THE MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDEORDj OREGON, TUESDAY, NOvMBER 2, 1909:.
6
pThe
of the
Mask
By
ii
(Continued.)
" CHAPTER XIV.
O'UAI.LY BUaOESTS.
IN a, bedroom In one of the cheap
llttlo potiBlones which shoulder
ono another along tho Illva dcgli
Bchlabonl eat three men. All
threo were smoking cxecrablo tobacco.
JThe castaways of tho American Comic
Opera troupe wcro on tho anxious scat.
"O'Mally, what's your opinion of La
Blgnorlnn?" said Worth.
"What about her?"
"What do you think ,of her? Sho's
not one of us; sho belongs to another
class, nnd the stage Is only an inci
dent." "Well, I don't know what to think.
1'vo pumped Kllllgrow, but she seems
to bo In tho dark with tho rest of us.
That ring and tho careless, way she
offered it as security canvlnco me that
sho doesn't belong, nut what a volccl"
"Sho Is without exception ono of
tho most beautiful women I over saw
cr care to see," rejoined Worth.
Smith and O'Mally exchanged n
swift, comprehensive look.
Worth roso to go to Cook's offleo for
posslhlo letters, but abruptly returned
to announce that tho two ladles had
returned from Monto Carlo. Tho actors
proceeded to thu parlor and greeted
tho prima donna and Kitty.
"Wo lost," explained tho latter.
-'"I was very foollnh," said the erst
while prima donna. "I might have
known that when ono Ih unlucky oiio
may becomo still moro unlucky. Hut
I did so wish to win. I wanted to
bring back enough gold to send you
nil to America."
"But what was to becomo of youT"
naked Worth.
Tho question was not expected.
"Oh, Italy is my home.. I Bhtill And n
way somehow, Put mo out of your
thoughts entirely. Hut I am sorry to
bring you this bitter disappointment,
for It must bo bitter."
"There Is ono thing I wish to under
stand thoroughly," put In Worth slow
ly. "You lmvo guaranteed our credit nt
this hotol. lly what means?" AVorth
held her eyo with courage.
"With my word," sho answered.
"I know something of these foreign
hotel managers. Words must be back,
cd by values." Worth's eyo was still
steady nnd unwavering. "If, ns I be
lieve, you guaranteed our credit with
Jewels wo must know."
"Is It from a senso-n misguided
Henso of ehlvnlry?" sho asked, her
lips suggesting u smile.
"You aro evading us," went on
Worth.
"You Insist, then?" coldly.
"Positively Insist. If you do not tell
us wo shall bo forced to take our
chancos elsewhere." Worth pressed n
button. A scrvnut appeared. "Tho
manager nt once."
I.n SIgnorlna dropped her veil nnd
Bat stltlly In hor chair. Kitty moved
uneasily. Tho mnnnger appeared, no
bowed.
".Madame here," began Worth, Indi
cating. I.a Slgnorlua, "has guaranteed
our credit at your hotol."
"Yob, Ib not qvorythlng satlsfac
toryT" nskud tha manager eagerly".
"What security did mndamo ad
vance?" "Seourlty?" Tho manager looked at
La SIgnorlna, b,ut k)io rendered him
not tho least assistance. "I lmvo given
iny word to mndamo not to toll."
"Thou three gentlemen shall loavo.
Make out our bill at once!"
Tlu manager appealed to tho lady.
"You aro foolish mon," spoko I.a
S'ffiiorlnn. "If tho manager wishes to
toll you ho may do bo."
Tho manager brought forth a fat
Wljlot and opened It. Out of this ho
look n Hat object wrapped in tlssuo
pjipor, Vory tondorly ho unfolded It.
Tho treasure wan u diamond pondunt,
worth ut least $1,000.
"I was to keep this simply till
mndamo eho.se to reclaim It. Nothing
has boon advanced against It." A now
thought onmo Into tho manager's
mind, and ho turned slightly pale. "If
It Is ihit lUB'lJm'iia"
MAC GRATIS
Copyright, 1908, by the Bobbs-
nerrui 10.
"It Is mine," said La SIgnorlna. She
was very angry, but her sense of Jus
tko ndmlttcd that Worth was perfect
ly right. "Once more I ask you not to
make mo miserable by forcing this
trinket buck upon me. Will you do
mo the honor to wait till tomorrow
morning?"
Tho three men exchanged looks.
"Till tomorrow morning, then," said
Worth. Tho manager was glad to es
cape.
Lu SIgnorlna raised her veil. From
hor girdle bag she took a letter. "This
letter Is from a friend I hnvo always
unown. iins nny ono of you over
heard of tho Prlnclpcssa dl Monte
Bhinca?"
Her audience lenned forward ntten
tlvely as sho rend tho letter:
My Dear I wob very glad Indeed to
hear from you, and I shall bo only too
nappy 10 oner you tlio tomporary nsslat
onco you dcslro. Vou will recollect that
I possess a villa just outsldo of Florence,
a mtlo or so north of Flesolc. The villa
Is furnished and kept In repair by an
undent gardener and his wife. You and
your friends aro welcomo to occupy tho
Villa Arladno as Ions as you plcaso. Of
courso you will nnd all tho chests, bu
roaus, nldeboards nnd closets under seal,
for I havo not been thero since tho death
of my fatlior. Nono of tho seals may b
removed tin i occupy tho villa legally.
However, tho gardener and his wife have
sllvor and llnon and china, nnd with thess
you win uo auio to get along nicely.
tiA FRINCn'ESS A DI MONTE BIANCA.
"Tlio question Is, Shall wo accept
this offer?" Sho refolded tho letter,
"This was tho plan I hod In miud
when we went to Monto Carlo, and a
much better plan too."
"Of course wo shall accept It," Bald
,Worth.
"Hut what's tho matter with your
playing tho princess to tho neighbors?"
suggested O'Mnlly, his eyes laughing.
"I'll bo tho eoliclerge, Smith tho stew
ard nnd Kilty your maid."
"And I?" asked Worth.
"Oh, you can bo hor highness' prl
vnte secretary and attend to tho cpr
respondence."
The laughter which followed this
was light hearted and careless. Only
Ln SIgnorlna did not Join tho merrl
mont. Sho roso with n determined nlr,
"Mr. O'Mnlly makes a vory good sug
gcstlon. It will be tin adventure worth
prison."
"i am suMcicntly armed for any
event. It all depends upon your cour
age." .
"Oh, If you take that tone," sold
O'Mally, coloring, "why, the thing Is
i one. Iso one can call ir.o a cownrd."
"I shan't desert you In a strait like
this," remarked Worth quietly. "Only
I think La SIgnorlna rather cruel to
force such a situation upon us when
i: was enthely unnecessary."
"It Is n-reed, then," continued La
dgnorlnn, "that tomorrow wo depart
for I'lorcnce as the Prlnclpcssa dl
Monto Blauca and suit?"
It Is in early morning that one should
discover the Piazza Sun Marco. Few
travelers, nlwnys excepting tho Teu
tonic pilgrims, nro up and nbout. Tho
doves aro hungry then, nnd they alight
ou your hands, your nrms, your shoul
O.crs nnd even your hat. In a moment
they are fluttering nbout you like an
autumn storm of leaves, subsiding
quickly.
It was such n picture Merrlhcw and
Illllnrd, his guide, came upon the
morning following their arrival. They
had not visited It during tho night.
They had, with tho usual Impatience
cr men, gone directly to tho CJampo
Santa Maria Formosa for the great re
ward. They had wutched and waited
till near midnight, but In vain.
Suddenly Ilillnrd stopped. Ho gave
a sharp exclamntion nnd darted to one
sldo to grasp the nrm of n neat little
woman who was buying corn. It ytas
Bettinn. But the maid refused abso
lutely to reveal the hiding place of her
mistress, La SIgnorlna, and Kitty.
Ilillnrd offered her a hundred lira
note ($20).
Bettinn. strongly tempted, Anally re
fused the bribe. She tlirentened to call
tho carablnlcrl, moreover,- If Ilillnrd
followed her.
IHHard rejoined Merrlhcw, dlscour
nged.
As they passed out of the quadrangle
a man accosted them. It was Giovan
ni, with a week's growth of beard on
his face, his shoes out at tho toes.
"Follow me," he said softly.
Ho led them through tortuous streets,
over canal after canal, toward the
Campo San Angolo. He came to a
utop before u dilapidated tenement.
The three mounted tho dusty, went
'-fairs of stone to the third landing,
rirvanrl opened a door n::d bade
them enter.
Seated by tho window which over
looked the llttlo canal was n young
woman. Her hands lay passively in
her lap, and her head was lowered.
You havo found her!" whispered
Ilillnrd, n great pity swelling his
heart.
At the souud she turned her head.
Her face, thin and wnxen, wns "still
beautiful, ethereally beautiful, but
without color. Sho wns perhaps threo
and twenty.
"I havo brought an old friend to see
you," said Giovanni.
She stood up.
"Wo nro going back to the Sabine
hills, Enrlchettn nnd I." Tho old'mnn
rubbed his hnnds Joyously. "Eh,
rnrlsslmo?"
"Yes, father," with n faint smile.
Giovanni pushed his friend 3 Into an
other room, closing the door.
"I found her," he said In English,
the chords lu his throat .stnudlu;: out.
nd, mother of Christ, how I have
tmfferod! She was dancing. Sao had
to sit at tables and drink with the
men that or tho Seine. When she
saw mo she gave a great cry and fell.
She has not been llko herself, but that
will pass away In time. Now sho sits
hi silence nnd broods. I went to the
Italian ambassador. Ho heard my
story In full. He wrote personally to
tho king. Today I am free. I havo
had to walk from Milan almost. I had
llttlo money. That letter of eredlt
so you call It Is with my cousin In
Sorrento."
nd the man?" Ilillnrd could not
refrain from putting this question.
Giovanni looked down. "Tho 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 nnd leave vengeance In tho
hands of God. Forget this man who
has wronged you. Forget."
"If ho docs not cross, my path nnd
if she lives. I have suffered too great
ly to forgive and forget. I promise
not to seek him."
Tho old man went down to tho street
with them. Thoy woro so kind. He
hnted tho thought of losing them.
Thoy waved their hands cheerily and
vanished from sight. Thoy never saw
Glavnnnl again, yet his hand was to
work out tho great epoch In Hlllnrd'a
doe tiny.
(To bo continued.)
JACK MOORE,
CONTRACTOR FOR PLUMBING
HEATING AND SEWERING,
Eleventh nnd Front, Mcdford, Or,
rnoNE 123.
Pnlnts, Brushes. Wnll Paper, Glass
Varnishes, Stains nnd Wall Tints
Got Our Prices; on Theso Goods
M. J. METOALF,
818 IH. Main St., Mcdford, Oregon
GRAND UNION TEA CO.
S KEMPTHORN, Agent
Now Is the time to snvo tickets for n
Christmas Present
Call and seo our Illustrated catalogue
Phono 3101 237 Riverside Ave
F. E. HILL .
Carpenter and Builder
Will furnish plnns nnd list of
timber to be put In building
Medford, Oregon
nil
3EE HIVE RESTAURANT
Meals 15c
Beds 15c
Give us a trial
29 Central avenue, Upstairs
B. J. ADYLOTT
CEMENT WORKER
All work Guaranteed Strictly First
Clrfss
Res. No. 400 Bentty St.
A card will bring me to you
Carriage and Auto Painting
High Class Work Guaranteed.
Signs.
Valley Sign and Carriage
Works,
Riverside Avenue. Phone 001
H. S. Brurable
DRAYAGE & TRANSFER
BAGGAGE STORED.
OFFICE O AND SEVENTH.
COMBINATION RANGE
BOILER INSULATOR AND
HOT FIRELESS COOKER
a.
Containing two indispensable
luxuries and two sources of econ
omy. Call and let us demonstrate its
merits.
J. W. WHITNEY
Office in Aikin Plumbing Co.'s Store, Medford.
PIANO INSTRUCTION.
MRS. E. E. GORE Metropolitan
Collcgo of Music. Miss Flora
Gray. Phono 493. 144 South
Central Avenue.
W. B. FIELD
Music Studio
Room 2, Deuol & Kentnor Building.
PIANOFORTE AND THEORY.
Private Address, 700 South Oakdnle.
Prepaid Raliroao Orders.
"Something which is of considor-
known is tho system of propaid or
ublo interest to tho public generally
nnd which is nerhnps not generally
dors now in offeot between stations
of tho Southern Pacific company
and nil points in tho United Slates.
By monns of this system tickots may
bo purchased nt Modford from any
plnco in .the United States nnd mail
ed or telegraphed direct to tho pnrty
wishing to como here. Sleopor ac
commodutions nnd small nmounts of
cash in connection with these tickets
tuny til so be foiwnrded at the same
Uhi."1
WANTED
Timber and Coal Lands
ENGINEERING 'AND SURVEYING CON
TRACTS TAKEN AND ESTIMATES
FUBNISHED.
B. Ho Harris & Co
I MEDFORD, OREGON
Office in Jackson County Bank Upstairs
4
APPLES AND PEARS AND ALL KINDS Off
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
M E D E O R D
OREGON
The iwinuotT brouaht fdrth a xmUct,
recounting. I shall go as the piliujos,
uor liigiinoss commands: will it
lw dolljjhtfuir
not
ITqxumu Bros., tho snddlo and linr-
uoas mnkars, desii-QV to nmiouuoo to
tho trade that they nro not only pre
pared to fill nil ordur nt Bhort no
tioo, hut onrry tho most oomploto lino
Worth looked at O'Mnlly, who looked of hnrnoss, snddles, bridles, whin.
at Smith, who looked at Kitty; thou nil yobee, blnnkots, wngon cavers, touts,
four looked nt Lu Slgnorlun.
"Aro you not lightening ur trials .by
Joklngr asked Worth dubiously.
''Call It nuYduttt. if you llhu. 1 shall
KO us the prluiOHu."
"lint the author!' i.-! It will bo
tfo., that ami ho found in southorn
Oregon nt price. tUnt cannot fnil to
plonso vii.'n quality of stoolc nnd
unlunviiuip is considered. Don't
orgot the i'.iwe Xli E. Sevonth
street, Medford.
WANTED
APPLE PICKERS
By
Talent Orchard
Company
Talent - Oregon
Emna iwmmw 'him mmmrammmammmmmmmmm
RESOLVED
Tho best resolution for you
to make is to como to us for
your noxt suit, if you want
something out of tho ordinnry.
Wo do tho best work and charge
the lowost prices.
W. W. EIFERT
THE PEOGEUSSIVE TAILOR l
TAXIDERMIST AND FURRIER
Sond your trophies to mo for mount
ing. Big gnmo heads, fish, birds nud
mammals mounted truo to nnturo by
improved mothods. 1 do tnnning, mnko
fur rugs, make, rotnodel nnd clean
fur garments. Express nnd mail or
dors promp'ly attended to.
C. M. HARRIS,
405 Washington Street, Portland, Or.
Telephone Main 3000.
When we suggest that you
Toast Your Bread
On- Breakfast Table
We do not mean that you should eat off
the stove toast
With an Electric Toaster
and have crisp, brown, delicious toast
costs lc per meal to operate. Wo
have the best toaster on tho market for
sale at $4.50. Clean, appetizing, sanitary
ROGUE RIVER ELECTRIC CO.
Successors to Condor Water & Power Co.