Sarto crossed hi» leg« with deliberation
thia.” she «aid. going up to him with just five minutes late.
"Aha !" he latighr«! unhrr«|tngly. “ Fhrrr
embarrassment aud bolding out a small
It was while the artist wss hunting was also that affair In Spam. Ma fui ’
square envelope.
up a cab that he first noticed the man in How amusing!” Hr raised his voice with
Then, as he took It with a mumbled the brown overcoat—a tall, thin, stoop- apl arrnt unconsciousness "The priao
word of thanks, the girl retreated hurried shouldered person, who favored him with ha» he heard of three little Incidental
ly to the fireplace and stood, her bock to a brief, interrogative stare, then disap divertisement«? Eh. Alceate?"
it. fidgeting restlessly with her handker peered Into the ticket office.
Alceate made no Immediate reply. Ills
chief.
A minute after, a four-wheeler contain eyes were «till glued on the door, his
"You see.” she began, apologetically. ing a painter and his paraphernalia bowl usually dull skin turned the spent, un
"Mrs. Waring is very tired and had to ed. swiftly away In the direction of the healthy hue of a wax candle.
send her message by me."
After a ¡muse. ”1« not this a bad time
Metropole Hotel. From time to time It»
She stole a glance at th* man. who wa» pavaenger looked out through the little for such banal reminiscence«?" he asked,
looking steadily at the floor, and then window at the back with a keen. Inquir meekly enough now. "I am all ragrrnr«*
went on with rapidity, "I a in so sorry ing glance. Finally passing out of a to «1«» what you wish In thi» difficulty. It
It’s all over! How we’ve enjoyed it — j broad avenue, the trap rroaaed a square is but a question of rvpeihrnt». (’hut !”
th* motor-and—everything!"
He broke off abruptly, listening, for
at right angles and turned a »harp corner
There was a catch of regret In her
“Stop." »aid the tnan inside suddenly from the next room came the sound of
voice and she paused doubtfully. "I sup
Dismounting, bag in hand, he looked voices, and then f»M>ifalUi.
pose you will take charge of some other furtively to right an»l left. Ahead of
”.M le ducteur!” ejaculated Alce«tc
motor now?"
him stretched a long. narrAw street given "Already !”
Sarto did not meet her eyes "No,” he over apparently to lodging houses and a
He moved swiftly toward the door
«aid. "I think 1 will give up that for the few unpretentious shops. Pulling out a Then, over tela shoulder, "l^»ok jqu !
prewent.” Hie tone raised a certain bar sovereign, "Cabby." he said, «peaking Through that door op|»oalte! Make haste
rier, and Annette did not pursue the sub with a strong foreign accenL "behold I will Is» with you dlr«ctly.” Ills tone
ject.
your fare—and something, as y«*u »••e. be was almost br«rr«-hlng
“Well,” she said, with determined yond. Make your t»eat time to th* Met
Rising with a rareh*«» shrug, the other
cheerfulness, "then I wish you every ro(>ole and leave there tny belongings. I «tep|M»d into the next room. Having c I« m
success in whatever you undertake. Per ret out at this place.”
r«l the door, hr atood listening tu th«
haps— who knows, Sarto?" she smiled a
Then, crossing the street ns the cab sound of approaching fe«t.
little uncertainly—"we may meet again rattled off. the artist ¡»lunge«! into a sta
The next instant a voice l»r.-ame andl
some day.”
ble. the h«»amr. wheezy vol«*« of a ver)
•inner’» opposite.
"Who knows!” echoed th* chauffeut
He was standing at the counter a little fat man. Standing close by the interven
seriously. He moved away from th« win later, reflectively choosing a note b«»»k ing wall. Sarto could hear every word
dow very slowly, with his fnrp «till care when the sound of wheels ontside made
"Yrs.” thr doctor wn« «aj ing. "thrrr
fully averted. Reaching the door, ”It is him start and look nut expectantly, but is considerable fever, but we can’t I* sure
addio, then,” he said, with a «light for there was nothing unusual in sight only what thr trouble is for twenty-four hours
mality, "and thanks to you. Signorina, a station cab, containing a commonplace at any rate. If it wasn’t that ldwrp«M»l
for your so great kindness—one dues not looking man in a brown oeerroat. pass had l»rrn «O full of scarlet fever lately I
forget !”
■Would «ay positively ” Hr broke off
ing by the shop at a quick trot.
His voice shook th*’least bit.
Paying for his purchase and shoulder abruptly. "Well, keep him quirt and do
With swift steps Annette »'am* towards ing his bag. th* artist walked briskly what I tol«l you.”
him. "Good-by. and good luck. Sarto.” up the street. Turning on his course, ho
"Maia, monsiesr." the valrt*« vole« roe«-
she «aid, impulsively, holding out be» soon took to side alleys and short cut», in voluble remonstrance, “all arrange
hand.
walking with the assure«! gait of on* who nients nirk for Son Altrase «b parturr to
But the chauffeur shrank back. Grasp knows his town thoroughly, until the «lay. len.k you! The very trunk» have
ing th* door knob, he made a «tiff, mili gray stone facade of the Hotel Adelphi left for the strainer. This hotel full
tary salute, hie eyes fixed steadily on the came into view.
rr r-owdrd. Erf all «lr»e people« «u«|>rrt
girl’s outstretched hand and then,
Entering the lobby. "Can you tell me." thr truth, de re will be great tr-rouble
"Addio, signorina,” h* repeated firmly, he asked the clerk suavely, "if Ilia Ex- big fuas !”,
and closed the door behind him.
crllency the Prince del Pino is not stay
'Hie doctor was evidently in a hurry,
(To be continued.)
ing here?”
for the chauffeur could hear the struggle
The young man consulted a slip of pa with his overcoat.
A ROYAL DENTIST.
"Suspect.” he grunted. "Why ahoiib!
per.
"Iz-avew by Majestic this afternoon, they «uspert? Can’t you keep things quiet
The Story of a Tooth I'alllnf by
a
little longer? I tell you seriously thr
j Suite 21, ««cond floor. Take a lift."
Peter the Great.
Peter the Great particularly delight ¡The words came out automatically with prime can’t be moved for twenty-four
hours without danger. Just tell Mr
p<! In drawing teeth, and he Rtrb'tly i out the «lightest punctuation.
Following the direction, the «oilier Burlington that, with my compllmrnts.
enjoined hl» *-rvanta to m»nd for him found himself at length standing outside I’ll drop In later and have a word with
when anything of that a>rt w'aa to 1* of a dosed door upstairs.
him.”
done. One day ills favorite valet <le
After a little the door was open«*<| In
There was a shuffir of departing fret
• dminbre Beeeind v<»ry melancholy. The answer to bis ring and a head thrust and the door rl«»s«-»l.
Czar naked him what was the matter. i out.
St«q»ping over to the window which
“Oh. your nwij-Mty,” sal<l the man,
"His Highneas bega to b* excused," an- gave on the street, th«« chauffeur glanced
"my wife is sufTcrlrg the greateat ag 1 nonneed a guttural voice, without any out. hoping for a glim ¡'me of the great
man getting into his brougham, but there
ony from tootluicbe, ntwl «he obstinately 1 prdiminarie«.
But the artist atepped forward and, wns no sign of either.
refuRpa to have the tooth taken out.”
Instead, n hansom had just driven up
"If that !■ nil.” Mid Peter, "we will j seizing th* cautious one by the hand, to the si»le entrance and. ns Sarto watch
held
it
very
firmly.
■oon cure ft. Take me to her nt on'e.”
"Alceste.” he said In French, "do you e«l if, some one jumped out and pan«*«!
When flay arrived the wtirnan de not rwcognite me, my friend? It is Sarto." rapidly Info the hotel a tall, thin man
clan*» I that alie wns not suffering at
The other gave a start, "(’oin* In, come in a familiar looking brown overcoat.
all; there was nothing the matter wrltb in, without doubt,” he said in a low voice, With a muttered exclamation th* chan-
feur tamed awny and stood perfectly
j "and clone the door behind you.”
her.
It was an imposing anteroom In which still, staring ahead/>f him with th« di
"That !« the wny «he talks, your
majesty,” said the valet. "She 1« suf Rarto now found himself, with doors lated. startled look in hia eyes of a hunt
I opening out at the two ends, and six ed animal. Listening with sickening ex
fering tortures.”
' long windows communicating with a ba I pectancy, he made out the creak of the
"Hold her head and hand«,” aald th« rony commanding the street.
ascending lift outside, th* sound of feet
Czar. "I will have It out In a minute/
While the visitor look*«! about him. his along the hall, and a loud knock.
And lie Instantly ¡mlled out the IndF i companion slipped to the portiere oppo
After a moment’s silence, It wns repeat
rated tooth with great dexterity, amid site and drew the draperies more closely. ed, and the flip-flnp of Alce«t«'s slippers
Turning h* came bark rapidly, a trim- earns hastening from an inner room to
profuse thanks from the husiotnd.
What was Peter’« Indignation to dis 1 looking fellow of middle height, the typi answer It.
The door was opened, and a quiet voire
cover a little later that his valet had cal French valet, with a sallow, smooth
was heard to the listener’s strain*»!
um*»l him aa nn executioner to pun'.nb shaven face.
"And so It is Ludovic Rarto!" he Wald senses—most unpleasantly distinct and
hln wife, who lutd never had an u»
Incredulously, approaching the ¡meudo art near.
sound tooth In her head.—Argonaut
"Them the prince’s rooms?" It asked
1st. "I should never have known you,”
MW
truth.
as h* surveyed the professional get-up suavely. "The clerk tells me that a
friend of mine win directed up here a
Fear Is not In the habit of speak ¡ng with a «light smile.
"I see, I had better ask no questions! half-hour ago an artist -tall, dark man.
truth. When perfect ainrerlty 1« eg»
Eh bien. my friend, her« you are safe st I've called for him! Just ask him to
ported, perfect wisdom must tw allow least, only"— struck by a suddeh thought step out, please!"
ed. Nor has any one who Is apt to M he asked a few words in a whisper —
There was a pause, while Ludovic held
angry when he hears the truth any I ’h«ve you ever had th* scarlet fever?”
himself stiffly at bay, wondering what
cause tn wonder that be does not Ixmi • The chauffeur nodded his head
"A would come next; everything hung on the
•light caw, when I was a boy,” tea as valet's next word*
IL -Tacltua
I
:
:
"Oul, m.msleur,” ram* tin guttural re-
■p«>ti«e al la»t
"The 4ei»t!«iiiana that
y«Ml »kecribe called here. II ) • 'il*<l Mlin-
ute». Iml a* H»»n Kite»»* »niild nut «re
hcem he leave directly."
"Iinle«*<i?" the tune sounded ln» r«’«lu
l.ois "l’h«t la very eUraurdinary 1 I’he
clerk Jells m* he didn't »•’«• him go «»Ul
lbw »Io you a»s«»iint fur that?”
°| do m»t know, elr, me!” Alceais’s
reply was glibne»« Itself. "I »hut de dour
un heem. Hou Allege. he SO much occu
py, and luyerlf no leas ”
The iletetllve look th* obvious Infer
enve.
"Well.” he ti’inaik«««l. after a
psuse. "If you’re «ur* he'« nut her*». I
won’t detain you any hmger Much oblig
ed. Good morning!” Amt footsteps re*
tiuated down the hall.
The «lluall«»t> wa« apparently aaved. but
the astute chauffeur renliie»! thoroughly
that the Adelphi wa» no longer a ¡•••»e»
bilily f«»r him Home «»tiler hiding place
must l»e found, something mu»l l»e «lone
and al once.
t he next half hour he spent tramping
,H. .»nJ d..«n hf ' »t'f
' '»"I
quarter« an»l «'iidgelling bis brain» for •
■ohithm of the prubletii* that confronted
him. »«> absorbed in hi» thought» that h
altn«»«t forgot Io wonder what had I»«- ««me
of Alcuete.
At last, however, (he valrt made his
>V>l»varan«'e. his color!*«« face inure cha'ky
than ever.
"Ah!" lie eja«*ulated «mag» l> fi for the
nmtneut more inlereele«| in hi» own dilem
ma than In the chauffeur*« woe«. ”l’oul«l
anything l»e worse? Hume m-riant ha«
■ pread abrua«l the rep»»rt that Hon Al-
tr»»e lias the acarlet fever, atul thr hotel
is Intrte, (on! Every one in a |»anic!
Nl. Ir Pruprletaire drulatra that if the
prince due« not carry out hl» intention
and leave today, every »me In the hoiiae
will leave; hi» seison will l»r ruined!
Miserable canaille!" lie wrinkled his
forehead. “If one could but arrest their
•ti«pit-iun». kre|»e things »jtllrt for twenty-
four hour« longer, vrtten everything will
be drcitlr«!."
Hart«» «reined deep la thought ’The
staferOMms are taken?”
"Hut yes, taken and pal«l for the l»r«t
on the »hip Ah' \tllle tonnerre» ! Sacre I
And the »rry trunk» .m i«»ar«l !”
”H«» much the batter/* »aid the chauf
feur «tiddanly.
Alreste «lare«l at him.
"I mean It !’* th»’ oth«¥ related "Let
them g»», even if they have to cross th«
iMvan to save «p|M*aran»’r«!”
He w«» «landing l»ef»»rr a mirror, «tar
ing at himself critically, eagerly.
■’Yr»’’ tu himsrif "It r»mld !>e man
aged with a little Ingenuity.” Then,
turning tn the valyt, "<’aline» (ol. KI
ce«te!’’ he said »»«»thingly. "You hav«
heli>r<l tne ami I »hall h«»w eitrkate you.
This moment even, a bleased Idea has
«-«>mr to me by which all <*au I m * managed.
The affair 1» concluded! Between ua
Isith we can accomplish everything III«
Excellency ran remain here in secret un
til the crisis of bis illne«« 1» pa*»e«i. and
yet at the same time (he proprietor, ths
hotel, «11 the city if necessary, shall «<••
the Prim’e del Pm« »ail for America!”
(To be continued.)
Oar <'nn«a mpfloM
of
I'olnu-fo.
A<x*«»rv!lng to th«* »viwti« fixurcs ro-
cently hwutsl the »*• »iwmitii»tl»m of t«^
Ivnceo In th«* l iilt««,! Hint«-» la «»nortnotK
Tin* money *|»«*tit f«»r cignr» In the year
ending June, P«».’. wan IIUH.IMI.372 mid
for rlgnrHhM, $II.!154 MKt. Th«« sales of
»•|i«m log iiik I pl|N*. t<»bn«x*o allowed tin
««XjtciMllture of more than $1 lo.iast.t««),
of wblcli It 1« estimated thnt ff.YYJMm.-
(«»o was «pent for atn«Acl”g tobaron,
Un de Halil's «¡«¡irtlte f»»r I tn« we«*»l Is
mraclouM. Tin* «•*iiiaiini|»tl«»n of tobac
co Ims lncreti*vl from 21)3. Mi >1.433
¡ n » uih ! r Iti Imo to 335.tl2i>.!>?! ¡«»un«!« In
HMtf». Till« Im Im!«*« ,'hewing tohticon.
In BMC I m » actually amok I im»r«» than
LVljMNi.tMM) ¡H'liml«*
Y»*s. It nil went
up In «moke, nm! with It th«« cost of
the Pntitiiim «nnttl nml of 27 luitth*-
■hl|iM.
'Hie <*»»n»winiptlon of cigar« has In-
<<rt*ii<***«| 27..’» |««r vent sltwe !•.«»>, am! «»f
«•l.'.ir«’tt»-»». 27 3 |M«r »«ent. From 1**»;*» t<»
P h ».’> tin» <Mti«sumptloti of «•I’gurw ami
cigarette« atcwidlly livnuHel ‘»•»•vnfohl.
During th«« «atm* | mt I» m ! the |w»pii|nt! »n
of the «’«»untcy ImTunm«*! only n little
tm»ro than Kv«»f«»ld.
More money 1« «|w«nt em’h year on
t«»bn«*co than on |s»tntoeii or vegetable«
• »r fruita or cnfiTee.
Tninr Miitl Wild (¿nm*- VUsed.
School Toucher ln<l now that wo
hnvo finished dlaciisslng the lion nmt
the tiger, wlm enn tell me nlmut th«
lv nx ?
A palnfnl pause. Finally a small
hand 1« hesitatingly elevated.
Teacher Well, Tommy, can you de-
serllN» the lynx?
Tommy --No’tu.
Teacher Then why dM you raise
your hand?
Tommy I thought Willie Wuggl««n
could toll.
Teacher And what made you think
Willie could d«s(*rllM« the lynx?
Tommy ’t’ntiN»« Ills brother’a ii «aid-
die.
Ah.rnr« «»,
ltr>>wnli>K S<> your i*nKn|rmrnt with
the rich widow I h broken off, eh? What
wna Ilin trouble?
(IrernitiK oh, one of my
brenka, n. uannl. In nu iiiiKuiirili.l
moine nt I nnkol her If I wna the only
limn alle hnd ever loved.
Tow II eoli hy.
"1)0 you tielleve Hint uionqilltot-i ear-
ry ninlarln?"
“Not the mcneiuHoea around lirra,"
unanered Farmer Corntoaael. "They
eoAldn't poiMlhly do It and 1« ao
himlthy." Wiinhlnifton Star.
Ile.louranl Hrp.rl..,
"Wnlter, whnt kind of n atink wna
thnt you aerved me with Juat now?"
demnnded the dlnmitlntled Kllent.
"Well done," reaponded the waiter,
with a low bow.
,
"ll'ml l»o you mean me or tha
■teak?”
Of the 387 recorded mlnlatem of the
Roelety of Frleuda In Great Britain IM
ara woman.