Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, October 30, 1916, Page 8

S o W Scarlel Runner Dramatized and Produced by the Vitagraph-Company From the Popular Novel of the same name by C. N. and A. M. Williamson Everything You Read Here Today You Can See This Week At Leading Motion Picture Theatres in Vivid Motion Pictures with MR. EARLE WILLIAMS as CHRISTOPHER RACE MISS LILLIAN TUCKER as ELOISE DAUVRAY Next Week Another Story and New Pictures Copyright; 1916, by the Star Company. OHAPTER IIL THE MASKED BALL \ HRISTOPHER drew up Scarlet Runner before the door of the new Athenaeum Restaurant just as t dark green and gold services to a lady who the motor in front of him, Her face was so0 striking that for a few seconds he forgot that he was stiffly and mechanically holding up a leti designed for dellvery to the magnificent porter for a luncheon guest. It Wwas not only her beauty which Christopher found arr: -tlln “That g 't be more than twenty- four, it she’ i yot the whole hi y of the world jooking out of her eyes— :;:y‘:ow. ;llld the Ar!,hnnd musie, and drama e world,” was the ourlous thought that tumbled Into his head. . Two men standing in the doorway seemed equally int ed In the girl. One of the men, an elderly maljor, friend of his rich unole, he knew slightly. The other, who was oxceedingly well dressed, and so looking as to be almost picturesque, ad pale olive features which seemed vague- ly tamiliar to Christopher. ‘Yes, 8ir; you called me, I think, sir?” It was the volce of the "rnn and gold porter. He had handed the lady out of the motor oar; the motor car wad gliding away; th® major was shaking hands with the pic- turesque young man. X “Oh—er—yes," Christopher answered the ant briskly, He thought that he would ot be sorry to escape a bro: fred officer, “T want to ot for Lord Arrowdale. He's to lunch h 1 believe, and will inquiring for a lett: ‘“Very good, sir," id the porter, and took the envelope. But was not quick enough to save Christopher from the major, who came forward and sald all the things that T Christopher had known he would lcy—“rlvon the chance, The young man answered civilly, and even lained with tion of Lord Arrowd o y gossip had caught. “No, I don't ow him; never met him in my life. A end wanted him to try m{ car. Promised to leave & note here making an appoint- ment.” As he talked on, from the tall of his eye ::‘nmhod the \progress of the lady. SI man, P ther now with a kind of suppressed eagerness. If it had not seemed too ridicu- lously concelted to fancy such a thing, Chris- mhur would have had the idea that he was sation, “Wall, ta, 1 write old Jamey Tll tell him his nephew petulance his Wi name, which Ml All Forelgn Rights reserved. \trifled with a bunch of violets beside her plate, her lovely face unsmiling. It occurred to Christopher that she had scarcely spoken at all, yet him, at least, she dominated the_ scene. ‘ “I'm to be sleeping partner?” asked Christopher, wishing himself elsewhere, though his Intérest was entangle “On the contrary, you're to b awake. But' I'll tell ery wide ou all about it. Of the Van Bouten ball course you've heard o next week?’ Of course Christopher had, and said so, For the past fortnight the papers had rained hi n Bouten ball, It inned affalr about the V. ed ball, and wax the histor: in Dlamond Bouten, . nowned for She and aunt had taken ore bey of Henry VIL's day, conveniently n L:ldldon. A hel ma to rival in m at Devonshir . M 24 on the point of Arrowdale, glving this ball, of capturing, Now she an at which; it her engagement to unt said, Tord Arrowdale- Wou perhaps be announced. “We have a scheme for the night of th ball which will be the =unuuon o‘t the un? turyi if we can only carry it out,” Kitsgerald went on. “It falls on the last of Marc Day, you But that gives you no hint of our brilliant idea—though spiration. We had re last night that ;ho' ut— did give us our In- on to belleve u‘ to was In the’ best es of mice suddenly failed us—influensa or something obvious. wheels wouldn't go round without him— 6 he's a motorist. I w upset; but I reflected, ‘When in doubt, consult an American girl,' so I oa Dauvray into oonaultation. ‘No chap the oours; ted to a lunch at the ultra-respectal Athenaeum. While I waited for her I saw you—and your car. ‘What & beauty!’ I sald to myself. (Don't blush; I mean the car). ‘Now, if only we had a motor like that to do our trick! “Just then came along Major Notburn. In sfx words he told me your car's ory. ality captivated my eron,' I said; her convictions, ‘“We want you to t myself, and several friends—to St. Ronan's Mount for the ball in your ripp motor car. We don’t mean to stay late; in fact, . t we can promise that you'll be back in town L S B KN bufors before most of the guests have sopped N lancing. low, wha 0 " W 3 CIE T SR SR e Runies addition to ‘short hours,' you'll ‘l in for & [3 pleturesque young had left the girl standing in the door and .urried forward, "l beg your pardon, but may I speak to you?™ he mhfium Christopher paused, & foot on the &u.tah- Another car lurked ready for rlet nner's rh«, or must lllf oad. “What 1 want is to ask g ou will lunch with us” the stran rusl on, by way 7 of holding the motorist's attention, “Lunch with you? echoed Christopher as- tonished. “You mistake me for Bomeone “No, no,” sald the other. "l(l{?r Norburn has told me everything. ‘You like adven- turea? You are invited to arrange one.” That caught cnmtoflhor. a8 It was meant to, “Very well, I'm with you," sald he. And mm he thought of the lady, hoping to be wi T a8 we “T'Il get out of the way here, -drive b: car to the garage close by, and_come “Without fall?™ “Without fail." Five minutes later Christopher returned, ‘walkin round the corner tha took his T were stlll standing in ti the fashionable new re expected him back s deep in conversation, It was only Christopher came close ur not wholly miled ecivilly. anion, and he “m mad,” he sald smiling. ‘“But n kh#u better than to be commonplace, isn't “Assuredly, 14 Christopher, “1 thought you'd be ot/ that opinion, Mr. Race. “You know m§ name “From Major Norburn. Even the name of your splendid car. It's the same as an intro- duction. And now I will Introduce' you to Miss Dauvray. Then I'll introduce myself. My name I8 Ponsonby Fitsgerald; and if someone else were introducing me, he'd anything robably tell you that I don't n the same way as other Ponsonby eopl Fitzgerald! he young man's ce and figure appeared upon its und now. He had written a queer novel, which made a sensation on the ‘! strength of its queerness; and out of the novel he had woven a play which owed its success to the same quality. People knew him amgl talked of him still, though he had not since written another novel or another play, There were things about him in the papers sometimes. He went to oountry houses, and was sald to be entertaining, They went In to luncheon. Mr. l‘l‘u-fild hid engaged a table which was lald with two covers, but 'in an instant it was re- arranged for three. “And now for busi- ness,” exclaimed Fitzgerald in his lively, en- thusiastic way, which made him seem very boyish, though his years might .have been twenty-nine or thirty. “Miss Dauvray and I bhave an important job on for the last day of March—or rather, it will be the first of April by the time it'a found out: wherein will lje the joke. And we're going to pro- ose that you shall be the ‘Co’ in our part- p.! . The Southern girl neither assented nor pro- : thou “nufm challenged her his great, daring black eyes Bhe y if she appealed to him. splendid adventure—just the sort of thing to appeal to you?" “It's rather odd," sald Christopher, ‘but my errand here this morning was to leave a note from Lord Arrowdale, making an pointment for a talk about motoring a of his friends to St. Ronan's for the ball Miss Dauvray looked up suddenly, and nobly beautiful with the ivory curve of cheeks ined a deep rose-color. Still afd not spea'c. Christopher was glad when she looked up. It gave him his first real chance to see w! her eyes were llke. No; It was not ne sary for a woman with such eyes to say much with her lips. 8till, what did the eyes say? Something, very expressively, very ardently—but what? Was she pleased to hear that there was a chance of his being engaged to take another party to the ball? Why did she flush when he mentioned an appointment with Lord Arrowdale? ‘hristopher noticed now that she was look- ing tired, Her eyes were gentle and sad, and oddly wistful, as she turned them to his In support of her one word. It was as But—dld she want t or refuse? He felt suddenly desire to understand her, The more of her. He Tn that case,” he xty us!" exclaimed sald Christopher. you shall you've heard t Milly van Bouten—or has offered tI for the greate the whole l:hln[. ation of the ning the handsomest costume?' exactly that, for it can even be won Ly a party. Indeed, I think it will bhe won by my party. What she means is to give the diamond to the person or group of per- sons whose appearance and manner of en- trance creates the greatest sensation. "Nntuull‘. everybody wants to get that dlamond, which Mflly van Bouten bought at Christie's on purpose to offer in this way. 1 ntlcr think she hol M “Not hough I know for a fact he hasn't proposed leL in spite of l|“ t 1, ot Sl ot a 4 after " o paid Jim Scrop himself to be an She wouldn't Wi by i American milllonuire, Saunders, who fanci: to 3 udnuro—thc biggest portion for ou a8 s only fair, 're th of the idea. yourself now. two men who are trien of mine. Wha happens, you're sure It we get the dlamond, will be five p‘un- dred pounds. rike you “As most generous—too to accept,” said Christophe “We'll force you to mocept. But never mind that part now, I told you that a friend with a motor had failed us. A motor s necessary becauss, when we've made our sensation, we must be able dash away, as up-to-date highwaymen should. But, oh, nerous for me / after the unmas| Inrd. ' THE BEE: OMAHA, M r rrhlw 1 tor;ot }&mnum that we're to be ’:htlb'lm'fl # d he laughed out boy- "Ioll did forget that part.” /Christopher laughed too. “And Miss Dauvray”—he could not resist bringing her in—"is she to Re a highway wo to n abbess,” Fitzgerald an- for the F"" without giving her ti to speak. ““We're all to be monks at fir we four men, At the right moment we're to throw off our cowls, but she's to remaln an abbess, “Then, when we've made our effect,” sald he gally, “we suddenly throw off our monk- ish robes and appear as masked, top-booted, belted highwaymen from the Wild West of America. We shall be bristling with bowle knives and big revolvers (not really loaded, of course), and while two of us-—you, per- haps, and one other—guard the exits, the other two will hold up the crowd and make ‘em hand over their yaluables in the most realistic manner just about midnight” s sald Christopher, looking “Ha, ha! If you don't understand, pre- pared as you are, how much less will they? ! It will be the great April fool trick of the world.” £ “For you, But won't it spoil Miss van Bouten's ball?”" “M a gues next. “T swear I'm in the dark.” “All this will happen just before supper. The! to be a grand sit-down supper, and unm ing. People will be In the mol't awful quandary. By that time they won't know whether they've been the victims of a grand joke or whether they've been robbed ot their little all; but—they'll go in to sup- per, except the poor detectives, who'll be scurrying around like mice for news of the mysterious motor, Then after midnight will appear a great dish—s pie with a wonderful cover. It will be set down by a servant (he'll be in our pay; not Miss van Bouten's, by the bye) on the principal table, with a request for Miss van Bouten kzsalt to cut it. She will do #o; and in that will be all to what we mean to do Ane susy the stolen jewels, with our visitin, on top, and a sort of ‘round roblg 5:{35 All Fools’ ‘Day and claiming the prize for ourselves. Your name needn't be there, un- less you like, as you don't know Miss Bouten and aren't one of her Invited guests; but you'll get your share all the same. Bveryone will vote the prize—or be vo without a sense o o e of humor, Now, “It's a nothing grown-up about | ph surprised and amused at the childish- ness of the “great game."” , “That's the charm,” retorted Fitzgerald; and Christopher admitted that X 0 waa right, TR In any event, he was committed affair now, and he was so eagér to n:& ;‘111: her the beautiful Miss Dauvray were bo with it all, or vexed with him for n adventure for you, n'est-ce nas? regular boy-and-girl adventure— sald Chr'sto- belng in it, that he woul dnot hyve backed - out even if he could ‘When the great night came Christopher could have qurhed at himself for the voylsh excitement which ran through his veins. He ghly In the spirit of the adven- —as thoroughly as Fitzgerald. d early at the rendesvous, but to be the first on the scene. The arden with rather a high wall, and as Scarlet Runner teuf- teufed round the corner of the qulet street the gate opened, and Fitzgerald looked out from under a dim, hanging light. Stopping the car, Christopher saw that there were two other men with him, both already wear ing motor goggles, which disguised them ;n?luzh even for an appearance at the masked all. Wi not earl, 've all n dining he impatient ald Fits- tte aplece In the g 11 call Miss Dauvray. now. She must have The opening door threw out a light, and the cloaked figure of ed, attended by a mald. ray had covered her face with a thick chif- fon vell as a protection a st wind (there was no dust), but under the hanging 1 at the gate, he caught a gleam of ey searched for his. Fitsgerald would have helped her into the toWneau of the car, but somehow she slipped past him,”and Christopher had an odd yet strong conviotjon that she “wished him to put her fn. ithout an Instant's hesitation he held out htis arm as a support for her hand, she 1aid her fingers h.fitly upon it. At the same time, with her other hand, hidden under & loose cloak, she thrust far as she could up the young D that , but, surprised as he w Christopher kept his counte ent of his wrl arl 00! irl's act, thing—wha! cealed, and prevented With |Fitzgerald safely in his seat, and the bonnet as. a screen, he contrived to slide out of his sleeve a Smith and Wesson revolver. A folded bit of white paper was kept in place on the barrel by means of an innoocent 1little red rubber band. As he slipped the revolver from hishand intoa deep OCTOBER__30, 1916. / pocket of his motor coat, Christopher pulled off and unfolded the paper. On one side a fe ords were written, which he absorbed* second in the eye of Scarlet Runner's ng lamp. 'To 'use In ° lnylhlng as) d of your unloaded one, in hould go wrong,” were the instructions hed into his mind before he crumpled up the pa into a ball and it Into his pocket after the revolver. anything should go wrong.” What could she mean? What could possibly go wrong which would excuse his l\lh-tllulln! a loufbd revolver for the harmleos toy he ha in his belt? There was little time to think, [t} Ponlcnbx Fitzgerald at his side kept up a running fire of chaff, and there would be no chance to ask questions. If Miss Dauv- ray had hoped for any later opportunity to communicate her secret ideas to him she would have said so in her note. He might take it that this was her final word, and he must trust to luck and his own wit to find the clue. The young moon had gore to sleep long 8go when Scarlet Runner wheeled through open gates at St. Ronan's Mount, past thin, milky much time to spare, they had not travi fast, and a distant church clock told them, as they spun round the drive, that they had arrived at a uarter after eleven. The music of the hite Hungarians in the ballroom drowned the thrumming of the motor, and it a8 if Scarlet Runner made no sound as she ran under the ballroom windows and turned & corner. “We're here at exactly the right tim sald Fitzgerald. “Every soul but ourselves has come and is in the ballroom. We shall make our sensation! Now, Mr. Race, can you turn your round, ready ly get away on the instant? That's it. There's our door, you see, through which we have to make our dash when we come out, laden with spolls. The light looks pretty comllnz through those gold-colored curtains. Now 4 to get out of our motor-coats and into our monk's robes.” Ten minutes later a procession figures was flitting on foot roundotf :):’:r?:‘\‘x‘: to the front door. They were admitted bv :levoltlm;s"r;ll:'r:!% |r'| th |olk-llmd vestibule a n in eve their, invitation t*lrdl.n e ke ditclnee “I’have one for myself and r friends,” sald Miss Dauvray, 1?57% Bfform:" :lf;:(lfl':. lll roqul‘“’a, her abbess's veil, and 0 showing an {llumin; Aldo: ated square of paste- 8o Fitzgerald had had no separa tion! was the thought wh(ehv !“;eeldnvll:‘x: Christopher's mind as they were allowed t pass on without question. Well, what o that? But what of Miws Dauvray' gift, which he wore in his belt now! H had had no inspiration yet. He was ne neare~ guessing than at first what she had meant him to do with ft. The last guests were ushered into a fine hall, ‘where theutwo hostesses had stood to recelve their friends earlier in the evening. Now they had gone into the ballroom, and the hall was empty. “There's the door” sald Fitagerald. “There's only that one, and the glass door at the far end, through which we go when all's ready. M'Clellan, you must keep this door. I want Race at the other, as he's chauffeur and should be out first to start the car for us. The minute we get In see if there's a key in the lock of your door, McClellan, and If there is, turn it and pull it out if 80 that we shall have before the fun begins. You all three r mber the signal for throwing off our robes?—when I say Pax vobiscum to Miss van Bouten, who'll be Undine, in pale green, with showers of dlamonds and pearls —as8 we know for certain, thanks to Miss Dauvray.” At the sound of her name the girl stopped on her way to the door as {f to answer. dld not answer. She simply touched Christopher's arm with her arm, as if by ac- cident, 'and went on. ° A moment after they were inside the ball- 1 room in a blaze of light, Christopher's ayes dazzled by a scene of enchantment. All the fairies of fairyland and the kings and queens of earth since the world began wove therm- selves Into jewelled patterns as thev danced It was the end of a walts, and the musi dled as If in reverence for the monkisn band who entered the last guests, with tha last note. . One monk lingered by the door. The other thres and the abbess wound through the brilllant orowd towards the gold our- talne at_the far end of the room, Chris pher went on, answering jests that w. tossed to him aa he passed; and he reached nd turned fust in time to rald accost Undine, She, harm- rilsh figu! shook her head and to a Louis XIV., gorgeous as a sun- in| ointed god. “Pax voblseum!" oried the discarded monk raising aloft his rosary. And with that . there were suddenly four highwaymen— masked, belted and slouch-hatted—where four reverend friare had stood. Now was Fitsgerald's great chance, a with all that was in him of dramatic talent he made moet of it. He had but one sesistant {n the blithe game of holding up the company, for' M'Clallan kept one door and Race the other; but Jack Bh self oould not have cut a braver gay Vitagerald, The ‘lgglln‘, excited cries of women and the laughter or atteémpted protests of men drowned the museic of & new walts, which stopped glmost as soon as It had begun. Ordered by two tali, masked highwaymen to give up thelr jewels, some people ylelded lightly to the humor of the jest, while others, disliking it, would have slipped from the room had not another masked mobber held the door, Here and there ran forward & conscientious man whom Christopher took for a detective, but Undine herself checked thelr zeal. “We must yleld o the bold high- waymen!” she cried, unlooping from her white neck a triple rope of pearls. Then, recognizing their hostess' voice (she had worn a domino when receiving them), her guests Jaughed more loudly and followed her example, free from all lurking fear. Fitz- erald and his masked follower were reap- ng a rich harv dog- collars, bracele into the big leather pouches that hung from their belts. There was no longer any thought of re sistance or escape, and from afar off Chris- topher saw M'Clellan leave his post at the doof, from which he had doubtless taken the precaution to remove the key. In a few minutes-now, the play would be over and the actors would be running off the scene. Noth- ing had gone wrong, Christopher was saying to himself, when suddenly the blood mounted to his head in a wave that, for a second, turned him giddy. Had nothing gone wrong? What if this were not a joke, but deadly earnest? What if thase laughing women should never see thelr jewels again? By this time the contents of those leather pouches might be worth two hundred thousand pounds. If, inder his charming alrs of bonhomie, Fitzgerald were a rogue—well, the game would be well worth the candle for a man in financial troubles of any sort. And that poor, happy child, the hostess— what & humiliation for her If at her house, led on by her example, all these people lost their dearest treasures! She would never be forglven—could never live down such 2 ard him- h than calamity. She might even lose her lover through it. “In_case anything should go wrong!" If Miss Dauvray had meant this—meant him to guess, meant to give him something by vojleh, 1f his wits were quick and his cour- age high, he could stop the game! Suddenly his head was clear as a bell. If he did the thing which had sprung into his brain he would not spoll Fitagerald's chance of the prize, in case the play were a genu- ine frolic after all. But if it were earnest he might save the situation for Miss van Bouten, save the jewels, and—unless Fitz- gerald were a fool—no one need ever know the truth. He decided to act, and the moment had come. Fitzgerald had finished. He and his as sistant were beginning their dash towards the glass doors. But instead of unlocking it, as Christopher had been told to do, he tried it quickly, found it fastened, and slipped the key into hls pocket. Then, with his back to the gold curtalns, he fired one bar- rel of Eloise Dauvray's revolver at the cell- ing. 3 This was to let Fitzgerald know that he was formidable—that he carried no harmless toy at his belt; and the efeot waq over- powering. All the women screamed (he ted frightening them, but it was for their n good), and even Flll?ernld and his fol- lower were taken aback for an instant. It was but for an instant though. They sprang forward; but Christopher stopped them with his levelle before they could touch the trigg: “Hands up, or I fire!” he shouted. Thelr weapons had death in them, too— he was sure of that—but his could speak first, and if it spoke there would be an end of one man. The danger was that he could not e of covering two at a time, and the third was not far off now; but that was risk he had been feady to runm, and on instant was called upon to face it. From behind Fitsgerald the other man would have takan the chance and fired, but someone knocked- up bis arm (no one but Christopher saw that it was a vellad abbess), and Lord Arrowdale, as Lou!ls XIV t d gra enough now, took the fello® confualon to volver from behind. With that Fitsgerald burst into a loud laugh and tucked his weapon in his belt. (Was it because he knew the game was up, of the re- “Don’t Mind What I Sald,” Laughed Eloise. - and the only hor lay in uvlng -&mm or was he merely ready to end his harm! play for the prize?) “Don’'t be frightened, anybody, and spoll sport,” he cried, his voice breaking, with laughter. Then, snatching oft his mask and looking handsome and gallant in his slouch hat, he ran and knelt at Une dine's feet, calling his comrade to follow. “Our leather pouches, and all that is in them is,” he exclaimed, “iA exchange for the prize, falr lady.” \ And Miss van Bouten took off her mask , smiling and beautiful, though a little ‘Shall he have the she cried aloud. And the company, unmasking, answered with many volces that the prize must be- long to the highwayman. “It's to be put to the vote, you know, at supper,” she sald. Fitzgerald and his friend, having given up their bags of spoil to their hostess, rose from their knees. Then Fitzgerald came to where Race still stood by the door. Everyone was listenin, but all he had say was to thank Chr! topher for his “dramatic conception of his part.” our one slight mistake,” he finished, “has proved a blessing In disguise, for it enables me also to change my mind at the last minute. I and my frlends will stay to supper and hear our fate—in the matter of the blue diamond. You are free to do as you prise, my friends?” “1 must be getting back to town." “With your car? Very well; we will meet later.” Fitzgerald was the hero of the occasion; and one of the young men of Miss Dauv- ray's party presently slipped away unnoticed. Perhaps two others did the same—Chris- topher did not know. But when he reached Scarlet Runner, to his intense surprise there sat Mlss Dauvray in the seat next to the driver's. “Will you take me home?" she asked. “With pleasure,” he sald. “And quickly? “If you wis They started, and for a few moments neither spoke. Then Christopher asked, “Did I do the thing you wanted?” “Yes,” she sald. “I thought you would do it “You hypnotized me, perhaps. But—was it a game, or—" “Oh, a game, if you like, But a terrible game. I would have given my life to stop it, |or—yours. You've saved both. I ocan live now, I think. If he wins the prize he'll let |me alone for awhile. But if he'd succeeded to-night I—couldn't have borne it. What would there have been for me? Only to |disappear, as he meant to do, or—disappear {in another way, a quieter way. I should ihave chosen that. I'm so very tired, you see.” “Tired of what?" her almost flercely. “Of playing cat's-paw for him. I'm a coward. I'm horribly afrald of him. He could ruin me. I've helped him several times—in country houses where I've been staying. It's nearly killed me, but I had to do it. This would have been worst of al though. I love little Milly van Bouten, bear her no grudge for taking Arrowdale Christopher questioned from me, because I didn’t love him. It was only bis money and title I wanted—needed, if you like. Fitz thought I'd be glad of re- venge, but I'm not vindictive. I helped only because I was forced to.” “Why?" “Oh, it all began with the most awful losses at bridge, and a'hundred outside debts to drive me half mad. Onge—I wa then, I think—I cheated. 1tz o saved me, for—this kind of thing. He awtul straits too. But the blue diamond will save him, if| he gets it. For your sake 1 hope he will, as well as for mine. He doesn't forget easily.” “How did he mean to rid himself of me to-night?” asked Christopher quietly. “You can guess, I think, Of course, the story of the pastrycook and the ple, an® glving back the jewels, was a flotion for your benefit. Butyouggould have been asked to stop your car at a cértain place, I belleve, as if to meet the ‘pastrycook,’ and then—then —they wouldn't have killed you, for Fita was golng to disappear and you oouldn't have id the other man. But you would h ad a knock on the head, and Fitz wculd have driven your car wh d. He can drive one or two mal he's been taking I last three days. ons with But now our on’t ask me any more questions, will you? I'm 8o ti If you are kind, lat me rest.” fast. Nelther spoke agaln until he had brought her to her own door in' Regent's Park. Then, as he stopped Bcarlet Runner, he broke out: “All thig time I've been thinking of what you've sald, I——" Bhe burst intdé merry, if nervous laught “What I've sald? !uniy you didn't take A that wild nensense seriously! Of ceurse was joking., It was a hlq-omry from be- ginning 10 and, telisve me,” “T ean't,” sald Christopher. > “Therm you ara the April fool after all, aren't you? But thank you, nevertheless, a thousand tinies, for bringing me. home. And take oars—Fitz won't be too pleased with 1({; the end of his game.” “hristopher let her slip away from him. Had !t been & Joke, then, the whole thing? He would never quite know, it might be. But he had & very strong theory; and that theory 4id not prevent him from wishing to see Eloise Dauvray again. (A New Adventure Next Week.) '