The evening world. Newspaper, March 10, 1914, Page 17

A jt servants, tn locked, The old Smart frm re, Moat. Dromiace the. inter ‘bfenks the ‘iyotnuinent vy of workmen and fhe" packed doors, ‘order. CHAPTER IV. (cAbtinued,) I Meet the Foe and Fall. T 2 o'clock the last door in the cast ante-chamber gave way before our resolute ad- vance, and L stood vic- t torious and dusty in the Se recess at the top of the last stair- +. Beyond the twentieth century jeres of a thirteenth century rway lay the goal we sought. I tated briefly before drawing thein t and taking the final plunge. 4 matter of foot, 1 was beginning ™) feel ashamed of myself. Suppose that she really had a headache! What an uncouth, pusillanimous brute I-— Just then, even as my hand fell 3 upon the curtains, they were snatched aside and I found myself staring into Ahe vivid, uplifted face of the lady Hwho had defied me and would con- Minue to do so if my suddenly active perceptions counted for anything. Eeaw nothing but the dark, indig- t, imperious eyes. They fairly hered me. beg your pardon,” 1 began, and then discovered that I was not wear- fng a cap. It was most disconcert- ini 80 you would come,” she said, very coldly and very levelly “It—it- was necessary, madam,” I replied as best I could.’ “You defied me. 1 think you should have appre- ciated my position—my motives—er * “well, now that you are here, Mr. Smart, may | be so bold as to inquire hat you are going to do about tt? > A refiected, "I think, tf you don't pind, I'll come in and sit down. That jas i deuce of a rap 1 got across toes. I am sure to be a great more lenient and agreeable if asked to come in and see you jentaily, I thought step up to ire how your headache is getting * Better, I hope She turned her face away. cted' a smile. “Rf-you choose to bang your old Mle toypieces in order to satisfy a ime curiosity, Mr. Smart, I nothing more to say,” she sald, ain—still ominously, to onfound it all) all helpless little thin ageinat a.mob of burly rut- I sus- “You are a most unreasonable man,” she said, throwing open a small door at the end of the hall, “I am rribly disappointed in you, You Hooked to be so nice and sensible and But I was dumb. 1 stood just in- ide the door of the most remarkable apartment it has ever been my good une to led. Was I awake? part. of the bleak, sinister, weather- wracked castle in which I was striving wo hard to find a comfortable cor- ner? “Well?” she demanded relentlessly “By the Lord Harry,” I began, find- ng my tongue only to lose it again. My bewilderment increased, and for 4, an_excelent reason: ‘The room was completely fur- wished, bedecked and rendered habit- able by a hundred and ene articles that: were mysteriously missing from my side of the castle. Rugs, tapes- rtoas curtains of the rarest quality; couches, and cushions; tabi und chests that would ha’ the eyes of the most conser- ve collector of antiques to buli fase, “or r—but greed; stands, ve oaken centre table atood the cbless silver vase we had missed the second day of our occupancy, ft was filled with fresh yellow I sniffed. Their We@ the room. Agd so complete had been the rifing ‘6f my rooms by the devoted wandals ‘in their efforts to make this lady cozy . comfortable that they did not ik a ailver-framed photograph Py, dear mother! Her sweet face r y gaze as it swept the mantel piece, beneath which a coal rd ed’ merrily. I am not quite sure. but I think I repeated “by the Lord Marry” once if not twice before I caught myself up. 1 tried to smile. you are here.” I said. "You couldn't expect me to live in this awful place without some of the ‘domiforts and conveniences of life, Mr. @marts’ whe satd fiantly. * “Certainly not, rance “How—how cozy I said, promptly. ep am’efre that you will excuse me, however, if I gloat. 1 was afraid had lost’ all these things. Yo } - jden how relieved I am to find them all safe and sound in my—in their place. ! was berinning to dis- Now I am con- »vineed of their interrity “Of course, Mr. Smart, T shall pay «you for everything—down to the amallest trifle—when the time comes for me to leave this place. I have ke strict account of"— . ‘turned away, with a beaten Groop of the proud little head, end T war shamet. will sit down if you'll let m <neld }, feeling that I wouldn't appear \o-wigantic if I was sitting. “ do. ‘The chairs all belong tox yous" @mnorry you put it in that way. ney are ‘yours as long as you choose »towto occupy a furnished apartment j . --@Uhave been very selfish, and cat- tish, and inconsiderate, Mr. Samrt. You see, I'm a apoilt child. I've al- ways had my own way in everything. You must look upon me as a very Horrid, sneaking, conspiring person, ‘and FI really think you ought to ‘ a " oul "Facing me once more she said you will sit down, Mr. Smart, and be fent and generous with me, I shall y “Vie finds ore ™ my husBand would be likely to look ‘or me," ur husband? Look for you?" es. I shall be quite frank with My husband and I have separ- ated. A provisional divorce was granted, however, just seven months ago. The final decree cannot be issued for one year.” “But why should you hide from him?" “The--the court gave him the cus- tody of our child during the proba- tionary year. II have run away with her. ‘They ge looking for mo everywhere. That is why I came here. Do you understand?” 1 was stunned. ‘Then, I take it, the court gra and not you," d him the divorce U said, experiencing @ sudden chill about the heart. “You were deprived of the child, I see. Dear m “You are mistaken,” she said, a flash in her eyes. “It was an Aus- trian court. The Count=my husband, I should say—is an Austrian subject. His interests must be protected.” She sald this with a sneer on her pretty ips. “You see, my father, knowing him now for what he really is, has refused to pay over to him something lke a million dollars, still due for the marriage settlement. ‘The Count con- hat it 1s a just and legal debt e court supports him to this The child Is to be bis until extent: the debt is cleared up, or something to that effect. I really don’t under- stand the legal complications in- volved. Perhaps it were better if I said I, scornful in spite of myself, | “One of those happy inter- national marriages where a bride is thrown in for good measure with a couple of millions, Won't we ever learn!” “That's it precisely,” she said, with the utmost calmness and candor, “American dollars and an American girl in exchange for a title, a lot of debts and a ruined life.” “And they always turn out just this way, What a lot of blithering fools we have in the land of the free and the home of the knave!” y father objected to the whole arrangement from the first, yo must not speak of him as a knave. she protested. “He doesn’t like counts and such things.” “{ don’t see that {t helps matters, T can hardly substitute the word ‘brave’ for the one [I used,” said I, trying to conceal my discus “Please don't misunderstand Mr. Smart," she said haughtily, am not asking for pity. I made my bed and [I shall lie in it. The only thing I ask of you is—well, kindnet She seemed to falter again, ani once more I was at her feet, figura- tively speaking. “You are in distress, in dread of romething, madam,” 1 cried, “Con- sider me your friend.” She shook her head ruefully. “You poor man! | You don't know what you are in for, I fear. Wait till I have told you everything. Three ‘woeks ago I Inid myself Itable to-im- prisonment and heaven knows what else by abducting my little girl. That {a réally’ what It comes to—abduction. The court has ordered my arrest, and all sorts of police persons are search- ing Bigh and low for me. Now don’t you see your peril? If they find me here, you will be in a dreadful pre- dicament. You will be charged with criminal complicity, or whatever it is called, and—oh, it will be dread- fully unpleasant for you, Mr. Smart.” “Pray do not consider my position at all,” I managed to say, with a resolute ansumption of gallantry. “I— I shall be perfectly able to look out for myself—that is, to explain ever: thing if It should come to the worst. 1 could not help adding, however: certainly hope, however, that they don’t get on to your trail and"-—— I pped in confusion. nd find me here? me, she completed dd take the chtld away from you,” I made haste to explain. A fierce light flamed in her eyes. * should—kill~some one before that * she cried out, clench- beg of you, madam, don’t work yourself into a—a state,” I im- red, in considerable trepidation. othing like that can happen, be- lieve me. I" “Oh, what do you know about it?” she exclaimed, with most unnecessary vehemence, TI “He wants the child - you. can see why he wants her, ? He is making the most desperate efforts recover her, Max says the new: pers are full of the—the scan They are depicting me as a brainle: law-defying American without sens of love, honor or respect. I don’t mind that, however. It is to be ex- pected. They all describe the Count as o long-suffering, honorable, dread- fully maltreated person and are doing what they can to help him in the prosecution of the search. My mother, who is in Paris, is being shadowed; my two big brothers are bet watched; my lawyers in Vienna being trailed everywhere—oh, it is really a most dreadful thing. Rut but I will not give her up! She is mine, He doesn't love her. He doesn't love me. He dosen't love anything in the world but himself and his cig- arettes. I know, for I've paid for his cigarettes for nearly three years. He has actually ridiculed me in court sircles, he has defamed me, snubbed ne, humiliated me, cursed me. You cannot imagine what it has been like. Once he struck me in’ “Struck you!" T cried. in the presence of his sister and her husband. But I must not dis- tress you with sordid details. Suffice it to say, I turned at last like the proverblai worm. I applied for a divorce ten fmonths ago. It was ranted, provisionally, as I\say. He 8 a degenerate, He was unfaithful to me in every sense of the word. “ut in spite of all that, the court tn aranting me the separation took oc- casion to placate national honor by giving him the child during the year, pending the final dispositice of case, Of course, everything depend on father's attitude In respect to tho money. You see what IT mean? A month ago J heard from friends it he was shamefully neg- my. bahy, so I took this awful, this perfectly bizarre way of getting her out of his hands. Pos- sesion ts nine points In the law, you interrupted I, shaking my head, ‘There ia more than one wey to look at the law. I'm afraid you have got yourself into a serious—er-- pickle. ‘tt. care,” he sald defiantly. NOV HIS MONEY = “It is the law's fault for not prohib- iting such marriages as ours. Oh, I know | must seem awfully foolish and idiotic to you, but-—but It's too late now to back out, isn't 1t?” I did not mean to say tt, but I did— and I said it with some conviction: “It is! You must be protected.” “Thank you, thank you!” she cried, clasping and unclasping her little hands, [ found myself wondering if the brute had dared to strike her on that soft, pink cheek! Suddenly a horrible thought struck me with stunning force. “Don’t tell me that your--your hus- band is the man who owned this castle up to a week ago,” I cried. He is bene | “Count James Hohendahl?" She shook her head. not the man.” Seeing that for her to go on, she resumed: know Count James quite well, hi ever. He is my husband's clos friend.” it “Good heaven,” said I, in quick ed. alarm. “That complicates mattgrs, doesn't it? He may come here; at any time.” ° “It isn't Hkely, Mr. Smart, To be perfectly honest with you, I waited until I heard you had bought the cas- tle before coming here myself. We were ‘in hiding at the house of a friend in Linz up to a week ago. [ did not think it right or fair to sub- ject them to the notoriety er the peril that was sure to follow if the offigers took it into their heads to look {for me there. The day you bought the castle I decided that it was the safest place for me to stay until the danger blows over, or until father can ar- range to smuggle me out of this aw- ful country. That very night we were brought here in a motor, Dear old T Conrad and Mra. Schmick took me in. They have been perfectly ador- able, all of them.” May I inquire, madam,” said y stiffly, “how you came to select my abode as your hiding place?” “Oh, I have forgotten to tell you that we lived here one whole sum- mer just after we were married. Count Hohendahl let us have the castle for our—our honeymoon. He was here a great deal of the time, All sorts of horrid, nasty, snobbish people were here to help us enjoy our honeymoon. [ shall never forget that dreadful summer. .My_ only friends were the Schmicks. Every one else ignored and despised me, and they all borrowed, won or stole money from me, I was compelled to play bridge for atroctously high stakes without knowing one card from the other, But, as IT say, the Schmicks loved me, You see they were in the family ages and ages ago before I was born.” oii \ “The family? What family? ; “The Rothhoefen family. Haven't they told you that my great-grand- mother was a_ Rothhoefen? No? ‘Well, she was, I belong to the third generation of American-born scendants, Doesn't it simplify mat- ters, knowing this?” “Tmmensely,” said T, In something" of a daze. “And ao I came here, Mr. Smart, where hundreds of my ancestors apent their honeymoon, moat of them per- haps as unhappy us I, and where [ knew a fellow countryman was to live for a while in order to get a plot for a new atory. ‘You see, I thought 1 might be a great help to you in the It reallly can’t matter, I've thought it all out know. and I've decided you very carefully, it is not best for you to know, nee, if you don't know who It is you are sheltering the courts can't hold ha You you to account, You will be quite Innocent of deliberately ccntriving to defeat the law, No, I shall not tell you my name, nor my husband's, nor my father's, If you'd like to know, however, I will tell you my baby’s name. She's two years old and I think she'll like you to call her Rose- mary.” “Rosemary,” I repeated. am [ to call you?” “Even my enemies call me Count- ess," ahe said coldly. qr, aid I, more rr gee, When am I to ha meeting the less pa ry?” “T didn't mean to be horrid," she said plaintively. ‘Please overlook It, Mr, Smart, If you are very, very quiet I think you may nee her now. She tn asleep.” “Lmay frighten her !f she awakes,” 1 ‘sald in haste, remembering my an- tpathy fo babt Novertheleas | was led through + couple of bare, unfurnished rooms tn- to a sunny, perfectly adorable nur- wery. nursemaid—English, at ao “and what peetfully. “I the pleasure rticular Rosa- glance—arose from her seat in the window and held a cautious finger to her Ips, In the middle of a bed that would have accommodated an entire family, was the sleeping Rosemary a tiny, rosy-cheeked, yellow haired atom bounded on four sides by yards of mattress. I stood over her timorously and stared, The Countess put one knee upon the mattress and, leaning far over, kissed a little paw. I blinked, like a confounded booby. Then we stole out of the room. 1 offered her everything that the castle afforded in the way of loyalty and luxury. “And we'll have a telephone in the main hall before the end of a week,” 1 concluded beamingly. Her face clouded, “Oh, I'd much rather have it in my hallwi it you don’t mind, You see, I can’t very well go downstairs every time I want to use the phone, and it will be a nul- sance sending for me when I'm want- T promfsed.to put the instrument in her hall, and not to have an exten- sion to my rooms for fear of creating suspicion, Also the electric bell eys- tem was to be put in just as she wanted It to be, And a lot of other things that do not seem to come to mind at this moment. T left in a daze at half-past 8 to send Britton up with all the late nov- els and magazines and a big box of my special cigarettes. CHAPTER V. I Discuss Matrimony. DYKE and I tried to do a little work that eve- ning, but neither of us seemed quite capable of concentration, “They will yank us all up for ald- ing and “Setting,” he proclaimed, try- ing to focus his eyes on the short- hand book he was fumbling. “You wouldn't have me turn her over to the law, would you?" I d manded crossly. "lease don't forget that we are Americans.” “IE don't,” baid he. worrles most of all “Well,” suid I loftily, “we'll see.” 1 lay awake half the night morbidly Lerating the American father who is fo afraid of his wife that he lets her bully him into sacrificing their joint flesh and blood upon the altar of social ambition. ,8he had said that her father was pwed to the match from the beginning. Then why, in the name of heaven, wasn't he man enough to put a stop to it? ‘The next morning I set my laborers to work putting guest rooms into shape for the coming of the Hassards and the four friends who were to be with them for the week as my guest: They were to arrive on the next but one, which gave me amplo tue te consult u furniture dealer, | wowc have to buy at least six new beds and everything clse with which to comfortably equip as many bed chambers, At twelve [ climbed the tortuous stairs leading to the Countess's apart- raents, She opened che door herself ia response to my rapping. “I neglected to mention yesterday that I am expecting a houseful of guests in a day or two,” I said, after she had given me a very cordial greet- ing. “Oh, “That's what juests?” she cried in dismay. dear! Can't you put them off?" “I have hopes that they won't be able to stand the workmen banging around all day,” I confessed, some- what guiltily, “Women In the party?” I believe. Both married and qualified to express opinions. “They will be sure to nose me out,” she said ruefully, “Women are dreadful nosers “Don't worry,” T said, ‘We'll get a lot of new padlocks for the doors downstairs and you'll be as safe as can be, if you'll only keep quiet.” “But T don't see why [ should be made to mope here all day and all night lke a sick cat, holding my hand over Rosemary's mouth when she wanta to cry and muzziing poor Jinko #0 that he" “My doar Countess,” T interrupted sternly, “you should not forget that other Kuests of mine are Invited “T'll try to be nice and sensible, and 1 will be as still ax a mouse all the thne they're here, Aut you must promise to come up every day and give me the gossip. You can steal up, can't you? Surreptitiously?” “I've been trying to recall all of the Botable matriages we ( ~The Evening World Daily Magazine, Tuesday, March 10, 1914: The Exploits of a New Yorker Trouble_in Europe Who York three years ago,” slid 1. don’t avem to ft in with any of the international affairs I can bring to mind.” “You promised you wouldn't bother about that, Mr. Smart," she said severely. “ot re you were married in New York?" “In a very nice church just off Fifth avenue, if that will help you any,” she sald. “Stranger things have happened than that you should patch up your difficulties and go back to live with your husband.” She uttered a little ery of revul- sion, The dreamy light died in her eyes and she transfixed me with a look of indignation, “How dare you suggest such a thing! How dare you speak to me in that way! You—I ought to order you out of this room and never— never"-— My luminous smile outburat. “Splendid!” I crled. “You convince me that it can never happen.” “You spoke of him as my husband,” she said, “He is not my husband, lease be good enough to remember that,” “It will be easy, I assure you. May I therefore venture the hope that it you ever decide to inarry again you'll kive e deserving American @ make you his queen? find it better than being a toss, I believe.” 1 shall never marry, she said with decision, “Never, never again will T get into a mess that is #0 ard to get out of. I car say this to you because I've heard you ar bachelor, You can't take offense. “1 fondly hope to die a bachelor,” said I with humility, . checked the oe At dinner that evening T asked pendyke point blank If he could to mind a meiriage in New York ciety that might ft the principals in this puzzling cane, He hemmes and hawed and ap- peared to be greatly confused. Really, sir, [—I—really, 1'—— You make tt a point to read the society news,” I explained, “As a matter of fact, Mr. Sma do remember this particular marriage very clearly,” said he, looking down at hin plate. “You do?” I shouted eagerly. The new fortman stared. “Splendid! Tell me, who is she—or was id My secretary looked me steadily in the eye, “I'm ‘sorry, air, but—but I can't do it. J promised her this morning I wouldn't let it be dragged out of me with red hot tongs. CHAPTER VI. I Receive Visitor: HE east wing of the castle was still as a mouse’on the day my house party ar- rived. And yet I trembled. My necret seemed to be safely planted, but what would the harvest be? I knew I should watch those upper windows with hypnotic seal, and Iis- ten with straining ears for the in- evitable squall of a child or the bark of a dog. My brain ran riot with in- clpient subterfuges, excuses, apolo- gies and lies with which my position was to be sustained. ‘There would not be a minute during the week to come when I would be perfectly free to call my soul my own, and as for nerves! well, with good luck they might endure the strain. Klsio Hazzard presented me to her friends and, with lordly generosity, I presented the castle to them. Her husband, Dr. George, thanked me for saving all their lives and then, feel- ing a draft, turned up his cout col- lar and informed me that we'd all die if I didn't have the cracks stopped up. He seemed unneces: ily ity about it, ‘There was a Russian baron, the last syllable of whose name was vitch, the first five evading me in a per petual chase up and down the al- phabet. For brevity’s sake, I'll call him Umovitch, Then there was @ Viennese gentleman of twenty-six or eight (I heard), but who looked forty. I found myself wondering how dear, puritanic, lttle Eleie Has- zard could have fallen in with two w, such unemiable wrecks as these fel- lows appeared to be at first sight. The Austrian’s name was Pless. He was a plain mister. The more I maw of him the first afternoon the more I wondered at George Has- zard's carelessness. Then there were two very bright and charming A: ericans, the Billy Smiths. He was connected bassy at Vienna, and from the start. with the American Hm- 1 liked him ‘They called his wife “Betty Billy. After luncheon I got Elsie off in a corner and [egy her with questions concerning friends, The Billy Smitha were easily accounted for. ‘They belonged to the most exclusl set In New York and Newport. He had an incomprehensible lot of money and a taste for the diplo- matic service. be an Ambassador. in really Some day he would ‘The Baron was the Russian Embassy and was a very nice boy. ‘There was nothin: that and still be @ perfect host. But to you T declare that he wasn't a day under fifty. How blind women can be! Or {s silly the word? From where we sat the figure of Mr. Plees was plainly visible in the loggia, He was alone, leaning against the low wall and looking down upon the river. He idly at a cigarett hair grew very sleek on his smallish head und his shoulders were rather high, as if pinched upward by a tendency to defy a weak spine. “And this Mr. Plons, who is he?’ Fisie was looking at the rakish young man with a pitying expression in her tender blue eyes. “Poor fellow,” she sighed. “Ha ts in great trouble, John. We hoped that If we got him off here where it in quict he might be able to forget. Oh, but Tam not supposed to tell you a word of the story! We are al sworn to secrecy, It was only on that condition that ho consented to come with us.” “Indeed!” She hesitated, uncomfortably placed Mr. Smart,” © ® whisper. By George Barr McCutcheon Author of ‘‘ GRAUSTARK,” Bte. between two duties him and one to me, “It ts only fair, She owed one to John, couldn't sleep, After thé 1 had my things moved third night where I could at least feel that after a few minutes. That ‘s, who am 1 supposed to b that vou should know that’ Plessis not his “Ob,” ai nh ny 0 "sald f uneasily, “you aro were at real name,” sho said, lowering her really’ nobody. You are iritton's say arm's lenacn ep n—vou voice Hut, of we stand wife.” mar. tart shockingly timid.” © leaned a little We all sleep down here ahe Gand mnfidentially. i sponsor for him, “Your word is sufficient His life is aa traged Does Britton know it? sald J, with a wry smile. “He took a mean advantage of mo ee. “ae heart is broken, I firmly in bid Presence of George Haagard not little mattress dows cree rae ; an hour ago, asked for a but it in the The Billy Smiths came up. Elsie in waxes on account of his wife’ good At ane males i Pp nwo 7 to bison a ag ae ft. wae It seems that vou are an in- cradle for her. Melons aian * paking of Mr. Pless," valid. Just acre sald I. He broken heart." party Rope he hasn't forgotten the he doore wide open “ie va aby in his calculations.” di. determined to tell this on “Ho hasn't 4 raat 1, Judiclallg ke . You may be sure, ‘He “t name isn't Pless, His wife got a ed the baby Setar yin Sunt, ely, “And se say study is just beyond this May I enquire how you know that I have my study ‘Oh, | peeked in mirror, Te ere’ the other day,” dhe. more, 2 divores from him, and now she has taken thelr child and run off with it = hoy can't find--what's the mat- My oyes were almost i my head. Dae 5 “Is--is ho a count?” I cried, Hilly Smith regarded mo specu Uvely. “l daresay Mr. Smart has read all about the affair in the news- papers, They've had nothing else lately. I won't say he ts a count, and 1 won't say he ten't. We're bound by a deep, dark, sinister oath, sealed with blood,” “The poor fellow in now tell me all about-—Mr. How is he looking? Does he appear to be unheppy “He appears to be somewhat senti- #ald, serene once mental and occupigl. He gazes ‘The deuce you did!” at the moon bites bt 9." “I was quite sure that you were out,” “I--1 wish I could have a peep at she explained, hic. some tiny without being” Ludwig the Red an Inch of testthens otk You are quite cosy in there, aren't ® heaven's make, don’t even con. all envy you loupe” ¥ you the gtand old chaise sider such a thing,” [cried in alarm. lust @ little peek, Mr. Smart,” she /on pleads wavered, but succeeded f ' the impulse. “It in the only comf plece of furniture I have left in my id I, with convincing * sald 1 firmly. Very well,” she said roaignedly, fixing me with hurt eyes. “I'm ry you'll go back to him, after al tracted, Really, Mr. sald angrily.“ % “You poor said, her planned thia little visit here simply ‘They’ os Li Bhkerccnthatd blend rarest smile. “How fortunes tae are in order to-to take him out of him- “Just because [ want to sea how that I did not remember the chatee self for w while. It has been such a unhappy he is, and en, len loprived ; myself ge. You would have Y for him. He worshipped the little, you say horrid Things tomes: Of It. Tam quite nue, OF course I it was Mrs. Billy who spoke. she cried, almost pathetically. couldn't think of robbing you of it now. ‘AS @ matter of fact, I never He fi {t." 1 said, submitting to a once cone quered impulse. “Ityau'a ‘ithe to have it I'l child. “And the mother made way with hun?” I queried, resorting to a sud- de uy acquired cunning. “It te a girl,” said El: treat me very badly.” “There is u great deal at io in @ loud ‘The loveliest girl. The mother appeared in Vienna about threo weeks or a month ago and— whiff! Off goes the child. Abductey —kidnapped! And the court ha granted him the custody of the child. ‘That's what makos it no terrible. If she is caught anywhere in Europe well, I don’t know what may happen T am having the devil's own time heading off a scheme tha: wot for exploring the entire castle. Your hua—your ex-husband says he knows of a secret door opening into this part of the"-—- bho sprang to her feet with a sharp ery of alarm “Heaven Woe returned to the iN closed ‘the door softly, «mockery ie view of the clatter [ had made in ohifting the bed and its impedi eu wu I whispered si iy ie her arin, be fogtateps In the ‘ai 7S I—I forgot about that! t 4 There in & secret panel and—heav , thin that mate American ‘itis the S8¢0 uel. opens directly lato my atone ‘tlcor’ in" the Tanta nal ontee laughing stocks of the whole world, bedroom!” Her eyes were very wide strides that rang. our quite: I give you my word I am almost ®"4 full of consternation. She as they drew Seep ate shamed to have people point ma out Lael tiny Hato ae fed “It ie—it in ‘Mr. Plone, she whis- al L. Vv Pooh!" * ‘There goes an American. againat it, or null It up, or—do some- Tread. ee Pet cout ever forget it To my disgust, the three of them “MOK a Ob, now f hate him! Hava refuned to enlighten mo further an to cormiden yo me out Into the “Don't atop here to tell me about it." I cut in sharpl Get up to your room fd lock yours self in, IE stop bim, How the one did he get into this side of “Through the dungeons. There ies passage,” she whispered, then was gone, flying olselcaaly te narrow stairway. Assumi: chalance did not feel, T de t We m Mr. PI the history, identity or character of either Mr. or Mrs. Pless, but of course T knew that I wan entertain- ing under my roof, by the moat ex- traordinary coincidence, the Count and Countess of Something- or-other, who were at war, and the child they were fighting for with motives of an entirely dit at nature. Right or wrong, my sympathies were with the refugee in the lonely east wing. | was all the more deter- mined now to shield her as far as it lay in my power to do so, and to d fend her if the worst were to happen. At last we came to the broad hall at the top of the main staircase. Almost directly in front of us loomed the great padlocked doors leading to the other wing. Passing them like the wind she led the way to tho farthermost end of the hall ht from the big, paneleas windows overlooking the river camo streaming into the vast corridor, and I could see doors ahead to the right and the left of us. “Your bedroom?" [ managed to gasp, uttering a belated question that should have been asked five or wix flights higher up at a time when I Peat fags Rada core seve pee El ben better qualified to voice it. openly ma ‘ kone dow! Betty Billy. Being a sort of none here?” aathcr sp etheer 4 ‘ committal bachelor, I ranged it ith the two abandoned husbands, © had quite a reckless time of tal iy tha uninterrupted Ten about the wth of Ameri- eee eee, in R mraneen capitals, y one has js nails mi my ‘9d In‘Germany, the upset price of hot: [was in “my lady's bed Covi tg® houge strawberries and sundry other 4,,rhe immense Gothic bed stood on topics of similar plquancy. Elaie in. !* dais imposing in | ite er vited all of us to @ weish rarebit jjnree oF four very modern innova, party abe wan giving at eli ten trenne los Ta uciiees and then they got to work against the opposite walls, half- ny bridge tabi Fehler reece have tn ui It wan absolutely necoasary foi piri ay to bo ous of ine. Countess to know that her ecchuse Pike stheee reeee oe, en ee ean: band was in the castle. I would have Home of my, t precious rugs to manage in some way to see ber moat ol before the evening was over. ne Adorned the floor, but the witfows leant carelonanens, the smalinat alip Were absolutely undraped. might prove the undoing of both of “Don't stand there gaping,” she ¢ us. On an excuse of lotters to write cried in a shrill whisper, atarting T left my quests. acroms the room only to turn aside with a Warp exclamation, “That Phe did not reply, but, ti to the left, threw open a prego and dis- uppeared into the room beyond. [ followed ruthlessly, but stopped just over the threshold to h my breath in astonishinent. paid I. Perhaps you'd rather I didn’t @le~ Mrs." Ten minutes later I was sneaking turb Mrs. —— é bl nthe stupid Helene!” she cried, flushin : us Poopan. warmly, Catching up «heap of ye Pee. aa 3 waa: dyke stood guard below at the pad- locked doors, holding the keys. Somewhat timorously I knocked at the Countess's door. The Countens's French matd peered out at me. “Madame hus request me to inform m'sleur that she knows the Count ts ‘son the for. floor, I think.” in the direction of the He followed. he recklessly hurled he bed. “This te the mirror—the middie one. It opena by means of a apring. There is a small hole in the wall behind it and then there is still another secret door he- yond ¢hat, @ thick Iron one with the sixth Baron Rothhoefen’s portrait on b such success ultimately took the lead. the remotest idea how to get te the confounded. di iy It never rains but it pours. as we were descending the ia get here, and will you be so od as to Hii teeesr morning. womhe the outer side of it. The canvas of stairs before coming to the gone to bed.” Wane ope. We must’) pear- stone stepe that led far down “What?, She known he's here? ,,1 wes beginning to get.my Dear- the earth, who but Britto Who brought the information?” come blithely up the rs nes. “The bountiful Max, msleur, He pggi® xth baron? Old Ludwig the regions devoted to bervants and thelr | bring it with, dejouner, again with [e, St wee enemas 8 “The very on “Then, by Jove, he ia in my study! You don’t mean to say*——— “Please don't stop to talk,” she cried impatiently, looking about tn a dis- tracted manner, “but for goodness’ suke get something to put against this mirror.” rapidly. The only heavy to T said somethi % pressive under my breat on seeing us, stopped short tn | tracks, He put the box behind back and gazed at me forlornly, “Ah, Britto said I, myself most creditaby: La Uttle John Rellam; but now with the hot re When { reached the room where the guests were assembled I found Mr. Pless and the Baron Umoviteh engaged in an acrimonious dispute over a question of bridge etiquette. Suddenly Mr. Pless threw bis cards My mind worked down and ‘lett the table, without & object in the room Mr. . Hi word of apology to the two ladies, serve as a barricade wi half-hidden box with who looked more burt than appalled. it wan too heavy fot t pees © face, and yet I knew He said he was going to bed, but I feared. I sugested it, of course, in- there was a smile about his voluntarily lowering my volee to @ conspiratorial whisper. “Pull it over, quick!” ehe command- 4 prot iy. 'Perhapa I'd better run out and get and Ru"-—— “If my hus—if Mr. Pleas should open that secret door from the other side, Mr, Smart, it will be very em barrassing for you and me, let*-——— 1 put my shoulder to the huge, creaky bed and shoved. There were no castors, By means of great straining I got the heavy bed over against the mir- where. Ldap nd that he took himself off in t The miserable box contained = rection of the moonlit loggia. We were still discussing his defection in subdued tones—with the exception of the frate baron--when he re-en- tered the room, The expression on his face was mocking, even accusing. Directing his words to me, he uttered @ lazy indictment. © there real spirit castle, Mr. Smart, or have y: and blood mediums who roam about in white night dresses to study the moods of the moon from the dizziest ramparts?” Confound bis insolence! He winked atime! I knew, because I had ordered. for Rosemary. ir y ‘es, sir,” said my valet, . with unprtainty, “in a w rs Bright look Rashed into Ins these taking up the Mr. Smart. the laundry ov. the town, sir, is something dreadful the garments. y He stood aside to let us box pinned between him and Never ip my lif b Hd sore pungent and odor! .Britton seemed to with it. bik. “I like the perfumes the women a the Will you forgive me if I submit that uu sleep quite a distance from home T_ remarked with justifiable ‘Why the duece. don't you @tay on the upper floors?” “Recaw I am_ mortally afraid,” she said with a little shudder, “You've dea how lonely, how spooky it Is up there at the dead hour of night. F CHAPTER VII. 1 Resort to Diplomacy. “ Y DEAR COUNTESS, sald T the next mornin M “whilel am willing to ad- mit that all you say ts true, there still remains the unhappy fact that you were very near to upsetting everything last night. Mr. Pless saw you quite plain- ly, The moon was very full, you'll remember, Fortunately he was too far away from your window to rocog- nise ‘ou. Think how easy it might"-— “But I've told you twice that I held my hand over Jinko's nose and he just couldn't bark, Mr, Smart. You are really most unreasonable about it. The dog had to have a breath of fresh air,” “And now will you be geod enough WILL BEGIN IN NEXT-